Critical systems increase the death rate, and usually leave the players losing out in the long run due to randomness. But D&D combat tends to be very abstract and generic, how to add more of a Appendix N: feel?
What if we handled it a bit differently? Warhammer has an interesting system where if all the wounds are gone, you are just like you always were, just with 0 wounds. Every hit after that then causes a 'critical effect'.
It's a critical table that actually extends the lifespan of the players! Like the great heroes of Appendix N, they don't simply fall over dead, they lose eyes and limbs and have countless crushed bones.
Dying should be fun!
I have created 3 levels of complexity.
Basic information: Being dropped to 0 hit points has no negative effect. You can not drop below 0 hit points.
Super-Simple: When you take a hit that would drop you to, or past 0 hit points, roll 3d12 and consult the table.
Intermediate: When you take a hit that would drop you to, or past 0 hit points, roll 1d6 plus the damage dealt and consult the table.
Keep track of the total number of bleed, internal bleed, and pain points. Roll this many additional d6's when hit to determine your critical.
Complex: When you take a hit that would drop you to, or past 0 hit points, roll 1d6 plus the damage dealt past 0 hit points.
- Bleed: Keep track of your bleed total. Each round your bleed increases by the number of times you have taken bleed damage. Add this value to the criticals you receive.
- Internal Bleed: Keep track of your internal bleed total. It does not automatically increase. Each round roll 1d100. If the result is equal to or less than your total internal bleed total, you fall over dead. Each point of internal bleed causes you to roll an additional 1d4 when hit to determine your critical severity.
- Pain: Keep track of your pain total. Each point of pain reduces all die rolls by 1. (i.e. if you have sustained 2 points of pain, all your attack and damage rolls are at -2). Each round you may make a Constitution check to reduce your pain total by 1. Each point of pain you have adds 1d6 when hit to determine critical severity.
- If you are a barbarian, bezerker, or any sort of rage or primitive fighter, pain instead provides a +1 bonus to all rolls
Determine which side of the body is struck randomly. Also: when bones are broken or injured, decide randomly, or use what is most exciting. It is suggested that cure light wounds only address hit point damage, and that you require extended rest and healing for wounds involving torn ligaments and bones. i.e. cuts can be healed with spells, but broken bones cannot. A cure critical wounds or heal spell can cure these conditions. Many of these wound will have a negative effect until addressed by a chirurgeon or someone with some degree of medical skill (or a cure critical/heal). On a failure of their skill, they will often leave some permanent damage due to an improperly set bone.When reading the table, effects are separated by a period. If a piece of armor is knocked off or destroyed, don't apply the second part of the effect. Not till the next time at least.
Rest periods for various effects without magical aid (CCW/Heal):
- Fractured bones: 1d6+6 weeks
- Broken bones: 2+1d6 months
- Torn Muscles/Tendons: 1d6+6 weeks
- Shattered bones: 8+3d6 months
- Organ Damage: 10d6 weeks. 10% chance of death per week.
- Second Degree Burns: 1d4 weeks.
- Third Degree Burns 2d6 weeks.
This post is subject to the Alexandrian Rule - If you use it, you have to come back and report about it.
All conditions are as follows. All these definitions are trivially superseded by the PRD, and are summarized below.
Dazed: The creature is unable to act normally. A dazed creature can take no actions, but has no penalty to AC.
Deafened: A deafened character cannot hear. He has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components.
Immobilized: The character is unable to move, but may still take an action each round.The character may move up to half speed with the assistance of another player.
Nauseated: Creatures with the nauseated condition experience stomach distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. They may only move and take actions of a similar type (i.e. not attack).
Paralyzed: A paralyzed character is frozen in place and unable to move or act.
Prone: The character is lying on the ground. A prone attacker has a –4 penalty on melee attack rolls and cannot use a ranged weapon (except for a crossbow). A prone defender gains a +4 bonus to Armor Class against ranged attacks, but takes a –4 penalty to AC against melee attacks. It takes a turn to stand up.
Shaken: A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Sickened: The character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Staggered: A staggered creature may take a single action each round.
Stunned: A stunned creature drops everything held, can't take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).
First Aid: Condition (Penalty): Some wounds require more than a cure light wounds spell to heal. This wound requires either knowledgeable medical attention or a Cure Critical Wounds or Heal spell to correct the condition after the colon. If a skill is used, and not a spell, failure may carry some sort of permanent penalty or consequence, noted in parentheses.
First Aid: Condition (Penalty): Some wounds require more than a cure light wounds spell to heal. This wound requires either knowledgeable medical attention or a Cure Critical Wounds or Heal spell to correct the condition after the colon. If a skill is used, and not a spell, failure may carry some sort of permanent penalty or consequence, noted in parentheses.
