Topic: PERMANENT DAMAGE QUESTION - is "permanent" permanent?

[C.Tozer]

PERMANENT DAMAGE QUESTION:
In your opinion would the following rules in RM Classic (p.147) RE "permanent injuries" be allowed to be repaired via, spells, herbs or whatever???
I had always assumed that permanent was exactly that ... ie a mechanic in the game, after a really bad injury or death, to limit a character (ie making a permenant injury, lost hand, lost agility etc remain in place).

How have you handled this rule in your Rolemaster Games please?

"PERMANENT DAMAGE Most of these questions are very subjective and must be decided on a case-by-case basis. For example, having an arm cut off and then reattached might cause a loss of agility (temporary or permanent) and maybe a scar. Death and being raised from the dead might cause a general loss of abilities, partial loss of experience and scars.
As a loose rule of thumb, a character might receive permanent damage only in case of a severe wound. In such a situation, have the character make an open-ended 1-100 roll and add a number equal to his Constitution (not simply the Co bonus). Should the result exceed 100, there is no permanent damage. If it falls short of 101+, ascertain the difference between the roll and 101. The greater the difference, the worse the permanent damage."

[MisterK]

I've never used that rule with magical healing. Magic can reattach limbs, regrow tissue and muscle, rebuild shattered bones. Having permanent effects does not fit in my world view.
Of course, in case of natural healing, it's open season (but natural healing does not achieve any of the above, so the consequences are usually a natural consequence of the affliction).

[jdale]

Different edition, but in case it's helpful, RMU says:

A permanent injury is nerve damage which is very difficult to treat, and traditional medicine can do little for it. Magical healing through spells or herbs for healing nerve damage, or possibly advanced medicine (GM discretion) may be used, in which case use the organ column on the recovery table to determine recovery time after healing.

So, "permanent" means it's not ever going to heal on its own but not necessarily that it can never be healed by any means.

[C.Tozer]

I've never used that rule with magical healing. Magic can reattach limbs, regrow tissue and muscle, rebuild shattered bones. Having permanent effects does not fit in my world view.
Of course, in case of natural healing, it's open season (but natural healing does not achieve any of the above, so the consequences are usually a natural consequence of the affliction).

Super - thanks very much MisterK. Helpful.

[C.Tozer]

Different edition, but in case it's helpful, RMU says:

A permanent injury is nerve damage which is very difficult to treat, and traditional medicine can do little for it. Magical healing through spells or herbs for healing nerve damage, or possibly advanced medicine (GM discretion) may be used, in which case use the organ column on the recovery table to determine recovery time after healing.

So, "permanent" means it's not ever going to heal on its own but not necessarily that it can never be healed by any means.

Excellent! Thank you Jdale - that last line sums things up exactly! Much appriciated