Wounds, Scars & Death
Bolt & Blade does not constantly kill player characters, but violence leaves consequences. Wounds and scars let the campaign continue while making combat feel heavier than fantasy damage — and death, when it comes, is earned and remembered.
Survival is not the same as being fine. — This chapter is a transcription outline: the rules below name what is being drafted, not final law. Full text replaces each entry as the rites are locked in at the table.
What This Chapter Governs
Being TranscribedMassive Damage & Injuries. When a single hit is big enough, surviving it still costs you — a save against the injury table, not a footnote.
Lasting Scars. Permanent marks, trauma, reputation, and the character-defining injuries that outlive the fight.
Lost Limbs & Augmetics. Maiming and replacement — an augmetic is both a reward and a reminder that something awful happened.
Damaged Gear. Critical hits and explosions break armor and weapons; field repairs keep them ugly and working.
Death. NPCs die fast; player characters survive horribly. A PC only truly falls when Fate, the dice, and the player's luck run dry at once.