Conditions alter a creature's capabilities in a variety of ways and can arise as a result of a spell, class feature, attack, or other effects. Most conditions (such as blinded) are impairments, but a few (such as invisible) can be advantageous. A condition lasts either until it is countered (for example, being prone can be countered by standing up) or for a duration specified by the effect that imposed the condition.
If multiple effects impose the same condition on a creature, each instance of the condition has its own duration, but the condition's effects don't get worse. A creature either has a condition or doesn't.
The following definitions specify what happens to a creature while it is subjected to a condition.
Blinded
- A blinded creature can't see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.
Charmed
- A charmed creature can't attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful abilities or magical effects.
- The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.
Deafened
- A deafened creature can't hear and automatically fails any ability check that requires hearing.
Disease
- See below.
Frightened
- A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight.
- The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear.
Grappled
- A grappled creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
- The condition ends if the grappler is incapacitated (see the condition below).
- The condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the Thunderwave spell.
Incapacitated
- An incapacitated creature can't take actions or reactions.
- Per PHB pg. 189, "anything that deprives you of your ability to take actions also prevents you from taking a bonus action."
Invisible
- An invisible creature is impossible to see without the aid of magic or a special sense. For the purposes of hiding, the creature is heavily obscured. The creature's location can be detected by any noise it makes or any tracks it leaves.
- Attack rolls against the creature have disadvantage, and the creature's attack rolls have advantage.
Madness
- See below.
Paralyzed
- A paralyzed creature is incapacitated (see the condition) and can't move or speak.
- The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
- Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
Petrified
- A petrified creature, along with any nonmagical object it is wearing or carrying, is transformed into a solid inanimate substance (usually stone). Its weight increases by a factor of 10, and it ceases aging.
- The creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can't move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
- The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
- The creature has resistance to all damage.
- The creature is immune to all poison and disease, although a poison or disease already in its system is suspended, not neutralized.
Poisoned
- A poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. See below
Prone
- A prone creature's only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
- The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls.
- An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage.
Restrained
- A restrained creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.
- The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.
Stunned
- A stunned creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can't move, and can speak only falteringly.
- The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
Unconscious
- An unconscious creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can't move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings.
- The creature drops whatever it's holding and falls prone.
- The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
- Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
Exhaustion (Fatigued)
Some special abilities and environmental hazards, such as starvation and the long-term effects of freezing or scorching temperatures, can lead to a special condition called exhaustion.
Exhaustion is measured in six levels. An effect can give a creature one or more levels of exhaustion, as specified in the effect's description.
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Disadvantage on ability checks |
| 2 | Speed halved |
| 3 | Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws |
| 4 | Hit point maximum halved |
| 5 | Speed reduced to 0 |
| 6 | Death |
A creature suffers the effect of its current level of exhaustion as well as all lower levels. For example, a creature suffering level 2 exhaustion has its speed halved and has disadvantage on ability checks.
An effect that removes exhaustion reduces its level as specified in the effect's description, with all exhaustion effects ending if a creature's exhaustion level is reduced below 1.
Finishing a long rest reduces a creature's exhaustion level by 1, provided that the creature has also ingested some food and drink.
Diseases
A plague ravages the kingdom, setting the
adventurers on a quest to find a cure. An adventurer
emerges from an ancient tomb, unopened for
centuries, and soon finds herself suffering from a
wasting illness. A warlock offends some dark power
and contracts a strange affliction that spreads
whenever he casts spells.
A simple outbreak might amount to little more
than a small drain on party resources, curable by a
casting of lesser restoration. A more complicated
outbreak can form the basis of one or more
adventures as characters search for a cure, stop the
spread of the disease, and deal with the
consequences.
A disease that does more than infect a few party
members is primarily a plot device. The rules help
describe the effects of the disease and how it can be
cured, but the specifics of how a disease works
aren’t bound by a common set of rules. Diseases can
affect any creature, and a given illness might or
might not pass from one race or kind of creature to
another. A plague might affect only constructs or
undead, or sweep through a halfling neighborhood
but leave other races untouched. What matters is the
story you want to tell.
Sample Diseases
The diseases here illustrate the variety of ways
disease can work in the game. Feel free to alter the
saving throw DCs, incubation times, symptoms, and
other characteristics of these diseases to suit your
campaign.
Cackle Fever
This disease targets humanoids, although gnomes
are strangely immune. While in the grips of this
disease, victims frequently succumb to fits of mad
laughter, giving the disease its common name and its
morbid nickname: “the shrieks.”
Symptoms manifest 1d4 hours after infection and
include fever and disorientation. The infected
creature gains one level of exhaustion that can’t be
removed until the disease is cured.
Any event that causes the infected creature great
stress—including entering combat, taking damage,
experiencing fear, or having a nightmare—forces the
creature to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw.
On a failed save, the creature takes 5 (1d10) psychic
damage and becomes incapacitated with mad
laughter for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the
saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
the mad laughter and the incapacitated condition on
a success.
Any humanoid creature that starts its turn within
10 feet of an infected creature in the throes of mad
laughter must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution
saving throw or also become infected with the
disease. Once a creature succeeds on this save, it is
immune to the mad laughter of that particular
infected creature for 24 hours.
At the end of each long rest, an infected creature
can make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a
successful save, the DC for this save and for the save
to avoid an attack of mad laughter drops by 1d6.
When the saving throw DC drops to 0, the creature
recovers from the disease. A creature that fails three
of these saving throws gains a randomly determined
form of indefinite madness, as described later.
Sewer Plague
Sewer plague is a generic term for a broad category
of illnesses that incubate in sewers, refuse heaps,
and stagnant swamps, and which are sometimes
transmitted by creatures that dwell in those areas,
such as rats and otyughs.
When a humanoid creature is bitten by a creature
that carries the disease, or when it comes into
contact with filth or offal contaminated by the
disease, the creature must succeed on a DC 11
Constitution saving throw or become infected.
It takes 1d4 days for sewer plague’s symptoms to
manifest in an infected creature. Symptoms include
fatigue and cramps. The infected creature suffers
one level of exhaustion, and it regains only half the
normal number of hit points from spending Hit Dice
and no hit points from finishing a long rest.
At the end of each long rest, an infected creature
must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On a
failed save, the character gains one level of
exhaustion. On a successful save, the character’s
exhaustion level decreases by one level. If a
successful saving throw reduces the infected
creature’s level of exhaustion below 1, the creature
recovers from the disease.
Sight Rot
This painful infection causes bleeding from the eyes
and eventually blinds the victim.
A beast or humanoid that drinks water tainted by
sight rot must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution
saving throw or become infected. One day after
infection, the creature’s vision starts to become
blurry. The creature takes a −1 penalty to attack
rolls and ability checks that rely on sight. At the end
of each long rest after the symptoms appear, the
penalty worsens by 1. When it reaches −5, the victim
is blinded until its sight is restored by magic such as
lesser restoration or heal.
Sight rot can be cured using a rare flower called
Eyebright, which grows in some swamps. Given an
hour, a character who has proficiency with an
herbalism kit can turn the flower into one dose of
ointment. Applied to the eyes before a long rest, one
dose of it prevents the disease from worsening after
that rest. After three doses, the ointment cures the
disease entirely.
Madness
In a typical campaign, characters aren’t driven mad by the horrors they face and the carnage they inflict day after day, but sometimes the stress of being an adventurer can be too much to bear. If your campaign has a strong horror theme, you might want to use madness as a way to reinforce that theme, emphasizing the extraordinarily horrific Natureof the threats the adventurers face.
Resisting a madness-inducing effect usually requires a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw.
A character afflicted with short-term madness is subjected to an effect from the Short-Term Madness table for 1d10 minutes.
A character afflicted with long-term madness is subjected to an effect from the Long-Term Madness table for 1d10 × 10 hours.
A character afflicted with indefinite madness gains a new character flaw from the Indefinite Madness table that lasts until cured.
Going Mad
Various magical Effects can inflict madness on an otherwise stable mind. Certain Spells, such as Contact Other Plane and Symbol, can cause insanity, and you can use the madness rules here instead of the spell Effects of those Spells. Diseases, Poisons, and planar Effectssuch as psychic wind or the howling winds of Pandemonium can all inflict madness. Some artifacts can also break the psyche of a character who uses or becomes attuned to them.Resisting a madness-inducing effect usually requires a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw.
Madness Effects
Madness can be short-term, long-term, or indefinite. Most relatively mundane Effectsimpose short-term madness, which lasts for just a few minutes. More horrific Effects or cumulative Effects can result in long-term or indefinite madness.A character afflicted with short-term madness is subjected to an effect from the Short-Term Madness table for 1d10 minutes.
A character afflicted with long-term madness is subjected to an effect from the Long-Term Madness table for 1d10 × 10 hours.
A character afflicted with indefinite madness gains a new character flaw from the Indefinite Madness table that lasts until cured.
| d100 | Effect (lasts 1d10 minutes) |
|---|---|
| 01–20 | The character retreats into his or her mind and becomes Paralyzed. The effect ends if the character takes any damage. |
| 21–30 | The character becomes Incapacitated and spends the Duration screaming, laughing, or weeping. |
| 31–40 | The character becomes Frightened and must use his or her action and Movement each round to flee from the source of the fear. |
| 41–50 | The character begins babbling and is incapable of normal Speech or Spellcasting. |
| 51–60 | The character must use his or her action each round to Attack the nearest creature. |
| 61–70 | The character experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on Ability Checks. |
| 71–75 | The character does whatever anyone tells him or her to do that isn’t obviously self- destructive. |
| 76–80 | The character experiences an overpowering urge to eat something strange such as dirt, slime, or offal. |
| 81–90 | The character is Stunned. |
| 91–100 | The character falls Unconscious. |
| d100 | Effect (lasts 1d10 × 10 hours) |
|---|---|
| 01–10 | The character feels compelled to repeat a specific activity over and over, such as washing hands, touching things, praying, or counting coins. |
| 11–20 | The character experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on Ability Checks. |
| 21–30 | The character suffers extreme paranoia. The character has disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma Checks. |
| 31–40 | The character regards something (usually the source of madness) with intense revulsion, as if affected by the antipathy effect of the Antipathy/Sympathy spell. |
| 41–45 | The character experiences a powerful delusion. Choose a potion. The character imagines that he or she is under its Effects. |
| 46–55 | The character becomes attached to a “lucky charm,” such as a person or an object, and has disadvantage on Attack rolls, Ability Checks, and Saving Throwswhile more than 30 feet from it. |
| 56–65 | The character is Blinded (25%) or Deafened (75%). |
| 66–75 | The character experiences uncontrollable tremors or tics, which impose disadvantage on Attack rolls, Ability Checks, and Saving Throws that involve Strength or Dexterity. |
| 76–85 | The character suffers from partial amnesia. The character knows who he or she is and retains Racial Traits and Class Features, but doesn’t recognize other people or remember anything that happened before the madness took effect. |
| 86–90 | Whenever the character takes damage, he or she must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be affected as though he or she failed a saving throw against the Confusion spell. The Confusion effect lasts for 1 minute. |
| 91–95 | The character loses the ability to speak. |
| 96–100 | The character falls Unconscious. No amount of jostling or damage can wake the character. |
| d100 | Flaw (lasts until cured) |
|---|---|
| 01–15 | “Being drunk keeps me sane.” |
| 16 - 25 | "I keep whatever I find." |
| 26–30 | “I try to become more like someone else I know—adopting his or her style of dress, mannerisms, and name.” |
| 31–35 | “I must bend the truth, exaggerate, or outright lie to be interesting to other people.” |
| 36–45 | “Achieving my goal is the only thing of interest to me, and I’ll ignore everything else to pursue it.” |
| 46–50 | “I find it hard to care about anything that goes on around me.” |
| 51–55 | “I don’t like the way people judge me all the time.” |
| 56–70 | “I am the smartest, wisest, strongest, fastest, and most beautiful person I know.” |
| 71–80 | “I am convinced that powerful enemies are hunting me, and their agents are everywhere I go. I am sure they’re watching me all the time.” |
| 81–85 | “There’s only one person I can trust. And only I can see this Special friend.” |
| 86–95 | “I can’t take anything seriously. The more serious the situation, the funnier I find it.” |
| 96–100 | “I’ve discovered that I really like killing people.” |
Curing Madness
A Calm Emotions spell can suppress the Effects of madness, while a Lesser Restorationspell can rid a character of a short-term or long-term madness. Depending on the source of the madness, Remove Curse or dispel evil might also prove effective. A Greater Restoration spell or more powerful magic is required to rid a character of indefinite madness.
Poisons
Given their insidious and deadly Nature, poisons are illegal in most societies but are a favorite tool among assassins, drow, and other evil creatures.
Poisons come in the following four types:
Contact: Contact poison can be smeared on an object and remains potent until it is touched or washed off. A creature that touches contact poison with exposed skin suffers its Effects.
Ingested: A creature must swallow an entire dose of ingested poison to suffer its Effects. The dose can be delivered in food or a liquid. You may decide that a partial dose has a reduced effect, such as allowing advantage on the saving throw or dealing only half damage on a failed save.
Inhaled: These poisons are powders or gases that take effect when inhaled. Blowing the powder or releasing the gas subjects creatures in a 5-foot cube to its effect. The resulting cloud dissipates immediately afterward. Holding one’s breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons, as they affect nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body.
Injury: Injury poison can be applied to Weapons, Ammunition, trap Components, and other Objects that deal piercing or slashing damage and remains potent until delivered through a wound or washed off. A creature that takes piercing or slashing damage from an object coated with the poison is exposed to its Effects.
Assassin’s Blood (Ingested): A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and is Poisoned for 24 hours. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn’t Poisoned.
Burnt Othur Fumes (Inhaled): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On each successive failed save, the character takes 3 (1d6) poison damage. After three successful saves, the poison ends.
Crawler Mucus (Contact): This poison must be harvested from a dead or Incapacitatedcrawler. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for 1 minute. The Poisoned creature is Paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Drow Poison (Injury): This poison is typically made only by the drow, and only in a place far removed from sunlight. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also Unconscious while Poisoned in this way. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.
Essence of Ether (Inhaled): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 8 hours. The Poisoned creature is Unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.
Malice (Inhaled): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 1 hour. The Poisoned creature is Blinded.
Midnight Tears (Ingested): A creature that ingests this poison suffers no effect until the stroke of midnight. If the poison has not been neutralized before then, the creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 31 (9d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Oil of Taggit (Contact): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 24 hours. The Poisoned creature is Unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage.
Pale Tincture (Ingested): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) poison damage and become Poisoned. The Poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, taking 3 (1d6) poison damage on a failed save. Until this poison ends, the damage the poison deals can’t be healed by any means. After seven successful Saving Throws, the effect ends and the creature can heal normally.
Purple Worm Poison (Injury): This poison must be harvested from a dead or Incapacitated Purple Worm. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Serpent Venom (Injury): This poison must be harvested from a dead or IncapacitatedGiant Poisonous Snake. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Torpor (Ingested): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 4d6 hours. The Poisoned creature is Incapacitated.
Truth Serum (Ingested): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 1 hour. The Poisoned creature can’t knowingly speak a lie, as if under the effect of a Zone of Truth spell.
Wyvern Poison (Injury): This poison must be harvested from a dead or IncapacitatedWyvern. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Poisons come in the following four types:
Contact: Contact poison can be smeared on an object and remains potent until it is touched or washed off. A creature that touches contact poison with exposed skin suffers its Effects.
Ingested: A creature must swallow an entire dose of ingested poison to suffer its Effects. The dose can be delivered in food or a liquid. You may decide that a partial dose has a reduced effect, such as allowing advantage on the saving throw or dealing only half damage on a failed save.
Inhaled: These poisons are powders or gases that take effect when inhaled. Blowing the powder or releasing the gas subjects creatures in a 5-foot cube to its effect. The resulting cloud dissipates immediately afterward. Holding one’s breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons, as they affect nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body.
Injury: Injury poison can be applied to Weapons, Ammunition, trap Components, and other Objects that deal piercing or slashing damage and remains potent until delivered through a wound or washed off. A creature that takes piercing or slashing damage from an object coated with the poison is exposed to its Effects.
| Poison | Type | Price per Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Assassin’s blood | Ingested | 150 gp |
| Burnt othur fumes | Inhaled | 500 gp |
| Crawler mucus | Contact | 200 gp |
| Drow poison | Injury | 200 gp |
| Essence of ether | Inhaled | 300 gp |
| Malice | Inhaled | 250 gp |
| Midnight tears | Ingested | 1,500 gp |
| Oil of taggit | Contact | 400 gp |
| Pale tincture | Ingested | 250 gp |
| Purple Worm poison | Injury | 2,000 gp |
| Serpent venom | Injury | 200 gp |
| Torpor | Ingested | 600 gp |
| Truth serum | Ingested | 150 gp |
| Wyvern poison | Injury | 1,200 gp |
Sample Poisons
Each type of poison has its own debilitating Effects.Assassin’s Blood (Ingested): A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and is Poisoned for 24 hours. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn’t Poisoned.
Burnt Othur Fumes (Inhaled): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On each successive failed save, the character takes 3 (1d6) poison damage. After three successful saves, the poison ends.
Crawler Mucus (Contact): This poison must be harvested from a dead or Incapacitatedcrawler. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for 1 minute. The Poisoned creature is Paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Drow Poison (Injury): This poison is typically made only by the drow, and only in a place far removed from sunlight. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also Unconscious while Poisoned in this way. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.
Essence of Ether (Inhaled): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 8 hours. The Poisoned creature is Unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.
Malice (Inhaled): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 1 hour. The Poisoned creature is Blinded.
Midnight Tears (Ingested): A creature that ingests this poison suffers no effect until the stroke of midnight. If the poison has not been neutralized before then, the creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 31 (9d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Oil of Taggit (Contact): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 24 hours. The Poisoned creature is Unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage.
Pale Tincture (Ingested): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) poison damage and become Poisoned. The Poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, taking 3 (1d6) poison damage on a failed save. Until this poison ends, the damage the poison deals can’t be healed by any means. After seven successful Saving Throws, the effect ends and the creature can heal normally.
Purple Worm Poison (Injury): This poison must be harvested from a dead or Incapacitated Purple Worm. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Serpent Venom (Injury): This poison must be harvested from a dead or IncapacitatedGiant Poisonous Snake. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Torpor (Ingested): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 4d6 hours. The Poisoned creature is Incapacitated.
Truth Serum (Ingested): A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become Poisoned for 1 hour. The Poisoned creature can’t knowingly speak a lie, as if under the effect of a Zone of Truth spell.
Wyvern Poison (Injury): This poison must be harvested from a dead or IncapacitatedWyvern. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
No comments:
Post a Comment