B.2 Circumstances and Debuffs

blinded: A blinded creature cannot use its eyes. Assuming it does not have other methods of sight, it automatically fails at actions which depend on vision, including simply seeing the locations of other objects and creatures. This makes it at least partially unaware (-2 defenses) of all attacks, and it may be fully unaware (-5 defenses) as normal. It has a 50% miss chance when trying to attack targets it cannot see. If a blinded creature can perceive targets with other effects that do not require eyes, such as blindsight, it can ignore these detrimental effects.

braced: A braced creature gains a +2 bonus to all defenses.

bleed: A bleeding creature takes damage at the end of each of its turns. It can stop bleeding if it makes a difficulty value 8 Medicine check as a standard action. Applying bandages as part of this action gives a +5 bonus to this check. You automatically stop bleeding if you take damage from a Fire ability.

If a creature stops bleeding at the end of its turn, it still takes damage from the bleed that turn. When an ability that inflicts bleeding gets a critical hit, the damage of the bleed is doubled normally from the critical unless the ability has a different critical hit effect.

burn: A burning creature takes damage at the end of each of its turns. It can stop burning if it makes a difficulty value 8 Dexterity check as a standard action. Dropping prone (half speed, -2 Armor and Ref) as part of this action gives a +5 bonus to this check. You automatically stop burning if you are affected by a Cold or Water ability, or are submerged in a non-flammable liquid like water.

If a creature stops burning at the end of its turn, it still takes damage from the burn that turn. When an ability that inflicts burning gets a critical hit, the damage of the burn is doubled normally from the critical unless the ability has a different critical hit effect.

charmed: A charmed creature is mentally influenced to like another creature. It always sees the words and actions of the creature that charmed it in the most favorable way, as a close friend or trusted ally. A charmed creature cannot be controlled like an automaton, but can be persuaded to take particular actions with the Persuasion skill (see Persuasion). It treats the creature that charmed it as a friend (a +10 relationship modifier) for the purpose of Persuasion checks.

Any act by the charming creature or by creatures that appear to be its allies that threatens or harms the charmed person breaks the effect. Harming a charmed creature is not limited to dealing it damage, but also includes causing it significant subjective discomfort. An observant creature may interpret overt threats to its allies as a threat to itself.

confused: A confused creature takes a -2 penalty to all defenses and is unable to independently control its actions. This penalty does not stack with the dazed (-2 defenses) effect. When a creature becomes confused, and at the start of each of its turns, it randomly decides to have one of two behaviors that turn: attack its enemies, or protect itself and its allies without attacking. Within those constraints, it can freely choose its actions. If it can’t carry out the indicated action, it does nothing but babble incoherently.

A confused creature automatically stops being confused after ten minutes, even if it was unable to rest due to its confusion.

corrode: A corroding creature takes damage at the end of each of its turns. It can stop corroding if it makes a difficulty value 8 Dexterity check as a standard action. Dropping prone (half speed, -2 Armor and Ref) as part of this action gives a +5 bonus to this check. You automatically stop corroding if you are affected by a Cold or Fire ability, or are submerged in a non-corrosive liquid like water.

If a creature stops corroding at the end of its turn, it still takes damage from the corrosion that turn. When an ability that inflicts corrosion gets a critical hit, the damage of the corrosion is doubled normally from the critical unless the ability has a different critical hit effect.

dazed: A dazed creature takes a -2 penalty to all defenses. This does not stack with the confused (-2 defenses, randomly attack or defend) effect.

dazzled: A dazzled creature has difficulty seeing. It loses the benefits of special vision traits that require eyes, such as darkvision and low-light vision. In addition, it treats everything it sees as if it had concealment. Among other effects, this gives its targeted attacks a 20% miss chance. If the dazzled creature can perceive targets with other effects that do not require eyes, such as blindsight, it can ignore this miss chance.

deafened: A deafened creature cannot hear. It automatically fails at actions that depend on hearing, and is immune to Auditory abilities. In addition, it has a 20% failure chance when casting any spell with verbal components.

dominated: A dominated creature is mentally compelled to obey another creature. It obeys the commands of the creature that dominated it unquestioningly, as an automaton. If it does not understand the language of the creature that dominated it, it still attempts to obey as much as possible, and simple commands (such as “attack” or “follow”) can usually be communicated successfully. A creature that is both dominated and confused (-2 defenses, randomly attack or defend) obeys its dominated orders, ignoring the confusion.

empowered: An empowered creature deals extra damage with all of its damaging abilities equal to its character rank. Being empowered does not improve your reactive attacks.

enraged: An enraged creature must spend a standard action to make an attack during its turn. It can still take other actions normally. The creature’s attacks do not have to specifically target other creatures, so it can attack inanimate objects. If it is unable to take standard actions, such as if it is unconscious, it suffers no extra penalty.

An enraged creature automatically stops being enraged after ten minutes, even if it was unable to rest due to its rage.

exposed: An exposed creature takes a -4 penalty to all defenses. This effect automatically ends after the creature is next attacked, or at the start of its next turn, whichever comes first.

focused: A focused creature can reroll attack rolls once and keep the higher result. This only affects attack rolls, not miss chances or checks. Being focused does not improve your reactive attacks.

fortified: A fortified creature gains a +2 bonus to its Brawn, Fortitude, and Mental defenses.

frightened: A frightened creature takes a -2 penalty to its Mental defense. In addition, it takes a -2 penalty to accuracy against the source of its fear. This does not stack with the panicked (-4 Mental, cannot attack source) effect. If the source of a frightened creature’s fear is defeated or otherwise stops being relevant to the creature, this effect is broken. Being frightened is always an Emotion effect, even if it is caused by an ability that does not have that tag.

goaded: A goaded creature takes a -2 penalty to accuracy against creatures other than the creature that goaded it as long as it is within Medium (60 ft.) range of that creature. If the goading creature is defeated, this effect is broken. If a creature is goaded by multiple different creatures simultaneously, the most recent effect takes precedence, so it does not take an accuracy penalty on its attacks against the most recent goading creature. Being goaded is always an Emotion effect, even if it is caused by an ability that does not have that tag.

grappled: A grappled creature is wrestling or in some other form of hand-to-hand struggle with at least one other creature. While grappled, you suffer certain penalties and restrictions, as described below.

• One of your hands cannot be used for any purpose. This prevents humanoid creatures from taking any actions that would require having two free hands, such as attacking with Heavy weapons. This does not affect creatures without hands.
• You take a -2 penalty to Armor and Reflex defenses.
• You cannot move unless you push all creatures grappling you, such as with the shove ability (see Shove). In addition, you cannot push a creature grappling with you so it stops being adjacent to you. However, you can use the shove ability to affect creatures you are grappling with as a move action instead of as a standard action.
• You can use the escape grapple ability to stop grappling (see Universal Combat Abilities).
• You can attempt to release the grapple as a free action. If each other creature you are grappling with used escape grapple ability or attempted to release the grapple in this way since your last turn, the grapple immediately ends for all participants. Otherwise, it continues.

helpless: A helpless creature is unable to move or defend itself. It takes a -8 penalty to its Armor, Brawn, and Reflex defenses. These penalties do not stack with the penalties for being unsteady and either partially or fully unaware. In addition, it cannot use any action that would require motion. Creatures that are helpless due to bindings can still attempt to free themselves, such as with a Flexibility check, but can take no other actions. Bound and unconscious creatures are helpless.

honed: A honed creature gains a +4 accuracy bonus for the purpose of determining whether it gets a critical hit.

immune: A creature that is immune to an attack is completely unaffected by it. Creatures and objects can be immune to a specific ability tag or debuff. It is also possible to be immune to more specific effects, like being grappled or gaining conditions.

If an attack has multiple tags, a creature is immune to the attack if it is immune to any of the attack’s tags. However, being immune to a particular effect of an attack does not make you immune to the rest of the attack’s effects. For example, if you are immune to being dazed (-2 defenses), you still take full damage from an attack that deals damage and stuns you.

maximized: A maximized creature deals maximum damage whenever it deals damage. This only affects damage caused directly by the creature, just like extra damage. For example, a maximized creature that flings a creature does not maximize the impact damage from the fling, if any. Being maximized does not improve your reactive attacks.

panicked: A panicked creature takes a -4 penalty to its Mental defense. In addition, it is unable to make any attacks that include the source of its fear as a target. The penalty from this effect does not stack with the frightened (-2 Mental, -2 accuracy vs. source) effect. If the source of a panicked creature’s fear is defeated, this effect is broken. Being panicked is always an Emotion effect, even if it is caused by an ability that does not have that tag.

partially unaware: Creatures take a -2 penalty to all defenses against attacks that they are partially unaware of. They have a 50% miss chance with targeted attacks against creatures and objects that they are partially unaware of, and they can only attempt to target creatures and objects that they know the location of. These penalties do not stack with the penalties for being unaware (-5 defenses) or unsteady (-2 accuracy, Armor, Brawn, Ref).

A creature that knows that it is in danger and is attempting to defend itself, but does not know the exact location or nature of its attackers, is partially unaware of attacks against it. For details, see Awareness and Surprise.

primed: A primed creature automatically explodes on the first die when making attack rolls (see ??). This only affects attack rolls, not miss chances or checks. Since a 10 normally explodes, this has no effect if you roll a 10. Being primed does not improve your reactive attacks.

prone: A prone creature is lying on the ground, rather than standing normally. It takes a -2 penalty to Armor and Reflex defenses. However, it gains a +4 bonus to all defenses against ranged strikes as long as the attacker is not adjacent to it. It moves at half of its normal speed. Creatures that are not on the ground, such as flying or gliding creatures, are immune to being knocked prone.

If a creature becomes prone while in a precarious situation, such as on a narrow ledge, it may fall. Mounted creatures that are knocked prone fall off their mounts. Creatures cannot glide or fly while prone.

A creature can stand up from being prone as part of a movement. This generally requires one free hand. Standing up from a prone position costs half of the creature’s speed during that movement.

resistant: A creature can be resistant to a particular ability tag. Creatures gain a +4 bonus to all defenses against attacks that they are resistant to. In addition, they take no damage if the attack misses, even if the attack would normally deal half damage on a miss. If an attack has multiple tags, a creature is resistant to the attack if it is resistant to any of the attack’s tags.

shielded: A shielded creature gains a +2 bonus to its Armor and Reflex defenses.

slowed: A slowed creature has a -10 foot penalty to its speed and takes a -2 penalty to its Armor and Reflex defenses.

squeezing: A squeezing creature is trying to move through an area too small for it to fight in normally. While squeezing, a creature moves at half speed and takes a -2 penalty to its Armor and Reflex defenses. For details, see Squeezing.

stasis: A creature in stasis is frozen in place. While in stasis, it is unconscious and cannot be awakened by any means. It cannot be targeted, moved, damaged, or otherwise affected in any way.

steeled: A steeled creature takes no additional damage from critical hits. Any other special effects from critical hits, such a condition that must be removed multiple times, still function normally.

unaware: A creature that is unaware makes no attempt to defend itself. Creatures take a -4 penalty to all defenses against attacks that they are unaware of. They are completely unable to use targeted abilities against creatures and objects that they are unaware of.

These penalties do not stack with the penalties for being partially unaware (-2 defenses) or unsteady (-2 accuracy, Armor, Brawn, Ref). For details, see Awareness and Surprise.

unconscious: While you are unconscious, you are helpless (-8 Armor and Ref, can’t move), unaware (-5 defenses), and completely unable to take any actions. Some sensory abilities, such as the Awareness skill, can be used reactively while you are asleep, but not while you are forcibly knocked unconscious.

unsteady: A creature that is unsteady takes a -2 penalty to its accuracy and Armor, Brawn, and Reflex defenses. These penalties do not stack with the penalties for being partially unaware (-2 defenses) or unaware (-5 defenses). Creatures that are midair and not native to the air, climbing without a climb speed, or in liquid without a swim speed are unsteady. If you jump into the air intentionally, you don’t become unsteady until the end of your turn (see Jumping).

vulnerable: A creature can be vulnerable to a particular ability tag or weapon special material. It takes a -4 penalty to all defenses against attacks with that tag, or attacks using weapons that it is vulnerable to. If a creature would be both vulnerable and resistant (+4 defenses) to an ability, it is treated as vulnerable and not resistant. However, an immune creature is still immune.