What is lingering injuries 5e?

Lingering injuries are a set of rules found in the Dungeon Master's Guide for 5th edition of the Dungeons and Dragons tabletop role-playing game. They are used when a player-character or monster takes a critical hit that drops them to 0 hit points or when they fail their death saving throws.

Instead of simply dying or being unconscious, they may suffer a lasting injury that affects them even after they have recovered. The injuries can be categorized as either minor or major.

Minor injuries could include losing an eye, hearing loss, a broken nose, or a scar that impairs charisma. Major injuries could be a lost limb, internal bleeding, a shattered ribcage, or a spinal injury.

The effects of these injuries can be varied, but they usually come with some sort of penalty to the character's abilities, skills, or attributes. These penalties can be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the injury.

Lingering injuries are optional rules, and a DM can choose to use them or not. They can add an extra layer of realism and danger to combat, but they can also slow down the game and add complexity.