Death, Dismemberment and Deadly Damage Table by Jim Pacek (carjackedseraphim.blogspot.

com)
Whenever a wound would take a character's HP to zero or below, the HPs are set to zero and the player rolls on the most appropriate column of the table below. The character suffers the effects described by the roll. As long as the character's HPs remain at zero, each time the character takes damage, the player must roll on the table below. Monsters and NPCs do not roll on the table. They merely die at zero HPs.
2d6 + (MOD) Advantage for 2 or less Melee Combat (CON) Helm Instant death (decapitated or other grievous wound) Fatal wound (gutted, stabbed through lung, broken back, etc.) die in 1d6 turns. 3 Character is knocked out until death or save is made. If character succeeds at first save attempt; cleric heal spell will save life. Weak for 2d6 weeks. Severed limb (DM's choice or roll randomly) will die in 3d6 rounds unless tourniquet applied, wound cauterized with fire, or Cure Wounds cast (CW used for this will not restore lost hp) Character is knocked out until death or save is made Missile Combat (CON) Helm and/or Shield Instant death (arrow through heart or brain or some other grievous wound) Falling (DEX) (subtract 1 from the roll for every 10' of fall beyond the first 10') Unarmored Instant death (skull crushed or other massive internal injuries) Fire (DEX) (subtract 1 from the roll for every 10 points of damage) Using Shield Instant death (incinerated or brains boiled inside skull) Electricity (CON) (subtract 1 from the roll for every 10 points of damage) No Metal Instant death (massive overload of nervous system or brain shorted out) Chaos (WIS) (subtract 1 from the roll for every 10 points of damage) Bless, Shield, Force Wall or similar magical protection field Instant death (body is twisted into an unidentifiable mass of corruption and ) Fatal wound (internal organs are transmogrified by chaos) die in 1d6 turns Character is knocked out until death or save is made. If character succeeds at first save attempt; cleric heal spell will save life. Weak for 2d6 weeks. Corruption, pustules and open sores cover the character's body and the character is wracked with pain. If not healed by magic or tended to by a trained healer for 1d4+1 months, the character will likely die of complications (80% chance) Character is knocked out until death or save is made The wave of chaotic energy warps the character (d6): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Blind Swap limbs Limb disappears Duplicate limb Radically change limb Polymorph character

Fatal wound (arrow in lung, bolt in the Fatal wound (rupture of internal guts, severed spine) die in 1d6 turns organs) die in 1d6 turns Character is knocked out until death or save is made. If character succeeds at first save attempt; cleric heal spell will save life. Weak for 2d6 weeks. Major artery or vein punctured in limb (DM's choice or roll randomly) will die in 3d6 rounds unless tourniquet applied, wound cauterized with fire, or Cure Wounds cast (CW used for this will not restore lost hp) Character is knocked out until death or save is made Character is knocked out until death or save is made. If character succeeds at first save attempt; cleric heal spell will save life. Weak for 2d6 weeks. Massive crushing injuries. Character will die in 2d6 rounds unless Cure Wounds cast (CW used for this will not restore lost hp) Character is knocked out until death or save is made

Fatal wound (massive burns) die in 1d6 Fatal wound (internal burns of major turns organs) die in 1d6 turns Character is knocked out until death or save is made. If character succeeds at first save attempt; cleric heal spell will save life. Weak for 2d6 weeks. Terrible burns cover large portion of the character's body and the character is wracked with pain. If not healed by magic or tended to by a trained healer for 1d4+1 months, the character will likely die of infection (80% chance) Character is knocked out until death or save is made Character is knocked out until death or save is made. If character succeeds at first save attempt; cleric heal spell will save life. Weak for 2d6 weeks. Blisters and burns follow the path of the electricity through the body and the character is wracked with pain. If not healed by magic or tended to by a trained healer for 1d4+1 months, the character will likely die of complications (80% chance) Character is knocked out until death or save is made Deafened

Broken bone (DM's choice), 2d4+9 weeks to heal

Vicious puncture wound paralyzes limb; Broken bone (DM's choice), 2d4+9 Blinded 3d6 weeks to heal weeks to heal; If unarmored the injury is merely a bad sprain 1d4 weeks to If using shield, save to avoid heal

If magically protected, save to avoid Knocked out for 2d6 rounds, unless wearing a helm. With helm, only stunned for 1 round Stunned for 1 round, unless wearing helm; With helm, only knocked down Knocked out for 2d6 rounds, unless wearing a helm. With helm, only stunned for 1 round Stunned for 1 round, unless wearing helm; With helm, blinded for one round due to helm being knocked out of place Off balance No Effect Adrenaline Surge If armored, knocked out for 2d6 rounds Overcome by the heat for 1d8 rounds; from a hard fall; If unarmored only With shield only dizzy for 1d4 rounds stunned for 1 round If armored, stunned for 1 round; If unarmored you land on your backside Knocked out for 2d6 rounds if wearing metal armor or carrying large metal object; With no metal, only stunned for 1 round Confused for 2d6 rounds; if magically protected, only knocked out for 1d6 rounds Knocked out for 1d6 rounds; if magically protected, only stunned for 1d6 rounds Stunned for 1 round No Effect Random effect (d6): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Adrenaline Surge Hasted Hot Temper Mirror Image for 1d6 rounds Blink for 1d6 rounds Something odd for 1d6 rounds

6, 7, 8

Dizzy from the heat for 1d4 rounds; Stunned for 1 round if wearing metal With shield knocked back 5-10 feet (1- armor or carrying large metal object; 2 boxes if using minis) With no metal only knocked down Knocked back and knocked down No Effect Knocked back and knocked down No Effect Adrenaline Surge; Hasted

10 11

Knocked down No Effect Adrenaline Surge

You land on your backside No Effect

You land on your feet ready for action. Adrenaline Surge; Hot Temper If a threat is immediate; the character can act against it

12 or more

Adrenaline Surge: Returns 1d4 hit points per every other level (1d4 at 1st and 2nd, 2d4 at 3rd and 4th, etc.) At the end of the combat, the adrenaline drains away, hit points are reduced to zero, and the PC faints for 2d6 rounds Hasted: The character may take an extra action every round for 1d6 rounds Hot Temper: The character fights as a berserker for 1d6 rounds Blink: Teleport up to 5" once each round Mirror Image: As per the Magic User spell Based upon fantastic work by Robert Fisher (http://web.fisher.cx/robert/infogami/Classic_D&D_injury_table) Trollsmyth (http://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2008/06/playing-with-death-and-dismemberment.html), Norman Harman (http://trollandflame.blogspot.com/2010/04/deadlier-death-and-dismemberment.html) Thanks so much for sharing!