The game mechanics of pain

[Edgewood]

I have been thinking alot about pain and the effect it has on the human body in terms of combat in my game. After taking a First Responders course as a Deputy Sheriff, we learned alot about how the body goes into shock and how a person can practically pass out due to the amount of pain. I then thought that pain isn't really addressed in terms of a condition on a PC when hit in combat. If a person is struck by a weapon and wounded, wouldn't shock begin to set in? Now I know that adrenalin can offset the effects of shock to a degree but once it takes hold, it's hard to ignore. So I was wondering, does anyone have any sort of rule for pain and how it would affect a PC in combat? I was looking at the Condition Summary in the DMG and the only thing that may come close is either Stunned or Staggered. Any ideas about this?

 

[Herobizkit]

To steal a mechanic, one game system I've played gave you a penalty to hit for every point of damage you suffered until you recovered from the "shock" of the blow, usually two combat turns later (in said game, comabt turns were done in seconds). In such a game, one would often take damage, defend, then retaliate the round after next.

Also, see "Clobbered" in the SRD (www.d20srd.org).

 

[LostSoul]

I think that hit points do a pretty good job of dealing with pain. At least in combat; when you get out of combat, and you need to heal up, it breaks down a little bit.

There are certain spells which work by inflicting pain on the target (eg. Symbol of Pain). I think they tend to deal penalties.

 

[AuraSeer]

If a person is struck by a weapon and wounded, wouldn't shock begin to set in?

Yes, but that is not what a weapon hit in D&D represents. A successful attack roll does not actually mean you've been struck and wounded.

A tough character might survive dozens of sword blows, but that doesn't mean he can get carved up like a roast and still walk around. It means he has enough skill, luck, and general "dude factor" to turn those hits into glancing blows that don't actually harm him.

As he loses hit points, that "dude factor" is depleted. Eventually his luck runs out, and one strike makes solid contact. That's the one that drops him below 0 hit points, knocking him out of the fight from pain and shock and blood loss.

This is why a character with 100 hit points can take 99 points of damage and still fight at full effectiveness. He's had a lot of close calls, but isn't actually hurt yet.

There are some systems that do consider a "hit" to be an actual wounding strike, and apply pain penalties after every damaging hit. (GURPS is one example.) Those systems share a common problem: the pain penalties make you less able to hurt your opponent, and more likely to get hit again the following round. So, as soon as you get hit once, you're screwed and the fight is over. Initiative becomes king because whoever strikes first will almost always win. This may be realistic, but it isn't heroic, and it isn't D&D.

 

[Hammerhead]

AuraSeer: That's only ONE way to look at it. It does not stipulate in the rules anything about "narrow misses" or "glancing blows." So please don't inclusively state that's what D&D isn't.

Some people play it as heroes who take far more punishment and wounds than any normal person could hope to sustain...much as these characters do other things that normal people can't hope to do. Besides, how else to you explain falling into lava, or down a 300 foot cliff?

I've never liked the Vitality/Wound type sytems of "Okay! You hit him...but you don't"

From a game perspective, I'd ignore the "pain" perspective since it gives first strikers such a huge advantage, as well as high AC characters vs. high HP. Dexterity becomes king. If you want that stuff, go for it, but as a DM I'd ignore the pain and treat the characters as heroic individuals who keep fighting.

 

[Aaron L]

Dexterity and Wisdom damage? Maybe Intelligence too, its hard to think when youre in pain. How much pain are you thinking of? Ive been through so much pain that it isnt funny. Ever hear of a spinal headache? I had one for 9 days once, after back surgery. Ability damage is the way to go for sever pain, Id say.

 

[Edgewood]

Dexterity and Wisdom damage? Maybe Intelligence too, its hard to think when youre in pain. How much pain are you thinking of? Ive been through so much pain that it isnt funny. Ever hear of a spinal headache? I had one for 9 days once, after back surgery. Ability damage is the way to go for sever pain, Id say.

I guess the defination of pain I'm going for is the kind that would incapacitate, if only briefly. An example I guess would be one while I was training as a Sheriff. A baton strike (a light one at that mind you) to just above the outside of the knee causes a nerve to react. The subject doesn't get the full effect right away, it starts to incapacitae the subject about 2-3 seconds after the strike. This causes them to simply drop from the pain. It doesn't matter how big the subject is, or in shape. It basically shuts down the senses and the individual drops.

In game terms, I suppose that will be non-lethal damage, and the incapacitating effect would be when the non-lethal damage equals their hp total and they become staggered. But in terms of the game, what would be a good rule to use? No doubt there would be penalties to attacks, skill use, and what not but I was thinking that a Fort Save could be used to overcome severe pain and that failure would cause an indivdual to lose all actions until they pass further Fort Saves with an accumulating +1 to the save for each attempt.

Thoughts?

 

[LostSoul]

Something like this would create a death spiral...

But you could have a fort save, say DC 5 + damage dealt, or you take a -2 penalty to attacks, saves, and checks for one round.

 

[D'karr]

Your title reminded me of Rich Redman and JD Wiker...

Maybe they need to change their company's name to The Game Mechanics of Pain... Very planescapesque...

 

[Edgewood]

Your title reminded me of Rich Redman and JD Wiker...

Maybe they need to change their company's name to The Game Mechanics of Pain... Very planescapesque...

Also, I think the Mechanics of Pain would make a cool band name....