Getting Hurt -- Optional Rules

These rules were cut from the Corporeal Player's Guide, because they took a lot of space, and were deemed extraneous and too complex for In Nomine's cinematic flavor. However, for a little more "realism," particularly when dealing with human characters, you may find them useful.


In Nomine mechanics are centered on celestials. Mundane threats like falling and frostbite are normally beneath the notice of such beings, which is why the basic rulebook doesn't cover them. For human characters, however, environmental hazards are more significant. Use these tables only if you'd rather leave a character's fate up to chance than simply describe whatever outcome best suits the story!

Even in a human-centered campaign, In Nomine remains a cinematic game. These damage tables are meant to be a quick and easy reference when the GM wants guidelines -- they are cinematic, not realistic. Feel free to ignore them entirely if it doesn't suit the mood of your game to roll damage for a car crash.

Collisions

When objects collide, one or both may take damage. Base damage from collisions is 1d6 per 10 mph of relative speed. Inanimate objects (like walls and vehicles) add 1d6 per 10 Body hits or fraction thereof they possess (undamaged) -- the number of additional dice can't exceed those rolled for base damage.

If one object is much more massive than the other (such as a car hitting a man, or a train hitting a car), the larger object takes half damage. Protection applies to both. Characters hit by moving objects may reduce the number of dice rolled against them by the check digit of a successful Dodge roll.

If you're trying to run someone over, make a Driving skill roll, and add the check digit of a successful roll to the damage inflicted on your target. An unsuccessful roll means you missed. (The GM should give hefty bonuses to someone trying to run into a truck or a wall.) Alternatively, if you're going to hit something you didn't want to hit, a successful Driving skill roll will reduce damage (to both parties) by a number of dice equal to the check digit.

If you are in a vehicle during a collision, apply collision damage to the vehicle first; if its Hits are reduced to 0, any additional damage is passed on to its passengers, as well as further damaging the vehicle. Passengers wearing seatbelts reduce collision damage by 4 points.

See In Nomine, p. 63, for some sample vehicle stats.

Example: A Soldier of God foolishly steps in Mynofrigith's path as the demon tries to flee on motorcycle. Mynofrigith sneers and runs the mortal down. He makes a Driving roll with a check digit of 3, and the Soldier fails to Dodge. The bike hits the human at a speed of 40 mph. This does 4d6 damage; Mynofrigith's bike has 8 Body hits, so add 1d6. The GM rolls 5d6 and adds +3; the Soldier goes flying, and doesn't get up when he hits the ground. The bike takes 4d6 damage. The GM rolls 15. The bike subtracts its Protection of 1, and is reduced to -6 hits. It's totaled, and Mynofrigith takes 6 points of damage himself. He shrugs, picks himself up off the ground 6 yards away, and begins walking.

Falling

Falling damage is 1d6 per 10 feet fallen (or the height can be divided into stories, if falling from a tall building), to a maximum of 15d6 (150 feet or 15 stories). A successful Acrobatics roll will reduce damage by the check digit.

Freezing

Celestials are immune to normal cold, though the GM might rule that even a celestial's vessel can't withstand arctic or subarctic temperatures indefinitely. Characters suffer damage from cold as long as they are exposed to it.

Cold: 1d6 per 12 hours
Freezing: 1d6 per hour
Arctic: 1d6 per 10 minutes
Unearthly: 1d6 per minute

Move down one level if the character is wet (or in water). The GM may move damage up or down the scale according to other circumstances; for example, freezing temperatures might be treated as cold for someone fully dressed but without a heavy jacket.

Burning

Fire inflicts damage every round that someone is exposed to it. Protection reduces damage for a number of rounds equal to the Protection value, then becomes useless.

Campfire: 1d6 per round
Bonfire, small housefire: 2d6 per round
Forest fire, major blaze: 3d6 per round
Incinerator: 4d6 per round

Electrocution

Electrical current does damage as long as it's flowing through someone. While being electrocuted, a character must make a Strength roll minus the amount of damage done that round to avoid paralysis. Metal armor provides no protection, but other Protection applies. Insulation (if the GM deems it sufficient) halves damage.

Househould current: 1d6 per round
Industrial strength current: 2d6 per round
Main power line: 3d6 per round
Lightning: Roll 1d6, and roll that many d6s for damage

Drowning & Suffocating

A human (or celestial vessel) can go without air for a number of minutes equal to his Corporeal Forces. Thereafter, he loses 1 point of Strength per turn, until his Strength reaches 0, whereupon he takes 1d6 Body hits per turn.

Once the character is able to breathe again, all Body hits are restored immediately. Lost Strength will return at a rate of 1 point per 10 minutes.

Starving & Dehydration

A normal human in good health can go without food for a number of days equal to his Corporeal Forces; after that, he will lose 1 point of Strength per day he doesn't eat. When his Strength reaches 0, he begins taking 1 Body hit per day until he starves to death.

Humans automatically lose a point of Strength per day without water, then take 1d6 Body hits per day once their Strength reaches 0.

Lost Strength will return at a rate of 1 point per day (in the case of starvation) or 1 per hour (for dehydration) once food or water is available. Body hits must heal normally.

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