Monday, March 6, 2023

When you hit zero

So, I recently wrote up a very simple system in order to introduce people to roleplaying, specifically to the OSR style. Now, I'm still refining the rules, as I think they are still too bloated (they run to five pages! Five!!) but to that end I'm putting some rules up here as I think of them so that I can copy them into the master document later. To that end, here's my rules about death and dismemberment (I may make a bigger table later, but for now this is it).

When You Hit Zero

No-one likes to get one-shotted, even at first level, so here are the rules that mean you don't die immediately in combat. 

As is traditional...

When you hit zero you pass out and begin to bleed out. Three rounds later you have succumbed to your wounds, but within this time a friend can spend an action to save you. You do not regain consciousness until after the fight has ended (if there is a fight), or until you regain HP from healing. Either way, if you have fallen below zero you must roll on the table below.

1

Come on, you’re fine. I barely touched you, just walk it off you faker.

2-3

You suffer no ongoing problems, but you get a cool scar to carry with you for the rest of your life (choose as appropriate to the injury)

4-5

Your injuries will need time to heal. You take four or five points (depending on roll) from any of your stats which will heal at a rate of one per day, or after one day of convalescence with healers (ie go to a Hospital), and you will carry scars from this encounter.

6-7

Your injuries are severe enough to require a great deal of recuperation. You take six or seven points (depending on roll) from any of your stats will heal at a rate of one per day, or after one day of convalescence with healers (ie go to a Hospital), and you will carry scars from this encounter. In addition to this, you lose your class bonus to all actions until you have taken a day’s rest.

8

The savage nature of your injuries has debilitated you permanently. You lose two points of either strength or dexterity and have an “old war wound” that aches in bad weather.

9

You have taken extreme damage to the brink of death. You permanently lose four points from either strength or dexterity, or loose a limb (with concomitant effects). The scars you carry from this injury are noticeable for all, and cause people to often ask the story behind them.

10

You have suffered from a debilitating injury from which there is no return. You can move under your own power, but your strength, dexterity, and health points have fallen to 1. You could continue to live a regular life, but your adventuring days are over.


There are two exceptions to these rules: 

If you get damaged to -10 HP (by being hit by a big explosion or something), you do get one-shotted. Don't poke the dragon. 

Also Barbarians, as they get a powerup when they hit zero HP but die immediately at -10. A Barbarian does "roll" on the wounds table every time they drop below zero, but always get the result of "cool scars".

No comments:

Post a Comment