HGd10PHB - Statuses

Statuses are incurred from any number of sources such as spells, damage, environment and so on. Statuses affect the normal actions and movement a character can take both in and out of combat. Below, the statuses are divided into categories as they make sense based on severity for sublists such as statuses that affect the body or mine or that are elemental-based. Under each specific status is a DS to overcome the status using First Aid or a spell. This DS is the natural DS and may be overridden by specific spells or circumstances.

Engaged
A character who is Engaged is in some kind of second by second back and forth contest. This may take several forms including Combat, a Movement Contest, a Social Interaction. The purpose of Engagement is to indicate that the passing of seconds matter. MYR considerations, durations of effects, and other time-critical considerations are easier to keep in mind while characters are Engaged. Engaged status only occurs when there is more than one Action-Reaction set and timing is important. GM's are typically the ones who determine when a character is Engaged, though a player may request it or suggest it.

Fatigued
DS: 15

A fatigued character has run out of endurance through battle, environment, or effect and has their SPD temporarily dropped by 1 until the cause of the fatigue is removed. Natural fatigue caused by combat ends after one full round of Limited Action.

First Aid: First Aid will remove the Fatigue status.

Tired
DS: 25

A tired character has had their SPD reduced by 2 and Recovery (REC) reduced to 1 or less by circumstances or spells. All rolls receive a -2 while Tired.

The Tired character needs to rest with Limited Action for one hour or until the spell wears off to return REC and SPD to normal.

''For example: The GM has determined that Doogan has reached Tired status through over-exertion. Doogan must, therefore, rest for one hour before he is no longer Tired.''

First Aid: First Aid will convert Tired to Fatigued. First Aid may not be used again for one hour on this target.

Exhausted
DS: 35

An exhausted character has had their Recovery (REC) reduced to 0, their SPD reduced to 1, and their movement to a walk (2m/Player Turn) by circumstances or spells. When Exhausted, the character may only take Limited Action. Defensive rolls based in Movement such as Dodge may not be used. Defensive rolls such as Armor-based defenses are reduced to 1d10+armor bonus (no TSB). All rolls receive a -5 while Exhausted.

The Exhausted character needs to sleep or rest for 8 hours or until the circumstances or spells wear off to return REC, SPD, Movement, and skills to normal.

''For example: Hefgor is traveling in a desert. The lack of water and the sun beating down on him have made him exhausted. He finds an oasis and collapses. After drinking some water he falls asleep and wakes no longer Exhausted.''

First Aid: First Aid will convert Exhausted to Tired. First Aid may not be used again for eight hours on this target.

Stable
DS: 15

A stable person is one who has been injured, swooning, or sick and is now recovering. Their wounds will take time to heal, but they will no longer suffer loss of LIFE or move to a worse condition so long as no further stress is endured, they rest, and constant monitoring is maintained.

First Aid: First Aid can reduce the recovery time by 1 hour. First Aid may not be used again for 24 hours on this target.

Unwell
DS: 20

A character that is Unwell is feeling "under the weather" due to some mundane or magical effect. Whether it be from bacterial or viral infection or spell, this status may be temporary or precursor to a prolonged worse state depending on circumstances. While Unwell, a character is Tired. A character that is Unwell may rest for four hours in which time the GM may determine that the character returns to normal or grows Sickened depending on the cause of being Unwell. Spells or Skills may also alleviate this status.

First Aid: First Aid will reduce the rest time by one hour. First Aid may not be used again for four hours on this target.

Sickened
DS: 30

A character that is Sickened is experiencing some form of illness, either mundane or magical. A Sickened status duration is determined by the nature of the illness, but is usually at least one day and may last indefinitely. While Sickened, a character is Exhausted and may be Nauseated depending on the nature of the illness. A character that is Sickened should rest and be cared for or they Swoon.

First Aid: First Aid ends Nauseated and prevents Swoon from happening. First Aid cannot be used again for 1 day on this target.

Poisoned
DS: Depends on Poison

A Poisoned character has had some foreign substance, either mundane or magical, introduced into their body. Poisons target Characteristics including SPD, LIFE, MYR, and REC, but also may cause additional statuses. A character who is Poisoned is Unwell for temporary poisons (sometimes called combat poisons) or for the first hour of longer-lasting poisons. A character who is Poisoned for more than an hour becomes Sickened. Some poisons act faster or slower and are detailed in the poison description.

First Aid: When First Aid is applied within the initial period of the Poison, it can double the time before a person becomes Sickened. First Aid cannot be used again for one hour on the target.

Nauseated
DS: 40

A nauseated character is Sickened and may suffer from vomiting. Any character who is Nauseated who attempts to Move, ingest anything, or perform any Skill must roll 1d10+CON vs the DS of the cause of the status. Failure means a bout of vomiting which means the character can do nothing but vomit or dry heave for a number of Rounds equal to the difference.

First Aid: Prevents vomiting for a number of Turns equal to the First Aid roll. First Aid may not be used again for 1 hour on this target.

Stunned
DS: 25

Stunned refers to a status affecting the body of a character. Some effect has caused a moment of inaction and disorientation. A Stunned person may not Move more than 2m or perform any Action for the duration, usually short such as a single Player Turn or Round. Their Agility (AGL) effectively drops to 0 for all rolls for the duration of the status, though the person does not necessarily collapse.

First Aid: First Aid removes the Stunned status. First Aid may not be used on this character for 1 minute.

Paralyzed
DS: 50

A paralyzed individual is unable to Move or Act and loses all bonuses to defense save for that provided by equipment. No defense rolls may be made, but armor bonuses may be applied against attacks to mitigate damage. A paralyzed person is either frozen in place as they are (usually from a spell or supernatural ability), or - for more mundane causes - loses all nerve capacity throughout their body including the ability to stand. Such a character will collapse and take 1d10-CON damage for hitting the floor normally. If near an environmental danger such as a fire or a cliff, they could collapse into the danger. The GM determines if this is automatic or random. If random, the GM rolls a 1d10. A 1-5 means the character falls into the environmental danger while a 6-10 means they have merely collapsed to the ground with no further danger.

A Paralyzed character may be subject to a Coop-de-gras.

First Aid: First Aid converts naturally caused Paralyzed status to Stunned status, but does not reduce the time of the status. First Aid cannot overcome spell-caused Paralyzed status such as from Petrification. First Aid may not be used on this character for 1 day.

Unconscious
DS: 40

A person who is Unconscious is unaware of the environment around them and unable to Move or take Action. Unless suspended in some way an Unconscious person is Prone and '''Helpless. '''

An Unconscious character is subject to a Coop-de-gras.

First Aid: First Aid will bring a target to Conscious and Stunned status. First Aid may not be used on this target for 1 hour.

Limited Action
DS: 30

A character who has certain statuses may overcome them by acting under Limited Action. This means they move no more than 2m per turn and do not undertake any strenuous Actions such as combat or spellcasting. They may open doors, turn keys, and similar actions, but may not lift anything heavier than 3kg (6 lbs). Each status refers to the duration of Limited Action needed to overcome the status.

First Aid: First Aid can restore the use of a limb that has been incapacitated (but not removed) for a number of Turns equal to the First Aid roll. First Aid cannot be used again on this target for 1 hour.

Swooning
DS:25

A character who is swooning has had their LIFE brought to 0. They are Unconscious and each Round their LIFE drops by 1 into the negatives. If their LIFE reaches a negative value equal to their CON, then that character dies.

A Swooning character is subject to a Coop-de-gras.

First Aid: First Aid prevents further loss of LIFE and changes the status to Stable. First Aid may not be used on this target for 1 day.

Death
DS: 75

A character who has a LIFE total equal to negative their CON Score is dead. Those who have died within the past ten minutes may be revived by a First Aid roll or Mystical Power. After ten minutes, it takes a major Mystical Power skill or intervention by an Immortal to restore them to life.

A person who has died suffers a -20 to all rolls for a number of days equal to 100/CON if brought back to life.

First Aid: First Aid restores a person who has died within the past ten minutes to Alive and Swooning. Their LIFE total is reset to 0. First Aid may not be used on this target for 1 week.

Elemental
These statuses are based on effects from the various Spectra and may represent magical or natural states depending on circumstances. The DS to overcome these states when applicable is based on the magic or skill that brought about the status.

Acid
A character who is hit with acid as an attack must roll Chemical Resistance or take damage. Roll on the location table and determine where the acid hits. If the damage taken is more than 10, then that location is Incapacitated and does not function until healing is applied. If acid damage does more than 1/2 the character's total LIFE in one attack, then whatever location is hit may loose extremities and be permanently deformed unless Regenerated. [Body+Aid DS 50 to regenerated recent acid deformity.] Add 1 to the DS for every year the character has been deformed by acid after that.]  To Regenerate permanent deformity, any acid must first be cleansed from the target as acid prevents any kind of regeneration in most creatures.

Airborne
A character who is Airborne without the ability to Fly is unable to perform Move actions other than rotating in space (e.g. to aim a ranged shot or spell). The character is still able to take most Actions. The GM may determine, based on equal and opposite forces, that some Actions are ineffective.

Chilled
A character who is Chilled is suffering from some low-temperature effect. Movement is reduced to half and all movement-based rolls including attack and defense take a -5. A Survival check DS 35 can negate the attack and defense penalty. An Athletics, or Balance, or Tumbling check can be made vs DS 35 to retain full movement.

For every hour the target is Chilled, they must make a Survival check vs DS 35+5/hour Chilled. Otherwise, they must take 1d10 cumulative damage for each hour they have been chilled. Making the Survival check does not reset the time clock.

Immolated
A character who is Immolated is suffering from some fire-based effect. Fire damage continues until the fire is put out and is equal to half the initial Fire portion of the damage that began the status. Continual damage occurs each Player Turn of the attacker or every 6 seconds, whichever is faster, and halves each time.

''For example: Ashler casts a Fireball which does 54 damage to a target that catches fire and becomes Immolated. Every Player Turn for Ashler, the target will take 27 Fire damage on Ashler's next Turn, then 13, then 6, then 3, and finally 1 before going out.''

''Amirith uses a flaming sword against a target. He deals 23 damage plus 8 Fire damage who catches fire and becomes Immolated. On Amirith's next Turn, the target takes 4 damage, then 2, then the fire goes out.''

Fire prevents regeneration in most creatures.

Petrified
A character can be Petrified in one of two ways: Encased or Completely. A Petrified character is Paralyzed in place.

Encased: When Petrified by being Encased, a layer of stone, crystal, metal or other solid surrounds the target immobilizing them. The solid is porous enough to breathe but not to leak liquid. This state can be broken by natural or magical means by shattering or chipping away at the casing. Any full attacks against the petrification to shatter it cause the Encased target to suffer half damage. Otherwise, it takes a total number of Player Turns equal to casting roll of the spellcaster or the DS of the trap to break through without causing harm.

Completely: When Petrified in this manner, the target has been completely turned to stone. This is usually a supernatural state that will revert to normal after a given period of time, or at least is reversible so the soul is still attached to the body. In some cases (and the GM determines how often based on the story), complete petrification is a natural state and the body is considered dead. When a target is petrified completely, defacement or damage to the stone body persists when the body reverts to normal, which could be fatal to the character.

Possessed
Some creatures, usually spirits like ghosts, revenants, wraiths, and the like, can enter the physical body of a person or even object and take possession of it. This means that they have full physical control over that body or object and have access to all its physical abilities. Usually possession does not grant access to the target's mystical abilities, though some can.

Expelling a Possessor: If the target has their own soul or will, they may attempt each turn to expel the possessor through an act of will. This is done as a Soul+Resistance roll vs the DS of the original possession roll. The Resistance roll has a cumulative +1 as the possessor is foreign to the host's system and the will of the host is not.

Double Possession of a Non-person: If two spirit's attempt to possess the same object that has no soul of its own, then they must battle for control of the object (even a corpse). For two possessors, P1 and P2, each acts at their own SPD. On their turn, P1 may either act on the object possessed or attempt to expel P2. If they act at the same speed, and if P2 attempts to act on the object possessed at the same time, then there is either a contradiction (move the right arm up, keep the right arm in place) and nothing happens, or there is two separate actions (move the right foot forward AND move the left leg backward) which might result in some hilarity and certainly results in some cross purposes. Attempting to expel the other is a Soul+Attack vs Soul Resistance with no cumulative effect since both possessors are foreign to the object.

Double Possession of a Person: If two spirit's attempt to posses the same person (a body that already has its own soul in it), then all three must battle for control of the body. The original soul may not be expelled by this contest. For two possessors, P1 and P2, and the Host, each acts at their own SPD. On their turn, P1 may attempt to expel P2 or control the body as above. The difference is, that on the Host's turn, they may attempt to expel one possessor with a cumulative +1 as above.

Fearful
These statuses are based on levels of apprehension, anxiety, and fear a character has. This is psychological in nature, though there are physical manifestations of the fear as a reaction. Fear has different levels of debilitations that limits what a character can do.

Intimidated
An Intimidated character suffers a -2 on all rolls versus the source of the intimidation while they are Intimidated. Generally a person Intimidated in a social situation will react less favorably toward the source of the intimidation in future encounters unless something is done to actively change their perception.

A character can attempt to overcome intimidation at the end of each Round if Engaged. A new Action-Reaction set of rolls is made on the same basis as the original roll that led to the character being Intimidated.

Shook
A character that is Shook while engaged (combat, social interactions, etc.) will automatically fail their next attempted Action and suffers a -5 on all rolls of any kind until the next Long Rest. They will also automatically be Intimidated by the source that Shook them in any future encounters for up to one year unless a storyline reason changes their perception.

A character can attempt to overcome being Shook at the end of each Round if Engaged. A new Action-Reaction set of rolls is made on the same basis as the original roll that led to the character being Shook. If still Shook when Engagement ends, the character will remain Shook until they have endured a Breather.

Cowed
A character that is Cowed is unable to act against the source that Cowed them or move in the direction of that source. If forced to React (Armor, Resistance, etc.) they suffer a -5 to all rolls against the source that Cowed them. A Cowed character can only move at half Movement either perpendicular to or away from the source that Cowed them if they choose to move at all.

A character can attempt to overcome being Cowed at the end of each Minute. A new Action-Reaction set of rolls is made on the same basis as the original roll that led to the character being Cowed. If still Cowed when Engagement ends, the character will become Shook until they have endured a Downtime.

Frightened
A Frightened character is unable to act against the source of their fear, move toward them, or take any action that is not focused on escaping. They still have their wits about them to the extent that they can plan their escape and take appropriate, if perhaps riskier, actions to do so. If forced to take an Action that is not directly related to fleeing the source of their fear, the Frightened character suffers a -10 to their rolls. Otherwise, all rolls suffer a -5 until they feel they have successfully fled the immediate actions and influence of the source of their fear.

Once the character has successfully fled the source of their fear, they suffer -5 to all rolls made until they have endured a Long Rest. After the Long Rest they will remain Intimidated for 1 week or until their perception can be changed to no longer fear the source that made them Frightened.

Panicked
A Panicked character is unable to act or think. They cannot move or act against the source of their fear. However, any actions or movements they do take are riskier, selfish, and without heed to consequences. When a character becomes panicked while Engaged, the GM rolls a 1d10 with the following results: A panicked character will remain panicked for 1 hour, until they have left the locale where they were panicked (dungeon, city, forest, etc.), or until they can be convinced that the source of their panic has lost interest in them and is no longer after them - whichever comes last. Afterwards, they must roll a Defiance check vs the original roll of the cause of their fear or they suffer -20 on all rolls until they have had a Long Rest. After the Long Rest they may roll Defiance again. If they fail, they will suffer -5 on all rolls for one week and become Intimidated for up to three more weeks. After each week, they may roll Defiance again.

Incorporeal
Incorporeal creatures are usually spirit creatures, denizens of the Astral Realm, or enchanted beings. They are intangible but partially visible and translucent. Incorporeal creatures are able to pass through material objects at normal movement for low density, -2m/Turn for medium density, and half movement for high density. Some materials are impassible by incorporeal creatures. (These materials also make great weapons and armor when fighting against such creatures.) Magic from different spectra affect incorporeal creatures differently.

Incorporeal creatures can also fly at will at the same Movement they had while corporeal or 10m/Turn, whichever is applicable.

Mind
These statuses affect only affect the mind and do not typically cause damage directly.

Distracted
The mind has been affected in such a way that attention is not fully focused on the primary task at hand. The next skill check on the next Turn has a -10.

Dazed
The mind has been hit with an attack that has left the target incapable of action for a brief time. Typically this attack will leave them able to move or act but not both for a number of Turns equal to 1/5 rolled on the attack unless otherwise specified.

Confused
The mind has been affected by Enchantment or other effect that prevents the target from being able to make sense of their surroundings or distinguish friend from foe. Each Turn the Confused character attempts to act on another target, the GM rolls a 1d10. On a 5-, the GM secretly picks a new target (typically the nearest target not designated by the Confused character) and applies all checks and effects against the new target instead of the intended one. The GM only tells of the new target after all rolls have been made by the Confused character.

Fascinated
The mind of a character has been affected by something to the point that the character cannot help but focus on a given object or character. The fascinated character is enamored of the subject in question and will not act but may move so as to stay in view of the subject. A Fascinated character is more susceptible to other Mind affecting skills. They take a -1/5 rolled above 20 on the original Fascination effect to Mind Resistance.

If the subject of the Fascination is another character rather than an object, the Fascinated character is Charmed and will react favorably towards the character that is the subject of their Fascination. The Fascinated character takes -1/5 rolled on the original Fascination effect to all Social Skills rolled against the subject of their Fascination.

Dominated
The mind of a character has been controlled by the power of some other mind. They will do anything they have been commanded to do depending on the nature of the domination based on the chart below.

Falling
While a creature is falling, they are capable of rotating in place or performing any action that does not require leverage or force against an external surface. Physical attacks suffer a -10 penalty for lack of leverage unless the opponents are grappling.

Hitting a Solid Surface

Fall damage when landing on a solid surface is equal to 1d10/3m fell. If the surface is solid but yielding (sand, dirt, etc.) subtract 2m from the fall distance.

A character that has the Jump skill may roll the skill to see how high they can land from without taking damage as a person can survive any height they can jump vertically to. Also see the Heroic Drop Trait. Subtract the height from either the skill or the trait. The remainder of the distance is used to calculate the damage taken at the end of the fall when the character hits a solid surface.

Hitting a Liquid Surface

Falling damage when landing in a liquid surface is half that of hitting a solid surface.

If the surface is liquid, the character can make a Swim check with a DS equal to the distance fell in meters to dive into the water. The character only adds the difference to the fall height if the Swim check is lower than the DS. The water must be 1m deep for every 3m fallen up to 30m (10m deep) else damage is calculated as if hitting a solid surface. The Heroic Drop Trait applies here as well.

''Example: Sypherion falls from a cliff a 100 meters above the ocean. He has the Heroic Drop Trait and he has a Jump TSB of 27 so he is now down to a 73m fall. He rolls a Swim check of 61 leaving a difference of 12m. 12m/3m = 4d10 damage. He rolls a 22, but the water reduces that to half meaning he only takes 11 DMG.''

Blinded
Blindness is the loss of the primary sense of sight. When blinded, the character naturally looses confidence and precision and tends to be more cautious subconsciously with their movements.


 * Traits based in Agility such as Agile Fighter, Stealth Attack, and Opportunistic Fighter don't work.
 * Ranged Attacks including Ranged Magical Attacks take a -30 to their rolls to hit. This is cumulative with other inhibited senses.
 * Movement is reduced to 2m/turn if sight is the primary sense or 5m/turn if sight is a secondary sense.
 * If sight is a primary sense, Combat Moves such as Charge, Bull Rush, or other such moves that require Movement cannot be used.
 * Any skill the relies entirely on sight automatically fails.
 * Any skill the relies primarily on sight takes a -30 to their rolls. This is cumulative with other inhibited senses.
 * Gaze attacks that rely on the target to see the attacker have no effect.

Deafened
Deafness is the loss of the primary sense of hearing. When deafened, the character naturally looses confidence and precision and tends to be more cautious subconsciously with their movements.


 * Traits based in Perception such as Keen Sense, Maze Crawler, and Stealth Attack don't work.
 * Movement is reduced to 2m/turn if hearing is the primary sense or 8m/turn if hearing is a secondary sense.
 * If hearing is a primary sense, all Physical Combat skills related to defense take -20. This is cumulative with other inhibited senses.
 * Any skill the relies entirely on hearing automatically fails.
 * Any skill the relies primarily on hearing takes a -30 to their rolls. This is cumulative with other inhibited senses.
 * Sonic attacks that rely on the target to hear the attacker have no effect.

Navigation

 * Hero's Guild Players Handbook Home
 * Chapter 1 - Creature Kinds
 * Chapter 2 - Base Characteristics
 * Chapter 3 - Skills
 * Chapter 4 - Traits and Foibles
 * Chapter 5 - Physical Combat Skills
 * Chapter 6 - Mystical Skills
 * Chapter 7 - Equipment
 * Chapter 8 - Crafting
 * Chapter 9 - Knowledge Social and Movement Skills
 * Chapter 10 - Optional Classes
 * Chapter 11 - Rules of Engagement