Topic: Loosing an ear...

[JohnD]

Last night a player had a fumble with his composite bow - sliced off his ear.

I'm wondering what the in-game effects would be on someone as a result.

Hearing penalties, balance, equilibrium, vertigo, perhaps nausea seem to come immediately to mind.  Has anyone got any input on the penalties and what they should be?

Thanks.

[jdale]

If it's just the external part of the ear, you might have a slight penalty on hearing (I would think -5 or -10 at the most) and especially on your ability to determine the direction a sound is coming from. You're not losing the sensory part of the ear, but the external ear does shape and focus sound on its way to the cochlea.

Balance is handled in the internal part of the ear, it wouldn't be affected. So equilibrium, vertigo, nausea type effects would not happen unless there is also internal damage.

[JohnD]

Thanks very much.  My goal here was to be realistic, not a delta bravo GM.

[markc]

 I agree with J Dale, also if the PC had any talents based on hearing I would modify them as well as possibly lower (or raise) his appearance because of it.
MDC