Afflictions & Poisons

Afflictions

Diseases, poisons, curses and radiation are all afflictions. An affliction can last a long time, moving through stages that are usually more and more debilitating. Its level is the level of the creature, hazard or item that causes it (a spell's affliction lists its own level).

Format

Wherever it appears (a spell, an item, a creature's stat block), an affliction gives its name, then its traits (including its type: curse, disease, poison and so on), its level if needed, and any unusual details, such as restrictions on removing the conditions it causes. Then come its save, onset, maximum duration and stages.

Saves

When first exposed you make the initial save, usually Fortitude, at the DC listed with the affliction. Spells that poison you usually use the caster's Channeling check result as the DC. On a success you're unaffected by that exposure and need no further saves unless exposed again. On a failure, once any onset has passed, you go to stage 1; on a critical failure, stage 2.

Onset

Some afflictions have an onset time: after a failed initial save you don't suffer the first stage until it has passed. With no onset listed, you suffer stage 1 (or stage 2 on a critical failure) as soon as you fail.

Maximum Duration

An affliction that lasts a limited time lists a maximum duration; when it passes, the affliction ends. Otherwise it lasts until you make enough saves to recover.

Stages

Each stage lists its effect and an interval. When you reach a stage you suffer its effects. At the end of the stage's interval you make a new save: success lowers the stage by 1, critical success by 2; failure raises it by 1, critical failure by 2. Then you suffer the new stage's effects. Going below stage 1 ends the affliction (no more saves unless you're exposed again). A rise past the highest stage repeats the highest stage instead.

Conditions from Afflictions

An affliction can give conditions that last longer or shorter than the affliction itself. You might remove persistent damage an affliction caused with a check, but you still have to make the affliction's saves to be rid of it, and failing one can give you new persistent damage.

Multiple Exposures

Being exposed again to a curse or disease you already have does nothing. For a poison, failing the initial save against a new exposure raises the stage by 1 (by 2 on a critical failure) without changing its maximum duration. This works even during the poison's onset, though it doesn't change the onset time.

Virulent Afflictions

Afflictions with the virulent trait are harder to shake: you need two successful saves in a row to lower the stage by 1, and a critical success lowers it by only 1 instead of 2.

Poisons

A poison is venom, toxin, gas, powder, tainted liquid or any similar substance that harms body or mind. Most call for Fortitude saves, and they follow the affliction rules above. A poison's base save DC is usually 15 + its level unless its entry says otherwise.

Sample Poisons

These are items in the Afflictions compendium, ready to drag onto a sheet or apply to a target.

Lockjaw Distillate — Paralytic, Injury, Poison. Level 3, Fortitude DC 18; onset 1 round; maximum duration 3 rounds. Stage 1: Slowed 10 (1 round); Stage 2: Slowed 20 (1 round); Stage 3: Stunned (1 round).

Ashlung Dust — Irritant, Inhaled, Poison. Level 1, Fortitude DC 16; onset immediate; maximum duration 3 rounds. Stage 1: Sickened 1 (1 round); Stage 2: Sickened 2 (1 round); Stage 3: Sickened 3 (1 round).

Witchbrain Toxin — Neurotoxin, Injury, Poison. Level 2, Fortitude DC 17; onset 1 round; maximum duration 3 rounds. Stage 1: Dazed (1 round); Stage 2: Stupefied 1 (1 round); Stage 3: Dazed and Stupefied 1 (1 round).

Rattler's Bleed — Hemotoxin, Injury, Poison. Level 2, Fortitude DC 17; onset immediate; maximum duration 3 rounds. Stage 1: 1d4 bleed damage (1 round); Stage 2: 1d6 bleed damage and Clumsy 1 (the bite swells and stiffens) (1 round); Stage 3: 1d8 bleed damage, Clumsy 1 and Enfeebled 1 (1 round).

Gravemeat Rot — Necrotoxin, Contact, Poison. Level 2, Fortitude DC 17; onset 1 minute; maximum duration 10 minutes. Stage 1: 1 poison damage and Enfeebled 1 (1 minute); Stage 2: 1d4 poison damage and Enfeebled 1 (1 minute); Stage 3: 1d4 poison damage and Enfeebled 2 (1 minute).

Greenburn Solvent — Caustic, Contact, Poison. Level 3, Fortitude DC 18; onset immediate; maximum duration 3 rounds. Stage 1: 1d4 acid damage (1 round); Stage 2: 1d6 acid and 1 persistent acid (1 round); Stage 3: 1d6 acid and 1d4 persistent acid (1 round).

Environmental Afflictions

Radiation Sickness (Radiation; onset 1 hour; interval 1 day; Fortitude, DC by Radiation rating): Stage 1 Sickened 1; Stage 2 Sickened 2 and Enfeebled 1; Stage 3 Sickened 3 and Drained 1. The rating sets how often and at what DC you check (R2–R5); a failed exposure check raises the stage by 1 (2 on a critical failure), to a maximum of stage 3, and a success leaves you unaffected by that exposure.

Toxic Atmosphere Poisoning (Poison; interval 10 minutes; Fortitude, DC by atmosphere): Stage 1 Sickened 1; Stage 2 Sickened 2 and Stupefied 1; Stage 3 Sickened 3 and Stupefied 2. The atmosphere sets the DC and how often you check: A3 mildly toxic DC 10 each hour, toxic DC 15 every 10 minutes, highly toxic DC 20 each minute; A4 Corrosive DC 15 each minute; A5 Super Corrosive DC 20 each round. A failed initial save takes you straight to stage 1, and each further failure in the same exposure raises the stage by 1 (2 on a critical failure).

For both, prolonged exposure applies (see G.R.A.P.H.): 1 level of Disadvantage per previous exposure check while you're still exposed, including on interval saves; once you're out, interval saves are against the DC alone.

Aether Sickness: see Hexploration › Leylines & the Aether.