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A special ability is either
extraordinary, spell-like, or supernatural in nature.
Extraordinary Abilities (Ex): Extraordinary abilities
are nonmagical. They are, however, not something that just anyone can do or
even learn to do without extensive training. Effects or areas that negate or
disrupt magic have no effect on extraordinary abilities.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Spell-like abilities, as
the name implies, are spells and magical abilities that are very much like
spells. Spell-like abilities are subject to spell resistance and dispel magic.
They do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated (such as an antimagic
field).
Supernatural Abilities (Su): Supernatural abilities
are magical but not spell-like. Supernatural abilities are not subject to spell
resistance and do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated
(such as an antimagic field). A supernatural ability’s effect cannot be
dispelled and is not subject to counterspells. See the table below for a
summary of the types of special abilities.
Table: Special Ability Types
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Extraordinary |
Spell-Like |
Supernatural |
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Dispel |
No |
Yes |
No |
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Spell resistance |
No |
Yes |
No |
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Antimagic field |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
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Attack of opportunity |
No |
Yes |
No |
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Dispel: Can dispel magic and
similar spells dispel the effects of abilities of that type? |
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Spell Resistance: Does spell resistance
protect a creature from these abilities? |
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Antimagic Field: Does an antimagic
field or similar magic suppress the ability? |
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Attack of Opportunity: Does using the ability
provoke attacks of opportunity the way that casting a spell does? |
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ABILITY SCORE LOSS
Various attacks cause ability score
loss, either ability damage or ability drain. Points lost to ability damage
return at the rate of 1 point per day (or double that if the character gets
complete bed rest) to each damaged ability, and the spells lesser restoration
and restoration offset ability damage as well. Ability drain,
however, is permanent, though restoration can restore even those lost
ability score points.
While any loss is debilitating,
losing all points in an ability score can be devastating.
• Strength 0 means that the character
cannot move at all. He lies helpless on the ground.
• Dexterity 0 means that the
character cannot move at all. He stands motionless, rigid, and helpless.
• Constitution 0 means that the
character is dead.
• Intelligence 0 means that the
character cannot think and is unconscious in a coma-like stupor, helpless.
• Wisdom 0 means that the character
is withdrawn into a deep sleep filled with nightmares, helpless.
• Charisma 0 means that the character
is withdrawn into a catatonic, coma-like stupor, helpless.
Keeping track of negative ability
score points is never necessary. A character’s ability score can’t drop below
0.
Having a score of 0 in an ability is
different from having no ability score whatsoever.
Some spells or abilities impose an
effective ability score reduction, which is different from ability score loss.
Any such reduction disappears at the end of the spell’s or ability’s duration,
and the ability score immediately returns to its former value.
If a character’s Constitution score
drops, then he loses 1 hit point per Hit Die for every point by which his
Constitution modifier drops. A hit point score can’t be reduced by Constitution
damage or drain to less than 1 hit point per Hit Die.
The ability that some creatures have
to drain ability scores is a supernatural one, requiring some sort of attack.
Such creatures do not drain abilities from enemies when the enemies strike
them, even with unarmed attacks or natural weapons.
ANTIMAGIC
An antimagic field spell or
effect cancels magic altogether. An antimagic effect has the following powers
and characteristics.
• No supernatural ability, spell-like
ability, or spell works in an area of antimagic (but extraordinary abilities
still work).
• Antimagic does not dispel magic; it
suppresses it. Once a magical effect is no longer affected by the antimagic
(the antimagic fades, the center of the effect moves away, and so on), the
magic returns. Spells that still have part of their duration left begin
functioning again, magic items are once again useful, and so forth.
• Spell areas that include both an
antimagic area and a normal area, but are not centered in the antimagic area,
still function in the normal area. If the spell’s center is in the antimagic
area, then the spell is suppressed.
• Golems and other constructs,
elementals, outsiders, and corporeal undead, still function in an antimagic
area (though the antimagic area suppresses their spellcasting and their
supernatural and spell-like abilities normally). If such creatures are summoned
or conjured, however, see below.
• Summoned or conjured creatures of
any type, as well as incorporeal undead, wink out if they enter the area of an
antimagic effect. They reappear in the same spot once the field goes away.
• Magic items with continuous effects
do not function in the area of an antimagic effect, but their effects are
not canceled (so the contents of a bag of holding are unavailable, but
neither spill out nor disappear forever).
• Two antimagic areas in the same
place do not cancel each other out, nor do they stack.
• Wall of force, prismatic wall, and
prismatic sphere are not affected by antimagic. Break enchantment,
dispel magic, and greater dispel magic spells do not dispel
antimagic. Mage’s disjunction has a 1% chance per caster level of
destroying an antimagic field. If the antimagic field survives
the disjunction, no items within it are disjoined.
BLINDSIGHT AND BLINDSENSE
Some creatures have blindsight, the
extraordinary ability to use a nonvisual sense (or a combination of such
senses) to operate effectively without vision. Such sense may include
sensitivity to vibrations, acute scent, keen hearing, or echolocation. This
ability makes invisibility and concealment (even magical darkness) irrelevant
to the creature (though it still can’t see ethereal creatures). This ability
operates out to a range specified in the creature description.
• Blindsight never allows a creature
to distinguish color or visual contrast. A creature cannot read with
blindsight.
• Blindsight does not subject a
creature to gaze attacks (even though darkvision does).
• Blinding attacks do not penalize
creatures using blindsight.
• Deafening attacks thwart blindsight
if it relies on hearing.
• Blindsight works underwater but not
in a vacuum.
• Blindsight negates displacement and
blur effects.
Blindsense: Other creatures have
blindsense, a lesser ability that lets the creature notice things it cannot
see, but without the precision of blindsight. The creature with blindsense
usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice and locate
creatures within range of its blindsense ability, provided that it has line of
effect to that creature. Any opponent the creature cannot see has total
concealment (50% miss chance) against the creature with blindsense, and the
blindsensing creature still has the normal miss chance when attacking foes that
have concealment. Visibility still affects the movement of a creature with
blindsense. A creature with blindsense is still denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor
Class against attacks from creatures it cannot see.
BREATH WEAPON
A creature attacking with a breath
weapon is actually expelling something from its mouth (rather than conjuring it
by means of a spell or some other magical effect). Most creatures with breath
weapons are limited to a number of uses per day or by a minimum length of time
that must pass between uses. Such creatures are usually smart enough to save
their breath weapon until they really need it.
• Using a breath weapon is typically
a standard action.
• No attack roll is necessary. The
breath simply fills its stated area.
• Any character caught in the area
must make the appropriate saving throw or suffer the breath weapon’s full
effect. In many cases, a character who succeeds on his saving throw still takes
half damage or some other reduced effect.
• Breath weapons are supernatural
abilities except where noted.
• Creatures are immune to their own
breath weapons.
• Creatures unable to breathe can
still use breath weapons. (The term is something of a misnomer.)
CHARM AND COMPULSION
Many abilities and spells can cloud
the minds of characters and monsters, leaving them unable to tell friend from
foe—or worse yet, deceiving them into thinking that their former friends are
now their worst enemies. Two general types of enchantments affect characters
and creatures: charms and compulsions.
Charming another creature gives the
charming character the ability to befriend and suggest courses of actions to
his minion, but the servitude is not absolute or mindless. Charms of this type
include the various charm spells. Essentially, a charmed character
retains free will but makes choices according to a skewed view of the world.
• A charmed creature doesn’t
gain any magical ability to understand his new friend’s language.
• A charmed character retains
his original alignment and allegiances, generally with the exception that he
now regards the charming creature as a dear friend and will give great
weight to his suggestions and directions.
• A charmed character fights
his former allies only if they threaten his new friend, and even then he uses
the least lethal means at his disposal as long as these tactics show any
possibility of success (just as he would in a fight between two actual
friends).
• A charmed character is
entitled to an opposed Charisma check against his master in order to resist
instructions or commands that would make him do something he wouldn’t normally
do even for a close friend. If he succeeds, he decides not to go along with
that order but remains charmed.
• A charmed character never
obeys a command that is obviously suicidal or grievously harmful to her.
• If the charming creature commands
his minion to do something that the influenced character would be violently
opposed to, the subject may attempt a new saving throw to break free of the
influence altogether.
• A charmed character who is
openly attacked by the creature who charmed him or by that creature’s
apparent allies is automatically freed of the spell or effect.
Compulsion is a different matter
altogether. A compulsion overrides the subject’s free will in some way or
simply changes the way the subject’s mind works. A charm makes the subject a
friend of the caster; a compulsion makes the subject obey the caster.
Regardless of whether a character is
charmed or compelled, he won’t volunteer information or tactics that his master
doesn’t ask for.
COLD IMMUNITY
A creature with cold immunity never
takes cold damage. It has vulnerability to fire, which means it takes half
again as much (+50%) damage as normal from fire, regardless of whether a saving
throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure.
DAMAGE REDUCTION
Some magic creatures have the
supernatural ability to instantly heal damage from weapons or to ignore blows
altogether as though they were invulnerable.
The numerical part of a creature’s
damage reduction is the amount of hit points the creature ignores from normal
attacks. Usually, a certain type of weapon can overcome this reduction. This
information is separated from the damage reduction number by a slash. Damage
reduction may be overcome by special materials, by magic weapons (any weapon
with a +1 or higher enhancement bonus, not counting the enhancement from
masterwork quality), certain types of weapons (such as slashing or
bludgeoning), and weapons imbued with an alignment. If a dash follows the slash
then the damage reduction is effective against any attack that does not ignore
damage reduction.
Ammunition fired from a projectile
weapon with an enhancement bonus of +1 or higher is treated as a magic weapon
for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Similarly, ammunition fired
from a projectile weapon with an alignment gains the alignment of that
projectile weapon (in addition to any alignment it may already have).
Whenever damage reduction completely
negates the damage from an attack, it also negates most special effects that
accompany the attack, such as injury type poison, a monk’s stunning, and injury
type disease. Damage reduction does not negate touch attacks, energy damage
dealt along with an attack, or energy drains. Nor does it affect poisons or
diseases delivered by inhalation, ingestion, or contact.
Attacks that deal no damage because
of the target’s damage reduction do not disrupt spells.
Spells, spell-like abilities, and
energy attacks (even nonmagical fire) ignore damage reduction.
Sometimes damage reduction is instant
healing. Sometimes damage reduction represents the creature’s tough hide or
body,. In either case, characters can see that conventional attacks don’t work.
If a creature has damage reduction
from more than one source, the two forms of damage reduction do not stack.
Instead, the creature gets the benefit of the best damage reduction in a given
situation.
DARKVISION
Darkvision is the extraordinary
ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the
creature. Darkvision is black and white only (colors cannot be discerned). It
does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see
otherwise—invisible objects are still invisible, and illusions are still
visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to
gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.
DEATH ATTACKS
In most cases, a death attack allows
the victim a Fortitude save to avoid the affect, but if the save fails, the
character dies instantly.
• Raise dead doesn’t work on
someone killed by a death attack.
• Death attacks slay instantly. A
victim cannot be made stable and thereby kept alive.
• In case it matters, a dead
character, no matter how she died, has –10 hit points.
• The spell death ward protects
a character against these attacks.
DISEASE
When a character is injured by a
contaminated attack touches an item smeared with diseased matter, or consumes
disease-tainted food or drink, he must make an immediate Fortitude saving
throw. If he succeeds, the disease has no effect—his immune system fought off
the infection. If he fails, he takes damage after an incubation period. Once
per day afterward, he must make a successful Fortitude saving throw to avoid
repeated damage. Two successful saving throws in a row indicate that he has
fought off the disease and recovers, taking no more damage.
These Fortitude saving throws can be
rolled secretly so that the player doesn’t know whether the disease has taken
hold.
Disease Descriptions
Diseases have various symptoms and
are spread through a number of vectors. The characteristics of several typical
diseases are summarized on Table: Diseases and defined below.
Disease: Diseases whose names are printed in italic
in the table are supernatural in nature. The others are extraordinary.
Infection: The disease’s method of
delivery—ingested, inhaled, via injury, or contact. Keep in mind that some
injury diseases may be transmitted by as small an injury as a flea bite and
that most inhaled diseases can also be ingested (and vice versa).
DC: The Difficulty Class for the
Fortitude saving throws to prevent infection (if the character has been
infected), to prevent each instance of repeated damage, and to recover from the
disease.
Incubation Period: The time before damage
begins.
Damage: The ability damage the character
takes after incubation and each day afterward.
Types of Diseases: Typical diseases include
the following:
Blinding Sickness: Spread in tainted water.
Cackle Fever: Symptoms include high
fever, disorientation, and frequent bouts of hideous laughter. Also known as
“the shrieks.”
Demon Fever: Night hags spread it. Can
cause permanent ability drain.
Devil Chills: Barbazu and pit fiends
spread it. It takes three, not two, successful saves in a row to recover from
devil chills.
Filth Fever: Dire rats and otyughs
spread it. Those injured while in filthy surroundings might also catch it.
Mindfire: Feels like your brain is
burning. Causes stupor.
Mummy Rot: Spread by mummies.
Successful saving throws do not allow the character to recover (though they do
prevent damage normally).
Red Ache: Skin turns red, bloated,
and warm to the touch.
The Shakes: Causes involuntary
twitches, tremors, and fits.
Slimy Doom: Victim turns into
infectious goo from the inside out. Can cause permanent ability drain.
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Table: Diseases |
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Disease |
Infection DC |
Incubation |
Damage |
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Blinding sickness |
Ingested 16 |
1d3 days |
1d4 Str1 |
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Cackle fever |
Inhaled 16 |
1 day |
1d6 Wis |
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Demon fever |
Injury 18 |
1 day |
1d6 Con2 |
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Devil chills3 |
Injury 14 |
1d4 days |
1d4 Str |
|
Filth fever |
Injury 12 |
1d3 days |
1d3 Dex, 1d3 Con |
|
Mindfire |
Inhaled 12 |
1 day |
1d4 Int |
|
Mummy rot4 |
Contact 20 |
1 day |
1d6 Con |
|
Red ache |
Injury 15 |
1d3 days |
1d6 Str |
|
Shakes |
Contact 13 |
1 day |
1d8 Dex |
|
Slimy doom |
Contact 14 |
1 day |
1d4 Con2 |
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1 Each time the victim takes 2 or
more damage from the disease, he must make another Fortitude save or be
permanently blinded. |
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2 When damaged, character must
succeed on another saving throw or 1 point of damage is permanent drain
instead. |
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3 The victim must make three
successful Fortitude saving throws in a row to recover from devil chills. |
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4 Successful saves do not allow the
character to recover. Only magical healing can save the character. |
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Healing a Disease
Use of the Heal skill can help a
diseased character. Every time a diseased character makes a saving throw
against disease effects, the healer makes a check. The diseased character can
use the healer’s result in place of his saving throw if the Heal check result
is higher. The diseased character must be in the healer’s care and must have
spent the previous 8 hours resting.
Characters recover points lost to
ability score damage at a rate of 1 per day per ability damaged, and this rule
applies even while a disease is in progress. That means that a character with a
minor disease might be able to withstand it without accumulating any damage.
ENERGY DRAIN AND NEGATIVE LEVELS
Some horrible creatures, especially
undead monsters, possess a fearsome supernatural ability to drain levels from
those they strike in combat. The creature making an energy drain attack draws a
portion of its victim’s life force from her. Most energy drain attacks require
a successful melee attack roll—mere physical contact is not enough. Each
successful energy drain attack bestows one or more negative levels on the
opponent. A creature takes the following penalties for each negative level it
has gained.
–1 on all skill checks and ability
checks.
–1 on attack rolls and saving throws.
–5 hit points.
–1 effective level (whenever the
creature’s level is used in a die roll or calculation, reduce it by one for
each negative level).
If the victim casts spells, she loses
access to one spell as if she had cast her highest-level, currently available
spell. (If she has more than one spell at her highest level, she chooses which
she loses.) In addition, when she next prepares spells or regains spell slots,
she gets one less spell slot at her highest spell level.
Negative levels remain for 24 hours
or until removed with a spell, such as restoration. After 24 hours, the
afflicted creature must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 attacker’s HD +
attacker’s Cha modifier). (The DC is provided in the attacker’s description.)
If the saving throw succeeds, the negative level goes away with no harm to the
creature. The afflicted creature makes a separate saving throw for each
negative level it has gained. If the save fails, the negative level goes away,
but the creature’s level is also reduced by one.
A character with negative levels at
least equal to her current level, or drained below 1st level, is instantly
slain. Depending on the creature that killed her, she may rise the next night
as a monster of that kind. If not, she rises as a wight. A creature gains 5
temporary hit points for each negative level it bestows (though not if the
negative level is caused by a spell or similar effect).
ETHEREALNESS
Phase spiders and certain other
creatures can exist on the Ethereal Plane. While on the Ethereal Plane, a
creature is called ethereal. Unlike incorporeal creatures, ethereal creatures
are not present on the Material Plane.
Ethereal creatures are invisible,
inaudible, insubstantial, and scentless to creatures on the Material Plane.
Even most magical attacks have no effect on them. See invisibility and true
seeing reveal ethereal creatures.
An ethereal creature can see and hear
into the Material Plane in a 60-foot radius, though material objects still
block sight and sound. (An ethereal creature can’t see through a material wall,
for instance.) An ethereal creature inside an object on the Material Plane
cannot see. Things on the Material Plane, however, look gray, indistinct, and ghostly.
An ethereal creature can’t affect the Material Plane, not even magically. An
ethereal creature, however, interacts with other ethereal creatures and objects
the way material creatures interact with material creatures and objects.
Even if a creature on the Material
Plane can see an ethereal creature the ethereal creature is on another plane.
Only force effects can affect the ethereal creatures. If, on the other hand,
both creatures are ethereal, they can affect each other normally.
A force effect originating on the
Material Plane extends onto the Ethereal Plane, so that a wall of force blocks
an ethereal creature, and a magic missile can strike one (provided the
spellcaster can see the ethereal target). Gaze effects and abjurations also
extend from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane. None of these effects
extend from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane.
Ethereal creatures move in any
direction (including up or down) at will. They do not need to walk on the
ground, and material objects don’t block them (though they can’t see while
their eyes are within solid material).
Ghosts have a power called
manifestation that allows them to appear on the Material Plane as incorporeal
creatures. Still, they are on the Ethereal Plane, and another ethereal creature
can interact normally with a manifesting ghost. Ethereal creatures pass through
and operate in water as easily as air. Ethereal creatures do not fall or take
falling damage.
EVASION AND IMPROVED EVASION
These extraordinary abilities allow
the target of an area attack to leap or twist out of the way. Rogues and monks
have evasion and improved evasion as class features, but certain other
creatures have these abilities, too.
If subjected to an attack that allows
a Reflex save for half damage, a character with evasion takes no damage on a
successful save.
As with a Reflex save for any
creature, a character must have room to move in order to evade. A bound
character or one squeezing through an area cannot use evasion.
As with a Reflex save for any creature,
evasion is a reflexive ability. The character need not know that the attack is
coming to use evasion.
Rogues and monks cannot use evasion
in medium or heavy armor. Some creatures with the evasion ability as an innate
quality do not have this limitation.
Improved evasion is like evasion,
except that even on a failed saving throw the character takes only half damage.
FAST HEALING
A creature with fast healing has the
extraordinary ability to regain hit points at an exceptional rate. Except for
what is noted here, fast healing is like natural healing.
At the beginning of each of the
creature’s turns, it heals a certain number of hit points (defined in its
description).
Unlike regeneration, fast healing
does not allow a creature to regrow or reattach lost body parts.
A creature that has taken both
nonlethal and lethal damage heals the nonlethal damage first.
Fast healing does not restore hit
points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation.
Fast healing does not increase the
number of hit points regained when a creature polymorphs.
FEAR
Spells, magic items, and certain
monsters can affect characters with fear. In most cases, the character makes a
Will saving throw to resist this effect, and a failed roll means that the
character is shaken, frightened, or panicked.
Shaken: Characters who are shaken take a –2
penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Frightened: Characters who are
frightened are shaken, and in addition they flee from the source of their fear
as quickly as they can. They can choose the path of their flight. Other than
that stipulation, once they are out of sight (or hearing) of the source of
their fear, they can act as they want. However, if the duration of their fear
continues, characters can be forced to flee once more if the source of their
fear presents itself again. Characters unable to flee can fight (though they
are still shaken).
Panicked: Characters who are
panicked are shaken, and they run away from the source of their fear as quickly
as they can. Other than running away from the source, their path is random.
They flee from all other dangers that confront them rather than facing those
dangers. Panicked characters cower if they are prevented from fleeing.
Becoming Even More Fearful: Fear effects are
cumulative. A shaken character who is made shaken again becomes frightened, and
a shaken character who is made frightened becomes panicked instead. A
frightened character who is made shaken or frightened becomes panicked instead.
FIRE IMMUNITY
A creature with fire immunity never
takes fire damage. It has vulnerability to cold, which means it takes half
again as much (+50%) damage as normal from cold, regardless of whether a saving
throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure.
GASEOUS FORM
Some creatures have the supernatural
or spell-like ability to take the form of a cloud of vapor or gas.
Creatures in gaseous form can’t run
but can fly. A gaseous creature can move about and do the things that a cloud
of gas can conceivably do, such as flow through the crack under a door. It
can’t, however, pass through solid matter. Gaseous creatures can’t attack
physically or cast spells with verbal, somatic, material, or focus components.
They lose their supernatural abilities (except for the supernatural ability to
assume gaseous form, of course).
Creatures in gaseous form have damage
reduction 10/magic. Spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities
affect them normally. Creatures in gaseous form lose all benefit of material
armor (including natural armor), though size, Dexterity, deflection bonuses,
and armor bonuses from force armor still apply.
Gaseous creatures do not need to
breathe and are immune to attacks involving breathing (troglodyte stench,
poison gas, and the like).
Gaseous creatures can’t enter water
or other liquid. They are not ethereal or incorporeal. They are affected by
winds or other forms of moving air to the extent that the wind pushes them in
the direction the wind is moving. However, even the strongest wind can’t
disperse or damage a creature in gaseous form.
Discerning a creature in gaseous form
from natural mist requires a DC 15 Spot check. Creatures in gaseous form
attempting to hide in an area with mist, smoke, or other gas gain a +20 bonus.
GAZE ATTACKS
While the medusa’s gaze is well
known, gaze attacks can also charm, curse, or even kill. Gaze attacks not
produced by a spell are supernatural.
Each character within range of a gaze
attack must attempt a saving throw (which can be a Fortitude or Will save) each
round at the beginning of his turn.
An opponent can avert his eyes from
the creature’s face, looking at the creature’s body, watching its shadow, or
tracking the creature in a reflective surface. Each round, the opponent has a
50% chance of not having to make a saving throw. The creature with the gaze
attack gains concealment relative to the opponent. An opponent can shut his
eyes, turn his back on the creature, or wear a blindfold. In these cases, the
opponent does not need to make a saving throw. The creature with the gaze
attack gains total concealment relative to the opponent.
A creature with a gaze attack can
actively attempt to use its gaze as an attack action. The creature simply
chooses a target within range, and that opponent must attempt a saving throw.
If the target has chosen to defend against the gaze as discussed above, the
opponent gets a chance to avoid the saving throw (either 50% chance for
averting eyes or 100% chance for shutting eyes). It is possible for an opponent
to save against a creature’s gaze twice during the same round, once before its
own action and once during the creature’s action.
Looking at the creature’s image (such
as in a mirror or as part of an illusion) does not subject the viewer to a gaze
attack.
A creature is immune to its own gaze
attack.
If visibility is limited (by dim
lighting, a fog, or the like) so that it results in concealment, there is a
percentage chance equal to the normal miss chance for that degree of
concealment that a character won’t need to make a saving throw in a given
round. This chance is not cumulative with the chance for averting your eyes,
but is rolled separately.
Invisible creatures cannot use gaze
attacks.
Characters using darkvision in
complete darkness are affected by a gaze attack normally.
Unless specified otherwise, a
creature with a gaze attack can control its gaze attack and “turn it off ” when
so desired.
INCORPOREALITY
Spectres, wraiths, and a few other
creatures lack physical bodies. Such creatures are insubstantial and can’t be
touched by nonmagical matter or energy. Likewise, they cannot manipulate
objects or exert physical force on objects. However, incorporeal beings have a
tangible presence that sometimes seems like a physical attack against a
corporeal creature.
Incorporeal creatures are present on
the same plane as the characters, and characters have some chance to affect
them.
Incorporeal creatures can be harmed
only by other incorporeal creatures, by magic weapons, or by spells, spell-like
effects, or supernatural effects. They are immune to all nonmagical attack
forms. They are not burned by normal fires, affected by natural cold, or harmed
by mundane acids.
Even when struck by magic or magic
weapons, an incorporeal creature has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a
corporeal source—except for a force effect or damage dealt by a ghost
touch weapon.
Incorporeal creatures are immune to
critical hits, extra damage from being favored enemies, and from sneak attacks.
They move in any direction (including up or down) at will. They do not need to
walk on the ground. They can pass through solid objects at will, although they
cannot see when their eyes are within solid matter.
Incorporeal creatures hiding inside
solid objects get a +2 circumstance bonus on Listen checks, because solid
objects carry sound well. Pinpointing an opponent from inside a solid object
uses the same rules as pinpointing invisible opponents (see Invisibility,
below).
Incorporeal creatures are inaudible
unless they decide to make noise.
The physical attacks of incorporeal
creatures ignore material armor, even magic armor, unless it is made of force
(such as mage armor or bracers of armor) or has the ghost touch ability.
Incorporeal creatures pass through
and operate in water as easily as they do in air.
Incorporeal creatures cannot fall or
take falling damage.
Corporeal creatures cannot trip or
grapple incorporeal creatures.
Incorporeal creatures have no weight
and do not set off traps that are triggered by weight.
Incorporeal creatures do not leave
footprints, have no scent, and make no noise unless they manifest, and even
then they only make noise intentionally.
INVISIBILITY
The ability to move about unseen is
not foolproof. While they can’t be seen, invisible creatures can be heard,
smelled, or felt.
Invisibility makes a creature
undetectable by vision, including darkvision.
Invisibility does not, by itself,
make a creature immune to critical hits, but it does make the creature immune
to extra damage from being a ranger’s favored enemy and from sneak attacks.
A creature can generally notice the
presence of an active invisible creature within 30 feet with a DC 20 Spot check.
The observer gains a hunch that “something’s there” but can’t see it or target
it accurately with an attack. A creature who is holding still is very hard to
notice (DC 30). An inanimate object, an unliving creature holding still, or a
completely immobile creature is even harder to spot (DC 40). It’s practically
impossible (+20 DC) to pinpoint an invisible creature’s location with a Spot
check, and even if a character succeeds on such a check, the invisible creature
still benefits from total concealment (50% miss chance).
A creature can use hearing to find an
invisible creature. A character can make a Listen check for this purpose as a
free action each round. A Listen check result at least equal to the invisible
creature’s Move Silently check result reveals its presence. (A creature with no
ranks in Move Silently makes a Move Silently check as a Dexterity check to
which an armor check penalty applies.) A successful check lets a character hear
an invisible creature “over there somewhere.” It’s practically impossible to
pinpoint the location of an invisible creature. A Listen check that beats the
DC by 20 pinpoints the invisible creature’s location.
|
Listen Check DCs to Detect
Invisible Creatures |
|
|
Invisible Creature Is . . . |
DC |
|
In combat or speaking |
0 |
|
Moving at half speed |
Move Silently check result |
|
Moving at full speed |
Move Silently check result –4 |
|
Running or charging |
Move Silently check result –20 |
|
Some distance away |
+1 per 10 feet |
|
Behind an obstacle (door) |
+5 |
|
Behind an obstacle (stone wall) |
+15 |
A creature can grope about to find an
invisible creature. A character can make a touch attack with his hands or a
weapon into two adjacent 5-foot squares using a standard action. If an
invisible target is in the designated area, there is a 50% miss chance on the
touch attack. If successful, the groping character deals no damage but has
successfully pinpointed the invisible creature’s current location. (If the invisible
creature moves, its location, obviously, is once again unknown.)
If an invisible creature strikes a
character, the character struck still knows the location of the creature that
struck him (until, of course, the invisible creature moves). The only exception
is if the invisible creature has a reach greater than 5 feet. In this case, the
struck character knows the general location of the creature but has not
pinpointed the exact location.
If a character tries to attack an
invisible creature whose location he has pinpointed, he attacks normally, but
the invisible creature still benefits from full concealment (and thus a 50%
miss chance). A particularly large and slow creature might get a smaller miss
chance.
If a character tries to attack an
invisible creature whose location he has not pinpointed, have the player choose
the space where the character will direct the attack. If the invisible creature
is there, conduct the attack normally. If the enemy’s not there, roll the miss
chance as if it were there, don’t let the player see the result, and tell him
that the character has missed. That way the player doesn’t know whether the
attack missed because the enemy’s not there or because you successfully rolled
the miss chance.
If an invisible character picks up a visible
object, the object remains visible. One could coat an invisible object with
flour to at least keep track of its position (until the flour fell off or blew
away). An invisible creature can pick up a small visible item and hide it on
his person (tucked in a pocket or behind a cloak) and render it effectively
invisible.
Invisible creatures leave tracks.
They can be tracked normally. Footprints in sand, mud, or other soft surfaces
can give enemies clues to an invisible creature’s location.
An invisible creature in the water
displaces water, revealing its location. The invisible creature, however, is
still hard to see and benefits from concealment.
A creature with the scent ability can
detect an invisible creature as it would a visible one.
A creature with the Blind-Fight feat
has a better chance to hit an invisible creature. Roll the miss chance twice,
and he misses only if both rolls indicate a miss. (Alternatively, make one 25%
miss chance roll rather than two 50% miss chance rolls.)
A creature with blindsight can attack
(and otherwise interact with) creatures regardless of invisibility.
An invisible burning torch still
gives off light, as does an invisible object with a light spell (or similar
spell) cast upon it.
Ethereal creatures are invisible.
Since ethereal creatures are not materially present, Spot checks, Listen
checks, Scent, Blind-Fight, and blindsight don’t help locate them. Incorporeal
creatures are often invisible. Scent, Blind-Fight, and blindsight don’t help
creatures find or attack invisible, incorporeal creatures, but Spot checks and
possibly Listen checks can help.
Invisible creatures cannot use gaze
attacks.
Invisibility does not thwart detect
spells.
Since some creatures can detect or
even see invisible creatures, it is helpful to be able to hide even when
invisible.
LEVEL LOSS
A character who loses a level
instantly loses one Hit Die. The character’s base attack bonus, base saving
throw bonuses, and special class abilities are now reduced to the new, lower
level. Likewise, the character loses any ability score gain, skill ranks, and
any feat associated with the level (if applicable). If the exact ability score
or skill ranks increased from a level now lost is unknown (or the player has
forgotten), lose 1 point from the highest ability score or ranks from the
highest-ranked skills. If a familiar or companion creature has abilities tied
to a character who has lost a level, the creature’s abilities are adjusted to
fit the character’s new level.
The victim’s experience point total
is immediately set to the midpoint of the previous level.
LOW-LIGHT VISION
Characters with low-light vision have
eyes that are so sensitive to light that they can see twice as far as normal in
dim light. Low-light vision is color vision. A spellcaster with low-light
vision can read a scroll as long as even the tiniest candle flame is next to
her as a source of light.
Characters with low-light vision can
see outdoors on a moonlit night as well as they can during the day.
PARALYSIS
Some monsters and spells have the supernatural
or spell-like ability to paralyze their victims, immobilizing them through
magical means. (Paralysis from toxins is discussed in the Poison section
below.)
A paralyzed character cannot move,
speak, or take any physical action. He is rooted to the spot, frozen and
helpless. Not even friends can move his limbs. He may take purely mental
actions, such as casting a spell with no components.
A winged creature flying in the air
at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer
can’t swim and may drown.
POISON
When a character takes damage from an
attack with a poisoned weapon, touches an item smeared with contact poison,
consumes poisoned food or drink, or is otherwise poisoned, he must make a
Fortitude saving throw. If he fails, he takes the poison’s initial damage
(usually ability damage). Even if he succeeds, he typically faces more damage 1
minute later, which he can also avoid with a successful Fortitude saving throw.
One dose of poison smeared on a
weapon or some other object affects just a single target. A poisoned weapon or
object retains its venom until the weapon scores a hit or the object is touched
(unless the poison is wiped off before a target comes in contact with it). Any
poison smeared on an object or exposed to the elements in any way remains
potent until it is touched or used.
Although supernatural and spell-like
poisons are possible, poisonous effects are almost always extraordinary.
Poisons can be divided into four
basic types according to the method by which their effect is delivered, as
follows.
Contact: Merely touching this type of poison
necessitates a saving throw. It can be actively delivered via a weapon or a
touch attack. Even if a creature has sufficient damage reduction to avoid
taking any damage from the attack, the poison can still affect it. A chest or
other object can be smeared with contact poison as part of a trap.
Ingested: Ingested poisons are virtually
impossible to utilize in a combat situation. A poisoner could administer a
potion to an unconscious creature or attempt to dupe someone into drinking or
eating something poisoned. Assassins and other characters tend to use ingested
poisons outside of combat.
Inhaled: Inhaled poisons are usually
contained in fragile vials or eggshells. They can be thrown as a ranged attack
with a range increment of 10 feet. When it strikes a hard surface (or is struck
hard), the container releases its poison. One dose spreads to fill the volume
of a 10-foot cube. Each creature within the area must make a saving throw.
(Holding one’s breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons; they affect the
nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body.)
Injury: This poison must be delivered
through a wound. If a creature has sufficient damage reduction to avoid taking
any damage from the attack, the poison does not affect it. Traps that cause
damage from weapons, needles, and the like sometimes contain injury poisons.
The characteristics of poisons are
summarized on Table: Poisons. Terms on the table are defined below.
Type: The poison’s method of delivery
(contact, ingested, inhaled, or via an injury) and the Fortitude save DC to
avoid the poison’s damage.
Initial Damage: The damage the character
takes immediately upon failing his saving throw against this poison. Ability
damage is temporary unless marked with an asterisk (*), in which case the loss
is a permanent drain. Paralysis lasts for 2d6 minutes.
Secondary Damage: The amount of damage the
character takes 1 minute after exposure as a result of the poisoning, if he
fails a second saving throw. Unconsciousness lasts for 1d3 hours. Ability
damage marked with an asterisk is permanent drain instead of temporary damage.
Price: The cost of one dose (one vial) of
the poison. It is not possible to use or apply poison in any quantity smaller
than one dose. The purchase and possession of poison is always illegal, and
even in big cities it can be obtained only from specialized, less than
reputable sources.
A character has a 5% chance of
exposing himself to a poison whenever he applies it to a weapon or otherwise
readies it for use. Additionally, a character who rolls a natural 1 on an
attack roll with a poisoned weapon must make a DC 15 Reflex save or
accidentally poison himself with the weapon.
Creatures with natural poison attacks
are immune to their own poison. Nonliving creatures (constructs and undead) and
creatures without metabolisms (such as elementals) are always immune to poison.
Oozes, plants, and certain kinds of outsiders are also immune to poison,
although conceivably special poisons could be concocted specifically to harm
them.
Table: Poisons
|
||||
|
Poison |
Type |
Initial Damage |
Secondary Damage |
Price |
|
Nitharit |
Contact DC 13 |
0 |
3d6 Con |
650 gp |
|
Sassone leaf residue |
Contact DC 16 |
2d12 hp |
1d6 Con |
300 gp |
|
Malyss root paste |
Contact DC 16 |
1 Dex |
2d4 Dex |
500 gp |
|
Terinav root |
Contact DC 16 |
1d6 Dex |
2d6 Dex |
750 gp |
|
Black lotus extract |
Contact DC 20 |
3d6 Con |
3d6 Con |
4,500 gp |
|
Dragon bile |
Contact DC 26 |
3d6 Str |
0 |
1,500 gp |
|
Striped toadstool |
Ingested DC 11 |
1 Wis |
2d6 Wis + 1d4 Int |
180 gp |
|
Arsenic |
Ingested DC 13 |
1 Con |
1d8 Con |
120 gp |
|
Id moss |
Ingested DC 14 |
1d4 Int |
2d6 Int |
125 gp |
|
Oil of taggit |
Ingested DC 15 |
0 |
Unconsciousness |
90 gp |
|
Lich dust |
Ingested DC 17 |
2d6 Str |
1d6 Str |
250 gp |
|
Dark reaver powder |
Ingested DC 18 |
2d6 Con |
1d6 Con + 1d6 Str |
300 gp |
|
Ungol dust |
Inhaled DC 15 |
1 Cha |
1d6 Cha + 1 Cha* |
1,000 gp |
|
Insanity mist |
Inhaled DC 15 |
1d4 Wis |
2d6 Wis |
1,500 gp |
|
Burnt othur fumes |
Inhaled DC 18 |
1 Con* |
3d6 Con |
2,100 gp |
|
Black adder venom |
Injury DC 11 |
1d6 Con |
1d6 Con |
120 gp |
|
Small centipede poison |
Injury DC 11 |
1d2 Dex |
1d2 Dex |
90 gp |
|
Bloodroot |
Injury DC 12 |
0 |
1d4 Con + 1d3 Wis |
100 gp |
|
Drow poison |
Injury DC 13 |
Unconsciousness |
Unconsciousness for 2d4 hours |
75gp |
|
Greenblood oil |
Injury DC 13 |
1 Con |
1d2 Con |
100 gp |
|
Blue whinnis |
Injury DC 14 |
1 Con |
Unconsciousness |
120 gp |
|
Medium spider venom |
Injury DC 14 |
1d4 Str |
1d4 Str |
150 gp |
|
Shadow essence |
Injury DC 17 |
1 Str* |
2d6 Str |
250 gp |
|
Wyvern poison |
Injury DC 17 |
2d6 Con |
2d6 Con |
3,000 gp |
|
Large scorpion venom |
Injury DC 18 |
1d6 Str |
1d6 Str |
200 gp |
|
Giant wasp poison |
Injury DC 18 |
1d6 Dex |
1d6 Dex |
210 gp |
|
Deathblade |
Injury DC 20 |
1d6 Con |
2d6 Con |
1,800 gp |
|
Purple worm poison |
Injury DC 24 |
1d6 Str |
2d6 Str |
700 gp |
|
*Permanent drain, not temporary
damage. |
||||
POLYMORPH
Magic can cause creatures and
characters to change their shapes—sometimes against their will, but usually to
gain an advantage. Polymorphed creatures retain their own minds but have new
physical forms.
The polymorph spell defines
the general polymorph effect.
Since creatures do not change types,
a slaying or bane weapon designed to kill or harm creatures of a specific type
affects those creatures even if they are polymorphed. Likewise, a creature
polymorphed into the form of a creature of a different type is not subject to
slaying and bane effects directed at that type of creature.
A ranger’s favored enemy bonus is
based on knowing what the foe is, so if a creature that is a ranger’s favored
enemy polymorphs into another form, the ranger is denied his bonus.
A dwarf ’s bonus for fighting giants
is based on shape and size, so he does not gain a bonus against a giant
polymorphed into something else, but does gain the bonus against any creature
polymorphed into a giant.
PSIONICS
Telepathy, mental combat and psychic
powers—psionics is a catchall word that describes special mental abilities
possessed by various creatures. These are spell-like abilities that a creature
generates from the power of its mind alone—no other outside magical force or
ritual is needed. Each psionic creature’s description contains details on its
psionic abilities.
Psionic attacks almost always allow
Will saving throws to resist them. However, not all psionic attacks are mental
attacks. Some psionic abilities allow the psionic creature to reshape its own
body, heal its wounds, or teleport great distances. Some psionic creatures can
see into the future, the past, and the present (in far-off locales) as well as
read the minds of others.
RAYS
All ray attacks require the attacker
to make a successful ranged touch attack against the target. Rays have varying
ranges, which are simple maximums. A ray’s attack roll never takes a range
penalty. Even if a ray hits, it usually allows the target to make a saving
throw (Fortitude or Will). Rays never allow a Reflex saving throw, but if a
character’s Dexterity bonus to AC is high, it might be hard to hit her with the
ray in the first place.
REGENERATION
Creatures with this extraordinary
ability recover from wounds quickly and can even regrow or reattach severed
body parts. Damage dealt to the creature is treated as nonlethal damage, and
the creature automatically cures itself of nonlethal damage at a fixed rate.
Certain attack forms, typically fire
and acid, deal damage to the creature normally; that sort of damage doesn’t
convert to nonlethal damage and so doesn’t go away. The creature’s description
includes the details.
Creatures with regeneration can
regrow lost portions of their bodies and can reattach severed limbs or body
parts. Severed parts die if they are not reattached.
Regeneration does not restore hit
points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation.
Attack forms that don’t deal hit
point damage ignore regeneration.
An attack that can cause instant
death only threatens the creature with death if it is delivered by weapons that
deal it lethal damage.
RESISTANCE TO ENERGY
A creature with resistance to energy
has the ability (usually extraordinary) to ignore some damage of a certain type
each round, but it does not have total immunity.
Each resistance ability is defined by
what energy type it resists and how many points of damage are resisted. It
doesn’t matter whether the damage has a mundane or magical source.
When resistance completely negates
the damage from an energy attack, the attack does not disrupt a spell. This
resistance does not stack with the resistance that a spell might
provide.
SCENT
This extraordinary ability lets a
creature detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense
of smell.
A creature with the scent ability can
detect opponents by sense of smell, generally within 30 feet. If the opponent
is upwind, the range is 60 feet. If it is downwind, the range is 15 feet.
Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the
ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte
stench, can be detected at three times these ranges.
The creature detects another
creature’s presence but not its specific location. Noting the direction of the
scent is a move action. If it moves within 5 feet of the scent’s source, the
creature can pinpoint that source.
A creature with the Track feat and
the scent ability can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom check to find or
follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10. The DC increases or
decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is, the number of
creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the
DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Track feat.
Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor
visibility.
Creatures with the scent ability can
identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights.
Water, particularly running water,
ruins a trail for air-breathing creatures. Water-breathing creatures that have
the scent ability, however, can use it in the water easily.
False, powerful odors can easily mask
other scents. The presence of such an odor completely spoils the ability to
properly detect or identify creatures, and the base Survival DC to track
becomes 20 rather than 10.
SPELL RESISTANCE
Spell resistance is the extraordinary
ability to avoid being affected by spells. (Some spells also grant spell resistance.)
To affect a creature that has spell
resistance, a spellcaster must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level)
at least equal to the creature’s spell resistance. (The defender’s spell
resistance is like an Armor Class against magical attacks.) If the caster fails
the check, the spell doesn’t affect the creature. The possessor does not have
to do anything special to use spell resistance. The creature need not even be
aware of the threat for its spell resistance to operate.
Only spells and spell-like abilities
are subject to spell resistance. Extraordinary and supernatural abilities
(including enhancement bonuses on magic weapons) are not. A creature can have
some abilities that are subject to spell resistance and some that are not. Even
some spells ignore spell resistance; see When Spell Resistance Applies, below.
A creature can voluntarily lower its
spell resistance. Doing so is a standard action that does not provoke an attack
of opportunity. Once a creature lowers its resistance, it remains down until
the creature’s next turn. At the beginning of the creature’s next turn, the
creature’s spell resistance automatically returns unless the creature
intentionally keeps it down (also a standard action that does not provoke an
attack of opportunity).
A creature’s spell resistance never
interferes with its own spells, items, or abilities.
A creature with spell resistance
cannot impart this power to others by touching them or standing in their midst.
Only the rarest of creatures and a few magic items have the ability to bestow
spell resistance upon another.
Spell resistance does not stack. It
overlaps.
Each spell
includes an entry that indicates whether spell resistance applies to the spell.
In general, whether spell resistance applies depends on what the spell does:
Targeted Spells: Spell resistance applies
if the spell is targeted at the creature. Some individually targeted spells can
be directed at several creatures simultaneously. In such cases, a creature’s
spell resistance applies only to the portion of the spell actually targeted at
that creature. If several different resistant creatures are subjected to such a
spell, each checks its spell resistance separately.
Area Spells: Spell resistance applies
if the resistant creature is within the spell’s area. It protects the resistant
creature without affecting the spell itself.
Effect Spells: Most effect spells summon
or create something and are not subject to spell resistance. Sometimes,
however, spell resistance applies to effect spells, usually to those that act
upon a creature more or less directly, such as web.
Spell resistance can protect a
creature from a spell that’s already been cast. Check spell resistance when the
creature is first affected by the spell.
Check spell resistance only once for
any particular casting of a spell or use of a spell-like ability. If spell
resistance fails the first time, it fails each time the creature encounters
that same casting of the spell. Likewise, if the spell resistance succeeds the
first time, it always succeeds. If the creature has voluntarily lowered its
spell resistance and is then subjected to a spell, the creature still has a
single chance to resist that spell later, when its spell resistance is up.
Spell resistance has no effect unless
the energy created or released by the spell actually goes to work on the
resistant creature’s mind or body. If the spell acts on anything else and the
creature is affected as a consequence, no roll is required. Creatures can be
harmed by a spell without being directly affected.
Spell resistance does not apply if an
effect fools the creature’s senses or reveals something about the creature.
Magic actually has to be working for
spell resistance to apply. Spells that have instantaneous durations but lasting
results aren’t subject to spell resistance unless the resistant creature is
exposed to the spell the instant it is cast.
When in doubt about whether a spell’s
effect is direct or indirect, consider the spell’s school:
Abjuration: The target creature must
be harmed, changed, or restricted in some manner for spell resistance to apply.
Perception changes aren’t subject to spell resistance.
Abjurations that block or negate
attacks are not subject to an attacker’s spell resistance—it is the protected
creature that is affected by the spell (becoming immune or resistant to the
attack).
Conjuration: These spells are usually
not subject to spell resistance unless the spell conjures some form of energy.
Spells that summon creatures or produce effects that function like
creatures are not subject to spell resistance.
Divination: These spells do not
affect creatures directly and are not subject to spell resistance, even though
what they reveal about a creature might be very damaging.
Enchantment: Since enchantment spells
affect creatures’ minds, they are typically subject to spell resistance.
Evocation: If an evocation spell
deals damage to the creature, it has a direct effect. If the spell damages
something else, it has an indirect effect.
Illusion: These spells are almost
never subject to spell resistance. Illusions that entail a direct attack are
exceptions.
Necromancy: Most of these spells
alter the target creature’s life force and are subject to spell resistance.
Unusual necromancy spells that don’t affect other creatures directly are not
subject to spell resistance.
Transmutation: These spells are subject
to spell resistance if they transform the target creature. Transmutation spells
are not subject to spell resistance if they are targeted on a point in space
instead of on a creature. Some transmutations make objects harmful (or more
harmful), such as magic stone. Even these spells are not generally
subject to spell resistance because they affect the objects, not the creatures
against which the objects are used. Spell resistance works against magic
stone only if the creature with spell resistance is holding the stones when
the cleric casts magic stone on them.
Spell resistance prevents a spell or
a spell-like ability from affecting or harming the resistant creature, but it
never removes a magical effect from another creature or negates a spell’s
effect on another creature. Spell resistance prevents a spell from disrupting
another spell.
Against an ongoing spell that has already
been cast, a failed check against spell resistance allows the resistant
creature to ignore any effect the spell might have. The magic continues to
affect others normally.
TREMORSENSE
A creature with tremorsense
automatically senses the location of anything that is in contact with the
ground and within range.
If no straight path exists through
the ground from the creature to those that it’s sensing, then the range defines
the maximum distance of the shortest indirect path. It must itself be in contact
with the ground, and the creatures must be moving.
As long as the other creatures are
taking physical actions, including casting spells with somatic components,
they’re considered moving; they don’t have to move from place to place for a
creature with tremorsense to detect them.
TURN RESISTANCE
Some creatures (usually undead) are
less easily affected by the turning ability of clerics or paladins.
Turn resistance is an extraordinary
ability.
When resolving a turn, rebuke,
command, or bolster attempt, added the appropriate bonus to the creature’s Hit
Dice total.
CONDITIONS
If more than one condition affects a
character, apply them all. If certain effects can’t combine, apply the most
severe effect.
Ability Damaged: The character has
temporarily lost 1 or more ability score points. Lost points return at a rate
of 1 per day unless noted otherwise by the condition dealing the damage. A
character with Strength 0 falls to the ground and is helpless. A character with
Dexterity 0 is paralyzed. A character with Constitution 0 is dead. A character
with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma 0 is unconscious. Ability damage is
different from penalties to ability scores, which go away when the conditions
causing them go away.
Ability Drained: The character has
permanently lost 1 or more ability score points. The character can regain these
points only through magical means. A character with Strength 0 falls to the
ground and is helpless. A character with Dexterity 0 is paralyzed. A character
with Constitution 0 is dead. A character with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
0 is unconscious.
Blinded: The character cannot see. He takes a
–2 penalty to Armor Class, loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), moves at
half speed, and takes a –4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and
Dexterity-based skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision
(such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. All opponents are
considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) to the blinded
character. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to
these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.
Blown Away: Depending on its size, a
creature can be blown away by winds of high velocity. A creature on the ground
that is blown away is knocked down and rolls 1d4 x 10 feet, taking 1d4 points
of nonlethal damage per 10 feet. A flying creature that is blown away is blown
back 2d6 x 10 feet and takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage due to battering
and buffering.
Checked: Prevented from achieving forward
motion by an applied force, such as wind. Checked creatures on the ground
merely stop. Checked flying creatures move back a distance specified in the
description of the effect.
Confused: A confused character’s
actions are determined by rolling d% at the beginning of his turn: 01–10,
attack caster with melee or ranged weapons (or close with caster if attacking
is not possible); 11–20, act normally; 21–50, do nothing but babble
incoherently; 51–70, flee away from caster at top possible speed; 71–100,
attack nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the
subject’s self ). A confused character who can’t carry out the indicated
action does nothing but babble incoherently. Attackers are not at any special
advantage when attacking a confused character. Any confused character
who is attacked automatically attacks its attackers on its next turn, as long
as it is still confused when its turn comes. A confused character
does not make attacks of opportunity against any creature that it is not
already devoted to attacking (either because of its most recent action or
because it has just been attacked).
Cowering: The character is frozen in
fear and can take no actions. A cowering character takes a –2 penalty to Armor
Class and loses her Dexterity bonus (if any).
Dazed: The creature is unable to act
normally. A dazed creature can take no actions, but has no penalty to AC.
A dazed condition typically lasts 1
round.
Dazzled: The creature is unable to see well
because of overstimulation of the eyes. A dazzled creature takes a –1 penalty
on attack rolls, Search checks, and Spot checks.
Dead: The character’s hit points are
reduced to –10, his Constitution drops to 0, or he is killed outright by a
spell or effect. The character’s soul leaves his body. Dead characters cannot
benefit from normal or magical healing, but they can be restored to life via
magic. A dead body decays normally unless magically preserved, but magic that
restores a dead character to life also restores the body either to full health
or to its condition at the time of death (depending on the spell or device).
Either way, resurrected characters need not worry about rigor mortis,
decomposition, and other conditions that affect dead bodies.
Deafened: A deafened character cannot hear.
She takes a –4 penalty on initiative checks, automatically fails Listen checks,
and has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal
components. Characters who remain deafened for a long time grow accustomed to
these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.
Disabled: A character with 0 hit points, or
one who has negative hit points but has become stable and conscious, is
disabled. A disabled character may take a single move action or standard action
each round (but not both, nor can she take full-round actions). She moves at
half speed. Taking move actions doesn’t risk further injury, but performing any
standard action (or any other action the DM deems strenuous, including some
free actions such as casting a quickened spell) deals 1 point of damage after
the completion of the act. Unless the action increased the disabled character’s
hit points, she is now in negative hit points and dying.
A disabled character with negative
hit points recovers hit points naturally if she is being helped. Otherwise,
each day she has a 10% chance to start recovering hit points naturally
(starting with that day); otherwise, she loses 1 hit point. Once an unaided
character starts recovering hit points naturally, she is no longer in danger of
losing hit points (even if her current hit points are negative).
Dying: A dying character is unconscious and
near death. She has –1 to –9 current hit points. A dying character can take no
actions and is unconscious. At the end of each round (starting with the round
in which the character dropped below 0 hit points), the character rolls d% to
see whether she becomes stable. She has a 10% chance to become stable. If she
does not, she loses 1 hit point. If a dying character reaches –10 hit points,
she is dead.
Energy Drained: The character gains one
or more negative levels, which might permanently drain the character’s levels.
If the subject has at least as many negative levels as Hit Dice, he dies. Each
negative level gives a creature the following penalties: –1 penalty on attack
rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks; loss of 5 hit points; and
–1 to effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other
details of spells or special abilities). In addition, a spellcaster loses one
spell or spell slot from the highest spell level castable.
Entangled: The character is
ensnared. Being entangled impedes movement, but does not entirely prevent it
unless the bonds are anchored to an immobile object or tethered by an opposing
force. An entangled creature moves at half speed, cannot run or charge, and
takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity. An
entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a Concentration
check (DC 15 + the spell’s level) or lose the spell.
Exhausted: An exhausted character
moves at half speed and takes a –6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. After 1
hour of complete rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued. A fatigued
character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause
fatigue.
Fascinated: A fascinated creature is
entranced by a supernatural or spell effect. The creature stands or sits
quietly, taking no actions other than to pay attention to the fascinating
effect, for as long as the effect lasts. It takes a –4 penalty on skill checks
made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat, such
as a hostile creature approaching, allows the fascinated creature a new saving
throw against the fascinating effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone
drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the fascinated
creature, automatically breaks the effect. A fascinated creature’s ally may
shake it free of the spell as a standard action.
Fatigued: A fatigued character can neither run
nor charge and takes a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything
that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become
exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer
fatigued.
Flat-Footed: A character who has not
yet acted during a combat is flat-footed, not yet reacting normally to the
situation. A flat-footed character loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) and
cannot make attacks of opportunity.
Frightened: A frightened creature
flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may
fight. A frightened creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving
throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A frightened creature can use special
abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means
if they are the only way to escape.
Frightened is like shaken, except
that the creature must flee if possible. Panicked is a more extreme state of
fear.
Grappling: Engaged in wrestling or
some other form of hand-to-hand struggle with one or more attackers. A
grappling character can undertake only a limited number of actions. He does not
threaten any squares, and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) against
opponents he isn’t grappling.
Helpless: A helpless character is paralyzed, held,
bound, sleeping, unconscious, or otherwise completely at an opponent’s mercy. A
helpless target is treated as having a Dexterity of 0 (–5 modifier). Melee
attacks against a helpless target get a +4 bonus (equivalent to attacking a
prone target). Ranged attacks gets no special bonus against helpless targets.
Rogues can sneak attack helpless targets.
As a full-round action, an enemy can
use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to a helpless foe. An enemy can
also use a bow or crossbow, provided he is adjacent to the target. The attacker
automatically hits and scores a critical hit. (A rogue also gets her sneak
attack damage bonus against a helpless foe when delivering a coup de grace.) If
the defender survives, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or
die.
Delivering a coup de grace provokes
attacks of opportunity.
Creatures that are immune to critical
hits do not take critical damage, nor do they need to make Fortitude saves to
avoid being killed by a coup de grace.
Incorporeal: Having no physical body.
Incorporeal creatures are immune to all nonmagical attack forms. They can be
harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, spells,
spell-like effects, or supernatural effects.
Invisible: Visually undetectable. An
invisible creature gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls against sighted opponents,
and ignores its opponents’ Dexterity bonuses to AC (if any). (See Invisibility,
under Special Abilities.)
Knocked Down: Depending on their size,
creatures can be knocked down by winds of high velocity. Creatures on the
ground are knocked prone by the force of the wind. Flying creatures are instead
blown back 1d6 x 10 feet.
Nauseated: Experiencing stomach
distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on
spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a
character can take is a single move action per turn.
Panicked: A panicked creature must
drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as
well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can’t take any
other actions. In addition, the creature takes a –2 penalty on all saving
throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature
cowers and does not attack, typically using the total defense action in combat.
A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee;
indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.
Panicked is a more extreme state of
fear than shaken or frightened.
Paralyzed: A paralyzed character is
frozen in place and unable to move or act. A paralyzed character has effective
Dexterity and Strength scores of 0 and is helpless, but can take purely mental
actions. A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes
paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A paralyzed swimmer can’t swim and
may drown. A creature can move through a space occupied by a paralyzed
creature—ally or not. Each square occupied by a paralyzed creature, however,
counts as 2 squares.
Petrified: A petrified character has
been turned to stone and is considered unconscious. If a petrified character
cracks or breaks, but the broken pieces are joined with the body as he returns
to flesh, he is unharmed. If the character’s petrified body is incomplete when
it returns to flesh, the body is likewise incomplete and there is some amount of
permanent hit point loss and/or debilitation.
Pinned: Held immobile (but not helpless) in
a grapple.
Prone: The character is on the ground. An
attacker who is prone has a –4 penalty on melee attack rolls and cannot use a
ranged weapon (except for a crossbow). A defender who is prone gains a +4 bonus
to Armor Class against ranged attacks, but takes a –4 penalty to AC against
melee attacks.
Standing up is a move-equivalent
action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
Shaken: A shaken character takes a –2 penalty
on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Shaken is a less severe state of fear
than frightened or panicked.
Sickened: The character takes a –2 penalty on
all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability
checks.
Stable: A character who was dying but who
has stopped losing hit points and still has negative hit points is stable. The
character is no longer dying, but is still unconscious. If the character has
become stable because of aid from another character (such as a Heal check or
magical healing), then the character no longer loses hit points. He has a 10%
chance each hour of becoming conscious and disabled (even though his hit points
are still negative).
If the character became stable on his
own and hasn’t had help, he is still at risk of losing hit points. Each hour,
he has a 10% chance of becoming conscious and disabled. Otherwise he loses 1
hit point.
Staggered: A character whose
nonlethal damage exactly equals his current hit points is staggered. A
staggered character may take a single move action or standard action each round
(but not both, nor can she take full-round actions).
A character whose current hit points
exceed his nonlethal damage is no longer staggered; a character whose nonlethal
damage exceeds his hit points becomes unconscious.
Stunned: A stunned creature drops everything
held, can’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses his Dexterity
bonus to AC (if any).
Turned: Affected by a turn undead attempt.
Turned undead flee for 10 rounds (1 minute) by the best and fastest means
available to them. If they cannot flee, they cower.
Unconscious: Knocked out and helpless.
Unconsciousness can result from having current hit points between –1 and –9, or
from nonlethal damage in excess of current hit points.