Lingering Injuries

See the PDF and Injury Charts Here

“I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow to the knee.” - Town Guard, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

In D&D 5th Edition damage normally leaves no lingering effects. This option introduces the potential for long term injuries. More frequent injuries allows combat to have roleplaying consequences and creates a grittier, more realistic flavor, but can cripple characters' fighting ability.

Inflicting Injuries

A creature might sustain a lingering injury under the following circumstances:

• When it drops to 0 hit points but isn't killed outright

Types of Injuries

To determine the nature of the injury, roll 2d10 after damage and all other effects have been resolved and reference the table for the damage type that took the character to 0 hp.
Major and Minor Injuries Some lingering injuries are more debilitating than others. When determining the severity of an injury, you can apply Advantage or Disadvantage depending on the circumstances.
Roll with disadvantage when conditions are more likely to cause a major injury:
The damage is of a type the target has vulnerability to. The injury is inflicted from a creature more than one size category larger than the target. The injury is inflicted from a creature with a CR or level higher than the target's. The amount of damage causing the injury is greater than or equal to half its hit point maximum. Roll with advantage when conditions are more likely to cause a minor injury:
The damage is of a type the target has resistance to. The injury is inflicted from a creature more than one size category smaller than the target. The injury is inflicted from a creature with a CR or level less than half the target's. The target spends their Inspiration. Recovery Unlike wounds, most lingering injuries can't be healed with normal rest. If no duration is noted in the injury, the effect persists until the afflicted creature recovers either through magic, extended rest, or some other method.
If an effect calls for a saving throw, someone can use their action to perform First Aid and make a Wisdom (Medicine) check in place of your next saving throw.
Non-humanoids This table assumes a typical humanoid physiology, but you can adapt the results for creatures with different body types. For example, an injury that affects the legs might affect the wings of a flying creature. If an injury would target a body part without an obvious analogue, roll again. If the reroll also fails, the creature does not sustain a lingering injury.
A creature can't suffer a lingering injury from a damage type it is immune to. Creature types without discernible anatomies are immune to certain types of lingering injuries; other immunities may apply at the DM's discretion (such as suffocation for creatures that don't need to breathe.)
Type Typical Immunity Construct All Elemental Bludgeoning, Slashing, Piercing, Poison Ooze All Plant Piercing Undead Piercing, Poison