Dr. Roads: Oxygen depletion
Dr. Rhodes: That's probably what's causing all your memory loss, and mine.
Dr. Roads: Woah wait, how did we even get here?
-- World Doctors, Episode 5, "Memory Loss"
Defaults: IQ-6, First Aid-8, Physician-4, or Veterinary-5
Diagnosis/TL (IQ/Hard) is the skill to tell what is wrong with a sick or injured person, or what killed a dead person. Diagnosis generally only works on living things, but can be used to determine if someone is alive[2], or what killed a dead person.[2] Diagnosis isn't necessary for identifying obvious damage like open wounds or missing limbs![2][3]
In magical settings, identifying a disease with Diagnosis can vastly improve one's chances when casting Cure Disease.[3]
Don't Call A Coroner Yet[]
- Oh I'm Not Yet Dead -- Characters with Hard to Kill might survive something and be presumed dead, but a Diagnosis roll can reveal they're just having a nap.[4]
- Just Having A Nap -- Characters with Metabolism Control (or those using the Body Control skill)[5] can enter a deep sleep (see also, the false death poison from Romeo & Juliet). This allows a Quick Contest between the sleeping character's HT + Metabolism Control roll (or Body Control skill roll) against the physician's Diagnosis skill.
Modifiers[]
- Diagnosis gets a -5 penalty to diagnosing internal injuries,[2] or internal diseases with subtle or ambiguous symptoms--although these penalties can be removed via exploratory surgery.[6]
- There may be a penalty for a particularly rare or tricky disease or condition.[2]
- Don't forget any bonuses from the Healer talent!
Variant Rules[]
- Blackjacks (saps, etcetera) can bonk without obvious bruising, giving a -2 to Diagnosis[7]
- In some settings (such as the Dungeon Fantasy RPG), Esoteric Medicine can work as an alternative to most medical skills, including diagnosis. [8]
Tools of the Trade[]
- Low-Tech
- Diagnostic Manuals (TL1) can be invaluable to a low-tech medic, telling the healer about various medical conditions. This is standard equipment, and rolls without it are at -2![9] A standard one is $35, 2 lbs.
- Speculums (TL2) are designed to dilate a body cavity, making it easier to perform a procedure on such. This reduces Surgery penalties, and allows unmodified Diagnosis rolls.
- High-Tech
- Ultra-Tech
Talents and Wildcard Skills[]
- Talents
- Goodwife, Healer, and Whiz Kid[11]
- Wildcard Skills[12]
- Cleric!, Medic! and Medicine! give a regular bonus to Diagnosis
- Lore! benefits Diagnosis when learning/determining details about monsters
As a Default[]
- Diagnosis be used to roll Physiology at -5.[13]
See Also[]
References[]
- Basic Set, p.187
- ↑ Note that memory loss is not a condition of altitude sickness in GURPS, but there are IQ penalties for it, resulting in poor decision-making.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Basic Set, p.187
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 DFRPG: Adventurers, p.75
- ↑ Basic Set, p.58
- ↑ Basic Set, p.181
- ↑ Bio-Tech, p.214
- ↑ Basic Set, p.213
- ↑ Martial Arts, p.56
- ↑ Low-Tech, p.145
- ↑ High-Tech, p.75
- ↑ Power-Ups 3: Talents
- ↑ Power-Ups 7: Wildcard Skills
- ↑ Basic Set, p.213