Serious Injury and Death

New Condition

System Shock

When a creature takes damage from a single source equal to or greater than half its hit point maximum, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer a random effect determined by a roll on the System Shock table. For example, a creature that has a hit point maximum of 30 must make that Constitution save if it takes 15 damage or more from a single source.

Total Result of Failed CON save	Effect
1	The creature drops to 0 hit points. Roll on the Lasting Injury Table
2-3	The creature drops to 0 hit points but is stable. Roll on the Lasting Injury Table
4-5	The creature is stunned until the end of its next turn. Roll on the Lasting Injury Table
6-9	The creature can't take reactions and has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn.
10-13	The creature can't take reactions until the end of its next turn.
14	Adrenaline Rush. Regain 1 HD + CON mod temporary hit points, double STR bonus if positive, halve DEX bonus if positive rounding down, and gain dash as a bonus action. Lasts for 3 rounds, at which points the character gains 3 levels of exhaustion.

Ressurection Dangers

Utilizing the magics associated with necromancy, a creature may be brought back from death. Whether it is through revivify, raise dead, or ressurection, the process of bringing a creature back from the brink is fraught with difficulty. Reanimating a body without the soul to bind to it, or perhaps corrupting the soul in the process, there is a risk of failure and in the worst case scenarios there is a chance of creating an undead creature instead.

When attempting to bring a creature back from the dead, the returned creature must make a Charisma saving throw where the DC is 10 plus the number of times the creature has died. Additionally, the creature's fight for life will lend itself to this cause, and the creature will receive a +2 if they passed one death saving throw, and a +5 instead if they passed two death saving throws.

If the saving throw is failed the creature does not return, and only higher level magic may be attempted to bring the creature back. If the saving throw is failed by 10 or more, the creature's corpse animates or their soul is twisted and transformed creating an undead of appropriate level based on the creature's level. This may not be immediately apparent, but the creature may degrade into the abomination over days or weeks.

Narrowly avoiding death

When a creature takes damage from a single source that is a critical, that creature may choose to instead ignore that damage and take a Lingering injury, rolling on the table or allowing the Dungeon Master to choose.

Lasting Effects

To determine the nature of the injury, roll on the Lingering Injuries table. This table assumes a typical humanoid physiology, so adapt the results for creatures with different body types. Many of these effects are permanent and will stick with the character, though some give means of removing the effect such as the regenerate spell or healing magic over a certain level.

d20	Injury
1	Lose an eye. You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight and on ranged attack rolls. Magic such as the regenerate spell can restore the lost eye. If you have no eyes left after sustaining this injury, you’re blinded.
2	Lose an Arm or a Hand. You can no longer hold anything with two hands, and you can hold only a single object at a time. You gain the Bleeding condition. Magic such as the regenerate spell can restore the lost appendage.
3	Lose a Foot or Leg. Your speed on foot is halved, and you must use a cane or crutch to move unless you have a peg leg or other prosthesis. You fall prone after using the Dash action. You have disadvantage on Dexterity checks made to balance. You gain the Bleeding condition. Magic such as the regenerate spell can restore the lost appendage.
4	Limp. Your speed on foot is reduced by 5 feet. You must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw after using the Dash action. If you fail the save, you fall prone. Magical healing of 6th level or higher, such as heal and regenerate, removes the limp.

d20	Injuries Continued
5-7	Internal Injury. Whenever you attempt an action in combat, you must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, you lose your action and can’t use reactions until the start of your next turn. If this save is failed 3 times the character falls unconscious. The injury heals if you spend ten days doing nothing but resting.
8-10	Broken Ribs. This has the same effect as Internal Injury above, except that the save DC is 10 and the character falls unconscious after 2 failed saves.
11-13	Horrible Wound. You gain the Bleeding condition. This wound will leave you disfigured to the extent that the wound can’t be easily concealed. You have disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks and advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks. Magical healing of 6th level or higher, such as heal and regenerate, removes the scar.
14-16	Festering Wound. Your hit point maximum is reduced by 1 every 24 hours the wound persists. If your hit point maximum drops to 0, you die. The wound heals if you receive magical healing of 6th level or higher, such as heal and regenerate. Alternatively, someone can tend to the wound and make a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check once every 24 hours. After ten successes, the wound heals.
17-20	Minor Wound. This wound will leave a scar. The scar doesn’t have any adverse effect. Magical healing of 6th level or higher, such as heal and regenerate, removes the scar.