Suggested a few systems ago: also, look to the past for the future.

Message:

Conrad's ideas are pretty good -- and also an evolution of Classic Battle Born/Barony with Abrasive/Walking/Vicious/Spirit.

Suggested a few systems ago: Wounds come directly off PC stats and abilities. As PCs get injured they literally lose abilities and or Stats/Traits. Incidentally, this is directly inspired by Barony where the monster wound chart discussion says something like (paraphrased) "The Monster no longer seems as Horrifying.

So, a player takes a gut hit. This means they are no longer "Stout.

Now, how severe is the wound? (change adjectives to taste)

*Momentary: player is no longer Stout for a round (winded for a few moments from the gut shot).
*Lingering: player is no longer Stout for the rest of encounter..
*Debilitating: player is no longer Stout for rest of mission. Ribs are broken and it takes months to heal..
*Crippling: Player loses Stout forever unless a future event allow player to regain Trait.

Can apply to skills with the same gut hit. Let's say PC has a "Rally the Troops." skill. Momentary means PC may lose voice for round (winded) Lingering for rest of Encounter (PC is staggering and troops worry he is going to fall over). Debilitating for rest of mission (again, like Lingering, troops see PC is barely holding on as lose faith). Crippling (PC has lost nose or is so disfigured they no longer inspire troops/PC has permanent wheeze/etc). Again, Crippling wound overcome by re-taking skill at later point (learns to overcome handicap).

I have a version of this outlined in v4 Pangaea: Catyclism rules. You guys played v1.

Anyways, for whatever reason I currently have a hard-on in game design for wounds to directly affect PC abilities. Helps reduce "role playing pain" by baking it into the mechanics, and overcomes the OSR/D&D problem of "everything I can do I do perfectly as long as I have 1HP left. Taking skills and stats/traits away from PCs with injury is good for simulation, and intimidates the player.

Yours,