The Wounds and Vigor alternative system was a great way to add more realism and grittiness to combat without requiring too much additional book-keeping. This system provides much of the same benefits for the Pathfinder Playtest rules. I have not been a fan of the Dying system in the current playtest. Our group had been using the Stamina and Health system from PF1 in a previous campaign, and greatly enjoyed it. This is my attempt to recreate that system for the playtest rules. Feel free to use these rules for your own games. I'm not interested in feedback.
Cheers!
Stamina and Health
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Summary. This system subdivides all character’s Hit Points (HP) into two pools, Health and Stamina. HP serves as a measure of where the character falls along these two underlying pools. The following chart summarizes how a character’s normal maximum HP is subdivided into Health and Stamina.
Stamina: Stamina represents the ability to take hits and keep going, near misses which may cause minor bruises and scrapes, and otherwise the ability to reflexively turn deadly blows into less serious ones.
Health: This represents your physical health and the actual damage received on a character’s physical body.
A character’s HP can now be decreased into negative numbers. A character dies when their current HP is equal to or less than the negative value of two times their Constitution score. Thus, hardier character’s (with higher Constitution scores) can take more damage before dying.
Winded Threshold
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Calculation. [Ancestry HP] + [Level]
When a character's current HP drops to equal to or below their Winded Threshold, they gain the winded condition. A winded character is hampered 5 and has a -1 conditional modifier to attack rolls and saving throws. The condition lasts until the character regains enough HP to bring them above their Winded Threshold.
Injured Threshold
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When a character's current HP drops to 0 or below, they gain the injured and dying conditions. An injured character is hampered 5 and has a -1 conditional penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, and AC. An injured character likely still has the winded condition, but, due to stacking rules, only the injured condition applies. The injured condition can only be removed by magical healing or by treating the injury getting 8 full hours of rest.
A dying character is slowed 2 and receives 1 persistent bleed damage at the end of each of their turn. This bleed damage can be removed as normal by the Administer First Aid action, or by the Stabilize spell. Additionally, upon receiving the dying condition, characters must immediately make a DC 10 Recovery Save or fall unconscious. Any bonuses (or reductions) to Recovery Saves apply to this check as well.
The dying condition is removed as soon as the character’s current HP increases to a value greater than 0. If a dying character is conscious, they may choose to take an action on their turn, but after that action is resolved the character must make another DC 10 Recovery Save or fall unconscious.
Wounded Threshold
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When a character's current HP drops to a value equal to their negative Constitution score or below, they immediately gain the wounded condition. This gives the character a permanent wound as determined by the GM. The type of wound (and associated penalties) should be based on the type of effect that caused the wound (see examples below). A critical hit that causes the character to fall below their Wound Threshold will have an even worse wound applied, and possibly an instant death situation (e.g. decapitation, broken skull, etc). Wounds received in this way cannot typically be healed normally.
Death
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When a character’s current HP falls to a value equal to or below twice their Constitution score, that character is dead.
Healing
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Magical Healing. Magical healing restores HP as normal and removes the injured condition. A healing spell of a specific level or greater is often required to heal any permanent wounds. Replacing missing body parts may require a Regenerate spell.
Mundane Healing. Mundane healing, such as the Treat Wounds and Battle Medic actions, provide healing as normal.
Treating Injuries. A successful Treat Wounds action can remove the injured condition from a target in conjunction with 8 full hours of rest. This use of the Treat Wounds action requires a Medicine check with the High DC for the level of the creature you are treating.
Success. The injury is removed.
Critical Success. As success, and the target gains 1d8 healing.
Failure. The patient is bolstered against this use of Treat Wounds.
Critical Failure. As failure, and the target takes 1d8 damage.
Long-Term Rest. Characters using the Long-Term Rest action during Downtime mode may remove the injured condition in addition to its normal effects. Additionally, this action can be used to help speed up recovery from wounds (see below).
Hero Points
Players can use 1 hero point to instantly restore their character to 1 point of HP (thus removing the dying condition as well as any associated bleed damage). The unconscious condition is also removed and they can act normally. Any injured, wounded, or winded conditions persist as normal. However, for 1 round, they can ignore the effects of the winded and injured conditions.
Wounded
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When a character’s Health value drops below the negative value of the Constitution score, they are wounded. This is a semi-permanent condition. The GM is free to use a generic wounded category, or more specific wounds (see below).
Generic Wounds. If tracking specific wounds is undesired for your game, a generic wounded condition can be applied. A character must make a DC 15 recovery save (or a DC 20 recovery save if the triggering attack was a critical hit). Any bonus to recovery saves (e.g. Toughness feat, Breath of Life spell) is applied. If the character fails the check, the character receives the wounded condition. A success indicates the triggering attack instead causes a permanent scar or bruise, that may or may not have social repercussions (GM discretion). Scar and bruises can be permanently removed with an application of a 3rd level or higher healing spell applied during Downtime mode.
A wounded character is hampered 5 and has a -1 conditional penalty to attack rolls, AC, and saving throws. The wounded condition heals in 3d4 weeks naturally, or with the application of a 3rd level or higher healing spell applied during Exploration or Downtime mode. This application of the spell does not provide any recovery of hit points and has a casting time of 10 minutes. Additionally, characters may take a Long-Term Rest action during Downtime mode to reduce the recovery time by an additional 1d3 days.
Specific Wounds. Below is a suggested list of specific wounds that can be rolled randomly from the provided table. The GM rolls the character’s recovery save on the table based on whether the triggering attack was a critical hit or not. The wounds listed below work best for weapon damage, but the GM can use similar effects for other types of damage with some creativity.
Recovery Save [d20]:
Wound | Critical Wound | Result
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15-20+ | 20+ | Marked
10-14 | 16-19 | Broken Bone
6-9 | 12-15 | Arterial Bleeding
2-5 | 8-11 | Disabled Body Part
1 | 6-7 | Broken Body
- | 4-5 | Severed/Mangled Limb
- | 2-3 | Mortal Wound
- | 1 | Death
Marked: The character is not wounded, but instead receives a permanent bruise, scar, or other alteration to their skin (burn, frostbite, etc.). An exposed and highly visible mark (such as on the face or hands) may cause a penalty to Charisma-based skill checks (GM discretion). This is highly culturally dependent, as some cultures may find such marks as an appealing token of strength and tenacity in battle, thus granting a bonus rather than a penalty (GM discretion).
Keep track of the number and location of marks a character receives. Marks can be permanently removed with the application of a 3rd level or higher healing spell applied during Downtime mode. This application of the spell does not provide any HP and has a casting time of 10 minutes.
Broken Bone: The attack has broken an underlying bone. This wound’s effect varies based on where the bone is located. The condition lasts until the bone is fully healed (naturally or magically).
Broken Arm/Hand: Character cannot wield a weapon or shield in the corresponding hand, cannot perform Manipulate actions with the corresponding hand, nor any actions requiring two hands.
Broken Leg/Foot: Character is hampered 10. Cannot use the Step action.
Broken Torso (Ribs/Collarbone/Etc.): Character has a -1 conditional penalty to attack rolls, AC, and saving throws.
Broken bones heal in 3d4 weeks naturally, or with the application of a 2nd level or higher healing spell applied during Exploration or Downtime mode. This application of the spell does not provide any HP and has a casting time of 10 minutes. Alternatively, characters can take a Long-Term Rest action during Downtime to reduce the recovery time by an additional 1d3 days.
Arterial Bleeding: The attack has opened a major artery, causing the character to bleed considerably. The character takes 1d4 persistent bleed damage each round at the end of their turn. This condition can be removed in a couple ways.
Cauterization: By dealing at least 1 fire damage to the character, the bleeding ends, but the character gains a Mark (see above).
[Medicine] Administer First Aid/Battle Medic: A successful Administering First Aid action can stop the persistent bleed damage as per normal. A successful Battle Medic action also automatically stops the bleeding. When using either of these actions, the receiving character must roll a DC 10 flat check, on a failure the character receives a Mark (see above).
Magical Healing: Magical healing instantly stops any persistent bleed damage as normal. The healed character does not receive a Mark.
NOTE: Certain damage types (e.g. bludgeoning) cannot cause Arterial Bleeding, use the Broken Bone condition instead.
Disabled Body Part: The attack damaged a specific body part, causing an effect based on the body part that was damaged. The condition lasts until the part is fully healed (naturally or magically).
Disabled Eye: The character eye is busted shut or cut open. The character has a permanent -1 conditional penalty to attack rolls and Perception checks.
Disabled Hand/Fingers: The character’s finger is broken or otherwise mangled. The character has a permanent -1 conditional penalty to attack rolls using that hand. Additionally, any complex Manipulate actions (i.e. Somatic casting) using that hand must succeed on a DC 5 flat check or the action fails.
Disabled Jaw: The character’s jaw has been severely broken or shattered. The character has trouble speaking properly and has a -2 conditional penalty in conjunction with any actions with the Auditory and/or Lingual trait (i.e. Request, Demoralize, etc.). Additionally, certain Auditory actions (e.g. Verbal Casting) require the character to succeed on a DC 5 flat check or the action fails.
Disabled body parts heal in 3d4 weeks naturally, or with an application of a 2nd level or higher healing spell applied during Exploration or Downtime mode. This application of the spell does not provide any other benefits and has a casting time of 10 minutes. Alternatively, characters can take a Long-Term Rest action during Downtime mode to reduce the recovery time by an additional 1d3 days.
Broken Body: The character has received a devastating injury, such as being gutted, receiving massive internal injuries, or a shattered spine. The character immediately becomes unconscious and cannot awaken until their HP is raised above 0. Additionally, the character will die in 2d4 days from internal bleeding unless their HP is raised above 0.
If the character’s HP is increased above 0, the character then has the broken body condition from the extensive injuries. The character is hampered 10, slowed 1, and has a -1 conditional penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, and AC.
A character’s broken body heals in 3d4 weeks naturally, or with an application of a 3rd level or higher healing spell applied during Exploration or Downtime mode. This application of the spell does not provide any other benefits and has a casting time of 10 minutes. Alternatively, characters can take a Long-Term Rest action during Downtime mode to reduce the recovery time by an additional 1d3 days.
Severed/Mangled Limb: The character’s arm or leg has been severed off (or severely mangled beyond use). The character is bleeding profusely, taking 1d6 persistent bleed damage each round. The bleeding can be removed in the normal way (see Arterial Bleeding above).
Arm/Hand: Character cannot wield a weapon or shield in the corresponding hand, cannot perform Manipulate actions with the corresponding hand, nor any actions requiring two hands.
Leg: Character’s land speed is reduced to 5. Cannot use the Step action.
Foot: Character is hampered 10. Cannot use the Step action.
Mangled limbs can be healed with the application of a 5th level or higher healing spell applied during Exploration or Downtime mode. This application of the spell does not provide any other benefits and has a casting time of 10 minutes.
If the limb was severed, the limb can be reattached with a Regenerate spell as per normal. If the limb is completely missing, it can be regenerated with the application of a heightened 8th level or higher Regenerate spell applied during Exploration or Downtime mode. This application of Regenerate does not provide any any other benefits and has a casting time of 10 minutes.
Mortal Wound: The character has received a mortal wound, such as their heart was pierced, throat was cut, or their neck was broken. The character is bleeding copiously, taking 1d8 persistent bleed damage each round. The bleeding can be removed in the normal way (see Arterial Bleeding above). The character immediately becomes unconscious and cannot awaken until their HP is raised above 0. Additionally, the character will die in 2d4 hours from internal damage unless their HP is raised above 0.
Death: The character is instantly killed. They may become decapitated, have their skull crushed, or otherwise torn into shreds. The character’s HP is set to a value equal to the negative of twice their Constitution score.
