Diagnosis

Dr. Roads: Oxygen depletion
Dr. Rhodes: That's probably what's causing all your memory loss, and mine.
Dr. Roads: Woah wait, how did we even get here?
-- World Doctors, Episode 5, "Memory Loss"
Note that memory loss is not a condition of altitude sickness in GURPS, but there are IQ penalties for it, resulting in poor decision-making.Defaults: IQ-6, First Aid-8, Physician-4, or Veterinary-5
Diagnosis/TL (IQ/Hard) is the skill to tell what is wrong with a sick or injured person, or what killed a dead person. Diagnosis generally only works on living things, but can be used to determine if someone is aliveBasic Set, p.187, or what killed a dead person. Diagnosis isn't necessary for identifying obvious damage like open wounds or missing limbs!DFRPG: Adventurers, p.75
In magical settings, identifying a disease with Diagnosis can vastly improve one's chances when casting Cure Disease.
== Don't Call A Coroner Yet ==
* Oh I'm Not Yet Dead -- Characters with Hard to Kill might survive something and be presumed dead, but a Diagnosis roll can reveal they're just having a nap.Basic Set, p.58
* Just Having A Nap -- Characters with Metabolism Control (or those using the Body Control skill)Basic Set, p.181 can enter a deep sleep (see also, the false death poison from Romeo & Juliet). This allows a Quick Contest between the sleeping character's HT + Metabolism Control roll (or Body Control skill roll) against the physician's Diagnosis skill.
== Modifiers ==
* Diagnosis gets a -5 penalty to diagnosing internal injuries, or internal diseases with subtle or ambiguous symptoms--although these penalties can be removed via exploratory surgery.Bio-Tech, p.214
* There may be a penalty for a particularly rare or tricky disease or condition.
* Don't forget any bonuses from the Healer talent!
=== Variant Rules ===
* Blackjacks (saps, etcetera) can bonk without obvious bruising, giving a -2 to DiagnosisBasic Set, p.213
* In some settings (such as the Dungeon Fantasy RPG), Esoteric Medicine can work as an alternative to most medical skills, including diagnosis. Martial Arts, p.56
== Tools of the Trade ==
* Low-Tech
** Diagnostic Manuals (TL1) can be invaluable to a low-tech medic, telling the healer about various medical conditions. This is standard equipment, and rolls without it are at -2!Low-Tech, p.145 A standard one is $35, 2 lbs.
** Speculums (TL2) are designed to dilate a body cavity, making it easier to perform a procedure on such. This reduces Surgery penalties, and allows unmodified Diagnosis rolls.
* High-Tech
** Biomedical sensors (late TL7), typically used in space suits, give a +1 to Diagnosis!High-Tech, p.75 $2,000, 2lbs, runs 24 hours on 2 Extra Small batteries. LC4.
**Medical Imaging (TL6+) -- X-rays and MRIs and such! Gives a +TL/2 quality bonus! For modern MRIs (TL8), this is a whopping +4 to Diagnosis.
*Ultra-Tech
**Automeds!
== Talents and Wildcard Skills ==
* Talents
**Goodwife, Healer, and Whiz KidPower-Ups 3: Talents
* Wildcard SkillsPower-Ups 7: Wildcard Skills
**Cleric!, Medic! and Medicine! give a regular bonus to Diagnosis
** Lore! benefits Diagnosis when learning/determining details about monsters
== As a Default ==
* Diagnosis be used to roll Physiology at -5.Basic Set, p.213
== See Also ==
* Physician
* Surgery
* Esoteric Medicine
== References ==
* Basic Set, p.187
Category:TL Skills