[House rule] Incapacitated

[BlackLiger]

Given that GURPS combat seems to be pretty solidly either "Dead" or "Alive", meaning in combat medical work is rare...

I tend to use the following house rule.


"Incapacitated."

Between 0HP and -2xHP, a character is incapacitated. If they are unconscious OR 'dead' in this range, a first aid roll can be used to attempt to stabilise them. This must occur within 4 combat rounds (4 seconds) of the failed HT roll for death, if the target fails it, or at any time before 'treatment' otherwise. If you suceed in stabilising the target, they may be moved for treatment to appropriate facilities, where normal healing rules apply. For the purposes of these rules, any character that was between -1xHP and -2xHP is actually at -1xHP+1, and is unconscious, not dead.

[Hannes665]

Sounds like a nice Cinematic options.

But 4 seconds, is that not little bit short? In 4 seconds is barley enough time to call out Medic or then begin a first aid assistance.

[Phoenix_Dragon]

Between stun rolls and the Mortal Wounds rules, I generally have far fewer NPCs or PCs dying instead of being incapacitated. When NPCs die, it's almost always been from blood loss or untreated Mortal Wounds. Having a combat medic there means the wounds can be treated in the first couple minutes of injury, greatly increasing the victim's chances of making it to a full care facility and surviving their wounds.

The Mortal Wounds rules mean that if you fail a death check roll by only 1 or 2, then you're merely incapacitated and will die without prompt medical care.

Realisticly, there are few cases where a difference of a few seconds in when you start medical care is going to produce a major effect on the survivability, and likely none where a few seconds of medical care is going to make a difference between life and death. If a person is dead four seconds after an injury, he could have been in the middle of the best ER in the world, he's still dead.

[BlackLiger]

Hence why I posted it. 4 seconds was what I've been using, but that's because my players are fast.

I'm tempted to make it with the bleeding rules apply, and if you 'bleed out' (get to -2xHP) you are un-revivable.

[RyanW]

Are you sure you're applying the rules correctly? Incapacitation being rare doesn't match my experience (we've carried a lot of litters in my games).

At HP 0 or worse you have to roll every second you are active to avoid passing out
At -1xHP, -2xHP, -3xHP, and -4xHP you have to roll once when passing each threshold to avoid dying
At -5xHP you die
At -10xHP you are hamburger, ash, goo, etc.

[BlackLiger]

That might be my misreading of the rules. Hmmm.

[Mailanka]

Originally Posted by RyanW

Are you sure you're applying the rules correctly? Incapacitation being rare doesn't match my experience (we've carried a lot of litters in my games).

At HP 0 or worse you have to roll every second you are active to avoid passing out
At -1xHP, -2xHP, -3xHP, and -4xHP you have to roll once when passing each threshold to avoid dying
At -5xHP you die
At -10xHP you are hamburger, ash, goo, etc.

And note that your HT roll to avoid unconsciousness is penalized the more damage you take. So someone at -4xHP is at -4 to HT rolls, and since you're making them every second, you're highly likely to pass out.

[Hannes665]

Originally Posted by Mailanka

And note that your HT roll to avoid unconsciousness is penalized the more damage you take. So someone at -4xHP is at -4 to HT rolls, and since you're making them every second, you're highly likely to pass out.

You don´t have to roll every second if you opt to do nothing on your turn.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Hannes665

You don´t have to roll every second if you opt to do nothing on your turn.

Sitting around doing nothing is surprisingly like being unconscious or stunned, to a player. You're still missing out on the game either way.

Players may choose to interpret it as lying about moaning helplessly about Rosebud or as soliloquizing dramatically and at length before passing out, but the game is VERY serious about Do Nothing in a combat context. No social influence rolls from your talking, no using Leadership or Tactics to help your friends, nada.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Bruno

Players may choose to interpret it as lying about moaning helplessly about Rosebud or as soliloquizing dramatically and at length before passing out, but the game is VERY serious about Do Nothing in a combat context. No social influence rolls from your talking, no using Leadership or Tactics to help your friends, nada.

Actually, GURPS Dungeon Fantasy has Leadership and Tactics rolls to help your friends take Do Nothing maneuvers.