- v50 information can now be added to pages in the main namespace. v0.47 information can still be found in the DF2014 namespace. See here for more details on the new versioning policy.
- Use this page to report any issues related to the migration.
v0.34:Wound
| This article is about an older version of DF. |
There are five different levels of injury in the game, ranging from none to complete part loss.
Shown using the default* colors, they are:
- NONE: No recorded active wounds on the part.
- MINOR: Any damage that doesn't have functional/structural consequences (might be heavy bleeding, though).
- INHIBITED: Any muscular, structural, or functional damage, without total loss.
- FUNCTION LOSS: An important function of the part is completely lost, but the part is structurally sound (or, at least partially intact).
- BROKEN: The part has lost all structural integrity or muscular ability.
- MISSING: The part is completely gone.
- (* The color of wounds can be changed in d_init.txt.)
Missing limb
As the name implies, this signals that a limb has been completely severed. Dwarves with severed limbs frequently either die of blood loss or linger in the hospital permanently. Those who recover may find themselves unable to perform the same tasks as they had in the past.
Dwarves without arms are unable to haul items, but are still able to gather crops or work in a workshop. Once created/gathered, the items simply remain where they are until another dwarf comes along to move them. They are also unable to equip armor/clothing, but this won't stop them from biting/kicking in combat. Armless dwarves are unable to operate screw pumps.
Function loss
The cyan "Function loss" signals impairment of an organ for which "broken" or "bruised" would not make sense. Internal organs and eyes have been observed to turn cyan, indicating failures of sight, liver function, and other maladies.
A dwarf can also suffer nervous damage to sensory and/or motor nerves. For example, motor nerve damage to a leg means that the dwarf will never be able to stand up again, which will show as "Ability to stand lost" in the specific dwarf's personal health screen, in addition to nervous damage information. Sensory nerve damage causes pain to disappear and is thought to make a creatures' attacks weaker. With a crutch applied, dwarves with leg nerve damage can become mobile / useful again. Damage to spinal nervous tissue disconnects all nervous function below the damaged point. For the upper and middle spines this can include the lungs, so damage leads to suffocation.
Creatures can be set to heal spinal nerve damage by going into the raws, finding the tissue_template_default and setting a number like [HEALING_RATE:100] at the NERVE_TEMPLATE. A higher number translates to a slower healing rate, with bones for example having a healing rate of 1000. However, this setting does not affect non-spinal nerves, as they do not count as "nervous tissue".
Scarring
Dwarves who sustain major injuries may never fully heal—the part will always remain listed in their Wounds section as "Minor" or "Inhibited", and the dwarf's description in his Thoughts and Preferences screen will note that he bears scars. (Of varying degrees and types, {Tiny, very short, short, long, very long, massive, huge, etc.} {Jagged, Dent, Straight, etc.}) While not all scars have an effect, this may result in notes in the Health screen such as "Ability to grasp somewhat impaired". This means that one of the creature's grasping parts (usually hands) has lost the ability to grasp. Military dwarves with inhibited ability to grasp will not hold a weapon or shield in the crippled arm. However, they will automatically grasp both weapon and shield in their good hand when they next come to equip themselves, assuming of course that they are set to use both such items.
Permanent Injury
There are several types of injuries dwarves will never recover from. Nerve damage is permanent; loss of limbs is permanent. Some types of syndromes are lifelong. As a result, you may end up with a dwarf who has lost function in one or more body parts, or who continually exhibits some kind of problematic symptom. But these dwarves, if they don't meet with an unfortunate accident, can still be very useful.
Disabled Veterans
When a highly skilled soldier is injured too badly to continue on active duty, he can remain in the military as a teacher. Put him into a squad with your raw recruits and have him teach them what soldiering is about. When the recruits have been whipped into shape, they can be transferred to active-duty squads.
Function Loss: Legs
Dwarves who have lost the use of one leg cannot walk (or kick enemies in battle, but that's a minor problem). If the dwarf in question has had a foot or leg amputated, or has nerve damage to the leg, he can be issued a crutch by doctors in your hospital. Thereafter, he will gain crutch-walking skill whenever he moves with the crutch in his inventory. Eventually, his speed with the crutch will likely be faster than it was before, without the crutch. A dwarf using a crutch can go back to military duty without any loss of effectiveness; in fact, it is quite possible for a one-armed dwarf to hold a shield, crossbow, and crutch (and occasionally bash his enemies with it--it is recommended to make metal crutches to issue to military dwarves).
Lower Body Paralysis
A dwarf who has nerve damage to his lower spine, or has nerve damage to both of his legs, is unable to use his legs and cannot benefit from using a crutch. After he recovers (you may need to deconstruct his hospital bed to get him out of it), he can move--but only very slowly. Dwarves like this are obviously unfit for military duty--they can still swing a battle axe, but they won't make it to the battle before the rest of the squad have finished their jobs and have moved on to claiming the enemies' socks. The best jobs for these dwarves are ones that don't require them to move around much. For best results, create a burrow containing the dwarf's workshop, stockpiles for food and booze, and the dwarf's bedroom. Turn off all labors but the one you want the dwarf to do--most importantly, turn off hauling. A paralyzed dwarf can also be kept idle in your lever room, where he will still move five steps more quickly than another dwarf can move fifty; or he can be appointed as broker and burrowed with your depot.
No one has yet done Science on the possibility of using minecarts to transport paralyzed dwarves. Will your fort be the first?
Function Loss: Arms
The dwarf who has lost the use of an arm can go on with his life normally, and can even hold a shield and battle-axe at the same time. In the military, he is limited only in that he cannot wield weapons that are too large to be wielded one-handed. Outside the military, he can work as well as any other dwarf.
Losing both arms is a different story. Dwarves who cannot use both arms will be unable to do almost any task. Managers, bookkeepers, and brokers must be able to use at least one arm. They cannot pick up weapons or shields and cannot haul items. Most irritatingly, they cannot clean themselves and cannot pick up clothing in order to put it on and will probably spam cancellation messages at you (seriously consider turning off job cancellation messages in the 'o'rders menu if this is the case). These dwarves are at risk of insanity from the lack of clothing once theirs wears out, though they may have been lucky enough to be wearing armor, which will not wear out. Military dwarves can still lead demonstrations in non-weapons skills, and could quite possibly become a good wrestler or biter. Dwarves without arms can also be used as sentries; burrow them in watchtowers to spot ambushes.
Blindness
A dwarf with both eyes damaged cannot see (obviously)--and what he can't see, he won't be afraid of. Therefore, a blind dwarf can do civilian labors without dropping everything and running when there's a wild animal nearby. He does suffer a severe drop in the quality of his work.
Long-Term Syndrome
The most common long-term syndrome is probably the bite of a cave spider, which causes long-term mild dizziness. The dwarf seems fine and works normally... except that his work tends to be low-quality because the dwarf is feeling under the weather. Even legendary dwarves will, if they're feeling dizzy enough, be unable to produce masterwork crafts. Assign these dwarves to producing goods that don't have quality levels.