Major Injuries
Converted by Jeremy Cronk (dispater@rcip.com)

This is a conversion/3e adaptation of the “Major Wound” table from the Elric! RPG.  I have used this in my campaign for years.  Consider this a variation of the “Clobbered” rules variant in the DMG.  The original table appears on page 157 of the Elric! core rulebook.

Whenever a character takes at least half his current hit points in damage from a single melee attack, he must roll a fortitude save (DC 10+the amount of damage taken) or suffer one of the following effects:

01-10	Severed leg tendons causing limping, or fused ankle bones causing limping, or back muscles or spinal nerve damage bending the torso to the left or right, or a fractured knee that cannot bend, or make up your own.  You take 1d3 points of temporary Dexterity damage; also, your speed is reduced by 5 feet per point of Dex damage taken.

11-20	Much of your nose has been sliced away, or multiple scares deface both hands, or an ear has been cut off, or a livid three-inch scar lends an evil cast to your face, or make up your own.  You take 1d3 points of temporary Charisma damage, this heals as you get used to your visible and unappealing change in appearance and learn to compensate for it.

21-30	Wrist or hand damage, or a slab of arm or shoulder muscle has been cut away, or a chunk was hewn from thigh or calf muscles, or you have spinal nerve damage, or several fingers or toes were crushed, sliced, or otherwise rendered useless, or make up your own.  You take 1d3 points of temporary Strength damage, and must make another Fortitude save (DC 10+amount of hit point damage that caused this roll) or either drop your weapon, or fall to your knees.  Picking up a dropped weapon is a move-equivalent action which provokes an attack of opportunity, and getting up from your knees is also a move-equivalent action which, because of your injuries, provokes an attack of opportunity.

31-40	A punctured lung leads to a weakened respiratory system, or deep stomach wounds chronically re-infect, or belly wounds weaken your digestion and general health, or you damaged kidneys and liver, or make up your own.  You take 1d3 points of temporary Constitution damage; speed is reduced by 5 feet for each point of Con damage taken, and your hit points may be lower.

41-50	Concussion damages hearing and imposes a –2 circumstance penalty to Listen rolls, or cuts to the head thereafter imposing a –2 circumstance penalty to all skills modified by Intelligence, or blows or cuts affect depth perception and impose a –2 circumstance penalty to missile attack rolls, or multiple cuts to the face and neck impose a –2 circumstance penalty to skills which involve speech, including Bluff, Diplomacy, Innuendo, and others, as appropriate, or make up your own.  You take 1d3 points of temporary Intelligence damage; note that this may modify skill rolls further downwards.  Wizards and other spellcasters who use intelligence as their primary casting attribute may lose the ability to cast higher-level spells.

51-60	See 1-10 for what happens; this now expands to the incapacitation of one or both arms or legs.  You take 1d6 points of temporary Dexterity damage, and must make a second fortitude save (same DC), or half this loss is considered permanent.  In addition, you must make a Will save at the same DC, or be considered disabled for the rest of the combat.

61-70	See 11-20 for what happened; this now includes worse mutilations.  You take 1d6 points of temporary Charisma damage, and must make a second fortitude save or half this loss is considered permanent. 

71-80	See 21-30 for examples of mutilating cuts and losses.  You take 1d6 points of temporary Strength damage, and must make a second fortitude save or half this loss is considered permanent.

81-90	See 31-40 for various wounds to the vitals.  You take 1d6 points of temporary Constitution damage, and you must make a second fortitude save or half this loss is considered permanent.  Your speed is reduced by 5 feet for each point of Con damage you take.  In addition, you must make a Will save at the same DC or be considered disabled for the rest of the combat.

91-92	Bad facial and vocal cord injuries.  You take 1d6 points of Charisma damage.  This loss is permanent.

93-94	Broken bones and severed ganglia.  You take 1d6 points of Dexterity damage.  This loss is permanent.  This injury may affect your ability to use your weapon or a shield, at the DM’s discretion.

95-96	Nerve damage to left or right arm (1d6 roll; 1-3: left, 4-6: right).  You take 1d6 points of Dexterity damage.  This loss is permanent.  The affected arm is useless for 5d6 days after the injury.  A successful fortitude save reduces the duration by half, and a successful Heal skill check (DC 20) allows a second Fortitude save.

97-98	Nerve damage to both arms.  You take 1d6 points of Dexterity damage.  This loss is permanent.  Both arms are useless for 5d6 days after the injury.  A successful Fortitude save reduces the duration by half, and a successful Heal skill check (DC 20) allows a second Fortitude save.

99	You are mutilated by vicious wounds.  You take 1d3 points of damage to your Dexterity, Constitution, and Strength scores.  Half this loss is permanent (round fractions up).  You are considered disabled for the remainder of the combat (no save).

00	You were deliberately mutilated after collapsing.  You take 1d4 points of damage from any four abilities (DM’s choice).  Half this loss is permanent (round fractions up).  You are also considered disabled for the remainder of the combat (no save).