Lingering Injury Tables

Rules

When you are struck down but are not killed outright, you can draw on what's left of your will and vitality to keep going. As a Reaction when damage would reduce you to 0 HP, you can expend and roll one hit die, regaining that much HP plus your Con bonus. When you do so, you gain a point of Exhaustion, and you must roll a Constitution saving throw against a DC equal to the damage you took. If you fail, you must roll 1d10 on one of these tables, depending on which damage type brought you to 0. If the effect had more than one damage type, combine the tables and roll a bigger die.

Not all of these are "lingering" injuries, but all of them confer some type of disadvantage in exchange for survival.

Some results mention certain amounts of magical healing being required to correct the injury. This is a total count, and multiple healing spells can stack towards it.

Most of these injuries can heal over time, or be treated by a doctor. However, Missing limbs and other body parts can only be restored by the use of a Regeneration spell or similar. Alternatively, they can be replaced by costly prosthetics.

Bludgeoning

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Broken Leg	Your walking speed is halved, as is your jump distance. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healer's Kit to reduce this DC to 10.
3-4	Broken Arm	You lose the use of one arm. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healers Kit to reduce this DC to 10.
5-6	Broken Nose	You have disadvantage on Perception checks relying on smell. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 25 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healer's Kit to reduce this DC to 10.
7	Broken Ribs	Whenever you attempt to take an action in combat, you must make a DC 10 Con save or lose the action. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 20 Medicine check with a Healer's Kit can be used to halve the remaining recovery time.
8	Internal Bruising	You have vulnerability to bludgeoning, force, and thunder damage. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing.
9	Concussion	You have disadvantage on Wis and Int checks, as well as Con saves to maintain concentration. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing.
0	Amnesia	You begin acting on instinct for the remainder of the fight. If you stay conscious until there is no immediate threat, you fall unconscious immediately after combat is over. Regardless of whether you went unconscious during combat or afterwards, when you wake up, you do not remember anything that happened 2d4 hours leading up to when you were KO'd. A Greater Restoration spell can restore the lost memories.

Ballistic

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Torn Leg Muscle	Your walking speed is reduced by 5ft, and your jump distance is halved. If you attempt to Dash, you must make a DC 10 Dex save or fall Prone afterwards. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healer's Kit to reduce this DC to 10.
3-4	Torn Arm Muscle	You lose the use of one arm. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healer's Kit to reduce this DC to 10.
5-6	Groin Injury	You are sterile, and you have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 25 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healer's Kit to reduce this DC to 10.
7	Lodged Fragment	You have a small foreign object, such as a bullet, stuck deep in your torso. Until the object is surgically removed with a DC 15 Medicine check using a Healers Kit, you have one level of Exhaustion. The DC increases to 20 after the entry wound has been healed - either magically or through 1 week of rest.
8	Ruptured Organ	When you gain this injury, and again at the end of each long rest you take, make a DC 10 Con save. On a failure, your maximum HP is reduced by 1. If your maximum HP reaches 0, you die. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 20 Medicine check with a Healer's Kit can be used to end this effect early.
9	Lose an Eye	If you still have at least one eye, you have disadvantage on Perception checks relying on sight. If you only had one eye to lose, you are Blind.
0	Internal Bleeding	At the start of each of your turns, you take 1d4 points of Necrotic damage. If this damage brings you to 0 HP and you choose to spend a hit die to remain standing, you suffer Minor Blood Loss from the Necrotic table. The bleeding can be stopped with any magical healing, a charge of a Healer's Kit, or a DC 15 medicine check.

Friction

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Severe Abrasion	You have disadvantage on ability checks and Con saves to maintain concentration. This heals after 1 week of rest, or when you receive any magical healing. A DC 10 Medicine check or a charge of a Healer's Kit can be used to end this effect early.
3-4	Horrible Disfigurement	You have disadvantage on Persuasion checks, and advantage on Intimidation checks. Magical healing of 6th level and higher can remove the scar.
5-6	Facial Fracture	When casting a spell, you must make a Con check to perform Verbal components correctly, with a DC equal to 10 + the spell's level. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 25 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healer's Kit to reduce this DC to 10.
7	Degloved Foot	At the start of each of your turns, you take 1 point of necrotic damage from bleeding. The bleeding can be stopped with any magical healing, a charge of a Healer's Kit, or a DC 10 Medicine check. In addition, your base walking speed is reduced to 5ft. If you still have at least one working leg, you can use a crutch or cane to move at half your original base speed.
8	Degloved Hand	At the start of each of your turns, you take 1 point of necrotic damage from bleeding. The bleeding can be stopped with any magical healing, a charge of a Healer's Kit, or a DC 10 Medicine check. In addition, you lose the use of one hand.
9	Ruptured Tendons	Your walking speed is halved, and if you walk more than 5ft in a round, you take 1 point of slashing damage for every 5 ft you walk. If this damage reduces you to 0 HP, you suffer the effects of a Torn Leg Muscle from the piercing table. Otherwise, this heals after 1 week of rest, or when you receive any magical healing. A DC 10 Medicine check or a charge of a Healer's Kit can be used to end this effect early.
0	Avulsion	At the end of each of your turns, you take 1d4 points of Necrotic damage. If this damage brings you to 0 HP and you choose to spend a hit die to remain standing, you suffer Minor Blood Loss from the Necrotic table. The bleeding can be stopped with any magical healing, a charge of a Healer's Kit, or a DC 15 medicine check.

Acid

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Lose 1d4 fingers	You have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks relying on the hand that lost the fingers, and cannot perform somatic components with that hand.
3-4	Horrible Disfigurement	You have disadvantage on Persuasion checks, and advantage on Intimidation checks. Magical healing of 6th level and higher can remove the scarring.
5-6	Exposed Bones	You have vulnerability to bludgeoning damage. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healer's Kit to reduce this DC to 10.
7	Neuralgia	Whenever you attempt to take an action in combat, you must make a DC 10 Con save or lose the action. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A charge of a Healer's Kit can be used to suppress this effect for 24 hours.
8	Destroyed Hand	You lose the use of one hand.
9	Destroyed Foot	Your walking speed is halved, as is your jump distance.
0	Partial Blindness	You can see 5ft in bright light, and are Blind otherwise. Your vision returns slowly, 5ft. per day, until it is back to normal. If you had Darkvision, it takes 4 weeks of rest for your Darkvision to function again. Any magical healing, a Lesser Restoration spell, or a DC 20 Medicine check with a Healer's Kit can restore your eyesight instantly.

Cold

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Hypothermia	You gain one level of Exhaustion. This level cannot be removed by a long rest in a cold climate. While you have this Exhaustion, you are immune to Heat Stroke.
3-4	Partial Freeze	You are Restrained. This ends when you use an Action to make a DC 20 Strength check and break free, or when you take any Fire damage.
5-6	Thermal Shock	You have vulnerability to Fire damage for the next minute.
7	Frostbitten Foot	Your walking speed is reduced by 5ft, and your jump distance is halved. If you attempt to Dash, you must make a DC 10 Dex save or fall Prone. Once in a warm climate, the frostbite can be held back with a DC 10 Medicine check, a charge of a Healer's Kit, or any magical healing. If treated, it will heal in 4 weeks of rest, or with 50 points of magical healing. If not treated within 48 hours, the foot will be destroyed.
8	Frostbitten Hand	You have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks relying on the damaged hand, and cannot perform somatic components with it. Once in a warm climate, the frostbite can be held back with a DC 10 Medicine check, a charge of a Healer's Kit, or any magical healing. If treated, it will heal in 4 weeks, or with 50 points of magical healing. If not treated within 48 hours, the hand will be destroyed.
9	Neuralgia	Whenever you attempt to take an action in combat, you must make a DC 10 Con save or lose the action. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A charge of a Healer's Kit can be used to suppress this effect for 24 hours.
0	Cellular Damage	You have disadvantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution checks and saving throws. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healer's Kit to reduce this DC to 10.

Fire

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Heat Stroke	You gain one level of Exhaustion. This level cannot be removed by a long rest in a hot climate. While you have this Exhaustion, you are immune to Hypothermia.
3-4	Horrible Disfigurement	You have disadvantage on Persuasion checks, and advantage on Intimidation checks. Magical healing of 6th level and higher can remove the burn scars.
5-6	First Degree Burns	If you already have first or second degree burns, you receive the next degree up instead. Otherwise, you have vulnerability to fire damage for the next 24 hours. The next time you take any fire damage while vulnerable during this time, the vulnerability ends, and you suffer second degree burns. A DC 10 Medicine check, a charge of a Healer's Kit, or any magical healing will end the vulnerability early.
7	Second Degree Burns	If you already have first or second degree burns, you receive third degree burns instead. Otherwise, you have disadvantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution checks. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 25 points of magical healing. A DC 15 Medicine check can be used to halve the remaining recovery time. You can expend one charge of a Healer's Kit to reduce this DC to 10.
8	Third Degree Burns	You have disadvantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution checks and saving throws. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 20 Medicine check with a Healer's Kit can be used to halve the remaining recovery time.
9	Neuralgia	Whenever you attempt to take an action in combat, you must make a DC 10 Con save or lose the action. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A charge of a Healer's Kit can be used to suppress this effect for 24 hours.
0	Burning Flesh	At the start of each of your turns, you take 1d4 fire damage, and your maximum HP is reduced by an equal amount. The fire can be extinguished by using an Action, and your maximum HP can be restored by a long rest.

Force

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Wild Magic	Roll on the Wild Magic Table until you get a surge that affects only you. Whatever the effect is, it lasts for 2 weeks (recurring daily if it is an instantaneous effect), or until you receive a Lesser Restoration spell.
3-4	Magic Vulnerability	You have disadvantage on saving throws against spells. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, or when you receive a Lesser Restoration spell.
5-6	Arcana Sickness	You have disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, or when you receive a Lesser Restoration spell.
7	Soul Tear	Every time you become unconscious and unstable, you automatically fail one death saving throw. This damage can be healed with a Greater Restoration spell.
8	Arcane Impairment	If you are a spellcaster, you lose the use of one spell slot of your highest level. If you are not a spellcaster, you lose one attunement slot instead. You regain it after 4 weeks of rest, or with a Greater Restoration spell.
9	Blindness to the Mundane	You are constantly under the effect of Detect Magic, but you are Blinded and cannot see anything nonmagical. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, or with a Lesser Restoration spell.
0	Banishment	You shift to the Border Ethereal, if possible. You remain there for 3d8 hours, or until rescued.

Lightning

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Fibrillation	You have disadvantage on Constitution checks and saving throws. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, any magical healing, or after taking exactly 1 point of lightning damage.
3-4	Muscle Spasms	You have disadvantage on Dexterity checks. This heals after 2 weeks of rest. The effect can be healed early with any magical healing, a DC 10 Medicine check, or a charge of a Healer's Kit.
5-6	Minor Brain Damage	You have disadvantage on Wis and Int checks, as well as Con saves to maintain concentration. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, or when you receive any magical healing.
7	Cardiac Injury	You gain one level of Exhaustion. This level cannot be removed by normal means, but heals after 4 weeks of rest or 50 points of magical healing. A DC 20 Medicine check with a Healer's Kit can be used to halve the remaining recovery time.
8	Arc Flash Burn	Roll on the Fire injury table.
9	Severe Nerve Damage	You can no longer feel pain, and thus can no longer track your own hit points. Instead, the DM secretly keeps track for you, and tells you when you are bloodied or unconscious. You also automatically succeed on Con saves to maintain concentration after taking damage. Magical healing of 6th level and higher can restore your nervous system.
0	Cardiac Arrest	You drop prone, and are Stunned. At the end of each of your turns while Stunned, you can make a DC 10 Con save. If a creature uses their Action to perform CPR on you, you have advantage on this save. On a successful save, you are no longer Stunned. On a failed save, you gain one failed death saving throw. If you reach 3 failed death saves, you die regardless of your current HP.

Necrotic

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Minor Blood Loss	You have disadvantage on Con checks and saving throws. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, when you receive any magical healing, or receive a blood transfusion. If you already have Minor Blood Loss, you instead gain Major Blood Loss.
3-4	Decaying Flesh	You are Poisoned, and you reek of decay. All creatures within 5ft. of you that can smell you must make a DC 10 Con save at the start of their turn or be Poisoned until the start of their next turn. Magical healing of 6th level and higher can remove the decay.
5-6	Withered Complexion	You have disadvantage on Persuasion checks, and advantage on Intimidation checks. Magical healing of 6th level and higher can remove the scarring.
7	Major Blood Loss	You gain one level of Exhaustion. This level cannot be removed by normal means, but heals after 4 weeks of rest or 50 points of magical healing. It can be healed instantly by receiving a blood transfusion.
8	Premature Aging	You age by a number of years equal to 1/4 of your race's average lifespan. Your age can be restored to normal with a Greater Restoration spell.
9	Organ Necrosis	When you gain this injury, and again at the end of each long rest you take, make a DC 10 Con save. On a failure, your maximum HP is reduced by 1. If your maximum HP reaches 0, you die. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 20 Medicine check with a Healer's Kit or a Greater Restoration spell can be used to end this effect early.
0	Call of Vengeance	If the damage was not dealt directly by a creature, you suffer no injury. If the damage was dealt by a creature, you immediately die, without making death saving throws. If the creature that killed you (or its master, if it obviously had one) is still alive 24 hours later, you become a Revenant, seeking revenge against the creature that killed you and whomever they may answer to.

Poison

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Nausea	You have disadvantage on Con checks and saves. This gets better after 2 weeks. A DC 10 Medicine check, a charge of a Healer's Kit, any magical healing, or a Lesser Restoration spell can end the sickness early.
3-4	Vertigo	You have disadvantage on Dex checks and saves. This gets better after 2 weeks. A DC 10 Medicine check, a charge of a Healer's Kit, any magical healing, or a Lesser Restoration spell can end the sickness early.
5-6	Cardiac Injury	You gain one level of Exhaustion. This level cannot be removed by normal means, but heals after 4 weeks of rest or 50 points of magical healing. A DC 20 Medicine check with a Healer's Kit can be used to halve the remaining recovery time.
7	Kidney Failure	You have vulnerability to Poison damage, and disadvantage on Con saves against poison. Magical healing of 6th level or higher can end this effect.
8	Liver Damage	Each time you complete a long rest, you gain the Poisoned condition. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing.
9	Organ Necrosis	When you gain this injury, and again at the end of each long rest you take, make a DC 10 Con save. On a failure, your maximum HP is reduced by 1d4. If your maximum HP reaches 0, you die. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 20 Medicine check with a Healer's Kit or a Greater Restoration spell can be used to end this effect early.
0	Cardiac Arrest	You drop prone, and are Stunned. At the end of each of your turns while Stunned, you can make a DC 10 Con save. If a creature uses their Action to perform CPR on you, you have advantage on this save. On a successful save, you are no longer Stunned. On a failed save, you gain one failed death saving throw. If you reach 3 failed death saves, you die regardless of your current HP.

Psychic

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Short-Term Madness	Roll on the Short-Term Madness table. Your madness lasts for 1d4 hours, or until cured.
3-4	Crippling Doubt	You have disadvantage on Charisma checks and Wisdom saving throws. You regain your self confidence after 2 weeks of productive activity, or with a Lesser Restoration spell.
5-6	Minor Brain Damage	You have disadvantage on Wis and Int checks, as well as Con saves to maintain concentration. This heals after 2 weeks of rest, or when you receive any magical healing.
7	Long-Term Madness	Roll on the Long-Term Madness table. Your madness lasts for 5d6 days, or until cured.
8	Phobia	You develop a debilitating fear of something in the situation from which you gained your injury. When you are confronted with your phobia, you are Frightened of it. This phobia can be cured with a Greater Restoration spell.
9	Migraines	While in bright light, you have disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks that rely on sight. In addition, whenever you take Thunder damage, you are Stunned until the end of your next turn. These headaches go away after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A charge of a Healer's Kit can be used to suppress this effect for 24 hours.
0	Indefinite Madness	Roll on the Indefinite Madness table. Your madness lasts until cured.

Radiant

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Curse	You are cursed with a random affliction from the Bestow Curse spell. This can be cured with a Remove Curse spell.
3-4	Horrible Disfigurement	You have disadvantage on Persuasion checks, and advantage on Intimidation checks. Magical healing of 6th level and higher can remove the scarring.
5-6	Partial Blindness	You have disadvantage on Perception checks relying on sight. This can be cured with a Lesser Restoration spell.
7	Radiant Burns	Roll on the Fire injury table.
8	Radiation Sickness	You are Poisoned. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing.
9	Cancer	Your Con decreases by 1. Any time you receive magical healing, or for every week this goes untreated, you must succeed on a DC 10 Con save, or your Con further decreases by 1. This can be cured by a Greater Restoration spell.
0	Alignment Shift	If you are Good or Evil, you become Neutral. If you were already Neutral, you become either Good or Evil (DM's choice). This can be reverted with a Greater Restoration spell.

Thunder

d10	Injury	Effect
1-2	Tinnitus	You have disadvantage on Perception checks relying on hearing. This heals after 2 weeks, or when you receive any magical healing or a Lesser Restoration spell.
3-4	Migraines	You have disadvantage on Perception checks relying on Hearing, and relying on Sight while in bright light. These go awayt after 2 weeks of rest, or when you receive any magical healing.
5-6	Vertigo	You have disadvantage on Dex checks and saves. This gets better after 2 weeks. A DC 10 Medicine check, a charge of a Healer's Kit, any magical healing, or a Lesser Restoration spell can end the sickness early.
7	Deafness	You are Deafened. This can be healed by a Lesser Restoration spell.
8	Concussion	You have disadvantage on Wis and Int checks, as well as Con saves to maintain concentration. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing.
9	Internal Bruising	You have vulnerability to bludgeoning, force, and thunder damage. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing.
0	Collapsed Lung	Whenever you attempt to take an action in combat, you must make a DC 10 Con save or lose the action. This heals after 4 weeks of rest, or when you receive at least 50 points of magical healing. A DC 20 Medicine check with a Healer's Kit can be used to halve the remaining recovery time.

Called Shot Feat

Many players of 5e wish there was a way to perform Called Shots, or target specific portions of an enemy's body, in the hopes that they can provide debuffs to an enemy. While certain classes grant similar abilities, this feat allows any player to do exactly that.

Called Shot

Once on each of your turns, if you have advantage on an attack roll against a bloodied creature, you can instead make the attack roll with disadvantage and make a called shot. If the attack hits, you deal normal damage, and you can choose to inflict a Lingering Injury of your choice from the table relevant to the damage type you dealt. The injury must be one of the first three options in the table, unless the attack is a critical hit.

Optional Rule: Backstory Injuries

When you first create a character to bring to the table, the DM may optionally allow you to exchange a permanent injury for a permanent (but related) benefit. For example, you could start with your eyes melted by acid, but having developed tremorsense to cope.

The benefit should be chosen such that if you cure the injury, you naturally lose the benefit as well.

You may also start with missing body parts that have been completely replaced by cybernetic augmentations. For this case, refer to the cybernetics rules.