Z's Injury Levels (5e Variant Rule)

Author: Zhenra-Khal (talk) Date Created: 7-5-2022 Status: First Draft Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Z's Injury Levels

Sometimes it's useful to keep track of a creature's health - Want an attack or heal that gets stronger the lower the target's health is, or a boss ability that triggers when it reaches the brink of death? Then this is a helpful variant rule.

Injury Levels

There are four Injury Levels, defined as follows.

Optionally, a DM may alert players when a creature's Injury Level changes - Such as telling the party the dragon they're facing 'looks pretty beat up' when it goes from Bloodied to Wounded after a hard hit, or that a vampire 'seems to have recovered' when it moves from Critical to Wounded after draining a creature's blood.

Uninjured

A creature is Uninjured when it's current hit points are equal to its maximum hit points.

Bloodied

A creature is Bloodied when it's current hit points are less than its hit point maximum.

Wounded

A creature is Wounded when it's current hit points are equal to or less than one-half of it maximum hit points. Wounded replaces Bloodied.

Critical

A creature is Critical when it's current hit points are equal to or less than its number of Hit Dice, plus it's Constitution modifier, or one-quarter of its maximum hit points, whichever is lower. Critical replaces Wounded.

Abilities using Injury Levels

Here are some spells, feats and other abilities that use the Injury Levels variant rule.

Spells

False Life, Revised

5e Spell False Life, Revised
1st-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a small amount of alcohol or distilled spirits)
Duration: 1 hour
Casters: Artificer, Sorcerer, Wizard

Bolstering yourself with a necromantic facsimile of life, you gain 1d4+4 temporary hit points for the duration.

The more dim your flame burns, the brighter your darkness flares. The number of temporary hit points granted by this spell increases based on your Injury Level:

• If you are Bloodied when you cast this spell, you instead gain 1d6+4 temporary hit points.
• If you are Wounded when you cast this spell, you instead gain 1d8+4 temporary hit points.
• If you are Critical when you cast this spell, you instead gain 1d10+4 temporary hit points.
  
  

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you gain 5 additional temporary hit points for each slot level above 1st.

Toll The Dead, Revised

5e Spell Toll The Dead, Revised
Necromancy cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60ft
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Casters: Cleric, Warlock, Wizard

You point at one creature you can see within range, and the sound of a dolorous bell fills the air around it for a moment. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take Necrotic damage. The4 damage die is based on its current Injury Level, as follows:

• If the target is Uninjured when you cast this spell, the damage die is 1d6.
• If the target is Bloodied when you cast this spell, the damage die is 1d8.
• If the target is 'Wounded when you cast this spell, the damage die is 1d10.
• If the target is Critical when you cast this spell, the damage die is 1d12.
  
  

At Higher Levels. The spell’s damage increases by one die when you reach 5th level (2d6/2d8/2d10/2d12), 11th level (3d6/3d8/3d10/3d12), and 17th level (4d6/4d8/4d10/4d12).

Agonizing Word

5e Spell Agonizing Word
1st-level necromancy
Casting Time: Reaction, taken when the Injury Level of a creature you can see changes to Wounded.
Range: 60
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
Casters: Bard, Cleric, Paladin, Warlock

With a word, you punish the triggering creature to keep it from recovering, pushing it closer to the edge. The target creature must make a Charisma saving throw; On a failed save, the creature suffers 2d10 points of Necrotic damage, and cannot regain hit points for 1 minute.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 1st.

Crumbling Curse

5e Spell Crumbling Curse
2nd-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Casters: Bard, Cleric, Paladin, Ranger, Warlock

You point at a creature, forcing it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you curse it to buckle under the weight of its increasing suffering. When the creature's Injury Level changes, you can flare the curse as a Reaction. When you do so, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it suffers 3d8 points of Psychic damage based on its Injury Level; On a successful save, it suffers half as much damage.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them.

Extinguishing Strike

5e Spell Extinguishing Strike
3rd-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Casters: Cleric, Paladin, Ranger, Warlock

The next time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell’s duration, your attack deals an extra 1d8 Necrotic damage. This Necrotic damage is increased based on the target's Injury Level at the moment your strike connects, as your magic tries to snuff its life force utterly:

• If the target is Bloodied when you strike it, the damage is increased to 3d8.
• If the target is 'Wounded when you strike it, the damage is increased to 5d8.
• If the target is Critical when you strike it, the damage is increased to 7d8.
  
  

Rekindling Touch

5e Spell Rekindling Touch
2nd-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Casters: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin

A creature you touch regains a number of hit points based on its current Injury Level. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.

• If the target is Uninjured when you cast this spell, it regains hit points equal to 1d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
• If the target is Bloodied when you cast this spell, it regains hit points equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
• If the target is Wounded when you cast this spell, it regains hit points equal to 1d10 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
• If the target is Critical when you cast this spell, it regains hit points equal to 1d12 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
  
  

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the healing increases by one die (1d6/1d8/1d10/1d12) for each slot level above 2nd.

Saving Grace

5e Spell Saving Grace
1st-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 Reaction, taken when the Injury Level of a creature you can see changes to Critical.
Range: 60ft
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
Casters: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin

With a word, you restore the triggering creature as it falls dangerously close to the brink. The target creature regains hit points equal to your spellcasting ability modifier.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 1st.

Feats

Survivor

Survivor  (Feat)
Prerequisite: Constitution 13
You're incredibly adept at narrowly escaping a bitter end. You gain the following benefits, based on your current Injury Level. These benefits are cumulative - If you are currently Critical, for example, you would gain all three benefits.

• While you are Bloodied, you gain a +2 bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity.

• While you are Wounded, your movement speeds increase by 10ft, and your +2 AC bonus applies to all attacks.

• While you are Critical, all damage you take is reduced by an amount equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and each time you regain hit points while Critical, you regain the maximum possible amount.

Wounded Arcana

Wounded Arcana  (Feat)
Prerequisite: Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma 13
You possess innate magic that only awakens when your life force sputters. This grants you a few spells that you may cast as your hit points are depleted. Upon gaining this feat, choose Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma; This is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

• Choose one Cantrip from any spell list. While you are Bloodied, you know and can cast that Cantrip.

• Choose one 1st-level spell from any spell list. While you are Wounded, you may cast this spell. Once you do so, you must finish a Short or Long Rest before you may do so again.

• Choose one 2nd-level spell from any spell list. While you are Critical, you may cast this spell. Once you do so, you must finish a Long Rest before you may do so again.

Monster Traits

Recovery

This creature is able to bounce back from the edge with a burst of adrenaline.

• Uses: 1/day, 3/day
• Challenge Rating Adjustment: +1 (1/day), +2 (3/day)
• Description: When this creature's Injury Level falls to Critical, it can use this feature to instantly regain hit points equal to 1d8 per point of its Proficiency Bonus. It also gains one of the following benefits below:

If the creature has the Spellcasting trait, it instantly regains one expended spell slot; Roll 1d4+1 to determine the level of the spell slot. The creature cannot regain a spell slot of a higher level than its highest-level spell slot.

If the creature does not possess the Spellcasting trait, until the beginning of its next turn, it has advantage on all attack rolls, and gains a bonus on all damage rolls equal to its Proficiency Bonus.

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