Disease 1979 AD&D DMG

Disease
As poisons, this system does not attempt a specific treatment of a subject which is beyond its scope and purpose. What is done, however, is to give general categories of disease and maladies and their game effects as well as the chance to contract an ailment according to the surroundings. Naturally, you will often have no need for any random determination of a disease as the affliction will be specified, but even then you will find that the random determinants for occurrence and severity might be helpful.

Contraction of Disease:
Each game month you may wish to check each character to determine whether or not he or she has contracted a disease (or disorder). Check each week if conditions are particularly favorable:
VERY HOT WEATHER OR HOT, MOIST WEATHER FILTHY, CROWED CONITIONS IN WARM WEATHER
Check each and every time the character is exposed to a carrier in a way which would allow the disease to be communicated. Note the disease carrier can be human, animal, insect, food. drink, vermin, dirt, filth, etc. As DM you must indicate any special disease circumstances applicable.

Contraction of Parasitic Infection:
Each game month check for each character to determine if he or she has become infested with some form of parasite. Check each week if conditions are particularly favorable:
FILTHY CONDITIONS AND WARM TEMPERATURE HOT, MOIST WEATHER
Check each and every time the character is exposed to a carrier of parasites. Carriers include humans, animals, dust, earth, manure, raw (or undercooked) meat, swamp water, etc.

CHECKS ARE MADE BY USING THE APPROPRIATE TABLES SHOWN HEREAFTER

Chance of Contracting Disease


Procedure: Adjust base chance of disease being contracted by applying modifiers. When the final percent chance to contract a disease is found, roll for each character concerned. If disease is indicated, go to the DISEASE TABLE below to determine what sort is contracted.

Chance of Parasitic Infestation


Procedure: As for disease, and check Parasitic Infestation Table.
Occurrence d8 (acute, chronic)
Severity d8 (mild, severe, terminal)

Severity d8 (mild, severe, terminal)


Occurrence determines whether the disease is a single (acute) attack or whether the disease will recur periodically once contracted (chronic). Chronic maladies will affect the character periodically, and if they occur at the same time as any other (disease, disorder, or parasitic infestation), the severity of both will be increased. Thus, if two chronic maladies are contracted, the character is not likely to survive disease attack.

Severity refers to the seriousness of the disease, or parasitic infestation and determines the period of disability (recovery time or length of illness which terminates in the character's demise) and the effects of the malady.

mild: During the period of affliction the character is unable to perform strenuous activities and must rest. Some treatment must be determined by the DM to allow a shortening of the period of illness. A normal period is 1-3 weeks.

severe: A severe malady will lower the character's hit points to 50% of normal and make him or her totally disabled for 1-2 weeks, plus a further 1-2 weeks of time during which the malady is in the mild state as the character recovers.

Terminal: The malady will cause death (or loss of the body part or function) in 1-12 days (longer periods are stated hereafter in the discussion of the various maladies).

Blood et al. afflictions will cause a loss of 1 point each of strength and constitution per week until totally cured. Thus, chronic problems here will slowly wear the character away. Terminal cases will take 1-12 weeks.

Bone Afflictions are much the same as blood problems, and chronic cases and terminal afflictions can be treated in the same way.

Brain et al. problems will cause a loss of 1 point each of intelligence and dexterity per occurrence until totally cured, so chronic maladies will eventually be fatal. Terminal affliction takes only 1-12 hours for death to occur.

Cardiovascular-renal affliction should be treated in the same manner as blood problems, except the terminal cases last only 1-12 days.

Connective tissue disease (such as leprosy) permanently remove 1 point each of strength, dexterity, constitution and charisma for each month of affliction - thus only an acute, mild attack will not cause such loss. Terminal cases will last until constitution is at 0, i.e., treat them as chronic, severe cases.

Ear afflictions which are terminal result in hearing in one ear.

Eye afflictions which are terminal result in blindness in one eye or both eyes (50%/50% chance for either case.

Gastro-intestinal problems of chronic nature cause the loss of 1 point each of strength and constitution per occurrence until cured, severe attacks causing such loss permanently. Terminal cases require 1-12 weeks for fatality.

Generative organ disorders cause no particular problems except spread of infection .... Terminal cases take 1-12 months.

Joint disorders of a chronic nature cause the loss of 1 point of dexterity with each severe attack causing such loss on a permanent basis.

Mucous membrane problems of chronic nature cause the loss of 1 point of constitution, each severe attack causing such loss permanently.

Muscle disorders of chronic nature cause the loss of 1 point each of strength and dexterity, severe attacks having a 25% chance of causing such loss permanently. Terminal cases tale 1-12 months.

Nose-throat afflictions of chronic nature have a 10% chance of causing a 1 point constitution loss each time a severe attack occurs.

Respiratory disorders of chronic, severe nature are 10% likely to cause the loss of 1 point each of strength and constitution (check separately for each). Terminal cases take from 1-12 months until fatality occurs

Skin afflictions of severe nature are 10% likely to cause permanent loss of 1 point of charisma. Chronic, mild attacks are 10% likely to cause such loss, while chronic, severe attacks will be 25% likely to cause such loss. Terminal cases will take 1-12 weeks for fatality.

Urinary system disorders of chronic, severe nature are 20% likely to cause the loss of 1 point each of dexterity and constitution per occurrence. terminal cases will take 1-12 weeks.

Adjustments to Occurrence and Severe Die Rolls*



Note Die scores of 0 or less on either roll indicated the character does not contract the disease.

*Not to be used for parasitic infestation determination.































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