💥 Applying Damage
This system uses a simplified but dramatic method for handling injury. Instead of tracking large pools of HP, each character has only a few Hit Points (typically around 5). Each time they take damage, they lose 1 to 3 HP, depending on how hard they were hit.
📊 Damage Thresholds and Wounds
Each character or creature has two Damage Thresholds:
- Serious Threshold — the amount of damage needed to inflict a Serious Wound (2 HP)
- Critical Threshold — exactly twice the Serious Threshold — inflicts a Critical Wound (3 HP)
Damage is applied as follows:
- If damage ≥ Critical Threshold → Critical Wound (lose 3 HP)
- If damage ≥ Serious Threshold but < Critical → Serious Wound (lose 2 HP)
- If damage > 0 but < Serious → Minor Wound (lose 1 HP)
- If damage ≤ 0 → no injury
Even 1 point of damage beyond the target's Evasion causes at least a Minor Wound.
Consider just making the rule be that you lose 1 HP per Damage Threshold of damage. That is, you would divide the damage you take by your threshold, rounding up, and that's how many HP you lose.
Alternatively have unlimited thresholds, with each threshold being twice the previous one. For example, if your threshold is calculated at 8, then you would take damage like:
- damage is 1-8 → lose 1HP
- damage is 9-16 → lose 2HP
- damage is 17-32 → lose 3HP
- damage is 33-64 → lose 4HP
- etc.
⚙️ Setting Thresholds
For characters, the Serious Threshold is based on:
- A base of 5
- Plus Fortitude
- Plus Armor bonus
- Plus Shield bonus (if equipped)
The Critical Threshold is twice the final Serious Threshold.
$$ \text{Serious Threshold} = 5 + \text{Fortitude} + \text{Armor} + \text{Shield} \\ \text{Critical Threshold} = 2 × \text{Serious Threshold} $$
See Armor for more.
💔 Wound Severity Summary
| Wound Type | HP Lost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Minor | 1 HP | A glancing or shallow hit |
| Serious | 2 HP | A solid, painful injury |
| Critical | 3 HP | A devastating or near-fatal blow |
Some features or effects trigger when you deal or suffer a Serious or Critical Wound.
☠️ Damage Types
All damage has a type, such as:
- Slashing, Bludgeoning, Piercing
- Fire, Cold, Lightning, Acid, Poison, Thunder
- Psychic, Radiant, Necrotic
Force damage does not exist in this system. Treat it as magical Bludgeoning instead.
Resistance, vulnerability, or immunity are applied to the raw damage total → Then compare the result to thresholds.
🧪 Example: Damage vs Thresholds
Example: Kara strikes a troll and rolls:
- 3d4 (Aspect Dice) → 8
- 1d8 (weapon die) → 5 Total = 13
The troll’s Evasion is 9, so 13 – 9 = 4 raw damage
The troll’s thresholds:
- Serious = 5
- Critical = 10
Result: 4 < 5 → Minor Wound → Troll loses 1 HP
🩸 Hit Points and Dying
Characters usually begin with 5 HP, though some features may modify this.
Each hit causes 1–3 HP loss depending on wound severity. At the beginning of the first turn they are at 0 HP, the player must choose one of the three following options:
🔥 Blaze of Glory
Take one final action as if it were a critical success.
- Deal maximum possible damage
- Afterward, the character dies heroically
🎲 Risk Fate
Roll 1d4:
- 1 — Die immediately
- 2–3 — Unconscious and dying (you will die in that many rounds if not healed)
- 4 — Stabilized at 0 HP
💀 Live, but Scarred
You survive at 1 HP, but suffer a lasting penalty, such as:
- A permanent debility or condition
- A cursed item, injury, or trauma
- Loss of an ally, limb, or reputation
If healing is applied before the decision, the character stabilizes and skips the death options.
📌 Summary Notes
- Most hits deal 1–3 HP depending on damage
- No need for special “critical hit” rules — big hits naturally escalate damage
- Evasion and Damage Thresholds come from Aspects, Armor, and Shield
- Monsters use the same system unless simplified for narrative purposes