Overview

Effect Attributes

Each effect is represented by a number of attribute fields that determine how the effect will be applied within the ruleset. The remaining sections in this portion of the manual will provide example effects and go into detail about how the effect attributes will impact your game when effects are applied.

Using Effects in Your Game

Effects in 3.5E can be very complex, once you decide to take advantage of all of the functionality available. Many features of effects can be handled manually by calculations done by the players and GM, just like sitting around the gaming table. It is recommended that you slowly add effect capabilities to your game until the comfort level of you and your players has been reached.

While effects can be entered manually, the ruleset was designed to pull some effects directly from spell descriptions. Just enter the text in the exact same format as the rulebooks, or drop the powers from your own data modules.

The effect system was built to handle 90% of the situations. With all the complexity of the game system, the primary focus of effects support was to support the core rulebooks; there will be some effects that will not be able to be represented in the current version of the ruleset.

Examples

Good Examples

• ATK: 2 power
• SAVE: 1
• DMGO: 2d6
• DMG: 1d6 cold
• RESIST: 5 fire; RESIST: 5 cold

Bad Examples

• RESIST: 5 fire,cold

PC Power Effect Examples

• RESIST: 2 [WIS]
• ATK: [-DEX]
• DMG: 2d6+1 [CON]

Application Attribute Examples

• +1 to next d20 roll this turn = "ATK:1, DMG:1, SKILL:1, ABIL:1, SAVE:1" (Duration 1, Apply Roll)
• +2 to your next attack and damage roll before the end of your next turn = "ATK:2; DMG:2" (Duration 1, Apply Single)

Label

The effect label describes any impact that the effect will have on the affected creature while the effect is active.

General Label Notes

• Format = [effect component]; [effect component]; ...
• Components can either be conditions, modifiers, or special tags,.
• Effect components that do not start with a supported tag are treated as text only.
• Effects can only be applied to creatures in the combat tracker.
• Effects on PC character sheet power tabs can contain sub-tags to indicate that a current ability bonus be added to or subtracted from the effect bonus.

Condition Effect Components

• Examples: Blinded, Grappled, ...
• Not case-sensitive
• Condition modifiers do not stack if multiple conditions on same creature.

Modifier Effect Components

• Examples: ATK, DMG, ...
• Format = [tag]: [dice/numbers] [descriptors]
• Case-sensitive
• If colon missing, component is treated as having no dice, modifiers nor descriptors.
• Only one descriptor of each descriptor type is allowed per effect component, except as noted.
• Multiple range types are allowed.
• Multiple energy types are allowed for the DMG tag.
• Modifiers stack as long as their bonus type is blank or unique. If modifiers have the same bonus type, then the larger value will be used. Circumstance and dodge bonuses will always stack.

Label: Conditions

Condition	Applied To	T	Modifiers Applied	Notes
Actions
Climbing			GRANTCA
Kneeling			AC: -2 melee; AC: 2 ranged
Running			GRANTCA
Sitting			AC: -2 melee; AC: 2 ranged
Squeezing			GRANTCA; ATK: -5
Combat Advantage
CA	Attacker	Y		Attacks treat defender as flat-footed
GRANTCA	Defender	Y		Defender is considered flat-footed against attacks
Status
Blinded			AC: -2; GRANTCA; SKILL: -2 strength dexterity; SKILL: -4 search perception	Attacks treat defenders as if they have TCONC
Cowering			AC: -2
Dazed
Dazzled			ATK: -1; SKILL: -1 spot search perception
Deafened
Entangled			ATK: -2; DEX: -4
Exhausted			DEX: -6; STR: -6
Fascinated			SKILL: -4 spot listen perception
Fatigued			DEX: -2; STR: -2
Frightened			ATK: -2; SAVE: -2; SKILL: -2; ABIL: -2
Grappled			GRANTCA [to non-grapplers]
Helpless			AC: -4 melee
Invisible		Y	ATK: 2; CA; TCONC
Incorporeal				Corporeal attacks have 50% miss chance.
Panicked			ATK: -2; SAVE: -2; SKILL: -2; ABIL: -2
Paralyzed			AC: -4 melee
Petrified			AC: -4 melee
Pinned			GRANTCA, AC: -4	In 3.5E mode, AC penalty excludes grapplers
Prone			ATK: -4 melee; AC: -4 melee; AC: 4 ranged
Rebuked			AC: -2
Shaken			ATK: -2; SAVE: -2; SKILL: -2; ABIL: -2
Sickened			ATK: -2; DMG: -2; SAVE: -2; SKILL: -2; ABIL: -2
Slowed			ATK: -1; AC: -1; REF: -1
Stunned			AC: -2, GRANTCA
Turned			AC: -2
Unconscious			AC: -4 melee	Prone effect applied separately

Fields Legend

T = Effects can be targeted to only apply to conditions against certain opponents

Label: Modifiers

Mod	Applied To	D	N	T	Descriptors	Notes
Combat
ATK	Attacker	Y	Y	Y	[bonus type], [range], opportunity	Attack rolls
CC	Attacker		Y		[bonus type]	Critical confirmation rolls
AC	Defender		Y	Y	[bonus type], [range], opportunity	AC defense
CMB	Attacker	Y	Y	Y	[bonus type], opportunity	Combat maneuver rolls
CMD	Defender		Y	Y	[bonus type], opportunity	Combat maneuver defense
DMG	Attacker	Y	Y	Y	[bonus type], [range], [energy]*	Damage rolls
HEAL	Healer	Y	Y			Healing rolls
SAVE	Defender		Y	Y	[bonus type], [save type]	If save type not specified, modifier added to all saving throw types.
INIT		Y	Y		[bonus type]	Initiative checks
Abilities
STR			Y			Strength modifier.
DEX			Y			Dexterity modifier.
CON			Y			Constitution modifier.
INT			Y			Intelligence modifier.
WIS			Y			Wisdom modifier.
CHA			Y			Charisma modifier.
Damage
DMGTYPE		Y	Y		[damage type]	Adds damage type to all damage rolls.
DMGO		Y	Y		[energy]*	Ongoing damage
FHEAL		Y	Y			Fast Healing
REGEN		Y	Y		[special]	Regeneration. Use and/or clause to specify damage types which can overcome regeneration.
DR	Defender		Y	Y	[special]	Damage resistance. Use and/or clause to specify damage types which can overcome DR.
RESIST	Defender		Y	Y	[energy]	Resistance to damage type. (all if not specified)
VULN	Defender		Y	Y	[energy]	Vulnerability to damage type. (all if not specified)
IMMUNE	Defender		Y	Y	[energy], all	Immunity to damage type.
Situational
CONC	Defender			Y	[range]*	Concealment: Attacks have 20% miss chance
TCONC	Defender			Y	[range]*	Total Concealment: Attacks have 50% miss chance
PCOVER	Defender			Y	[range]*	Partial Cover: Applies -2 penalty to attacks.
COVER	Defender			Y	[range]*	Cover: Applies -4 penalty to attacks.
SCOVER	Defender			Y	[range]*	Superior Cover: Applies -8 penalty to attacks.
Traits
Construct traits						Immunity to nonlethal damage.
Swarm traits	Defender					Informational only
Undead traits						Immunity to nonlethal damage.
Misc
SKILL		Y	Y		[bonus type], [skill name], [ability name]	Skill checks
ABIL		Y	Y		[bonus type], [ability name]	Ability checks
SPEED			Y		[bonus type]	Speed. Informational only.
NLVL			Y			Negative levels. Per negative level, the following modifiers are applied: ATK: -1; SAVE: -1; SKILL: -1; ABIL: -1; CMD: -1

Fields Legend

D = Dice phrases supported (NdN)
N = Number values supported
T = Effects can be targeted to only apply to modifiers against certain opponents

Descriptor Legend

[bonus type] = racial, power, feat, shield, item, proficiency, enhancement
[range] = melee, ranged, area, close
[energy] = acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, thunder
[ability name] = strength, constitution, dexterity, intelligence, wisdom, charisma
[skill name] = any skill name
* = Multiple entries of this descriptor type allowed.

Other Attributes

Active

• On: The effect will be visible as defined by visibility tag, and any components of the effect will be applied as appropriate.
• Off: The effect will only be visible in the effect details of the CT, and the effect will not have any impact on the game.

Visibility

• All: The effect can be seen by everyone (players and GM).
• GM: The effect can only be seen by the GM.

Application

• All: All effect components are applied as long as the effect is active.
• Once: If any effect component is applied, then the effect expires.
• Sngl: If any effect component is applied, then that effect component expires. All other effect components will remain active.

Targeting

The targeting attribute is only available for effects located on the PC Actions tab.

• Trgt: If double-clicked, the effect will be applied to the current target(s) of the originating PC.
• Self: If double-clicked, the effect will be applied to originating PC.

Duration

The duration in rounds of the effect. If set to zero, then effect does not expire.

Effect initiative

The initiative upon which the duration is decremented by one. If duration is decremented to zero, the effect expires. This field is only available for effects located in the CT.