Bleeding Damage (CGH)

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Some hits cause far more damage than others. Obviously, some weapons are far bloodier than others; singing sticks do not inflict the same sort of messy damage that a talid or trikal would. Some weapons, most notably those of the Slashing variety, are designed for the express purpose of spraying gore as much and as far as possible.
The following system has been created to reflect this, to add realism to arena fighting. Please be advised that, like everything else in this book, the system is optional. The DM may choose to use it or not. Additionally, the DM might wish to use this system only in the arena, keeping combat outside the arena at the level it has always been. This system has been designed expressly for the arena; it may not be appropriate for other types of combat.
Players may complain that this system victimizes characters who have fewer hit points; consider that this option teaches characters to be far more careful about their strategies and tactics in approaching better-armed opponents. They must learn to look before they leap, or suffer the consequences of their actions. If they cannot control themselves, only they are responsible for their demise. Unless they are fabulously lucky, gladiators do not gain fame for rushing an opponent who is covered in blades; they enter the annals of gladiator history as the bad examples.
Slashing, Piercing, and Bludgeoning weapons all harm the body differently. Although some weapons can fall into all three categories, most perform only one of these functions. When dealing with a weapon that can do all three, 1 the attacker must declare which type of damage his weapon will inflict. Since some creatures are not affected by Slashing weapons and others ignore Piercing or Bludgeoning weapons, this is absolutely essential.
Each table below describes the effects of the weapon types. The following categories explain the result of a particular attack.
Damage Incurred: This is the damage inflicted in a single attack, not in a round. For example, if four gith attacked Traldis, inflicting 4 points of damage each, he would suffer no additional bleeding damage. Though he has taken 16 points of damage, none of the single attacks were large enough to assume more than minor wounds, none of which would be large enough to warrant bleeding damage.
On the other hand, if a half-giant hit Traldis for 16 points of damage in a single shot, Traldis would suffer bleeding damage. The wound would be large enough to cause Traldis to suffer further pain.
No. of Bleeding Rounds: This is the number of rounds the wounded character continues to bleed, assuming he does not withdraw from combat to bind his wounds. If the character does withdraw from combat to do so, he takes no further damage from that wound. It is possible that a character may have received other wounds that require his attention. One round is required to bind each injury, so the character probably wants to deal with the most serious injuries first If the character chooses to wait a wound to stop bleeding naturally, he suffers the indicated damage until the bleeding stops.
Additional Damage: This reflects both the severity of the wound and the amount of blood the character loses from the injury. Each round that the wound is not attended to, the character takes the indicated amount of damage until the character dies, the wound is bound, or the bleeding stops on its own.
==Damage from Slashing Weapons==
Slashing weapons are the worst (or the best, depending on one's point of view) for bleeding damage, and are therefore a favorite among many gladiators. They always draw appreciative roars from the crowd, helping to both sate and intensify the audience's appetite for gore. They also help build a gladiator's reputation; the mob in the stands cherishes any gladiator who panders to their love of carnage in the arena.
DamageIncurred	No. ofBleedingRounds	AdditionalDamage
1-5 hp 	0 	Nil
6-10 hp 	3 	1 /round
ll-20 hp 	5 	3/round
21-40 hp 	7 	5/round
41+ hp 	9 	7/round
==Damage from Piercing Weapons==
In the arenas of Athas, piercing weapons are also a huge favorite. Although they do not spill nearly the amount of blood of slashing weapons, they require finesse, and are therefore well loved by the Athasian crowds.
Piercing weapons do not have the ripping power that many slashing weapons exert; instead, they burrow through even the best armor to find the enemy's vitals. When they strike, they strike deep and telling blows.
The more discerning enthusiasts in the arena prefer their gladiators to wield piercing weapons. They are not so much interested in the amount of blood spilled as the manner in which it is spilled. They prefer to see adeptness with the weapon, not brute backing and slashing. the more skilled gladiators also prefer Piercing weapons, because they can demonstrate their deftness in slipping past the opponent's defenses.
DamageIncurred	No. ofBleedingRounds	AdditionalDamage
1-10 	0 	Nil
11-20 	2 	1 /round
21-35 	4 	2/round
36+ 	6 	4/round
==Damage from Bludgeoning Weapons==
Bludgeoning weapons do not usually cause bleeding damage. They are designed to crush bones and vitals, not open them up to the air. therefore, there is no table for bleeding damage incurred by Bludgeoning weapons. Even through bludgeoning weapons can be among the worst for sheer damage potential, they are not usually javored by gladiators, because they are not nearly showy enough for a proper performance. They lack the ability to demonstrate properly the gladiator's skills; they are not as bloody as either the slashing or piercing weapons, nor do they require the finesse of the others. They are commonly seen as primitive weapons, used only by those who have no ability to wield any other kind of weapon or who have been forced to use them by the dictates of the games.