Random Idea: Injury Tree

[Kanosint]

Hello dear Forgites,

Recently, I read how many of us indie RPG developers enjoy Injury Tracks. This got me thinking,.
Now, it may be done before, I have no idea, but I thought it'd be fun to be able to further influence the Injury Track, and make it non-linear. This means that certain types of damage and other circumstances can lead you down a different path in the Injury Tree.
Certain character developments may cause new paths to form, old paths to change, etc.

This is in no way a detailed mechanic, I just wanted to share and inspire.

I was inspired by Vulpinoid's blog for this (thanks, foxie), but I hope I'll get at least some mention if someone gets inspired by this and uses it in a game.

Kind regards,

Kano.

[Ar Kayon]

Here's an example of how I managed to do it.  Perhaps it may give you some ideas on how to put your own original spin on the concept.

"The following lists the attack's effect for each gradient of success.

Shove
1 - none
2 - off-balance
3 - knockback
4 - knockback and knockdown

Unarmed Strike
*Quick Strike / Standard Strike
1 - stun
2 - hurt
3 - damage
4 - incapacitate

*Power Strike
1 - stun, off balance
2 - hurt, knockback
3 - damage, knockdown
4 - incapacitate

Bladed Weapon
*Quick Strike
1 - stun
2 - bleeding, hurt
3 - profuse bleeding, damaged
4 - excessive bleeding + (incapacitated or crippled)
*Standard or Power Strike
1 - bleeding, hurt
2 - profuse bleeding, damaged
3 - excessive bleeding,(incapacitated or crippled)
4 - instant death or destruction of bodypart and excessive bleeding (larger bladed weapons may get stuck in the body, and require an action to pull out)

Shotgun 12 ga.
1 - bleeding, hurt, off-balance
2 - profuse bleeding, damaged, knockdown
3 - excessive bleeding, (incapacitated or crippled)
4 - instant death or destruction of bodypart and bleeding

Notes:
*To reiterate, the gradient of success measures how much you succeeded your attack by and an attack's effect is based directly upon that number. For example, if you succeeded by 4 points, then you have scored a maximum effect (unless if armor or toughness reduces the effect). In the case of shooting a combatant with a shotgun blast, that results in an instant death.

*Notice how attack types are grossly lumped together, as in the Bladed Weapons entry. You may wonder what it is that separates a knife from, say, a greatsword. The difference is that each weapon has its own Power score, like how your character has a Power score. Power's role is to negate the effects of armor or toughness (or, Effect Reduction score). Therefore, the gradient of success is based upon how direct the strike was; a sharp knife to the throat is as deadly as a greatsword hacking someone's head off. However, the difference in power gives the greatsword more opportunities of actually scoring a direct hit against armored opponents. The same principle goes for any other attack types.
This balance will provide incentive for players to choose the right weapon for the right situation, realistically, rather than in other systems where players will almost always choose the biggest weapon because it does the most damage."

[Vulpinoid]

Interesting idea.

I have thought of similar things in the past.

Each injury being a negative trait that is applied to the character, with each negative trait having a tendency to draw new specific injury types.

Low level might be "dizziness", which might lead to a medium level short-term "trip" or a long-term "concussion".

The medium level short-term "trip" might lead to a high level long-term "broken" limb or a short-term "passing out".

The short term effects tend to be nastier than the long term effects, but the balance factor is that the long term effects require a longer duration to recover.

It would make sense that certain weapons were inclined to apply certain types of injury traits on their victims.

But share your thoughts with us a bit more.

V

[Kanosint]

Yes, of course Vulpinoid, as I said, it was your liking of Injury Tracks that gave me this idea, as I said ;3

As for my ideas, well, this isn't something I plan on really using anytime soon. My current project simply can't use this, and thus I wanted to share this so others may pit more use from it ^^

[Hereward The Wake]

I think there is mileage in it.
A sword hits exposed flesh it cuts  causing
cut muscle and/or bone damage
bleeding.
As two branches

The target is wearing a quilted jack, so know the same hit does
Concussive damage to muscle, bone, perhaps bone breaks rather than being cleanly cut.
minor Flesh tearning.
Minor bleeding
So in effect there are 3 branches now instead of two, but two of the branches are lesser effects?

Or
1 minor injury may just cause superficial bleeding,
2 bleeding and dange to muscle
3 major muscle damge bleeding from damaged vlood vessels
4 severe trauma to muscle, severe blood loss and damge to bones in area of hit.
Of course each would have different effects, and it would be dependent on the weapon used, knife or sword?, the attack used, cut or stab? the target.

My 2 pennyth worth.
Best
JW

[Vulpinoid]

It always nice to see when someone appreciates my ideas...

[Ar Kayon]

I think there is mileage in it.
A sword hits exposed flesh it cuts  causing
cut muscle and/or bone damage
bleeding.
As two branches

The target is wearing a quilted jack, so know the same hit does
Concussive damage to muscle, bone, perhaps bone breaks rather than being cleanly cut.
minor Flesh tearning.
Minor bleeding
So in effect there are 3 branches now instead of two, but two of the branches are lesser effects?

Or
1 minor injury may just cause superficial bleeding,
2 bleeding and dange to muscle
3 major muscle damge bleeding from damaged vlood vessels
4 severe trauma to muscle, severe blood loss and damge to bones in area of hit.
Of course each would have different effects, and it would be dependent on the weapon used, knife or sword?, the attack used, cut or stab? the target.

My 2 pennyth worth.
Best
JW

I like this a lot.

[Hereward The Wake]

been thinking and to add to the tree. but taking some ideas from Ar
strike to head with sword you have you 4 results of whatever.
The target is wearing a helm this will stop the sword from cutting the head. (legends and myths aside or very thin helms)
So now you have damage for stun/concussion instead...
But another branch should be the effect that getting a solid hit would have on the targets balance.
Example  A hits B with  a sword for 4 cutting damge, but B is wearing a helm
so he takes 3 damage concussion (sword not being a truely concussive weapon so goes down one point)
and 2 points on balance result.

Or if a grapple throw, the damage comes from hitting the ground, so hear waering aromour may reduce the concusssive/crush damage from the fall but increase the stun damage as you are 40+ lbs heavier when you hit the ground?

Anyways just a couple more ideas
Best

[chronoplasm]

I think this has a lot of potential for non-trauma types of injury.
What if you broadened the concept of the injury tree to handle disease or insanity?

[Vulpinoid]

I could certainly see the concept applied to disease, insanity, drigs, poisons, wounded pride...hell, just about anything where a character is functioning under different circumstances to normal.

Note that I'm expanding the concept even further to include possible beneficial effects in the modifier trees.

[Locke]

i have done this in a game i was working on.  it went like this:

there are 3 charts:
1. minor injury (1-4)
2. moderate injury (5-8)
3. severe injury (9+)

you took count of your hits.  if u took a str 5 hit than a random wound on the moderate injury chart would incur, if you took 3 more than the total would be 8 and you wold roll on that chart again...

the charts over lapped with the worst of each being the same as the minor of the last.  a percentile was rolled to determine what injury there was.  it ideas was that as hit occurred the character got more and more messed up and would eventually die.  i did this for a modern warfare game.  a medic could heal the specific injury or lower the hit track so the next hit wouldn't be as severe.