Combat in my version of dungeons and dragons draws a bit from 3rd edition, a bit from 2nd edition and a good smattering of my own improvements tossed in for smooth operation.
Attack Modifiers, by class and level:
All character classes begin play with an attack bonus of 0. As they increase in level, various character classes will accumulate bonuses to their attack rolls.
Warriors:
I will not provide a table for warriors. They have a bonus of 0 at 1st level, but add +1 for every level after. Figuring this out should not require a table.
Bards, Priests, Psychic Warriors, Monks, Druids:
1st: 0 2nd: +1 3rd: +1 4th: +2 5th: +3 6th: +3 7th: +4 8th: +5 9th: +5 10th: +6 11th: +7 12th: +7 13th: +8 14th: +9 15th: +9 16th: +10 17th: +11 18th: +11 19th:+12 20th: +13 21st: +13 22nd: +14 23rd: +15 24th: +15 25th: +16 26th: +17 27th: +17 28th: +18 29th: +19 30th: +19
Thieves get a +1 at levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13,15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29.
These combat-poor classes receive a +1 to their attack rolls at 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 22nd, 25th and 28th.
Armor Class:
Armor, shields, dexterity, certain spells and psionic powers; all of these and many other things can affect a persons AC. The base AC is 10, reflecting that a person with no attack roll adjustments at all, needs to roll a 10 or higher on a 1d20 to hit the AC of 10.
The Attack Roll:
Simply enough, the person who is attacking rolls 1d20, factors in any adjustments they might have and, if their total is equal to or higher than the subject’s AC, the subject is hit. If the total is lower than the subjects AC, the attack is a miss. A roll of a natural, unmodified 20 on the 1d20 attack roll is always considered at least a Hit. If the natural 20 would be enough to hit the subject’s AC by four or more, such as, if a character needed to roll a 16 to hit a creature and rolled a 20, the attack is considered a Critical Hit. Critical Hits are detailed later in this section.
A round in combat is 6 seconds long. In these six second rounds, a character receives two actions. One is a standard action, wherein which they may attack, use an item, grab an opponent, etcetera. The standard action is what the character does that does not include movement. Their second action is their standard move action, wherein which they may make a move or move-equivalent action, such as flying if able, activating certain force-of-will items, intercepting an opponent, setting to receive a charge, and so forth. The character may choose which action they will take first. Thus, it is possible for a character to take their move action and get close to a foe, and then take their standard action and attack him/her. It is also possible that the character might attack a foe, then move to intercept the next. When initiative is rolled and the order of combat is determined, the characters may take their respective actions as they are due. Initiative rolls that come out as a "tie" are either re-rolled or run simultaneously as the DM sees fit for the situation.
Note that characters with multiple attacks can get pretty creative when splitting up their actions. It is possible for a character with 3 attacks available to them and able to make a standard move action of up to 36 feet in a round to take one attack at a foe, move 5 feet, take another attack at another foe, move 10 feet and take their third attack at yet a different foe and then move 11 feet to intercept another assailant. In essence, the character has a certain number of feet they may move in a round and still make their normal standard action. The DM is always free to over-rule whatever doesn't make sense to him or her, or to simply adjudicate that the character must make each action all at once rather than splitting them up into bits and pieces through their round. As a warning to DM's that like the idea of characters being able to split their actions up into bits and pieces, it can take a lot of foresight of npc actions and good note-keeping on your part to keep up with who's where and when. It adds a level of freedom to combat, but is nearly impossible to run correctly in large battles. Try it both ways and find the method that suits you best.
Characters may move 3 feet per point of movement rate they possess in as standard move action. Thus, a medium creature with a movement rate of 12 could move up to 36 feet in their movement action. Characters taking full round actions, such as casting certain spells, may move up to five feet, but no more.
It is also possible for a character to use their standard action as a move action, thus taking a full movement round. They may move a number of feet equal to 6 times their movement rate in a full round action. The standard move action, however, cannot be used as a standard action.
As a character takes damage, subtract that damage from the character's hit points.
Effects of Hit Point Damage:
Disabled (0 Hit Points)
When a character's current hit points drop to exactly 0, the character is disabled. The character is not unconscious, but is close to it. The character can only take a partial action each round, and if the character performs any strenuous activity, the character takes 1 point of damage after the completing the act. Strenuous activities include running, attacking, or using any ability that requires physical exertion or mental concentration. If the character takes a strenuous action, the character's hit points drop to -1, and the character is dying.
Dying (-1 to -9 Hit Points)
When a character's current hit points drop to between -1 and -9 inclusive, the character is dying. The character immediately falls unconscious and can take no actions.
At the end of each round (starting with the round in which the character dropped below 0), roll percentile dice to see whether the character stabilizes. The character has a 10% chance to become stable. If the character doesn't, the character loses 1 hit point.
If the character's hit points drop to -10 (or lower), the character is dead.
A character can keep a dying character from losing any more hit points and make the dying character stable with a successful Heal check (DC 15).
If any sort of healing cures the dying character of even 1 point of damage, the dying character stops losing hit points and becomes stable.
Healing that raises the dying character's hit points to 0 makes the character conscious and disabled. Healing that raises the character's hit points to 1 or more makes the character fully functional again, just as if the character had never been reduced to 0 or less.
Dead (–10 hit points or lower)
When a character's current hit points drop to –10 or lower, the character is dead. A character can also die from taking ability damage or suffering an ability drain that reduces Constitution to 0.
Stable characters and Recovery
An hour after a tended, dying character becomes stable, roll d%. The character has a 10% chance of becoming conscious, at which point the character is disabled (as if the character had 0 hit points). If the character remains unconscious, the character has the same chance to revive and become disabled every hour. Even if unconscious, the character recovers hit points naturally. The character is back to normal when its hit points rise to 1 or higher.
A character who stabilizes on its own (by making the 10% roll while dying) and who has no one to tend for it still loses hit points, just at a slower rate. The character has a 10% chance each hour of becoming conscious. Each time the character misses the hourly roll to become conscious, the character loses 1 hit point. The character also does not recover hit points through natural healing.
Even once the character becomes conscious and is disabled, an unaided character still does not recover hit points naturally. Instead, each day he has a 10% chance to start recovering hit points naturally (starting with that day); otherwise, the character loses 1 hit point.
Once an unaided character starts recovering hit points naturally, the character is no longer in danger of losing hit points (even if the character's current hit point total is negative).
Healing
A character can be healed for more damage than they have. This means that their max HP's cannot be increased by excessive healing.
Natural Healing
A character recovers 1 hit point per character level per day of rest. If the character undergoes complete bed rest (doing nothing for an entire day), the character recovers one and one half times the character's character level in hit points.
Magical Healing
Various abilities and spells, can give a character back hit points. Each use of the spell or ability restores a different amount of hit points. Magical healing won't raise a character's current hit points higher than a character's hit point total.
Healing Ability Damage
Temporary ability damage returns at the rate of 1 point per day of rest (light activity, no combat or spellcasting). Complete bed rest restores 2 points per day.
Temporary Hit Points
Certain effects give a character temporary hit points. When a character gains temporary hit points, note the character's current hit points. When the temporary hit points go away, the character's hit points drop to that score. If the character's hit points are already below that score at that time, all the temporary hit points have already been lost and the character's hit point score does not drop.
When temporary hit points are lost, they cannot be restored as real hit points can be.
Sometimes a character gets roughed up or weakened. This sort of stress won't kill a character, but it can knock a character out or make a character faint.
Nonlethal damage is subdual damage. If a character takes sufficient subdual damage, the character falls unconscious, but the character doesn't die.
Dealing Subdual Damage
Certain attacks deal subdual damage. Other stresses, such as heat or exhaustion, also deal subdual damage. When a character takes subdual damage, keep a running total of how much a has accumulated. Do not deduct the subdual damage number from a character's current hit points. It is not "real" damage. Instead, when a character's subdual damage equals a character's current hit points, the character is staggered, and when it exceeds a character's current hit points, the character goes unconscious. It doesn't matter whether the subdual damage equals or exceeds a character's current hit points because the subdual damage has gone up or because a character's current hit points have gone down.
A character can use a melee weapon that deals normal damage to deal subdual damage instead, but the character suffer a -4 penalty on the attack roll.
A character can use a weapon that deals subdual damage, including an unarmed strike, to deal normal damage instead, but the character suffers a -4 penalty on the attack roll.
Staggered and Unconscious
When a character's subdual damage exactly equals a character's current hit points, the character is staggered. The character is so badly weakened or roughed up that the character can only take a partial action each round. A character ceases being staggered when the character's hit points exceed the character's subdual damage again.
When a character's subdual damage exceeds the character's current hit points, the character falls unconscious. While unconscious, a character is helpless.
Each full minute that a character is unconscious, a character has a 10% chance to wake up and be staggered until the character's hit points exceed a character's subdual damage again. Nothing bad happens to a character if the character misses this roll.
Spellcasters who are rendered unconscious retain any spellcasting ability they had before going unconscious.
Healing Subdual Damage
A character heals subdual damage at the rate of 1 hit point per hour per character level. When a spell or a magical power cures hit point damage, it also removes an equal amount of subdual damage, if any.
Blindness: -4 to hit, -4 AC penalty, +4 initiative penalty, -4 to saves against physical attack forms, base 50% chance to outright miss on any melee attack roll, regardless of the roll.
Invisibility: those fighting the invisible character are treated as blind, though they receive a Spot check at a DC of 20 plus the level of invisibility spell used to half the blindness modifiers in each round. Base 50% chance to be missed by any attack roll, or 20% chance if the attacker makes their spot check.
Prone: those fighting prone receive a –4 penalty to attack/dmg and initiative rolls as well as losing all dex/shield bonuses to AC. Those fighting prone characters receive a +2 to attack tolls and a –2 bonus to initiative.
Sitting: sitting characters receive a –2 penalty to attack/dmg and initiative rolls and lose all dex bonuses to AC. Those fighting sitting characters receive a +1 to attack and –1 bonus to initiative.
Stunned: stunned characters may take no actions and may only make half-rate movements for the duration. They may defend, however, and their AC’s are unaffected.
Sleeping, Held or Paralyzed: Attacking characters treat all attacks as touch attacks, and all blows landed are treated as critical hits. Victims must also make a save v-death for every successful blow or be reduced to 0 hp’s instantly.
Cover provides a bonus to a combatant's AC. The more cover a combatant has, the bigger the bonus.
Table: Cover
Degree of Cover AC Cover Possible Cover Bonus Save Bonus --------- -------- ; ------------
1/4 +2 +1 1/2 +4 +2 3/4 +7 +3 9/10 +10 +4* Total - -
*Half damage if save is failed; no damage if successful.
*Save bonus applies to any effect that the cover in question could aid in blocking.
Concealment
Concealment includes all circumstances where nothing physically blocks a blow or shot but where something interferes with an attacker's accuracy.
Concealment Example Miss Chance ----------- ------- ----------->
One-Quarter Light fog; moderate darkness; light foliage 10% One-Half Dense fog at 5ft. 20% Three-quarters Dense foliage 30% Nine-tenths Near total darkness 40% Total Attacker blind; target invisible; total darkness; dense fog at 10 ft. 50%
Concealment is subjectively measured as to how well concealed the defender is. Concealment always depends on the point of view of the attacker.
Concealment Miss Chance
Concealment gives the subject of a successful attack a chance that the attacker missed because of the concealment. If the attacker hits, the defender must make a miss chance percentile roll to avoid being struck. When multiple concealment conditions apply to a defender, use the one that would produce the highest miss chance. Do not add the miss chances together.
Not an Action: Some activities are not even considered free actions. They literally don't take any time at all to do and are considered an inherent part of doing something else.
Free Action: A combatant can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally. However, the DM puts reasonable limits on what a combatant can really do for free.
Partial Action: As a general rule, a combatant can do as much with a partial action as a combatant could with a standard action minus a move. Typically, a combatant may take a 5-foot step as part of a partial action.
Move-Equivalent Action: Move-equivalent actions take the place of movement in a standard action or take the place of an entire partial action. The combatant can normally also take a 5 foot step.
Standard Action: A standard action allows a combatant to do something and move a combatant's indicated speed during a combat round. A combatant can move before or after performing the activity of the action.
Full-Round Action: A full-round action consumes all a combatant's effort during a round. The only movement a combatant can take during a full- round action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. A combatant can also perform free actions. Some full-round actions do not allow a 5-foot step.
Special abilities are extraordinary, spell-like, or supernatural.
Extraordinary Abilities (Ex): Extraordinary abilities are nonmagical. Effects or areas that negate or disrupt magic have no effect on extraordinary abilities. Thief skills are considered as 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 or dispel magic. However, supernatural abilities still do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated (such as an antimagic field).
Multiple Attacks and Fighting Styles:
Be it by level advancement for warriors, usage of multiple weapons or by weapon skill, or some combination thereof, characters often wind up with multiple attacks in a round.
Characters that gain multiple attacks with a single weapon take all of their attacks when it is their turn to attack. Characters with a weapon in each hand receive a penalty of –4 on all attacks with their “main” hand, and –6 to all attacks with their “secondary” hand if the weapons are both Medium (or the same size rating as the wielder for characters who are of other sizes). If one weapon is Small and the other Medium, the penalties are reduced to –3 and –5. If both weapons are small, the penalties are reduced further to –2 and –4. If the character has ambidexterity, their attack penalties (as listed above) for multiple weapons receive a –2/-4 if both weapons are medium, a 0/-2 if one is medium and the other small and no penalties at all if both weapons are small. If a two weapon fighting style is had, it can have the same effect as ambidexterity. If both ambidexterity and a two weapon fighting style are had, the character receives no penalties at all for using two weapons of medium size or smaller. Note: all size references are assuming the character to be medium.
Fighting Styles and Fighting Maneuvers:
Fighting styles with weaponry, in the real world, have been varied and many. So, too, can they be in the campaign setting. Characters can spend proficiency slots to gain access to fighting styles, though the DM must determine how long it takes to learn the style and how many slots of what type must be spent; in fact, the DM might decide that the style itself might have special maneuvers a character can gain access to if they spend so many weapon proficiency slots on the style and have attained a certain level of skill with the weaponry involved. For Example, in my campaign world, there is a fighting style that is used by a clan of Amazonian elven women called “Claws of the Tigress”. It is a two weapon fighting style that requires the practitioner in question to wield two medium swords of the same type, long swords and scimitars being prevalent. Those who have the style can gain various maneuvers based on the level of skill they have attained with their weapons and how many proficiency slots they are willing to spend in learning them. Both hands must be at the same skill level (I.E: both hands must be proficient, specialized, have Mastery, High Mastery or Grand Mastery) to attain the maneuvers particular to their skill level. Each maneuver must be trained in, and all maneuvers for each skill level must be gained before the practitioner can learn those of the next. In that fashion, even a Grand Master weapon wielder with the style that has only learned the Proficiency level maneuvers would have to work their way up to the Grand Master level maneuvers, learning each and every one of them from Specialist on up (and taking considerable amounts of time and proficiency slots to do so, I might add). There can be any number of fighting styles the DM might concoct, from the very simple and plain to the highly developed and refined. Single Weapon styles, Sword and Shield styles, Hammer and Axe styles. There is no limit to what the DM is free to elaborate upon where weaponry styles are concerned, and furthermore, weapon styles can be learned by anyone who meets the DM-set qualifications. From my own weapon style listed above, Amazonian priestesses often have the basic proficiency level of the Claws of the Tigress style, being trained in ambidexterity and the fighting style itself. Players are encouraged to work with the DM if their characters are interested in founding a fighting style. It could be a driving goal of a fighter character to create a new and unique fighting style, perhaps leading him or her on many journeys to study the techniques of others while, at the same time, practicing his or her own forming style and concocting maneuvers or style-inherent modifiers along the way (subject, of course, to DM approval)
Important Note: fighting styles are not forbidden to any class, although some classes might not be able to qualify for certain styles. If a wizard somehow managed to attain specialization with a weapon, they could qualify for a fighting style that required specialization in that given weapon.
This also brings about the subject of weapon maneuvers. I, as a DM, allow characters who are able and willing to learn or create little (and sometimes not so little) maneuvers that their characters might use. Such things usually take time and practice to get good at (often requiring the spending of proficiency slots in amounts concordant with what I feel is fitting), but, here is how I go about it. Say that the player of a 7th level fighter who is specialized with a battle axe wants to have his character develop a maneuver that required specialization in a battle axe to perform. What he wants the maneuver to do is use up two attacks for the round to perform a mighty blow that would deal double damage. He decides that he wants the name for this maneuver to be Cleaving Arc. As a DM, I would look at the suggestion and think about it, deciding that giving up two attacks for a single attack that can cause double damage seems like a balanced trade, and I tell the player that he can spend a month working the idea out and learning it at the cost of a non-weapon proficiency slot (as it is a pretty simple maneuver). Thereafter, the character can use his Cleaving Arc maneuver whenever he has two attacks available to him in a round. If he at some point winds up with more than two attacks in a round, he could make his Cleaving Arc attack in addition to however many attacks he has left available to him.
Now, say that another player who’s character is a 8th level thief wanted to make a maneuver that utilized two daggers (as the thief has ambidexterity and can use them without penalty, as they are both small). What she wants is a maneuver that requires her to forfeit one dagger’s attack in a round to give the other an opportunity to score a Backstab blow in melee combat by having the first dagger, which forfeits it’s attack, make a feint. She decides to name her maneuver Serpent Fang. After some careful thought, I decide that she can have the maneuver with the following adjustments; the opponent gets a wisdom check to avoid the backstab damage, taking only normal damage if their wisdom check succeeds and that attack roll hits, and she does not get the +4 to attack that a thief normally gets on a backstab attempt, and further determine that she will have to gain Expertise in both hands in order to learn this tricky maneuver. So, making note of that, she jots down the maneuver as I’ve adjusted it and spends the weapon proficiency slots she’s been saving on learning Expertise in her daggers, taking the in-game time to do so while the fighter is learning his Cleaving Arc maneuver. She’ll later take the time to learn her Serpent Fang maneuver when she gets another weapon proficiency slot to spend and her character has three months to do so.
It is always up to the DM what a maneuver will be capable of doing, what it’s limitations should be and how it will work, or if s/he will even allow it at all. Requirements for weapon skill are a definite must where maneuvers are concerned. Furthermore, player characters can seek out those who’ve already developed maneuvers and attempt to learn them from these people. Adventure hooks galore in that arena!
So what, then, is the difference between a fighting style and a fighting maneuver?
Well, a style refers to how a person uses their weapons. Maneuvers indicate what, precisely, is done with them. Some fighting styles might incorporate maneuvers into their teachings, or at least offer them for those willing to dedicate themselves to the style. Then again, some fighting styles might have no maneuvers incorporated, and may simply allow for using certain weapons, just like some maneuvers might not be tied to any particular style. There is virtually no limit to how much depth and intricacy can be given to fighting styles and maneuvers, and DM’s and players alike are encouraged to explore the possibilities.
Weapon skill is measured in eight different terms.
Note: for characters wielding two of the same type of weapon in either hand, weapon proficiencies must be spent on each hand to attain skill beyond proficiency. One weapon proficiency slot must be spent to gain proficiency, which affects both hands equally, but for anything beyond, such as a fighter who wants to Specialize in his or her Long sword, and happens to use a Long sword in each hand, they must specialize in each hand separately as if they were learning two separate weapons entirely. Furthermore, they must have ambidexterity and a two weapon fighting style to attain anything beyond proficiency with two weapons. It is very possible that a fighter might wield two long swords and be a Master with one of them, but only Proficient with the other, or unable to utilize specialist or mastery benefits if s/he doesn’t have ambidexterity and a two weapon fighting style that allows for such.
Specialization takes one month to self teach, or two weeks if trained.
Mastery takes one year to self teach, or four months if trained.
High Mastery takes five years to self teach, or one year if trained.
Grand Mastery takes twenty years to self teach, or four if trained.
Non-proficiency: this term means that a character is totally unskilled with a weapon. Warriors receive a –2 attack penalty when using a weapon they’re totally unskilled with. Bards, monks, priests and psychic warriors receive a –3. Thieves receive a –4, and, finally, Wizards, psions and sorcerers receive a –5 penalty to attack with weapons they are totally unskilled with. No class can make more than one attack per round with a weapon they are not familiar with.
Familiarity: a person who is proficient in a certain weapon might be considered “familiar” with other, similar weapons. For example, a fighter that is proficient in a Long Sword could pick up a Bastard Sword and wield it. They are fairly similar blades. A wizard that was proficient with a Dagger could be considered familiar with a Short Sword, as the difference is only about 6 to 10 inches in length and a slight increase in weight, the method of use is the same. Characters using a weapon they are considered Familiar with receive only half of the non-proficiency penalty listed above. Half a –3 is –2, for these purposes, and half of –5 is –3. Only warriors may make multiple attacks per round with a weapon they are only familiar with, and that is based solely upon their level and if their level allows them multiple attacks per round with weapons they are proficient with.
Proficiency: Costing one weapon proficiency slot, a character with Proficiency can use a weapon solidly and well. They receive no penalties or modifiers for skill. It is the highest level of skill that Wizards, Psions, Monks and Sorcerers can gain with a weapon.
Expertise: Expertise costs one weapon proficiency to gain. Those that have it gain a +1 to attack rolls with the weapon they have Expertise in, as well as having their number of attacks per round stepped up (1/round becomes 3/2. 3/2 becomes 2. 2 becomes 5/2, and so forth). Expertise does not allow the character to make Called Shots! This is the highest level of weapon skill that any class can attain except Warriors. Holy Warriors, Bards, Rangers and Psychic Warriors can all begin taking this at 2nd level, although they can better their weapon skill at certain specified levels, they may freely take Expertise once they have attained 2nd level or better, if they’ve the proficiency slots to spend on it. Only Fighters, of the eligible classes, are forbidden the taking of expertise, and for a very good reason; starting at 2nd level, they can begin taking Specialization, as described next.
Specialization: Only Fighters may take this level of weapon skill freely, starting at 2nd level. Holy Warriors, Rangers, Psychic Warriors and Bards may take it at the levels specified in their descriptions. Specialization adds a +1 attack roll modifier and a +2 damage modifier to all attack and damage rolls with the weapon this level of skill is possessed for. Furthermore, it allows the combatant to make Called Shots, which are detailed later. In addition to even that, Specialization steps up the number of attacks per round with the given weapon that may be taken in a given round to the next stage. Note: those who have taken Expertise in the weapon they take Specialization in only gain the +2 to damage rolls and the ability to make Called Shots with the weapon. Their number of attacks per round and the +1 to hit have already been established with the taking of Expertise. Any character eligible for Specialization must first have proficiency in the weapon.
Mastery: Only fighters, Holy warriors and Psychic warriors(at appropriate levels) can gain Mastery with a weapon, and they must first have Specialization in said weapon. Mastery ups the +1/+2 to hit and damage to +3/+3, lowers the speed of the weapon by 2, allows the combatant to score critical hits on natural rolls of 19 or 20 if either hit by 4 or more and, furthermore, allows the combatant to make Expert Shots, as detailed later. In even further addition, Weapon Masters gain the skill “Style Analysis”. Using this skill is free and requires no check. The skill itself allows a character with Mastery in a weapon to determine if another user of the same type of weapon is Proficient, Expert, Specialized or a Master with their weapon after observing them in combat for at least 3 rounds. This is lowered to but one round if the weapon master is actually fighting or sparring with the individual. If the opponent is of greater weapon skill, the weapon master only knows that their opponent’s skill exceeds their own, but they do not know exactly how much.
High Mastery: Fighters and only fighters may attain this level of weapon skill. The speed of the given weapon drops by 2 again. Critical hits may be scored on rolls of 18, 19 or 20 if they are enough to hit by 4 or more. Number of attacks per round is stepped up to the next stage (2 becomes 5/2. 5/2 becomes 3. 3 becomes 7/2, and so forth). Furthermore, the weapon master can use their Style Analysis skill to identify other High Masters in their given weapon, as well as those of lesser skill. A fighter must have Mastery in a weapon before being able to take High Mastery in it.
Grand Mastery: the pinnacle of weapon skill, attainable only by very high level fighters. A Grand Master can score critical hits on rolls of 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 if they are enough to hit by 4 or more. The damage dice of the weapon are improved to the next value (1d8 becomes 1d10, 1d10 becomes 1d12, 1d12 becomes 1d20, and so forth). In addition to even this, the Grand Master is possessed of such consummate skill that on a roll of a natural 1, where other, lesser combatants would suffer a Critical Miss, the Grand Master rolls their attack roll again. If the second roll is enough to hit their opponents AC, the attack is only considered a regular miss. If a second 1 is rolled, however, the Grand Master suffers a critical miss. Grand Masters can use their Style Analysis skill to identify other Grand Masters in their weapon, as well as all lesser wielders of the same weapon’s precise level of skill. Furthermore, Grand Masters, and only Grand Masters, can use their Style Analysis skill to “mask” their own level of skill, being able to emulate any level of skill they wish, right down to basic proficiency. In order to do this, the Grand Master must choose to use only the bonuses for that skill level and less. Masters, High Masters and even other Grand Masters in their weapon can be fooled in such a manner. This use of Style Analysis reflects how much control and comprehension of their weapon the fighter has in being able to completely adjust their style to suit what they wish others to see.
Those classes that can use shields freely can spend weapon proficiency slots on their shield usage just as they can weapons, and to the same level of skill they can attain with weapons. Note that proficiency is not needed to use a shield effectively; only to gain further benefits or use it as a weapon without non-proficiency penalties.
Also, any shield that is used to attack does not contribute to the characters AC in that round.
Shield Damage: Note: spiked shields add +1 to damage. Magical shield bonuses do not contribute to the damage a shield deals.
Buckler: 1d3 Speed: 3
Small: 1d4 Speed: 4
Medium: 1d6 Speed: 6
Large: 1d8 Speed: 10
Proficiency: this adds +1 to the shields melee and missile AC bonus and allows the shield bearer to use the shield as a weapon, although the character must still follow all rules pertinent to using multiple weapons if they are also using a weapon in their other hand.
Expertise: +1 to hit and may make a special Shield Rush attack that constitutes their round’s actions. Success on the attack roll deals normal shield damage to the opponent and forces them to make a dexterity check (or a Balance check, if they have the proficiency). Failure on the dex check topples the foe. Opponents gain modifiers to their dex check if they are larger or smaller than the Shield Rushing attacker. Two sizes smaller has a –4 to the check. One size smaller has a –2. Same size has no modifier. One size larger has a +2 and Two sizes larger has a +4. For every 2 legs beyond 2 that a creature of any size has, they get a +1 to their dex check. For example, a human (medium) trying to knock a horse (large) to the ground with his shield makes a successful Shield Rush attack. The horse is one size larger and has 4 legs, thus receiving a +3 to it’s dex check. The Shield Rush attack cannot be used if the attacker does not have at least 5’ to Rush.
Specialization: +1/+2 to hit and damage, Shield Rush attack and the Missile Deflection skill. This skill adds +2 to the shield users AC against missile attacks whenever the shield’s AC bonus would be in effect against missile attacks. Whenever the shield bonus to AC would be denied, this +2 bonus is also denied.
Mastery: +3/+3 to hit and damage. Blow Deflection gained, granting a +2 further bonus to AC against melee attacks whenever the shield’s AC bonus is in effect. The shield master gains the Hurl skill. On any successful use of their Shield Rush attack, and if the shield master has another attack with their shield to use for this, they may opt to Hurl their opponent in any direction they wish. Opponents that are two or more sizes smaller are hurled 1d20 feet plus 1’ per bonus point of damage given by strength. One size smaller are hurled 1d12’, plus 1’ per bonus damage point due to strength. Same size creatures are hurled 1d8’, plus 1’ per bonus damage point due to strength. Opponents that are one size larger are hurled 1d4’, plus 1’ per bonus point of damage due to strength. Opponents that are two or more sizes larger cannot be Hurled, though they might be toppled. Use of this ability requires a successful attack roll, and it can only be used if the opponent makes their dex check against the Shield Rush as. Furthermore, for every 10’ a creature is hurled, they sustain 1d6 points of subdual damage.
High Mastery: Speed of the shield as a weapon drops by 2 points. The High Master gains the Shield Crush ability. On a successful use of their Shield Rush attack, the High Master can already Hurl their opponent if they make their dex check. With the Shield Crush attack, they can crush them into the ground if the dex check is failed. Use of this ability requires a successful attack roll right after the Shield Rush attack has been used and the opponent’s dex check has been failed. In description of the attack, the shield wielder hurls themselves mightily down upon their fallen victim, putting all of their weight behind the blow. Success on the attack roll deals damage according to the victim’s size.
Two sizes smaller or more suffer a Critical Hit if the Shield Crush hits at all.
Those one size smaller take double normal damage on a successful hit.
Same size creatures take 1.5x normal damage on a successful hit.
This skill cannot be used successfully against opponents that are larger than the attacker. Furthermore, if the attack hits, the opponent must save versus paralyzation or be stunned and unable to act for 1d3 rounds. In any case, the shield bearer must spend their next round picking themselves up, although their opponents have to do the same, providing they aren’t stunned.
Grand Mastery: damage of the shield is increased to the next dice value and critical misses are re-rolled, as with weapon grandmasters. The grand master has attained such skill with his or her shield that they can freely use it as a weapon in combat while retaining it’s bonus to their AC.
Called Shots allow a weapon specialist to perform many precise things. Such things might include attacking specific body parts on a victim, hitting a rope with an arrow, trying to pin a fleeing thief’s cloak to the ground with a hurled javelin. The players have a lot of creative leeway with called shots, although the DM should never allow them to perform critical hits with a called shot. Severing minor extremities, such as hands, feet, fingers and small tails could possibly be included, but should always come with a stiff attack roll penalty, and the player should never be able to simulate critical hit severities beyond what their weapon is normally capable of in any circumstance. All missile weapons receive double the range modifier penalties in addition to the called shot penalty to hit, which should never be any less than –4, and could be as severe as –30 if the character wants to try to bounce an arrow off a stone wall at a right angle to shoot a guard around the corner. The DM must assign hit roll penalties according to what they feel should reflect the difficulty of the proposed attack. In any case, a character that wants to make a called shot gets only one attack in the round, being the called shot, thus forfeiting any other multiple attacks they might normally receive. One thing the DM should always remember is that, even if they determine the attack to be impossible with no chance of success, the player should always be allowed to try it. A natural 20 on a called shot should have the desired effect without err, or be allowed as a critical hit in addition to the desired effect. Attacks against weapons, armor and objects are discussed later, though with Called Shots, the subject is very pertinent, and any DM or player intending to use Called Shots should read the section on Attacking Objects very carefully.
Where Specialists can make Called Shots, Masters and better can make Expert Shots. Expert Shots can simulate critical hits, in addition to everything a Called Shot can do. If a weapon master wants to simply go for a standard critical hit, the DM should assign an attack penalty of no less than –6 to the attack roll. If the attack roll comes out to be one of the natural numbers the Master or better needs to score a critical hit anyway, the critical hit is rolled as normal. If the Master or better wants to try for a very specific critical hit (such as severing an opponent’s arm or head, stabbing a wizard through the mouth or such very serious, specific things), the DM should apply modifiers as detailed in further text to the attack roll. If the attack hits, the specific critical hit effect should apply, thus omitting both the severity AND the location roll for a critical hit. Note: A safe way to run such things is to give such attempts a base of a –6 attack roll penalty with an additional –2 to attack for every step of severity the player wants to emulate.
Expert Shot critical hit attempts that are designated to instantly kill an opponent should allow the victim to save versus death to avoid being instantly killed even if the severity normally doesn’t allow for one, though they may well take double or even triple normal damage. If a natural critical hit is rolled on an Expert Shot critical hit attempt that is specifically designated to outright kill an opponent, the opponent should simply be slain.
Important Note: Some creatures are immune to critical hits, and some opponents are simply too large or powerful to be affected in certain ways. For instance, it is impossible to score a critical hit against any form of incorporeal undead, and trying to sever the head from any creature that is simply too tall for the attacker to reach it’s head in the first place is silly. The DM, as with called shots, should not forbid players from trying whatever they feel the need to try, although the DM is free to determine an Expert Shot attempt as being impossible no matter what the attack roll comes out to be. For example, a medium sized character trying to sever the head of a colossal dragon (who’s head is probably about the size of a small ship or house) would have about as much chance of pulling that off as they would knocking a castle wall down by spitting on it. Dm’s should not be unfair, but should bear in mind that some things a player might attempt to do can be flat out ridiculous. Allowing ridiculous things to happen in one’s campaign can swiftly turn the whole thing sour for DM’s and players alike. The DM should also bear in mind that, if they don’t want something to happen, they don’t have to allow it. A player should not be forbidden from trying things, but be prepared to curb wanton players from decapitating everyone they run into or putting arrows into the hearts of every king, baron or duke they come across.
Players are well advised to remember that they aren’t the biggest fish in the sea, and if I’m Dming, you can try to do whatever you like; however, there will be repercussions.
So, go ahead and plug the King in the heart.
Just don’t expect the King’s 18th level Champion fighter and 20th level Court Archmage to sit by and smile while you do so, and what works for you can work just as well against you. **classically wicked DM smile**
Usually, a critical hit is scored when a character rolls a natural 20 on their attack roll and 20 is enough to hit their opponents AC by 4 or more. If the natural 20 is not 4 or more than what is needed, it should count as a standard hit anyway, even if the character would technically need to roll, say, a 28 to hit. Obviously, sometimes it doesn’t matter what a person rolls, such as if a person who doesn’t have a magical weapon and is not of a class or high enough level in such a class to hit creatures requiring magical weapons to hit. In such cases, it doesn’t matter what an attack roll is. But, when a critical hit is scored, the weapon size is compared to the size of the creature being attacked. The severity dice are determined by the difference, as listed below. The hit location must also be rolled, as determined by a roll of a 1d10, following the chart listed below.
Once the hit location is determined, the severity can be rolled to determine what the critical effect on that location is. All critical hits inflict double damage in addition to the listed affects unless otherwise noted.
Severity-
Weapon is:
Smaller than opponent: 1d6
Same size as opponent: 2d4
One size larger than opponent: 2d6
Two+ sizes larger than opponent: 2d8
Hit Location: roll 1d10 to determine
1-2: right leg
3-4: left leg
5: stomach/abdomen
6: chest
7: waist/hip
8: right arm
9: left arm
10: head/face
Location: legs
Severity – effect
1-3: no additional effect
4: victim knocked down
5: knee struck, knockdown, ½ move for 1 turn
6: foot broken, ½ move until healed, no dex AC bonus
7: leg injured, ¼ move until healed, no dex AC bonus
8: leg broken, no move or dex AC bonus until healed
9: foot severed/ruined: no move, no dex AC bonus, 1d4 bleeding dmg/round for 1 turn
10: leg severed/ruined: no dex AC bonus, 2d8 bleeding dmg/round until healed
11-12: as 10 with triple damage dice
13+: as 10, 11 and 12, but victim must save v-death or fall instantly to 0 hp
Location: stomach/abdomen
Severity – effect
1-3: no additional effect
4: victim stunned; 1d4 rounds
5: abdomen struck; stunned 1 round, ½ move for 5 rounds
6: abdomen injured; stunned 1d4 rounds, ½ move for 1 turn, triple damage if unarmored
7:abdomen injured; stunned 1d4 rounds, ½ move and –2 to attack rolls for 1 turn
8: stomach injured; ½ move for 1 turn +2d4 internal bleeding dmg
9: stomach injured; no move and 1d4 internal bleeding dmg/round for 1 turn
10: abdomen mangled; no move/attack until healed, 1d4 bleeding dmg/round for 5 rounds
11: abdomen destroyed; no move/attack and 2d8 bleeding dmg/round until healed
12: stomach mangled; no move/attack, save v-death or fall to 0 hp immediately
13+: as 12 with triple damage dice and 2d8 bleeding dmg/round until healed
Location: chest
Severity – effect
1-3: no additional effect
4: stunned 1d3 rounds, wind knocked out of victim, -2 AC penalty for duration
5: stunned 1d6 rounds, wind knocked out, -2 AC/attack roll penalty for duration
6: stunned 2d4 rounds, wind knocked out of victim, no move/dex AC/attack for duration
7: chest injured; -2 attack rolls until healed
8: chest injured; -4 attack rolls until healed
9: chest injured: -4 attack rolls until healed, 1d6 bleeding dmg/round for 1 turn
10: chest mangled; no attacks until healed
11: chest mangled; no attacks until healed, 1d10 bleeding dmg/round for 1 turn
12: chest destroyed; as 11, but must also save v-death or fall to 0 hp immediately
13+: as 11 and 12, but with triple damage dice
Location: waist/hip
Severity – effect
1-3: no additional effect
4: waist struck; ½ move, -2 AC for 1 turn
5: waist struck; ½ move, -4 AC for 1 turn
6: waist injured; ¼ move, -4 AC for 1 hour
7: hip damaged; no move until healed, no dex AC bonus, -4 AC
8: hip injured; as 7 plus 1d4 bleeding dmg/round, 3 rounds
9: hip broken; as 7 plus cannot stand and must be considered prone
10: hip destroyed; as 9, but 1d6 bleeding dmg/round for 1 turn
11: As 10, but 2d8 bleeding dmg/round for until healed
12: as 11, but must also save v-death or fall to 0 hp’s immediately
13+ as 11 and 12, but with triple damage dice
Location: arms
Severity – effect
1-3: no additional effect
4: hand struck, any items held are dropped
5: arm struck; anything held is dropped, arm is useless for 1 turn
6: hand broken; anything held is dropped, -2 to any roll using that hand
7: arm broken; anything held is dropped, -4 to any roll using that arm
8: hand destroyed/severed; unusable until healed (obviously)
9: as 8 with 1d3 bleeding dmg/round for 3 rounds
10: arm mangled; unusable until healed
11: as 10 with 1d8 bleeding dmg/round for 1 turn
12: arm destroyed/severed; unusable until healed (obviously)
13+: as 12 with triple damage dice
Location: head/face
Severity – effect
1-3: no additional effect
4: stunned 1d4 rounds
5: head struck; helm removed, stunned 1d8 rounds if not helmed
6: as 5, but –2 to attack rolls as well if victim is not helmed
7: face injured; -4 attack rolls, 50% chance of permanent –1 Comeliness
8: skull broken; save v-death or fall to 1 hp and pass out for 1d4 hours
9: face crushed; no move/attack, permanent –2 Comeliness, 1d2 bleeding dmg/3 rounds
10: head injured; unconscious 1d6 days, save v-death or lose 1 point of int&wis for 1 month
11: face destroyed; -6 Comeliness permanently, save v-death or pass out for 1d3 days
12: skull crushed; save v-death or die; triple damage dice
13: head destroyed, immediate death.
Whether it be with a called or expert shot or by sheer accident, objects, items, weapons and armor alike can be damaged or destroyed.
In normal combat, the Dm and players alike are not only encouraged, but advised to take into account that gear needs repairing!! It is too difficult to keep track of exactly how much repairing needs to be done, but if a character wearing plate mail armor is shot with an arrow, it probably damaged his armor somewhat, and the DM should start imposing penalties to AC and attack rolls with armor and weapons that have been neglected. Players should occasionally seek out an armorer or weaponsmith and pay a few coins to have their gear repaired, or do it themselves if they’ve the proper proficiencies. The DM is encouraged to “customize” battle damage to items and gear after battles.
And, for more specific attacks that target a weapon, armor or item in particular, the DM should remember that all item-type things should have a hit point total ascribed to them and an armor class. Furthermore, some materials are just harder to damage, and thus, all item-type things have a Hardness rating. The Hardness rating is how much damage an item will simply ignore. For example, let’s say that Steel has a hardness rating of 10. Thus, any blow against a steel object that does 10 damage or less is ignored and, effectively, does nothing. Every point of damage above the item’s hardness rating does damage to it’s hit point total. it is also good to know that items can usually be repaired, and there are spells that can make short work of object repair.
For ease of reference, here is a listing of materials that items can be crafted of, their hardness ratings and Hit Points per pound of mass.
Soft wood/hard leather: hardness: 2 Hp/pound: 2
Hard wood: hardness: 3 Hp/pound: 4
Soft stone: hardness: 6 Hp/pound: 10
Hard stone: hardness: 8 Hp/pound: 15
Copper/Bronze: hardness: 7 Hp/pound: 8 AC: -2 from base
Iron/Brass/Ironwood: hardness: 8 Hp/pound: 15 AC: -1 from base
Steel: hardness: 10 Hp/pound: 20 AC: standard
Mythril: hardness: 15 Hp/pound: 40 AC: +1 above base
Adamantite: hardness: 18 Hp/pound: 25 AC: +2 above base
Dragonscale: hardness: 10+AC of dragon Hp/pound: 20+age category of dragon AC: -2 from dragon's base
For instance, a standard steel longsword that weighs 4 pounds would, essentially, take 80 points of damage to completely obliterate. To render an item unusable, however, might take far less than it’s total HP value. A good general rule for a DM to adhere to is that it takes only HALF its total HP value to render an item unusable, though this should not apply to weapons, as weapons are designed specifically to take a beating and remain useful. Armor should receive a –1 penalty to AC value for every 10% of it’s total HP the armor has lost. This can render some armor useless after only being moderately damaged, while other, sturdier armors can take a beating and still afford some protection.
Weapons should receive a –1 to hit and damage for every quarter of their total HP value they’ve lost, but no weapon that is still usable can deal less than 1 damage on a successful hit.
The material used in crafting a suit of armor or a weapon determines its Hardness. Magical items face very special benefits and restrictions in the department of being damaged and destroyed. A weapon or suit of armor received a +1 to hardness and +1 hp/pound for every plus it possesses. In addition, it takes a weapon of equal or superior enchantment to damage another weapon, suit of armor or even an item of a certain enchantment. For example, a normal weapon could not damage a +1 sword, nor could a +1 suit of leather armor be damaged by a normal weapon (thus further indicating why magical items are so very special; they’re resilient!). But, that same +1 sword would be unable to damage a +2 weapon, suit of armor or object. +5 items in general are usually pretty difficult to destroy as a result, requiring another +5 item or, of course, an item of artifact status, to damage. And, even against weapons of equal or superior enchantment, magical items still receive the same bonus to hardness and hit points.
The DM is encouraged to have magical item destruction be accompanied by something fairly dramatic. For instance, a billowing cloud of magical luminescence that persists for a single round before disappearing might accompany a +1 sword being smashed apart. A wand of magic missiles that gets snapped might sputter and spark a whole lot. The more powerful the item, the more dramatic it’s destruction should be. Obviously, certain items might very well carry detrimental or outright damaging effects, and some magical items are specifically made to do nasty things when destroyed. For example, a Staff of the Magi, if broken, detonates in a Retributive Strike that tends to obliterate everything (including the unfortunate wielder, although the wielder can enact this power at his or her own serious risk by simple act of snapping the staff) in a certain area. Be creative, DM!
Various attacks cause ability score loss, either temporary ability damage or permanent ability drain. Points lost to temporary damage return at the rate of 1 point per day (or double that if the character gets total rest) to each damaged ability, and the spells lesser restoration and restoration offset temporary damage as well. Drains, however, are permanent, though restoration can restore even those lost ability score points.
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.
A full hit point score, however, can’t drop 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 AND PSIONIC NEGATION
An anti-magic field spell cancels magic altogether. Anti-magic is one of the few spells that wizards can cast that affects psionics, negating them just as if they were magical effects. Psionic Negation affects magic in the same way.
No supernatural ability, spell-like ability, or spell works in an area of anti-magic (but extraordinary abilities still work).
Anti-magic does not dispel magic; it suppresses it. Once a magical effect is no longer affected by the anti-magic (the anti-magic fades, the center of the effect moves away, etc.), 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 anti-magic area and a normal area, but are not centered in the anti-magic area, still function in the normal area. If the spell’s center is in the anti-magic area, then the spell is suppressed.
Some artifacts are not hampered by anti-magic.
Golems and other magic constructs, elementals, outsiders, and corporeal undead, still function in an antimagic area (though the anti-magic area suppresses their supernatural, spell-like, and spell abilities normally). If such creatures are summoned or conjured, however, see below.
Summoned or conjured creatures of any type and incorporeal undead wink out if they enter an anti-magic field. They reappear in the same spot once the field goes away.
Magic items with continuous effects, do not function in the anti-magic area, but their effects are not canceled.
Two anti-magic fields in the same place do not cancel each other out, nor do they stack.
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. Essentially, a charmed character retains free will but makes choices according to a skewed view of the world.
The charmed creature doesn’t gain any magical ability to understand his new friend.
The 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.
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 by more than his master, he decides not to go along with that order but remains charmed. If he and the master both fail their checks, whoever fails their check by less is considered the victor. Tied checks go to the master.
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.
Any charmed character who is openly attacked by the creature who charmed him or the charmer’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 whether a character is charmed or compelled, he won’t volunteer information or tactics that his master doesn’t ask for.
Some magic creatures have the supernatural ability to instantly heal damage from weapons or to ignore blows altogether as though they were invulnerable. This translates into "ignoring" a certain amount of damage per affected blow.
The first number in a creature’s damage reduction is the amount of hit points the creature ignores from normal attacks. The second number is what type of weapon may ignore the damage reduction.
Usually, a certain type of weapon—usually a magic weapon—can overcome damage reduction. This information is separated from the damage reduction number by a slash. If a dash follows the slash then the damage reduction is effective against any attack that does not ignore damage reduction. For example; 10/+1, 15/-, and so forth.
Any weapon more powerful than the type given after the slash also negates the ability.
Whenever damage reduction completely negates the damage from an attack, it also negates most special effects that accompany the attack. 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.
Magical attacks and energy attacks (even mundane fire) ignore damage reduction.
For purposes of harming other creatures with damage reduction, a creature’s natural weapons count as weapons of the type that can ignore its own innate damage reduction. The amount of damage reduction is irrelevant.
Table: Damage Reduction Rankings
Power Rank Weapon Type ----- ---- -----------
Best +5 enhancement bonus 2nd best +4 enhancement bonus 3rd best +3 enhancement bonus 4th best +2 enhancement bonus 5th best +1 enhancement bonus Weakest Silver, mithral, or other special material
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 saving throw v-poison. 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 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.
You can roll these saving throws for the player so that he 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.
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 DC for the 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 temporary ability damage the character takes after incubation and each day afterward.
Types of Diseases: Typical diseases include the following:
Healing Diseases
Use of the Heal skill can help a diseased character. Every time the 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 result is higher. The diseased character must be in the healer’s care and must spend most of each day resting.
Characters recover points lost to ability score damage at a rate of 1 per day, 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.
Table: Diseases
Disease Infection Incubation Damage ------- --------- ---------- ------ Blinding sickness Ingested 1d3 days 1d4 Str†† Cackle fever Inhaled 1 day 1d6 Wis Demon fever Injury 1 day 1d6 Con** Devil chills† Injury 1d4 days 1d4 Str Filth fever Injury 1d3 days 1d3 Dex,1d3 Con Mindfire Inhaled 1 day 1d4 Int Mummy rot* Contact 1 day 1d6 Con Red ache Injury 1d3 days 1d6 Str Shakes Contact 1 day 1d8 Dex Slimy doom Contact 1 day 1d4 Con**
*Successful saves do not allow the character to recover.
Only magical healing can save the character.
**When damaged, character must succeed at another saving throw or 1 point of
temporary damage is permanent drain instead.
†The victim must make three successful Fortitude saving throws in a row to
recover from devil chills.
††Each time the victim takes 2 or more damage from the disease, he must make
another save v-poison or be permanently blinded.
Most level drains, also known as energy drains, require a successful melee attack—mere physical contact is not enough.
Each successful energy draining attack bestows one or more negative levels on the opponent. Almost all such attacks allow for a save v-death. Negative levels persist for 24 hours, whereupon a new saving throw is allowed. If it, too, is failed, another 24 hours must go by, whereupon another saving throw is allowed. Sometimes, however, an energy drain can be permanent. Powerful spells, failing three consecutive saving throws on a temporary energy drain and possibly other methods do exist that permanently drain levels from a character. Temporary level drain can be done away with by a priestly Lesser Restoration spell. In order to restore permanently drained levels, a Greater Restoration, Wish or Miracle spell must be used. Permanent level drain attacks the highest level a character has, lowering it to mid-point of the level drained to. Whether it be by temporary or permanent level drain, any character reduced to 0 levels in any or all classes must save versus death each round or forever be rendered a 0th level character. Such a state can be reversed by a Wish or Miracle spell, or divine intervention.
Any 0th level character further drained of levels is instantly slain and requires no less than a Wish, Miracle or True Resurrection spell to be restored.
While on the Ethereal Plane, a creature is called ethereal.
Ethereal creatures require a +1 or better weapon to hit from the Material Plane.
Ethereal creatures are invisible, inaudible, insubstantial, and scentless to creatures on the Material Plane (the normal world). 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.) 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.
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).
Force effects are a special exception. A force effect extends onto the Ethereal Plane. 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.
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 suffer falling damage.
Incorporeal creatures can only be harmed by other incorporeal creatures, by +1 or better 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
Incorporeal creatures move in any direction (including up or down) at will. They do not need to walk on the ground.
Incorporeal creatures can pass through solid objects at will, although they cannot see when their eyes are within solid matter.
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 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 suffer 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.
Spells, magic items, and certain monsters can affect characters with fear. In most cases, the character makes a saving throw v-paralyzation to resist this effect, and a failed roll means that the character is shaken, frightened, or panicked.
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.
Each character within range of a gaze attack must attempt a saving throw (usually Petrification/Polymorph or Spell) 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 one-half concealment against the opponent (so any attack the opponent makes against the creature has a 20% miss chance).
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 against the opponent as if the creature were invisible. Thus, any attack the opponent makes against the creature has a 50% miss chance, and the opponent can’t use sight to target attacks.
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 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, etc.) so that it results in concealment, there is a percentage chance equal to the normal miss chance for that amount of concealment that a character won’t need to make a saving throw in a given round. This chance is not cumulative with chances to avoid the gaze, but instead 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, an intelligent creature with a gaze attack can control its gaze attack and “turn it off” when so desired.
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 suffers 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-if the vial containing it is left unstoppered, for instance-remains potent until it is touched or used.
Although supernatural and spell-like poisons are possible, poisonous effects are almost always extraordinary.
Table: Poisons
Poison Type Initial Damage Secondary Damage Price ------ ---- -------------- ----------------- -----
Small centipede poison Injury 1d2 Dex 1d2 Dex 90 gp Greenblood oil Injury 1 Con 1d2 Con 100 gp Medium-size spider venom Injury 1d4 Str 1d4 Str 150 gp Bloodroot Injury 0 1d4 Con + 1d3 Wis 100 gp Purple worm poison Injury 1d6 Str 2d6 Str 700 gp Large scorpion venom Injury 1d6 Str 1d6 Str 200 gp Wyvern poison Injury 2d6 Con 2d6 Con 3,000 gp Blue whinnis Injury 1 Con Unconsciousness 120 gp Giant wasp poison Injury 1d6 Dex 1d6 Dex 210 gp Shadow essence Injury 1 Str* 2d6 Str 250 gp Black adder venom Injury 1d6 Con 1d6 Con 120 gp Deathblade Injury 1d6 Con 2d6 Con 1,800 gp Malyss root paste Contact 1 Dex 2d4 Dex 500 gp Nitharit Contact 0 3d6 Con 650 gp Dragon bile Contact 3d6 Str 0 1,500 gp Sassone leaf residue Contact 2d12 hp 1d6 Con 300 gp Terinav root Contact 1d6 Dex 2d6 Dex 750 gp Carrion crawler brain juice Contact Paralysis 0 200 gp Black lotus extract Contact 3d6 Con 3d6 Con 2,500 gp Oil of taggit Ingested 0 Unconsciousness 90 gp Id moss Ingested 1d4 Int 2d6 Int 125 gp Striped toadstool Ingested 1 Wis 2d6 Wis + 1d4 Int 180 gp Arsenic Ingested 1 Con 1d8 Con 120 gp Lich dust Ingested 2d6 Str 1d6 Str 250 gp Dark reaver powder Ingested 2d6 Con 1d6 Con + 1d6 Str 300 gp Ungol dust Inhaled 1 Cha 1d6 Cha + 1 Cha* 1,000 gp Burnt othur fumes Inhaled 1 Con* 3d6 Con 2,100 gp Insanity mist Inhaled 1d4 Wis 2d6 Wis 1,500 gp5
Type: The poison's method of delivery-ingested, inhaled, via an injury, or contact-and the DC needed to save.
Initial Damage: The damage the character takes immediately upon failing his saving throw against this type of poison. Ability score 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. Loss marked with an asterisk is permanent drain instead of temporary damage.
Price: The appraisable market value of one dose (one vial) of the poison. It is not possible to use or apply poison in any quantity smaller than one dose.
Perils of Using Poison
A character has a 5% chance to expose himself to a poison whenever he applies it to a weapon or otherwise readies it for use. Additionally, a character who rolls a 1 on an attack roll with a poisoned weapon must make a saving throw versus Breath Weapon or accidentally poison himself with the weapon.
Poison Immunities
Creatures with natural poison attacks are immune to their own poison. Nonliving creatures and creatures without metabolisms 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.
As with all things, the DM is encouraged to concoct new poisons when and how s/he sees fit.
Magic Resistance and Power resistance
Magic resistance and Power resistance are measured in percentage values. Magic resistance affects arcane and divine magicks, though divine magicks ignore fully half of any mortal's Magic resistance. Power resistance functions against psionic powers (but not attack or defense modes) and divine magicks, though divine magick also ignores fully half of any mortal's Power resistance. Arcane magic and Psionics are not affected by the resistance of the other.
When an affected power hits a creature that has Magic or Power resistance, the creature rolls percentile dice. If the roll is equal to or less than their resistance value, they ignore whatever spell or power was hurled at them, or stand unaffected by it while those around them are possibly not so fortunate in the case of area-of-effect spells. If the resistance check fails, the being is still allowed any saving throws they might normally be allowed, but is treated normally in all respects of the spell or power in question.
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. These points return at a rate of 1 per day. Ability damage is different from effective ability loss, which is an effect that goes away when the condition causing it goes away. 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 Drained
The character has permanently lost 1 or more ability score points. The character cannot regain these points through natural healing or the passage of time. 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 at all, and thus everything has full concealment to him. He has a 50% chance to miss in combat, loses his positive Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), and grants a +2 bonus on attack rolls to enemies that attack him, just as if all his enemies were invisible. He moves at half speed and suffers a -4 penalty on most Strength and Dexterity-based skills. He cannot make Spot skill checks or perform any other activity (such as reading) that requires vision.
Blown Away
Depending on their size, creatures can be blown away by winds of high velocity. Creatures on the ground that are blown away are knocked down and rolled 1d4x10 feet, sustaining 1d4 points of subdual damage per 10 feet. Flying creatures that are blown away are blown back 2d6x10 feet and sustain 2d6 points of subdual 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 specific effect.
Confused
A confused character's actions are determined by a 1d10 roll, rerolled each round: 1: wander away (unless prevented) for 1 minute (and don't roll for another random action until the minute is up); 2-6: do nothing for 1 round; 7-9: attack the nearest creature for 1 round; 10: act normally for 1 round. Any confused creature who is attacked automatically attacks her attackers on her next turn.
Cowering
The character is frozen in fear, loses her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), and can take no actions. Foes gain a +2 bonus to hit cowering characters.
Dazed
A dazed creature can take no actions (but defends itself normally). A dazed condition typically lasts 1 round.
Dazzled
Unable to see well because of over stimulation of the eyes. A dazzled creature suffers a -1 penalty on attack rolls until the effect ends.
Dead
The character's soul leaves his body permanently, or until he is raised or resurrected. A dead body decays, but magic that allows a dead character to come back to life 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 similar sorts of unpleasantness. A dead character cannot regain hit points.
Deafened
A deafened character cannot hear, suffers a -4 penalty to initiative checks, and has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components. He cannot make Listen skill checks.
Disabled
A character with 0 hit points, or one who has negative hit points but has stabilized and then improved, is disabled. He is conscious and able to act but horribly wounded. He can take only a partial action each round, and if he performs any strenuous action, he takes 1 point of damage after the completing the act. Strenuous actions include running, attacking, casting a spell, or using any ability that requires physical exertion or mental concentration. Unless the strenuous action increased the character's hit points, he is now dying.
A disabled character with negative hit points recovers hit points naturally if he is being helped. Otherwise, each day he has a 10% chance to start recovering hit points naturally (starting with that day); otherwise, he loses 1 hit point. Once an unaided character starts recovering hit points naturally, he is no longer in danger of losing hit points (even if his current hit points are negative).
Dying: A dying character has negative hit points. She is unconscious and near death. At the end of each round (starting with the round in which the character dropped below 0 hit points), her player rolls d% to see whether she stabilizes. She has a 10% chance to become stable. If she doesn't stabilize, she loses 1 hit point.
Dying
When a character's current hit points drop to between -1 and -9 inclusive, the character is dying. The character immediately falls unconscious and can take no actions.
At the end of each round (starting with the round in which the character dropped below 0), roll d% to see whether the character stabilizes. The character has a 10% chance to become stable. If the character doesn't, the character loses 1 hit point.
Energy Drained
The character gains one or more negative levels. If the subject has more negative levels than Hit Dice, s/he dies. Each negative level gives a creature without class levels the following penalties: -1 competence penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells or special abilities). Additionally, a spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from her highest available level. Negative levels stack. Negative levels remain for 24 hours or until removed with a spell. After 24 hours, the afflicted character must attempt a save v-death. . If the save succeeds, the negative level dissipates. If not, the negative level is removed, and the character or entity must try again after another 24 hours. If three consecutive saving throws fail, the level drain becomes permanent. The afflicted character must make separate saving throws for each negative level it is has gained. Some spells and effects automaticaly reduce a characters level permanently.
Entangled
An entangled creature suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls and a -4 penalty to effective Dexterity. If the bonds are anchored to an immobile object, the entangled character cannot move. Otherwise, he can move at half speed, but can't run or charge.
Exhausted
Characters who are exhausted move at half normal speed and suffer an effective penalty of -6 to Strength and Dexterity. A fatigued character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause fatigue. After 1 hour of complete rest, exhausted characters become fatigued.
Fatigued
Characters who are fatigued cannot run or charge and suffer an effective penalty of -2 to Strength and Dexterity. A fatigued character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause fatigue. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.
Surprised
A surprised character gains no AC bonus from dexterity or shields, receives a -2 penalty to saves and receives a +2 penalty to initiative on the round following the surprise round.
Frightened
A creature that is frightened flees as well as it can. If unable to flee, the creature may fight. It suffers a -2 morale penalty on attack rolls, checks, and saving throws. 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 condition of fear.
Grappled
Engaged in wrestling or some other form of hand-to-hand struggle with one or more attackers. A grappled character cannot move, cast a spell, fire a missile, or undertake any action more complicated than making a barehanded attack, attacking with a Small weapon, or attempting to break free from the opponent. In addition, grappled characters do not threaten any area and lose any Dexterity bonuses to AC against opponents they aren't grappling.
Held
Held characters are subject to enchantments that make them unable to move. They are helpless. They can perform no physical actions (but they continue to breathe and can take purely mental actions, such as manifesting psionic powers).
Helpless
Bound, held, sleeping, paralyzed, or unconscious characters are helpless. Enemies can make advantageous attacks against helpless characters, or even deliver a usually lethal coup de grace.
A melee attack against a helpless character is at a +4 bonus on the attack roll (equivalent to attacking a prone target). A ranged attack gets no special bonus. A helpless defender can't use any Dexterity bonus to AC. In fact, his Dexterity score is treated as if it were 0 and his Dexterity modifier to AC were -5 (and a thief can backstab him).
Incapacitated
Characters who are incapacitated are treated as helpless.
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 magical weapons, spells, spell-like effects, or supernatural effects.
Invisible
Visually undetectable. Invisible creatures gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and negate Dexterity bonuses to their opponents' AC.
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 1d6x10 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 (or move-equivalent action) per turn.
Normal
The character is unharmed (except, possibly, for hit points that have been lost) and unafflicted. She acts normally.
Panicked
A panicked creature suffers a -2 morale penalty on saving throws and must flee. A panicked creature has a 50% chance to drop what he's holding, chooses his path randomly (as long as he is getting away from immediate danger), and flees any other dangers that confront him. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers. A creature may use a special ability or spell to escape.
Panicked is a more extreme state of fear than shaken or frightened.
Paralyzed
A paralyzed character stands rigid and helpless, unable to move or act physically. He has effective Strength and Dexterity scores of 0 but may take purely mental actions.
Petrified
A petrified character is not dead as long as a majority of his body remains intact. He cannot move or take actions of any kind, not even purely mental ones. His Strength and Dexterity scores are effectively (but not actually) 0. He is unaware of what occurs around him, since all of his senses have ceased operating. If a petrified character cracks or breaks but the broken pieces are joined with him 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.
Pinned
Held immobile (but not helpless) in a grapple.
Prone
The character is on the ground. He suffers a -4 penalty on melee attack rolls, and the only ranged weapon he can effectively use is a crossbow, which he may use without penalty. Opponents receive +4 bonuses on melee attack against him but -4 penalties on ranged attacks. Standing up is a move-equivalent action.
Shaken
A shaken character suffers a -2 morale penalty on attack rolls, checks, and saving throws. Shaken is a less severe fear condition than frightened or panicked.
Stable
A character who was dying but who has stabilized 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, then the character no longer loses hit points. He has a 10% chance each hour to become conscious and be disabled (even though his hit points are still negative).
If the character stabilized on his own and hasn't had help, he is still at risk of losing hit points. Each hour, he has a 10% chance to become conscious and be disabled. Otherwise he loses 1 hit point.
Staggered
A character whose subdual damage exactly equals his current hit points is staggered. He so badly weakened or roughed up that he can only take a partial action when he would normally be able to take a standard action.
Stunned
The character loses her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) and can take no actions. Foes gain a +2 bonus to hit stunned characters.
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.