Damage and Wounds

💥 Damage & Wounds

“In Night City, the difference between ‘ouch’ and ‘obituary’ is usually one bad roll.”

This covers taking damage, wound states, death saves, critical injuries, and environmental hazards. Know these rules — they WILL come up.

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⚡ Quick Reference

Damage At A Glance

Damage Flow: Roll Damage → Subtract SP → Apply to HP → Ablate Armor

Wound State	HP Threshold	Effect
Lightly Wounded	< Full HP	None
Seriously Wounded	< ½ HP (round up)	-2 to all Actions
Mortally Wounded	< 1 HP	Death Saves, -6 MOVE

Critical Injury: Roll 2+ sixes on damage dice = Roll Critical Injury table!

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💥 Taking Damage

The Damage Sequence

1. Attacker rolls weapon damage dice
2. Subtract your armor SP
3. Remaining damage → subtract from HP
4. If damage penetrated → armor ablates by 1

Example: Getting Shot

You have 40 HP and SP 11 armor. Enemy hits with Heavy Pistol (3d6 = 13).

• 13 - 11 = 2 HP damage
• New HP: 38/40
• Armor: SP 11 → SP 10 (ablated)

Hit Locations

Location	When Used	Armor
Body	Default (all attacks)	Body armor SP
Head	Only Aimed Shot at head	Head armor SP

Headshots Are Deadly

Damage that penetrates head armor is ×2. A 12-damage headshot to an unarmored head = 24 HP.

Damage Multipliers

Situation	Multiplier
Aimed Shot to Head	×2 after SP
Cracked Skull Critical	×3 instead of ×2

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🩸 Wound States

As HP drops, penalties kick in. Know your thresholds!

Wound State	HP Threshold	Effect
Not Wounded	Full HP	Normal
Lightly Wounded	< Full HP	None
Seriously Wounded	< ½ HP (round up)	-2 to ALL Actions
Mortally Wounded	< 1 HP	Death Saves, -6 MOVE
Dead	Failed Death Save	Game over

Seriously Wounded is BAD

That -2 to all Actions affects:

• Attack rolls
• Skill checks
• Evasion (dodging)
• Concentration (resisting suppression)
• EVERYTHING

If you have 40 HP, Seriously Wounded kicks in at 19 HP or less (less than half of 40, rounded up).

Example: Wound State Math

Character: 40 Max HP (half = 20)

HP	Wound State	Effect
40	Not Wounded	Normal
39-20	Lightly Wounded	Normal
19-1	Seriously Wounded	-2 all Actions
0 or less	Mortally Wounded	Death Saves!

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💀 Mortally Wounded

When HP drops to 0 or below, you’re Mortally Wounded.

Effects

• -6 to MOVE (minimum 1) — you can barely crawl
• Death Save at start of each Turn
• Any hit = automatic Critical Injury AND +1 Death Save Penalty
• You’re bleeding out. Get help NOW.

Death Saves

At the start of each Turn while Mortally Wounded:

Roll 1d10 + Death Save Penalty

MUST ROLL UNDER your BODY to survive

Roll	Result
Under BODY	Survive this Turn
BODY or higher	DEAD
Natural 10	DEAD (auto-fail)

Example: Death Save

BODY 6. Death Save Penalty starts at 0.

Turn 1: Roll 1d10 = 4. 4 < 6 → Survive!
Turn 2: Roll 1d10 = 7. 7 ≥ 6 → DEAD

You have about 50% chance per turn with BODY 6.

Death Save Penalty

Starts at 0 and increases by 1 each:

• Turn you are Mortally Wounded
• Time you take damage while Mortally Wounded
• Some Critical Injuries add permanent penalty

Example: Penalty Spiral

Turn 1: Penalty 0 → Roll 3 → Survive (penalty now 1)
Turn 2: Penalty 1 → Roll 2 → Survive (penalty now 2)
Shot again → Penalty now 3, AND get Critical Injury!
Turn 3: Penalty 3 → Roll 5. 5 + 3 = 8 ≥ BODY 6 → DEAD

Stabilization

A Medtech (or anyone with First Aid) can stop the dying:

Skill	DV	Effect
First Aid or Paramedic	15	Stabilized!

Once stabilized:

• Death Saves stop
• Unconscious for 1 minute
• Wake up at 1 HP
• Death Save Penalty resets to base

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💀 Critical Injuries

When Do They Happen?

Critical Injury Trigger

Roll 2 or more 6s on damage dice → Critical Injury!

Also triggers automatically if you hit someone who’s already Mortally Wounded.

Common Misconception

Critical Injuries are NOT triggered by:

• ❌ Taking more than half HP in one hit
• ❌ Being Seriously Wounded

They ARE triggered by:

• ✅ Rolling multiple 6s on damage
• ✅ Attacking a Mortally Wounded target

How Critical Injuries Work

1. Roll 2d6 on appropriate table (Body or Head)
2. If target already has that injury, re-roll
3. Target suffers the Injury Effect
4. Target takes +5 Bonus Damage (ignores armor!)

Example: Critical Injury

You roll 5d6 for Assault Rifle damage: 6, 6, 4, 3, 2 = 21 damage

Two 6s! That’s a Critical Injury! Roll 2d6 on Body table: 8 = Broken Leg (-4 MOVE)

Target takes:

• 21 damage (minus SP)
• Broken Leg effect
• +5 Bonus Damage directly to HP

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📋 Critical Injuries to the Body

Roll	Injury	Effect	Quick Fix	Treatment
2	Dismembered Arm	Arm gone. Drop items. +1 Death Penalty	N/A	Surgery DV17
3	Dismembered Hand	Hand gone. Drop items. +1 Death Penalty	N/A	Surgery DV15
4	Collapsed Lung	-2 MOVE. +1 Death Penalty	Paramedic DV15	Paramedic DV15 or Surgery DV13
5	Broken Ribs	Move >4m = retake 5 damage	Paramedic DV13	Paramedic DV15 or Surgery DV13
6	Broken Arm	Arm unusable. Drop items	Paramedic DV13	First Aid or Paramedic DV13
7	Foreign Object	Move >4m = retake 5 damage	Quick Fix = permanent	First Aid or Paramedic DV13
8	Broken Leg	-4 MOVE (min 1)	Paramedic DV13	Paramedic DV15 or Surgery DV13
9	Torn Muscle	-2 to Melee Attacks	Quick Fix = permanent	Paramedic DV13
10	Spinal Injury	Next Turn: Move only. +1 Death Penalty	Paramedic DV15	Surgery DV15
11	Crushed Fingers	-4 to that hand’s Actions	Paramedic DV13	First Aid or Paramedic DV13
12	Dismembered Leg	Leg gone. -6 MOVE. Can’t dodge. +1 Death Penalty	N/A	Surgery DV17

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📋 Critical Injuries to the Head

Roll	Injury	Effect	Quick Fix	Treatment
2	Lost Eye	-4 Ranged/Perception (vision). +1 Death Penalty	N/A	Surgery DV17
3	Brain Injury	-2 to all Actions. +1 Death Penalty	Paramedic DV15	Surgery DV13
4	Damaged Eye	-2 Ranged/Perception (vision)	First Aid DV13	Quick Fix
5	Concussion	-2 to all Actions	Paramedic DV13	Paramedic or Surgery DV13
6	Broken Jaw	-4 to speech Actions	First Aid DV13	Quick Fix
7	Foreign Object	Move >4m = retake 5 damage	Paramedic DV13	Paramedic or Surgery DV13
8	Whiplash	+1 Death Save Penalty	Paramedic DV13	Paramedic or Surgery DV13
9	Cracked Skull	Headshots deal ×3. +1 Death Penalty	Paramedic DV13	Surgery DV13
10	Damaged Ear	Move >4m = can’t Move next Turn. -2 Perception (hearing)	N/A	Surgery DV15
11	Crushed Windpipe	Cannot speak. +1 Death Penalty	N/A	Surgery DV15
12	Lost Ear	Ear gone. Move >4m = can’t Move next Turn. -4 Perception (hearing). +1 Death Penalty	N/A	Surgery DV17

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🏥 Treating Injuries

Type	Effect	Skills
Quick Fix	Temporarily removes Effect	First Aid, Paramedic, Cybertech
Treatment	Fully heals the injury	Paramedic, Surgery, Cybertech

Cyberware Injuries

If the injury is to a cyber-limb (Cyberarm, Cyberleg), you can use Cybertech instead of medical skills to treat it.

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🔥 Environmental Hazards

Source: CRB p.180

These rules cover damage from sources other than weapons. Many of these ignore armor — always check the specific hazard.

Fire

When you are On Fire, you take damage direct to HP at the end of your Turn until you spend an Action to put yourself out. Your armor is not ablated.

Intensity	Damage/Turn	Examples
Mild	2	Wood fire, clothing on fire
Strong	4	Gasoline fire, engulfed
Deadly	6	Napalm, thermite

• Put Out: Spend 1 Action — no check required
• Fire damage ignores armor and does NOT ablate it

Falling

Characters fall 40m per Turn. If a ledge or edge is nearby, they get one attempt to save themselves:

Athletics DV15 to catch yourself

Upon hitting the ground:

• 2d6 damage per 10m fallen (soaked by body armor, SP ablates)
• Athletics DV15 on landing or suffer Broken Leg Critical Injury
• 2 Cyberlegs: Immune to fall damage and Broken Leg up to 30m. Beyond 30m, cyberlegs don’t help.
• Skyscraper/100m+: Don’t bother rolling — you’re dead

Drowning

Characters can hold their breath for BODY minutes.

After that, you start Drowning. At the beginning of each Turn while Drowning:

• Take BODY direct damage to HP (ignores armor, no ablation)

Asphyxiation

Treated like Drowning, but with possible secondary effects:

• Vacuum/Space Exposure: In addition to drowning damage, take 1d6 damage to INT, REF, and DEX at the end of each Turn
• If INT reaches 0, you are dead
• STAT damage is reversed if you get a breath of air

Electrocution

When electrocuted, you immediately take:

6d6 damage (soaked by armor as normal, SP ablates)

If you don’t move away from the source, this damage repeats at the end of each of your Turns.

Electrocution adds up fast

6d6 averages 21 damage. Even through SP 11, that’s ~10 HP per turn. Get away from the source!

Exposure

Prolonged exposure to extreme elements (freezing cold, scorching heat, toxic atmosphere):

• 1d6 damage direct to HP at the end of each day of exposure
• While exposed, even if Stabilized, you cannot heal naturally
• Proper equipment for the environment prevents exposure entirely

Radiation

Level	Effect
Low	Won’t kill you immediately. Over time: sickness, then death (GM discretion)
High (hot zone)	Treated as Mildly On Fire (2 damage/turn) — but you cannot put it out while in the zone
Extreme (leaking reactor)	Treated as Deadly On Fire (6 damage/turn) — cannot put it out while in the zone

Poison

Resisting poison requires: Resist Torture/Drugs + WILL + 1d10 vs. DV

Intensity	DV	Damage	Examples
Mild	11	1d6 direct to HP	Belladonna, toxic waste
Strong	13	2d6 direct to HP	Arsenic
Deadly	15	3d6 direct to HP	Biotoxin, designer poison

• Poison damage ignores armor and does NOT ablate it

Drugs

Resisting drugs requires: Resist Torture/Drugs + WILL + 1d10 vs. DV

Intensity	DV	Effect	Examples
Mild	11	Inebriation	Alcohol
Strong	13	Suggestibility	Sodium pentothal
Deadly	15	Designer’s intention	Designer drugs

Poison vs. Drugs

Poisons deal direct HP damage. Drugs cause conditions (inebriation, suggestibility, etc.). Both use the same resistance check but have very different effects.

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🩹 Healing & Recovery

Stabilization

Before you can begin healing, you must be Stabilized. This takes 1 Action.

TECH + First Aid or Paramedic + 1d10 vs. DV

Wound State	Stabilization DV
Lightly Wounded	DV10
Seriously Wounded	DV13
Mortally Wounded	DV15

• A Mortally Wounded target who is stabilized is immediately healed to 1 HP and falls Unconscious for 1 minute.
• You can stabilize yourself (if conscious).

Natural Healing

Once stabilized, you heal naturally:

BODY HP per full day of rest (light activity only)

• If you push yourself (strenuous activity), you gain no HP that day
• Pushing it also reopens wounds — you need to be stabilized again to restart healing
• You cannot heal naturally while suffering from Exposure (see above)

Example: Healing Timeline

A character with BODY 6 at 5/40 HP:

• Needs 6 days of rest to reach full HP (6 HP/day × 6 days = 36 HP)
• That’s roughly a week of downtime

Treating Critical Injuries

There are two ways to address a Critical Injury:

Method	Duration	Self-Treat?	Effect
Quick Fix	1 minute	Yes	Removes the injury effect for the rest of the day
Treatment	4 hours	No	Removes the injury effect permanently

Each Critical Injury lists which skill is needed and the DV for both options (see Critical Injury tables above).

The Four Healing Skills

Skill	Can Stabilize?	Can Quick Fix?	Can Treat?	Who Gets It
First Aid	✅	Basic injuries only	❌	Everyone (always trained to +2)
Paramedic ×2	✅	✅ All but deadliest	✅ All but deadliest	Anyone (expensive — ×2 IP cost)
Surgery	❌	❌	✅ Everything	Medtech only (Role Ability)
Cybertech	❌	✅ Cyber-parts only	✅ Cyber-parts only	Anyone with the skill

Cybertech for Chrome

If a Critical Injury hits a body part replaced with cyberware (Cyberarm, Cyberleg, Cybereye, etc.), you can use Cybertech instead of a medical skill. Same DV, same time.

Going to the Hospital

Hospital visits are outpatient (4 hours per Treatment). You’re only charged for the highest DV treatment needed — everything else is included.

Highest Treatment DV	Hospital Cost
DV10	50eb (Costly)
DV13	100eb (Premium)
DV15	500eb (Expensive)
DV17+	1,000eb (V. Expensive)

• Overnight stay: 100eb/night (Premium)
• Can’t pay? Payment plan available — but don’t skip payments unless you want collection agents after you
• Replacement limbs (clone-grown) are included in the visit cost

Trauma Team

Emergency medical response — if you can afford it.

Plan	Monthly Cost	Surgery Coverage
Silver	500eb	Surgery costs extra (hospital rates)
Executive	1,000eb	Surgery included

• Response Time: 1d6 Rounds after calling
• Coverage: Plans are transferable 1-to-1 (can cover a friend, but not two simultaneously)
• Auto-call: Link your Trauma Card to a Biomonitor and your Agent calls automatically when HP drops below BODY or you lose a limb
• Calling manually is 1 Action

Don't cry wolf

If you call Trauma Team for minor injuries, they might “forget” to respond next time.

Quick Healing Reference

Question	Answer
How fast do I heal?	BODY HP per day with rest
Can I heal in the field?	Only with stabilization — natural healing needs downtime
What’s the cheapest way to heal?	Rest at home after First Aid stabilization (free)
Fastest way back to full?	Hospital visit + rest at home
Can a non-Medtech treat Critical Injuries?	Quick Fix only (First Aid for basic, Paramedic for most)
Who can do Surgery?	Medtechs only via their Role Ability

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😈 Things Players Forget

Situation	What Happens
Hit someone Mortally Wounded	Automatic Critical Injury + Death Penalty
Critical Injury	+5 Bonus Damage on top of normal damage
Seriously Wounded	-2 to EVERYTHING including Evasion
Multiple 6s on damage	Critical Injury even if armor blocked it all
Fire damage	Ignores armor entirely
Stabilized	Wake at 1 HP, penalties reset

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❓ Quick Answer Reference

Do Critical Injuries happen even if armor blocks all damage?

Yes! If you roll 2+ sixes on damage dice, a Critical Injury happens regardless of whether damage penetrated armor.

Can I move while Mortally Wounded?

Yes, but your MOVE is reduced by 6 (minimum 1). You’re basically crawling.

What resets Death Save Penalty?

Stabilization resets it to your base penalty (which may be >0 if you have injuries that add to it).

Can I attack while Mortally Wounded?

Yes, but you’re at -6 MOVE and still making Death Saves. You can go out fighting.

How long until I die if no one helps?

On average, 4-6 turns depending on BODY. But one bad roll ends it.

Can First Aid stabilize?

Yes! First Aid DV15 works. You don’t need Paramedic.

Does Choke damage trigger Critical Injuries?

Yes, if you roll 2+ sixes. But Choke uses BODY directly, not dice — so no crits from Choke alone.

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🔗 Related Topics

• Combat — All combat rules
• Armor and Cover — Protection
• Ranged Combat — Shooting
• Melee Combat — Close quarters

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(Source: Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook, pp. 186-192)