This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under
the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.
SPECIAL ABILITIES &
CONDITIONS
SPECIAL ABILITIES
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
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Spell-Like
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Supernatural
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Dispel
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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Spell resistance
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
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Antimagic field
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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Attack of opportunity
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No
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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
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Incubation
|
Damage
|
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Blinding sickness
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Ingested 16
|
1d3 days
|
1d4 Str1
|
|
Cackle fever
|
Inhaled 16
|
1 day
|
1d6 Wis
|
|
Demon fever
|
Injury 18
|
1 day
|
1d6 Con2
|
|
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
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
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.
Perils of Using Poison
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.
Poison Immunities
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.
When Spell Resistance Applies
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.
Successful Spell Resistance
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.