Glossary
Special Abilities
The following special abilities include rules commonly used by a number of creatures, spells, and traps.
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 suppress or negate magic have no effect on extraordinary abilities.
Spell-like abilities, as the name implies, are 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). Spell-like abilities can be dispelled but they cannot be counterspelled or used to counterspell.
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 Table: Special Ability Types for a summary of the types of special abilities.
Table: Special Ability Types
| Extraordinary | Spell-Like | Supernatural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dispel | No | Yes | No |
| Spell resistance | No | Yes | No |
| Antimagic field | No | Yes | Yes |
| Attack of opportunity | No | Yes | No |
| Dispel: Can dispel magic and similar spells dispel the effects of abilities of that type? | |||
| Spell Resistance: Does spell resistance protect a creature from these abilities? | |||
| Antimagic Field: Does an antimagic field or similar magic suppress the ability? | |||
| Attack of Opportunity: Does using the ability provoke attacks of opportunity the way that casting a spell does? | |||
Ability Score Bonuses
Some spells and abilities increase your ability scores. Ability score increases with a duration of 1 day or less give only temporary bonuses. For every two points of increase to a single ability, apply a +1 bonus to the skills and statistics listed with the relevant ability.
Strength
Temporary increases to your Strength score give you a bonus on Strength-based skill checks, melee attack rolls, and weapon damage rolls (if they rely on Strength). The bonus also applies to your Combat Maneuver Bonus (if you are Small or larger) and to your Combat Maneuver Defense.
Dexterity
Temporary increases to your Dexterity score give you a bonus on Dexterity-based skill checks, ranged attack rolls, initiative checks, and Reflex saving throws. The bonus also applies to your Armor Class, your Combat Maneuver Bonus (if you are Tiny or smaller), and your Combat Maneuver Defense.
Constitution
Temporary increases to your Constitution score give you a bonus on your Fortitude saving throws. In addition, multiply your total Hit Dice by this bonus and add that amount to your current and total hit points. When the bonus ends, remove this total from your current and total hit points.
Intelligence
Temporary increases to your Intelligence score give you a bonus on Intelligence-based skill checks. This bonus also applies to any spell DCs based on Intelligence.
Wisdom
Temporary increases to your Wisdom score give you a bonus on Wisdom-based skill checks and Will saving throws. This bonus also applies to any spell DCs based on Wisdom.
Charisma
Temporary increases to your Charisma score give you a bonus on Charisma-based skill checks. This bonus also applies to any spell DCs based on Charisma and the DC to resist your channeled energy.
Permanent Bonuses
Ability bonuses with a duration greater than 1 day actually increase the relevant ability score after 24 hours. Modify all skills and statistics related to that ability. This might cause you to gain skill points, hit points, and other bonuses. These bonuses should be noted separately in case they are removed.
Ability Score Damage, Penalty, and Drain
Diseases, poisons, spells, and other abilities can all deal damage directly to your ability scores. This damage does not actually reduce an ability, but it does apply a penalty to the skills and statistics that are based on that ability.
For every 2 points of damage you take to a single ability, apply a –1 penalty to skills and statistics listed with the relevant ability. If the amount of ability damage you have taken equals or exceeds your ability score, you immediately fall unconscious until the damage is less than your ability score. The only exception to this is your Constitution score. If the damage to your Constitution is equal to or greater than your Constitution score, you die. Unless otherwise noted, damage to your ability scores is healed at the rate of 1 per day to each ability score that has been damaged. Ability damage can be healed through the use of spells, such as lesser restoration.
Some spells and abilities cause you to take an ability penalty for a limited amount of time. While in effect, these penalties function just like ability damage, but they cannot cause you to fall unconscious or die. In essence, penalties cannot decrease your ability score to less than 1.
Strength
Damage to your Strength score causes you to take penalties on Strength-based skill checks, melee attack rolls, and weapon damage rolls (if they rely on Strength). The penalty also applies to your Combat Maneuver Bonus (if you are Small or larger) and your Combat Maneuver Defense.
Dexterity
Damage to your Dexterity score causes you to take penalties on Dexterity-based skill checks, ranged attack rolls, initiative checks, and Reflex saving throws. The penalty also applies to your Armor Class, your Combat Maneuver Bonus (if you are Tiny or smaller), and to your Combat Maneuver Defense.
Constitution
Damage to your Constitution score causes you to take penalties on your Fortitude saving throws. In addition, multiply your total Hit Dice by this penalty and subtract that amount from your current and total hit points. Lost hit points are restored when the damage to your Constitution is healed.
Intelligence
Damage to your Intelligence score causes you to take penalties on Intelligence-based skill checks. This penalty also applies to any spell DCs based on Intelligence.
Wisdom
Damage to your Wisdom score causes you to take penalties on Wisdom-based skill checks and Will saving throws. This penalty also applies to any spell DCs based on Wisdom.
Charisma
Damage to your Charisma score causes you to take penalties on Charisma-based skill checks. This penalty also applies to any spell DCs based off Charisma and the DC to resist your channeled energy.
Ability drain actually reduces the relevant ability score. Modify all skills and statistics related to that ability. This might cause you to lose skill points, hit points, and other bonuses. Ability drain can be healed through the use of spells such as restoration.
Afflictions
From curses to poisons to diseases, there are a number of afflictions that can affect a creature. While each of these afflictions has a different effect, they all function using the same basic system. All afflictions grant a saving throw when they are contracted. If successful, the creature does not suffer from the affliction and does not need to make any further rolls. If the saving throw is a failure, the creature falls victim to the affliction and must deal with its effects.
Afflictions require a creature to make a saving throw after a period of time to avoid taking certain penalties. With most afflictions, if a number of saving throws are made consecutively, the affliction is removed and no further saves are necessary. Some afflictions, usually supernatural ones, cannot be cured through saving throws alone and require the aid of powerful magic to remove. Each affliction is presented as a short block of information to help you better adjudicate its results.
Name
This is the name of the affliction.
Type
This is the type of the affliction, such as curse, disease, or poison. It might also include the means by which it is contracted, such as contact, ingestion, inhalation, injury, spell, or trap.
Save
This gives the type of save necessary to avoid contracting the affliction, as well as the DC of that save. Unless otherwise noted, this is also the save to avoid the affliction's effects once it is contracted, as well as the DC of any caster level checks needed to end the affliction through magic, such as remove curse or neutralize poison.
Onset
Some afflictions have a variable amount of time before they set in. Creatures that come in contact with an affliction with an onset time must make a saving throw immediately. Success means that the affliction is avoided and no further saving throws must be made. Failure means that the creature has contracted the affliction and must begin making additional saves after the onset period has elapsed. The affliction's effect does not occur until after the onset period has elapsed and then only if further saving throws are failed.
Frequency
This is how often the periodic saving throw must be attempted after the affliction has been contracted (after the onset time, if the affliction has any). While some afflictions last until they are cured, others end prematurely, even if the character is not cured through other means. If an affliction ends after a set amount of time, it will be noted in the frequency. For example, a disease with a frequency of “1/day” lasts until cured, but a poison with a frequency of “1/round for 6 rounds” ends after 6 rounds have passed.
Afflictions without a frequency occur only once, immediately upon contraction (or after the onset time if one is listed).
Effect
This is the effect that the character suffers each time if he fails his saving throw against the affliction. Most afflictions cause ability damage or hit point damage. These effects are cumulative, but they can be cured normally. Other afflictions cause the creature to take penalties or other effects. These effects are sometimes cumulative, with the rest only affecting the creature if it failed its most recent save. Some afflictions have different effects after the first save is failed. These afflictions have an initial effect, which occurs when the first save is failed, and a secondary effect, when additional saves are failed, as noted in the text. Hit point and ability score damage caused by an affliction cannot be healed naturally while the affliction persists.
Cure
This tells you how the affliction is cured. Commonly, this is a number of saving throws that must be made consecutively. Even if the affliction has a limited frequency, it might be cured prematurely if enough saving throws are made. Hit point damage and ability score damage is not removed when an affliction is cured. Such damage must be healed normally. Afflictions without a cure entry can only be cured through powerful spells, such as neutralize poison and remove curse. No matter how many saving throws are made, these afflictions continue to affect the target.
He failed a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid contracting it, so after the onset period of 1d3 days has passed, he must make another DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid taking 1d6 points of Strength damage. From this point onward, he must make a DC 15 Fortitude save each day (according to the disease's frequency) to avoid further Strength damage. If, on two consecutive days, he makes his Fortitude saves, he is cured of the disease and any damage it caused begins to heal as normal.
Curses
Careless rogues plundering a tomb, drunken heroes insulting a powerful wizard, and foolhardy adventurers who pick up ancient swords all might suffer from curses. These magic afflictions can have a wide variety of effects, from a simple penalty to certain checks to transforming the victim into a toad. Some even cause the afflicted to slowly rot away, leaving nothing behind but dust. Unlike other afflictions, most curses cannot be cured through a number of successful saving throws. Curses can be cured through magic, however, usually via spells such as remove curse and break enchantment. While some curses cause a progressive deterioration, others inflict a static penalty from the moment they are contracted, neither fading over time nor growing worse. In addition, there are a number of magic items that act like curses. See Magic Items for a description of these cursed items.
The following samples present just some of the possibilities when creating curses.
Diseases
From a widespread plague to the bite of a dire rat, disease is a serious threat to common folk and adventurers alike. Diseases rarely have a limited frequency, but most have a lengthy onset time. This onset time can also be variable. Most diseases can be cured by a number of consecutive saving throws or by spells such as remove disease.
The following samples represent just some of the possibilities when creating diseases.
Red Ache
No other affliction is so prevalent as poison. From the fangs of a viper to the ichor-stained assassin's blade, poison is a constant threat. Poisons can be cured by successful saving throws and spells such as neutralize poison.
Contact poisons are contracted the moment someone touches the poison with his bare skin. Such poisons can be used as injury poisons. Contact poisons usually have an onset time of 1 minute and a frequency of 1 minute. Ingested poisons are contracted when a creature eats or drinks the poison. Ingested poisons usually have an onset time of 10 minutes and a frequency of 1 minute. Injury poisons are primarily contracted through the attacks of certain creatures and through weapons coated in the toxin. Injury poisons do not usually have an onset time and have a frequency of 1 round. Inhaled poisons are contracted the moment a creature enters an area containing such poisons. Most inhaled poisons fill a volume equal to a 10-foot cube per dose. Creatures can attempt to hold their breaths while inside to avoid inhaling the toxin. Creatures holding their breaths receive a 50% chance of not having to make a Fortitude save each round. See the rules for holding your breath and suffocation in Environment. Note that a character that would normally suffocate while attempting to hold its breath instead begins to breathe normally again.
Unlike other afflictions, multiple doses of the same poison stack. Poisons delivered by injury and contact cannot inflict more than one dose of poison at a time, but inhaled and ingested poisons can inflict multiple doses at once. Each additional dose extends the total duration of the poison (as noted under frequency) by half its total duration. In addition, each dose of poison increases the DC to resist the poison by +2. This increase is cumulative. Multiple doses do not alter the cure conditions of the poison, and meeting these conditions ends the affliction for all the doses. For example, a character is bit three times in the same round by a trio of Medium monstrous spiders, injecting him with three doses of Medium spider venom. The unfortunate character must make a DC 18 Fortitude save for the next 8 rounds. Fortunately, just one successful save cures the character of all three doses of the poison.
Applying poison to a weapon or single piece of ammunition is a standard action. Whenever a character applies or readies a poison for use there is a 5% chance that he exposes himself to the poison and must save against the poison as normal. This does not consume the dose of poison. Whenever a character attacks with a poisoned weapon, if the attack roll results in a natural 1, he exposes himself to the poison. This poison is consumed when the weapon strikes a creature or is touched by the wielder. Characters with the poison use class feature do not risk accidentally poisoning themselves.
Poisons can be made using Craft (alchemy). The DC to make a poison is equal to its Fortitude save DC. Rolling a natural 1 on a Craft skill check while making a poison exposes the crafter to the poison. Crafters with the poison use class feature do not risk poisoning themselves when using Craft to make poison.
The following samples represent just some of the possibilities when creating poisons.
Table: Sample Poisons
| Name | Type | Fort DC | Onset | Frequency | Effect | Cure | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | ingested | 13 | 10 min. | 1/min. for 4 min. | 1d2 Con | 1 save | 120 gp |
| Belladonna | ingested | 14 | 10 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d2 Str, see text | 1 save | 100 gp |
| Black adder venom | injury | 11 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1d2 Con | 1 save | 120 gp |
| Black lotus extract | contact | 20 | 1 min. | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1d6 Con | 2 saves | 4,500 gp |
| Bloodroot | injury | 12 | 1 rd. | 1/rd. for 4 rds. | 1 Con and 1 Wis | 1 save | 100 gp |
| Blue whinnis | injury | 14 | — | 1/rd. for 2 rds | 1 Con/unconscious 1d3 hours | 1 save | 120 gp |
| Burnt othur fumes | inhaled | 18 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1 Con drain/1d3 Con | 2 saves | 2,100 gp |
| Dark reaver powder | ingested | 18 | 10 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d3 Con and 1 Str | 2 saves | 800 gp |
| Deathblade | injury | 20 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1d3 Con | 2 saves | 1,800 gp |
| Dragon bile | contact | 26 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1d3 Str | — | 1,500 gp |
| Drow poison | injury | 13 | — | 1/min. for 2 min. | unconscious 1 min./2d4 hours | 1 save | 75 gp |
| Giant wasp poison | injury | 18 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1d2 Dex | 1 save | 210 gp |
| Greenblood oil | injury | 13 | — | 1/rd. for 4 rds. | 1 Con | 1 save | 100 gp |
| Green prismatic poison | spell | varies | — | 1/rd. | for 6 rds. Death/1 Con | 2 saves | — |
| Hemlock | ingested | 18 | 10 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d6 Dex, see text | 2 saves | 2,500 gp |
| Id moss | ingested | 14 | 10 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d3 Int | 1 save | 125 gp |
| Insanity mist | inhaled | 15 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1d3 Wis | 1 save | 1,500 gp |
| King's sleep | ingested | 19 | 1 day | 1/day | 1 Con drain | 2 saves | 5,000 gp |
| Large scorpion venom | injury | 17 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1d2 Str | 1 save | 200 gp |
| Lich dust | ingested | 17 | 10 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d3 Str | 2 saves | 400 gp |
| Malyass root paste | contact | 16 | 1 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d2 Dex | 1 save | 250 gp |
| Medium spider venom | injury | 14 | — | 1/rd. for 4 rds. | 1d2 Str | 1 save | 150 gp |
| Nightmare vapor | inhaled | 20 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1 Wis and confused 1 round | 2 saves | 1,800 gp |
| Nitharit | contact | 13 | 1 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d3 Con | 1 save | 650 gp |
| Oil of taggit | ingested | 15 | min. | — | unconscious 1d3 hours | 1 save | 90 gp |
| Purple worm poison | injury | 24 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1d3 Str | 2 saves | 700 gp |
| Sassone leaf residue | contact | 16 | 1 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 2d12 hp/1 Con | 1 save | 300 gp |
| Shadow essence | injury | 17 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1 Str drain/1d2 Str | 1 save | 250 gp |
| Small centipede poison | injury | 11 | — | 1/rd. for 4 rds. | 1 Dex | save | 90 gp |
| Striped toadstool | ingested | 11 | 10 min. | 1/min. for 4 min. | 1d3 Wis and 1 Int | 1 save | 180 gp |
| Tears of death | contact | 22 | 1 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d6 Con and paralyzed 1 min. | — | 6,500 gp |
| Terinav root | contact | 16 | 1 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d3 Dex | 1 save | 400 gp |
| Ungol dust | inhaled | 15 | — | 1/rd. for 4 rds. | 1 Cha drain/1d2 Cha | 1 save | 1,000 gp |
| Wolfsbane | ingested | 16 | 10 min. | 1/min. for 6 min. | 1d3 Con | 1 save | 500 gp |
| Wyvern poison | injury | 17 | — | 1/rd. for 6 rds. | 1d4 Con | 2 saves | 3,000 gp |
Blindsight and Blindsense
Some creatures possess blindsight, the extraordinary ability to use a nonvisual sense (or a combination senses) to operate effectively without vision. Such senses may include sensitivity to vibrations, acute scent, keen hearing, or echolocation. This 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 that use blindsight.
- Deafening attacks thwart blindsight if it relies on hearing.
- Blindsight works underwater but not in a vacuum.
- Blindsight negates displacement and blur effects.
Conditions
If more than one condition affects a character, apply them all. If effects can't combine, apply the most severe effect.