Limb Wounds/Conditions (5e Variant Rule)

Limb wounds/Conditions

In DnD, There appears to be just a simple slash at an enemy at a random place and see how much damage it does

This rule changes this system to make it more complex and satisfying, but also changes alot of combat rules.

Changes

Physical Damages

Physical damage does absolutely nothing but make it pretty. This system overhauls that:

• Slashing Melee weapons that deal more than (4 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level for minor, 10 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level for moderate, 15 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level for severe) damage creates a slashing wound, which makes you bleed, meaning you deal (1 for minor, 3 for moderate, 5 for severe) damage to the enemy per round if it is on an arm that you're holding something on, it forces you to roll a constitution saving throw (DC 5 + damage dealt), If you fail this check, you drop the item, to close the wound, roll a medicine roll (DC 3 for minor, DC 10 for moderate, DC 15 for severe), or burn it with a fire weapon to close it
• Slashing damage that deals over (30 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level) damage cuts off a limb, this will be stated more in the limb section
• Bludgeoning weapons that deal more than (10 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level) inflict bruises, which brings pain to an enemy, Bludgeoning damage to the head causes a concussion to their head, making them dazed for 2d4 of rounds, or an hour, if they rest, they have to roll constitution to wake up or be put into a coma
• Piercing weapons that deal more than (14 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level) damage pierce through an enemy, hitting whatever is behind it. It also creates a piercing wound which causes bleeding, it creates 3 piercing damage per round. To close the wound, roll a medicine check (DC 10). If its a ranged ammunition type thats stuck, Roll a strength check (DC 5, (DC 10 if its a bullet round e.g. musket ball) to pull it out, breaking it requires no roll (Cannoy break bullet rounds), to reverse this method, roll a medicine check (DC 10 if taken out/penetrated, DC 15 if broken)

Magical damage

Magical damage is overhauled to work differently (or slight changes)

• Fire damage cauterizes wounds, meaning it closes the wound, but it still inflicts fire damage if placed for long bursts (Faster than 1-2 seconds), Fire damage from magical sources like a fire casting spell that deals more than (4 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level) damage scorches enemies depending on where they hit, This inflicts a limb wound that doesn't take off a part of the body, if its damage is above (14 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level), it sets enemies ablaze, Making them take 1 fire damage per round, of this isn't solved in 8 rounds. The whole body is scorched, and it takes all scorch wound damages possible.
• Cold damage can slow targets down if it causes (4 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level for minor, 10 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level for moderate, 15 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level for severe) damage, (Minor makes bonus actions take actions, if hit in leg -5 base walking speed, moderate makes actions take full round actions, if hit in leg -10 base walking speed, severe makes you unable to use that part, if hit in leg, half their base walking speed) If this damage is inflicted to the head, it causes a stun for 1d4 of rounds.
• Poison damage can inflict the poisoned condition, it doesn't change much at all.
• Necrotic damage on any characters except undead (For example: strength drain) will also take parts of the soul away, if anything is killed by necrotic damage, it cannot be revived in any possible way. But it can have a soul transported into it. Undeads get the opposite and instead gain the effect. If necrotic damage hits an angel or good aligned character, it deals critical damage and blinds, scorches and fears them. Only evil aligned characters can deal this type of damage, if used when not evil aligned, it doesn't do the special effects explained here.
• Radiant damage can blind enemies and deals critical damage to evils and undead, if an evil or undead is hit with it, it becomes blinded, scorched and feared, if hit on anyone else, they recieve normal damage and blinds them, only good aligned characters can deal this type of damage, if used by not good aligned characters, it doesn't give the special effects explained here.
• Lightning damage can now blind enemies, And charges any electrical weapons. People who have died by any other means then necrotic can be shocked back to life (DC 10),if rolled above 8, they come back to life, but still suffer the limb wounds they have, and can be affected by rigor mortis and normal corpse conditions. If you pass the DC, the character is revived and still suffers the limb conditions
• Thunder damage can now deafen characters when used against them, if they roll higher than (10 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level) damage, the enemy becomes deafened for 2d8 of rounds
• Force damage can now knock characters prone, if you deal (10 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level for minor, 20 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level for moderate, 30 + Opposing characters constitution mod + players level for severe) damage,If minor the enemy becomes prone,If moderate the enemy is knocked 1d6 ft away, and is prone, if severe the enemy is knocked 1d10 ft away, and is prone.

Limb wounds

How are they caused?

Limb wounds are caused by cutting off a limb, or scorching it, if you cut off or scorch a limb other than your torso and head, you cannot use it. If you try to cut off a head of a humanoid character, you kill it, if you scorch the head, no effects happen other then the body shutting down from a heatwave, they need to roll a constitution saving throw (DC 20) to wake up, to wake them up, pour water on them and roll a medicine check (DC 15). You cannot affect the torso by scorching or stabbing, you can stab or pierce the heart and deal 1d10 of damage every round. To heal this, roll a medicine check (DC 20)

What conditions do they create?

The conditions that are caused are stated here:

• When trying to hit a head, roll attack at a disadvantage and add a -5, if it hits and deals over three quarters of the enemies health indamage damage, the character that gets hit gets these effects: Killed (Lethal physical damage), Knocked out (Nonlethal damage), if you deal 10 damage with bludgeoning, add these effects:Concussion (Dazed 2d4 rounds or an hour)
• When trying to hit the heart, roll an attack -3, if it hits and deals over 10 damage, the character thats being attacked gets these effects:Bleeding: Heart(Stabbing,Piercing), Bruised(Bludgeoning),If 20 damage is dealt with bludgeoning, add these effects=Broken rib (-5 max HP until fixed), Prone.
• When hitting an arm, Roll an attack -1, If it hits and deals over 4 damage, add these effects: Disarmed (Drops item in hand), If it deals over 10 damage, add these effects:Broken arm (Unable to use anything in that arm, bludgeoning), if it deals over 15 damage, add these effects:Missing arm (Same effect as broken arm, except you cannot fix by normal medicine methods,Slashing)
• When hitting a leg, roll attack -1, If you hit over 10 damage, apply these effects: Broken Leg (Half movement speed, rounded down, bludgeoning),Prone. If you hit over 15 damage, add these effects:Missing leg (Same effect as broken leg, You cannot fix by normal medicinal means, slashing), Prone.
• When hitting the torso, roll normally, if you hit and deal over 30 damage, add these effects:Prone.

How can they be healed?

Medicine checks to heal wounds are used, But some wounds (Like broken bones) are impossible to heal without magic. To heal broken limbs: use a cure minor/moderate/severe/major wounds spell. Potions will not work. To heal wounds: Use a fire weapon to close off the bleeding, And bandage the wound, Drinking a potion and healing magic will work.

Conditions

• Dazed: All attack rolls become -4, Stated on the type of attack for how long it lasts.
• Prone: You fall to the ground, It takes a full round action to get back up, Provokes attacks of opportunities, If hit, You're sent back into prone
• Scorched: Completely burns a limb, Gives effects of broken bones to characters
• Bleeding: Stated how much damage it does per round. Cured easily
• Broken leg: Halve the base walking speed of a character, -2 dexterity
• Broken arm: Unable to use any item in that arm, -2 strength
• Missing leg: Halve the base walking speed of a character, -2 dexterity, -2 constitution
• Missing arm: Unable to use any item in that arm, -2 strength, -2 constitution
• Broken Rib: -2 constitution
• Blinded: -4 to all attack rolls for 4 rounds
• Concussion: Applies dazed to you, Resting makes you roll a DC 15 check to not go into a comatose state. Lasts for an hour
• Scorched arm: Applies broken arm condition to the arm, Can be healed with bandages and a long rest
• Scorched leg: Applies broken leg condition to the leg, Can be healed with bandages and a long rest
• Scorched torso: Applies broken rib, can be healed with bandages and a long rest
• Scorched head:Roll a constitution saving throw (DC 10), If you fail this check you are unconscious (Unless immune)
• Scorched body: Applies all scorched effects.

Rules

• Certain undead (Like skeletons) cannot bleed.
• Any characters that are a size larger then medium and get their limbs broken/removed get a +2 to the DC of breaking/removing a limb, Any size shorter then medium gets the opposite. Small frame on certain homebrew races makes you get a -2 to the DC
• If a creature has multiple heads (or eyes), These eyes/heads have to all be dazed to actually effect the creature.
• Creatures that are naturally blind cannot be dazed.
• Creatures that are immune to unconsciousness cannot be dazed or unconscious
• If you penetrate an enemy larger then medium, -5 ft range for every size larger then medium, (-5ft for large, -10ft for huge, etc.), The range that it can fire is stated on the weapon.

Result

The end result of the rule hopefully leads to more of an intense combat system, making it more worrying to go into combat. And actually finding different approaches than fighting. It also gives more of a variety to combat and can force players to broaden their weaponry.

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