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What are blood bags used for, and how can a player change their blood type?

Filled blood bags are Medical items that take about 120 minutes off hospital time, restore 30% life and add 30 minutes of medical cooldown. Empty bags are used to make them. A player cannot change their blood type: the developer and staff said it never changes[1][2][3][4].

What blood bags do

  • An Empty Blood Bag is a Medical item bought from or sold to the Pharmacy. Using it needs the Intravenous Therapy education course[5].
  • Using an empty bag costs 30% of maximum life, adds 1 hour of medical cooldown and gives one filled bag of the user's own blood type[1][6].
  • Empty bags can also drop from crimes such as Graffiti, Shoplifting and Burglary[7].
  • A filled bag takes about 120 minutes off hospital time (the wiki's Hospital page gives 120-144 minutes; item pages list 120), restores 30% life and adds 30 minutes of medical cooldown. The wiki calls it ideal for quick recovery after combat[1][2].
  • Per the 2020 patch note wording, blood bags are used only when in hospital or on low life[8].
  • During World Blood Donor Day (June 13th-15th), filling a bag costs 50% less life and cooldown[9].

Blood type matters

A filled bag only gives positive effects if the user's type is compatible with it, following real-life red blood cell compatibility[10]. O- works for any group and AB+ only for AB+[2][11]. O+ works for O+, A+, B+ and AB+[12]. A player's type is unknown until they try a bag or withdraw blood into an empty bag, and the first withdrawal reveals it[10].

Changing blood type

The developer Chedburn said in 2017 that blood type can never change and that it is not possible[3]. Staff member bogie said in 2022 that types can't be changed and never have been[4]. No source in the pack describes any method to change it[13].

Two players reported a change: O- to O+ in 2017, answered by Chedburn, and B+ to AB+ in 2022, answered by bogie. bogie told the 2022 player he had always been O+, not B+ or AB+[3][4].

Where sources disagree

  • Players reported their blood type changing (O- to O+ in 2017; B+ to AB+ in 2022), but the developer and staff said types cannot change.[3][4]
Sources 13
  1. Torn Wiki Hospital › How to Get out? › Items › Blood Bags ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Blood bags will take 120-144 minutes off your hospital time, and add 30 minutes to your medical cooldown, and will also restore 30% of your Life
  2. Torn Wiki Blood Bag : O- (infobox) › Infobox ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Compatible with recipients in any blood group.
  3. Developer Blood type changed? — Chedburn ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Blood type can never change, it's not possible.
  4. Staff Changed blood type — bogie ·
    Why TornLife says this
    You can't change blood types, and haven't, you've always been O+... Not B+ or AB+
  5. Torn Wiki Empty Blood Bag ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Empty Blood Bag is a Medical item that can be purchased from and sold to the Pharmacy.
  6. Torn Wiki Empty Blood Bag (infobox) › Infobox ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Effect: Produces a blood bag of your type. Reduces life by 30%. Increases medical cooldown by 1 hour.
  7. Torn Wiki Empty Blood Bag › Obtaining ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Empty Blood Bag can be found from the following crimes: Graffiti: Red-Light District (quantity: 2) (unique) Shoplifting: Pharmacy (quantity: 1, 2, 3, 4)
  8. Torn Wiki Hospital/Patch History (2/2) ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Changed irradiated blood bags to provide hospital time and continuous radiation increases.
  9. Torn Wiki Empty Blood Bag › Related Events ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Related Events: | Date | Name | Effect | | June 13th - 15th | World Blood Donor Day | Medical Cooldown and Life loss reduced by 50% when using empty blood bag. |
  10. Developer Medical 2.0 released — Chedburn ·
    Why TornLife says this
    You'll only have positive effects if your blood type is compatible with the blood bag you're using.
    Every filled blood bag in Torn will have been created from an actual player donating their blood.
  11. Torn Wiki Blood Bag : AB+ (infobox) › Infobox ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Name: Blood Bag : AB+ Item ID: 736 Description: A blood bag filled with type AB+ blood. Only compatible with recipients in group AB+. Effect: Reduces hospital by 120 mins and restores 30% life. Increases medical cooldown by 30 mins. Requirement: Intravenous Therapy education course. Type: Medical
  12. Torn Wiki Blood Bag : O+ (infobox) › Infobox ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Name: Blood Bag : O+ Item ID: 738 Description: A blood bag filled with type O+ blood. Compatible with recipients in groups O+, A+, B+ and AB+. 37.4% of all blood is O+, and this is close to the percentage of pet owners who don't sleep in bed with their pets. …
  13. Patch list Medical 2.0 released : 25/02/15 — changes to Hospital (2015-02-25) ·
    Why TornLife says this
    Blood types, blood bags and a new educational course released.

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