Difference between incapacitation and shock

[Zalain]

Hello all.

I had to write you asking for help of some rules clarification:

In the berserker spell description says the adventurer cant get incapacitated, shock, inconscious, or exhausted.

And in the damage summary that the character who gets certain damage gets incapacitated, and in shock and cant fight until healed.

 

What means and adventurer is incapacitated? And what does is in shock? One implies the another?

Get Incapacitated is same than functionally incapacitated?

Can an adventurer be in shock but not incapacitated?

 

All those rules brings me to confusion.

...please, help!

(And thank you in advance)

Edited July 26, 2022 by Zalain

[Jason Farrell]

Shock is when a person sustains massive physical trauma, and as a result, has very low blood pressure. 

Being incapacitated means being uanble to act normally, but does not necessarily mean being in shock. 

I think they are functionally the same in game in most instances, though.

[Akhôrahil]

”Shock” isn’t really a game term (it occurs in one place for Sorcerers, and as a rule you’re not doing sorcery while berserking). It should probably be regarded as flavor/descriptive text rather than a rules mechanic. Same thing with ”exhaustion”(apart from the exhausted incapacitation a berserker suffers afterwards).

Incapacitated typically means that you can’t do anything but you’re still conscious, unlike Unconsciousness.

[dvdmacateer]

Incapacitated and shock are the same thing  see page 148  especially the top of the right column. Although it could maybe argued that fearshock in the bestiary could be included.  RuneQuest doesn't have  hard coded list of conditions like D&D and some other games.

[Scotty]

13 hours ago, Zalain said:

What means and adventurer is incapacitated? And what does is in shock? One implies the another?

incapacitated - deprived of strength or power, debilitated. Not defined in the rules as it's a common English word.

So an adventurer at the end of Berserk is unable to move. 

shock - In RQ most likely caused by massive blood loss, but can be caused by burns, etc.

13 hours ago, Zalain said:

Get Incapacitated is same than functionally incapacitated?

yes, functional incapacity can be applied to the whole adventurer, but also part of an adventurer eg a leg

A adventurer who is functionally incapacitated, can be conscious but can't do anything.

An adventurer with a functionally incapacitated leg cannot walk (and may be in shock).

13 hours ago, Zalain said:

Can an adventurer be in shock but not incapacitated?

Yes. An adventurer in shock can still try to heal themselves, an incapacitated adventurer cannot. 

eg. an adventurer with a functionally incapacitated leg cannot walk, and is in shock, but can try to heal themselves.

For functionally incapacitated and shock see page 148.

[Zalain]

Thank you for all the answers. Now i can make an idea! 🙂

Anyway, i would say incapacitation comes from a physical problem (hits, falls, etc...), But conscious and can heal themselves (if still have limbs to do with).

And shock more likely to mental disturb so adventurers cant act by themselves because arent conscious at all.

 

So when in page 148 says an adventurer is incapacitated AND in shock until healed, i understand that adventurer have to be healed by his mates to be "capacitated" following turns.

 

Salutes!