Additional conditions which may affect characters.
The condition descriptions here supersede the ones given in system sourcebooks. (Detailed descriptions are given below the table.)
| Combat Modifiers (Adverse Conditions) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Condition or Circumstance | Attack Modifier | AC & Reflex Save Modifier | Effects on Movement | Additional Effects / Notes |
| Fear | ||||
| Shaken | −2 | penalty applies to all saves and checks | ||
| Frightened | −4 | penalty applies to all saves and checks; if source of fear attacks, flight or fight | ||
| Panicked | −4 | drop everything you’re holding; flee at once; cower if confronted | ||
| Cowering | no Dex, dodge, or shield bonuses | frozen in fear; can’t take actions | ||
| Inability to act | ||||
| Staggered or slowed | can only take a single standard or move action, not both (and no full-round actions); can’t take AoOs | |||
| Dazed | no Dex, dodge, or shield bonuses | can’t take actions | ||
| Stunned | no Dex, dodge, or shield bonuses | can’t take actions; drop everything you’re holding | ||
| Paralyzed | Dex & Str count as 0; no dodge or shield bonuses | can take purely mental actions only | ||
| Physiological distress | ||||
| Sickened | −2 | penalty applies to all saves and checks | ||
| Nauseated | −4 | penalty applies to all saves and checks; can only take a move action per round; can’t take AoOs | ||
| Incapacitated | Dex & Str count as 0; no dodge or shield bonuses | can’t take actions | ||
| Fatigue | ||||
| Fatigued | −2 | −2 | can’t run/charge | penalty applies to all saves and any check that requires attention, concentration, or physical action |
| Exhausted | −4 | −4 | speed halved; can’t run/charge | penalty applies to all saves and any check that requires attention, concentration, or physical action; can’t take AoOs |
| Enervated | unconscious; can act as if exhausted, with DC 15 Constitution check | |||
| Impeded mobility | ||||
| Entangled | −2 | −2 | speed halved; can’t run/charge | spellcasting requires concentration; penalty applies to all Dex-based checks and all other actions that require mobility; can’t take AoOs |
| Stuck | (as entangled) | (as entangled) | to move, must break bonds, or win Strength check opposed by tethering force | |
| Immobilized | can’t attack | Dex counts as 0; no dodge or shield bonuses | can’t move | can make Strength or Escape Artist checks to escape; can take purely mental actions |
Contents
Fatigue
Physical or mental exertion, or simply lack of sleep, tires any living creature. States of fatigue are cumulative: if a fatigued character does something that normally causes fatigue, the character becomes exhausted instead, etc.
See Wilderness Exploration & Travel for details on resting to remove fatigue.
Fatigued
A fatigued character can’t run or charge, and takes a −2 penalty to attack rolls, Armor Class, saving throws, and any skill or ability checks that require attention (such as Perception) or involve physical action (such as Acrobatics). A full night’s rest (8 hours, for creatures of the common races) removes fatigue, as do certain spells and items (such as an lesser restoration).
Exhausted
An exhausted character moves at half speed, takes double the penalties of a fatigued character (−4 to attacks, saves, AC, and applicable checks), and can’t take attacks of opportunity. After one hour of complete rest, an exhausted character is only fatigued. Certain spells and items (such as an restoration) can instantly remove exhaustion.
Enervated
A character may be so worn-out by overexertion that he can take no physical actions. A character typically falls unconscious when he reaches this state (such as when a character who is already exhausted does something which normally causes fatigue or exhaustion). After an hour of sleep, the character is only exhausted. If roused, a character enervated by fatigue may attempt a DC 15 Constitution check to act as if exhausted; failing this check by 5 or more makes the character pass out.
Fear
Fear may be induced by magic, by the intimidating presence and actions of (relatively) powerful creatures, etc. Fear is cumulative: for example, a shaken character who suffers a different effect that would also cause him to become shaken, becomes frightened instead.
A character shaken during an encounter typically recovers fully from his fear when the encounter ends. A character frightened or panicked during an encounter typically remains shaken after the encounter ends, for a full turn (10 minutes).
Shaken
The mildest state of fear. A shaken character takes a −2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and checks of any sort (skill checks, ability checks, concentration checks, etc.).
Frightened
A more severe state of fear. A frightened character takes double the penalties of a shaken character (−4 to attacks, saves, and checks). If directly confronted (e.g., attacked) by the source of his fear, the character flees at once. A frightened character can use any special abilities he has (flight, teleportation, etc.) to flee. If he can’t flee, however (i.e., if he’s cornered or otherwise prevented from flight), he stands his ground and fights (the penalties remain, of course). Defeating the source of the character’s fear alleviates his condition to shaken, which lasts the rest of the encounter.
Panicked
The terminal state of fear. A panicked character takes all the penalties of a frightened character, and also drops whatever he’s holding and flees. He uses no special abilities (other than his natural movement modes) to flee. When the character has escaped the source of his fear, he stops fleeing and is merely frightened (but panics again if the source of his fear again presents itself). If confronted, a panicked character cowers; he does not defend himself. Defeating the source of the character’s fear alleviates his condition to shaken, which lasts the rest of the encounter.
Cowering
Not a fourth state of fear, but the condition of a panicked character confronted by the source of his fear. A cowering character is frozen in fear, takes no actions, and can’t use any Dexterity, dodge, or shield bonuses to AC or Reflex saves.
Impeded mobility
A character may be ensnared by a rope trap, a giant spider’s web, or the effects of an Evard’s black tentacles spell; stuck in quicksand or by the contents of a tanglefoot bag; or bound or chained so tightly that he can’t move.
In many cases, the Escape Artist skill allows a character to free himself. A Strength check may also let a character break his bonds. Physically destroying (with sword or spell) whatever’s holding the character often works as well.
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, can’t take attacks of opportunity, and takes a −2 penalty on attack rolls, Armor Class, Reflex saves, all Dexterity-based skill and ability checks (except for Escape Artist), and any other rolls that involve physical movement. An entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a concentration check (DC 15 + 2 × the spell’s level) or lose the spell.
Escaping from entanglement is usually a full-round action; see the descriptions of a particular effect, or consult your DM, for details.
Helpless Defenders
A helpless foe—one who is bound, under the effect of a hold person spell, sleeping, paralyzed, unconscious, or otherwise at your mercy—is an easy target.
A helpless character’s Dexterity score is considered to be 0 (which means their Dexterity modifier to AC is −5), and they take a −4 penalty to AC, in addition.
Since a helpless opponent poses no threat, a character attacking such an opponent isn’t considered to be in combat, need not make initiative rolls, can attack at leisure (“taking 10” on attack rolls), automatically succeeds at combat maneuvers against the helpless opponent, and otherwise can dispose of the helpless opponent as he wishes. (Of course, if other opponents are around, who are not helpless, the normal combat rules remain in effect.)
Stuck
This is not a separate condition; it refers to an entangled character whose bonds are anchored to an immobile object (and who therefore can’t move), or one who is tethered by an opposing force (in which case movement may be possible by succeeding at an opposed Strength check).
Immobilized
The character is so thoroughly bound, chained, or otherwise constrained that he cannot make any movements. An immobilized character is helpless while his bonds hold, but may be able to attempt Strength checks or Escape Artist checks to escape. The character’s condition is otherwise the same as being paralyzed.
Inability to act
This category includes those conditions that simply prevent a character from taking her full measure of actions in a combat round, whether due to injury, the influence of hostile magic, or other causes.
The staggered, dazed, and stunned conditions typically last for one round, with the character recovering in the subsequent round. Slow and paralysis may last much longer.
Staggered
A character may become staggered by being brought to 0 hit points or below, or by other means. A staggered character may only take a standard or a move action per round (but not both; nor can she take full-round actions. The character also cannot take attacks of opportunity.
Dazed
A character may become dazed by certain magics that affect perception, or by other means. A dazed character takes no actions (including attacks of opportunity), and can’t use any Dexterity, dodge, or shield bonuses to Armor Class and Reflex saves.
Stunned
A character may be stunned by a monk’s stunning attack, or by other means. Stun has the same effects as daze, with the additional effect that a stunned character drops whatever she’s holding.
Slowed
A character may be slowed by magic, such as the slow spell. The effects are the same as being staggered.
Paralyzed
Paralysis may be induced by magic (e.g. the hold person spell), by poison, by the powers of certain monsters, etc. A paralyzed character is frozen in place and unable to move or act (and thus is helpless). The character’s Strength and Dexterity scores are effectively 0 (with attendant effects on AC, Reflex saves, etc.). The character can take purely mental actions (such as casting a Still, Silent spell with no material components). A winged creature (or one with otherwise natural means of flight) that’s in the air when paralysis occurs cannot flap its wings, and falls. A paralyzed swimmer can’t swim and may drown. For the purpose of other characters moving through its space, a paralyzed creature is treated as an inanimate obstacle.
Lack of sustenance
Dehydrated
Characters who have taken nonlethal damage from lack of water are considered dehydrated and become fatigued. In addition, if a dehydrated character would take nonlethal damage from hot conditions, that damage instead becomes lethal damage.
A character who falls unconscious from nonlethal damage due to thirst begins to take the same amount of lethal damage instead. Damage from thirst, whether lethal or nonlethal, cannot be recovered until the character has been treated (see below); not even magic that restores hit points heals this damage.
Treating dehydration
A character who has taken nonlethal damage from lack of water must be treated with long-term care to recover. This treatment requires 24 hours of care and double the normal amount of water required per day for the conditions (for instance, 2 gallons of water in normal conditions). If the character has also taken lethal damage from lack of water or from a hot environment, add 5 to the Heal DC and double the time required to recover (to 48 hours). Once this Heal check has succeeded, the damage taken by the character can be restored through the normal means.
Physiological distress
Strong, foul odors, blows to the vitals or to the head, poison, disease, extreme pain, horrifying or unnatural sights or experiences, etc., may induce distress of this sort.
Sickened
A mild state of distress. A sickened character takes a −2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and checks of any sort (skill checks, ability checks, concentration checks, etc.)
Nauseated
Severe distress. A nauseated character takes double the penalties of a sickened character (−4 to attacks, saves, and checks). A nauseated character is unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The character may only take a move action each round, and cannot take attacks of opportunity.
Incapacitated
Rendered insensate (or nearly so) by extreme bodily distress. The character may be retching uncontrollably, wracked by spasms of pain, experiencing seizures, etc. An incapacitated character falls prone, and takes no actions. He can’t use any Dexterity, dodge, or shield bonuses to AC or Reflex saves.