What happens when an Extra is Incapacitated but survives?

Question

Tonight in my Savage Worlds (Explorer Edition) game, several of the bad guys, all Extras, were shot, took damage exceeding their Toughness, and were put out of the fight--which I believe is technically Incapacitated.

These same guys made their Vigor rolls, per the Aftermath section of the SW:EX book.

• Does this mean they are considered Shaken and suffering from Wounds?
• If they are wounded, how many wounds? What penalty to trait rolls?

One of them was healed by a PC's Ally. The healing roll was sufficient to heal one wound.

• How many wounds does he have now? What penalties? Is he still Shaken? In the fiction, is he still suffering from a bullet wound?

Lastly, they all got Gut Shot on the Injury table.

• Does this mean that in the fiction they are seriously wounded, but somehow able to manage?

If I'm botching this whole process and it'd be easier just to outline it, go nuts.

Answer 1

Very good questions, that many people will ask themselves. I will answer your questions using the Savage Worlds Deluxe rulebook from 2011 (not SW:EX from 2007), in case it helps anyone:

Tonight in my Savage Worlds (...) game, several of the bad guys, all Extras, were shot, took damage exceeding their Toughness, and were put out of the fight--which I believe is technically Incapacitated.

As someone already said above, exceeding their toughness only makes them shaken. Exceeding their toughness with a raise, or shaking them a second time with a physical wound would incapacitate them and put them out of the game.

These same guys made their Vigor rolls, per the Aftermath section (...) Does this mean they are considered Shaken and suffering from Wounds? If they are wounded, how many wounds? What penalty to trait rolls?

If they pass their Vigor roll in the aftermath of the fight they remain incapacitated (p78), i.e. they are alive but cannot do anything apart from free actions like talking. They cannot even walk unless they succeed on a second Vigor roll ("walking wounded", p78). They must be left in the place or carried away with care.

If they fail the Vigor roll, they are dead (p78). End of story.

If they succeed the Vigor roll with a raise their wounds are only superficial and they are no longer incapacitated (p78). It is assumed that they lost conscience but woke up after the fight, or maybe got a minor injury and shied away from battle (cowards!). In any case, they are perfectly functional ("as new").

Extras do not have wounds: they are either dead, incapacitated, or perfectly fine (p68).

One of them was healed by a PC's Ally. The healing roll was sufficient to heal one wound. How many wounds does he have now? What penalties? Is he still Shaken?

If an extra is healed by the Healing skill or the Power, the extra becomes completely functional ("as new"). Extras do not have wounds: they are either dead, incapacitated, or perfectly fine (p68). A success in Healing is enough to heal an incapacitated extra.

If the extra is healed in the middle of a combat (using the Healing power) the extra comes back to life functional (no penalties) but shaken (p114). Also note that before you can use the Healing power on an extra while in combat you must determine whether the extra is dead (Vigor roll, as per the aftermath rules in p78). If the extra is dead, no healing is possible (p114).

If the extra is healed after the combat has finished then they are not shaken (it is assumed that they repeat their Spirit roll every few seconds until they succeed).

Note: You cannot use the Healing skill while in combat. The skill takes 10 minutes per attempt, and the combat is over way before that.

In the fiction, is he still suffering from a bullet wound?

If they passed the Vigor roll and they got cured, it is assumed that the bullet wound was bad but not so bad that it could not be cured. Maybe it was just a scratch on the forehead that covered their face with blood (really messy if it ever happens to you!) but after cleaning and a few stitches they are ready for action.

Lastly, they all got Gut Shot on the Injury table. Does this mean that in the fiction they are seriously wounded, but somehow able to manage?

In the Savage Worlds Deluxe rulebook it is very clear that only Wild Cards roll on the Injury Table (p68). Extras never roll on the Injury Table according to the rules (but you are free to do it as GM, of course, if it fits your style / story).

Answer 2

My understanding is that extras don't get any of the effort or thought that includes things like "wounds." They are either 1) fine, 2) shaken, or 3) gone. Less to track that way. Only wildcards have wounds, individual bennies, etc.

If you want the extra that was healed by the PC after the battle to become important, it doesn't really matter whether the rules say the extra could or could not survive. Do what's best for everyone's enjoyment and the story. If the healed extra becomes an ally for the PC's, follow the ally rules. I'd say he's fine from a stats perspective, but there's no reason he has to act (be roleplayed) like he's completely healthy.

The extras/allies rules are meant to keep combat easier for the GM, and faster/more fun for everyone. After combat, I think you should feel free to bend them as needed.

Answer 3

In SWEX, Extras just to go Shaken if they take more than their Toughness; they don't immediately go to Incapacitated. A Raise or a second Shaken result is required to Incapacitate them. (SWEX p.75) I assume that's what you did, it's just not clear from the question.

Extras don't get wounds. Determining they were "Gut Shot" on the Injury Table is nice color for the fiction but not rules relevant. Extras who would be Incapacitated by a nonlethal attack are simply knocked out for 1d6 hours (Core Revised p.67).

After a fight you do roll Vigor for Incapacitated Extras to see if they're alive and Incapacitated or just plain dead (the old SW Core rulebook specifies that Extras roll on p.72, SWEX just says "all allies" roll but clarifies that alive ones are still Incapacitated on p.77). You can make a second Vigor roll to classify them as "walking wounded" if desired.

Then every five days, Incapacitated Extras roll Vigor, lose Incapacitated on a success and die on a 1 on the Vigor die (SWEX p.78). This of course clearly implies that Extras stick around Incapacitated after the fight.

It's not specified, but I would assume a successful Healing check on an Extra would get them un-Incapacitated. There are no Wounds on them at that point and they would be at full strength, though if you want to consider them Shaken or Wounded or whatnot, do it.

However, they are Extras - feel free and do what you want with them! If you want the PCs' opponents to just be dead to avoid the interminable debates about "killing the captives" etc., knock yourself out. But if you want to know the RAW, there it is.