Lasting Injuries

When a player character is knocked down in combat, it usually means being knocked unconscious and being out of combat for a few rounds, and on rarer occasions, death. Either way, they’ve taken quite the beating. Here’s a list of lasting injuries for when PCs get knocked out.

Minor versus Major

When knocked down, roll a d20. The starting DC is equal to 6, increasing by 1 for every 10 damage taken past 0, minus your constitution modifier, and increasing by another 1 for every time a player has been knocked unconscious in a given combat, resetting when combat is finished. If a player fails the test, roll on the minor injuries table. If the player fails the test by 5 or more, roll on the major injuries table.

Recovery The recovery time for minor and major injuries are different. For minor injuries, roll 2d10+5 for days to recover. For major injuries, roll 4d10+5 for days to recover. This time is halved with mundane medical attention each day, and quartered with medical attention of 3rd level healing spells or higher each day.

Lasting Injuries

Some major injuries are lasting. For example, it's totally possible for a player character to lose an eye, or a limb. These unique injuries are not recovered from after the specified time, but from unique, high level spells. Depending on your setting, care for these injuries can be easy to come by, or it could be a large quest in itself to find a powerful enough healer.

Location For the injuries that specify side, roll a d2. A result of 1=Left, and a result of 2=Right.

Spells Targeting Injuries

For recovery from injuries with healing magic, healing spells must target the injury itself. This means that the creature getting healed regains half of the hitpoints they normally would, but the healing from the spell also manages to ease the pain of their injury, speeding up recovery significantly.

Minor Injuries

When a player takes a minor injury, roll a d10. The meaning of each result is listed below. Recovery time for these injuries is 2d10+5 days, as stated above.

1-Broken Ribs: You can no longer take bonus actions.

2-Broken Leg (d2): You immediately fall prone, and your movement is reduced by 10. You gain disadvantage on Dexterity Saving throws and checks.

3-Broken Arm (d2): You immediately drop whatever you're holding in that arm, requiring you to pick it up with a bonus action. You can no longer use the arm that was broken without sustaining injury. You can push yourself to use it, but you take 5 un-reducible damage for every turn you do so.

4-Concussion: Disadvantage on Int and Wis Saving Throws + Concentration checks.

5-Sprained Ankle (d2): You immediately fall prone, and your movement is reduced by 5.

6-Sprained Wrist (d2): You immediately drop whatever you were holding in that hand, requiring you to pick it up with a bonus action. Your attack and damage rolls are reduced by 1.

7-Winded: Take 3 points of exhaustion. This injury requires no further recovery time.

8-Dazed: Stunned for 1d4 rounds, stumbling around in your current square and suffering 2 points of exhaustion. This injury requires no further recovery time.

9-Dislocated Shoulder: Spend a full turn to put it back into place, or have an ally to spend an action to do so. This injury requires no further recovery time.

10-Adrenaline Rush: Instead of being knocked unconscious, you’re left standing with 1 hit point. You can immediately take an extra turn. After the turn, take 2 points of exhaustion. This injury requires no further recovery time.

Major Injuries

When a player takes a major injury, roll a d10. The meaning of each result is listed below. Recovery time for the non-permanent of these injuries is 4d10+5 days, as stated above. Most permanent injuries cannot be recovered from. Every day after the injury, the player must make a DC=25 Constitution Saving Throw to remove one level of Exhaustion. The DC of this check reduces by 1 every day of recovery after the day of injury.

1-Punctured Heart: You have 1 round to live unless a level 3 healing spell or higher targets the injury. If you survive, you have 3 levels of exhaustion until you recover.

2-Gall Bladder Puncture: Internal Bleeding: Make a DC=20 Con saving throw. If failed, you have 1d4 rounds to live unless a level 3 healing spell or higher targets the injury. If you survive, you have 3 levels of exhaustion until you recover.

3-Ribcage Punctures Lungs: Internal Bleeding: Make a DC=20 Con saving throw. If failed, you die within 2d4 rounds if you aren’t healed by a level 3 healing spell or higher targeting the injury. If you survive, you have 3 levels of exhaustion until you recover.

4-Lost Leg (d2): You immediately fall prone, and your movement is reduced to 10 feet. You have disadvantage on Dexterity Saving throws and checks. Until you recover, you have 3 levels of exhaustion. This injury is permanent. The leg can be restored from a Regeneration spell.

5-Lost Arm or Hand (d2): You immediately drop whatever you're holding in that arm. You can no longer use two-handed weapons, and your carry weight is halved. Until you recover, you have 3 levels of exhaustion. This injury is permanent. The arm or hand can be restored from a Regeneration spell.