Damage & Healing
Lethal Damage
Any Strikes with an attack roll that is equal to or greater than a creature’s Armor Class, is considered a success. Upon a successful Strike, you deal the listed damage, inflict listed Conditions, and enact any other effects as stated. Damage applied to Hit Points is lethal, unless specifically tagged as nonlethal.
All lethal damage reduces the current Hit Points. If your Hit Points are reduced to 0, then you gain the Dying condition. If damage has any tags, the damage filters through Immunities, Resistances, and Weaknesses before being applied to Hit Points.
Hit Points can be healed through a variety of methods. Healing increases your current Hit Points up to, but not in excess of, your total Hit Points.
Temporary Hit Points
Temporary Hit Points can exceed your total Hit Points but are always subtracted first when you take damage.
Nonlethal Damage
Nonlethal damage is often used to subdue an opponent without the danger of killing them, meaning it should be tracked separately. If nonlethal damage ever equals your current Hit Points, you immediately gain the Unconscious condition, possibly the Prone condition if applicable. The Unconscious condition is removed if your Hit Points increase to 1 or more or in 1d4 hours, whichever is first.
Healing lethal damage reduces nonlethal damage simultaneously for an equal amount.
Instant Death Rule
If you take damage equal to or greater than double your total Hit Points, you instantly gain the Dead condition.
Conditions
Conditions have various effects and likewise a range in treatments. The following details how a condition can be ended. Some cease with little intervention or time while others might require an entire quest to remove.
- Asleep.
- This automatically ends if you take damage.
- Loud noise grants you a Perception check which, on a success, ends the condition.
- As a Single Action, a creature can nudge you to end the condition.
- Blinded.
- The only known treatments are abilities that remove the Blinded condition.
- Confused.
- This condition ends when its cause ends or the listed duration ends.
- Dazzled.
- This condition ends when its cause ends or the listed duration ends.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Dead.
- The only known treatments are abilities that restore a creature to life and remove the Dead condition.
- Deafened.
- The only known treatments are abilities that remove the Deafened condition.
- Drained.
- This condition slowly heals over time with the value decreasing by 1 each time you gain Hit Points from a Long Rest.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Dying.
- Increasing your Hit Points to 1 or higher causes this condition’s value to decrease by 1 for every round.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Encumbered.
- Removing excess weight that you are carrying removes this condition.
- Increasing your Carrying Capacity removes this condition.
- Enervated.
- This condition slowly heals over time with the value decreasing by 1 after a Long Rest and a successful Fortitude save.
- Enfeebled.
- This condition slowly heals over time with the value decreasing by 1 each time you gain Hit Points from a Long Rest.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Entangled.
- You or another creature can attempt an Athletics check or another appropriate roll to remove the cause of this condition.
- Fascinated.
- This automatically ends if a creature acts hostile towards you or your allies.
- This condition ends when its cause ends or the listed duration ends.
- Fatigued.
- This condition is removed after a Long Rest, unless it has a different duration.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Fleeing.
- This condition ends when its cause ends or the listed duration ends.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Frightened.
- This condition heals over time with the value decreasing by 1 every round.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Grabbed.
- You can attempt an Acrobatics check, an Athletics check. or another appropriate roll to remove the cause of this condition.
- The creature or affect causing this condition ceases to maintain the Grabbed condition.
- Hampered.
- This condition ends when its cause ends or the listed duration ends.
- Use of the Accelerated condition counteracts the Hampered condition.
- Immobile.
- You, or sometimes another creature, can attempt an Athletics check or another appropriate roll to remove the cause of this condition.
- Paralyzed.
- This condition ends when its cause ends or the listed duration ends.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Persistent Damage.
- A successful Flat DC 20 ends this condition.
- Healing which restore Hit Points ends this condition.
- A successful Medicine check against a DC equal to 10 + the Proficiency Score of the creature which caused it or another relevant value ends this condition.
- Petrified.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Prone.
- You take the Stand Up action.
- Sick.
- You take a Single Action to retch which grants you a Fortitude save against a relevant DC. On a successful save, the condition is removed.
- This condition slowly heals over time with the value decreasing by 1 for every 12 hours.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Slowed.
- This condition ends when its cause ends or the listed duration ends.
- Use of the Quick condition counteracts the Slowed condition.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Sluggish.
- This condition slowly heals over time with the value reducing by 1 each time you gain Hit Points from a Long Rest.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Stunned.
- This condition ends when its cause ends or the listed duration ends.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Stupefied.
- This condition slowly heals over time with the value reducing by 1 each time you gain Hit Points from a Long Rest.
- Some abilities are able to remove this condition.
- Unconscious.
- If you do not have the Dying condition and at least 1 Hit Point, a successful Will save against an appropriate DC removes this condition.
- If you have the Dying condition from Lethal Damage, you lose the Unconscious condition when your Dying value is 0 and you have at least 1 Hit Point.
- If you have the Dying condition from Nonlethal Damage, you lose the Unconscious condition when you have at least 1 Hit Point or after 1d4 hours, whichever is first.
It should be noted that not all Conditions need to be healed. Methods for healing penalizing Conditions have been detailed here, but beneficial Conditions have not been addressed. Typically, you can choose not to utilize beneficial Conditions.
Conditions Inflicting Conditions. If you have a condition as the result of another, primary condition, removing the primary condition removes all other conditions it inflicts. You cannot remove a condition that is inflicted as the result of another condition. For example, you have the Blinded and Deafened conditions as the result of the Unconscious condition. Neither the Blinded nor Deafened conditions can be removed until the Unconscious condition is treated. In this example, since the Blinded and Deafened were the direct result of the Unconscious condition, removing the Unconscious conditions removes both inflicted conditions as well.
Diseases and Poisons
Diseases and poisons work similarly. Upon being exposed, you must make the listed saving throw. This is the initial saving throw and, if successful, you are not affected by the disease or poison.
If you fail the initial saving throw, then you continue to make the same save after the listed frequency. You must continue to make these saves either for the duration of the disease or poison, until the Stage is reduced below 1, or until you gain the Dead condition.
While diseased or poisoned, the saving throws you make impact your recovery by changing the Stage.
- Critical Success. The Stage is reduced by 1. Apply the effects of the new Stage.
- Success. The Stage remains the same. Apply the effects of your current Stage.
- Failure. The Stage increases by 1. Apply the effects of your new Stage.
- Critical Failure. The Stage increases by 2. Apply the effects of your new Stage.
If you cannot increase the Stage by the listed amount, increase it to the next available Stage. If you cannot increase the Stage at all, apply the same effects as your current Stage and make a new save after the listed frequency.
There are several ways to remove a disease or poison.
- Outlasting the Duration. If the duration ends, the Stages automatically reduce by 1 for each frequency. This continues until the Stage is reduced below 1, see Recovering by reducing Stages.
- Recovering by reducing Stages. If the Stage is reduced below 1, the disease or poison automatically ends, ceasing all effects immediately.
- Aided through Counteracts. A number of effects provide counteracts, which act as external aid to overcoming a disease or poison but often do not immediately cure a disease or poison. If the number of counteracts equals or exceeds the required number of counteracts, then the Stage is reduced by 1. Counteracts can continue to be applied in this way to reduce the Stage below 1. The following can be used to counteract diseases and poisons:
- Medicine check, with a DC equal to the saving throw.
- Item.
- Ability.
- Dying and Dead.
- If you gain the Dying condition, you still have to make saving throws against the disease or poison. These saving throws must be made before the Flat DC check against the Dying condition, with the Stage effects being applied before as well.
- If you gain the Dead condition, the disease or poison automatically ceases, unless stated otherwise.
Removing a disease or poison only prevents more damage, it does not heal the damage or effects that disease or poison inflicted. The effects of a disease or poison must be treated separately. For example, upon counteracting Bacteria Fever, you no longer take Dexterity and Constitution damage however the damage already dealt remains and you must heal it as you would any Ability Damage.
Further, some conditions end with the disease or poison, while others, like the Sick condition from Arsenic, must be treated separately. See how to end each condition to determine which ends with their cause.
Ability Damage
This damage applies directly to one or more of your ability scores, Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. The score is temporarily reduced by the amount of damage dealt. The Ability Score Modifier is temporarily reduced, as necessary, according to the following table.
| Ability Score | Modifier |
| 0-1 | -5 |
| 2-3 | -4 |
| 4-5 | -3 |
| 6-7 | -2 |
| 8-9 | -1 |
| 10-11 | ±0 |
| 12-13 | +1 |
| 14-15 | +2 |
| 16-17 | +3 |
| 18-19 | +4 |
| 20-21 | +5 |
| ⁝ | ⁝ |
If your Ability Score is reduced to 0, you gain the following condition depending on the score affected.
- Strength.
- You gain the Paralyzed condition. This condition can only be removed by increasing your Strength score to 1 or more.
- Dexterity.
- You gain the Paralyzed condition. This condition can only be removed by increasing your Dexterity score to 1 or more.
- Constitution.
- You gain the Dead condition. This condition can only be removed by both increasing your Constitution score to 1 or more and through an effect that removes the Dead condition.
- Intelligence.
- You gain the Unconscious condition as you fall into a coma. This condition can only be removed by increasing your Intelligence score to 1 or more. You cannot end the Unconscious condition with a Will Save.
- Wisdom.
- You gain the Unconscious condition as you fall into a coma. This condition can only be removed by increasing your Wisdom score to 1 or more. You cannot end the Unconscious condition with a Will Save.
- Charisma.
- You gain the Unconscious condition as you fall into a coma. This condition can only be removed by increasing your Charisma score to 1 or more. You cannot end the Unconscious condition with a Will Save.
Ability Damage heals either naturally over time or through abilities that target Ability Damage specifically. After each Long Rest, you can heal 1 point of Ability Damage from each Ability Score.
Dying
If you drop to 0 Hit Points by lethal damage, you gain the Dying 1 and Unconscious conditions, possibly the Prone condition if applicable, and your initiative moves to just before the creature or effect that knocked you to 0 Hit Points. You are considered to be Unstable.
Each turn you have the Dying condition, you must make a Flat check with a DC 10. If your Constitution modifier is positive, subtract it from the Flat DC. If your Constitution modifier is negative, add it to the Flat DC. For example, a Constitution modifier of +3 means the Flat DC is 7, while a Constitution modifier of -1 means the Flat DC is 11.
On the Flat check:
- Critical Success. The Dying value decreases by 1 and you are stable.
- Success. You become stable, and the Dying condition does not increase nor decrease.
- Failure. The Dying value increases by 1.
- Critical Failure. The Dying value increases by 2.
You gain the Dead condition when you reach Dying 4.
You recover if both your Dying condition is removed and your Hit Points are above 0.
- Unstable. You have 0 Hit Points but a Dying condition of 1 or higher. You must make a Flat check with a DC 10.
- Critical Success. You become Stable and your Dying value decreases by 1.
- Success. You become Stable and your Dying value does not change.
- Failure. You remain Unstable and your Dying value increases by 1.
- Critical Failure. You remain Unstable and your Dying value increases by 2.
If your Constitution modifier is positive, subtract it from the Flat DC. If your Constitution modifier is negative, add it to the Flat DC. For example, a Constitution modifier of +3 means the Flat DC is 7, while a Constitution modifier of -1 means the Flat DC is 11.
If you are dealt damage while Unstable, your Dying value increases by 1.
- Alive. You recover when both your Dying value becomes 0 and your Hit Points are greater than 0. The first turn for which this is true, you lose the Dying and Unconscious conditions, but are inflicted with the Slowed 2 condition. The Slowed 2 condition ends immediately after your turn.
- Death: Through Dying 4. You gain the Dead condition if your Dying value ever reaches or exceeds 4.
- Recovering by reducing the Dying Condition. If your Dying value is reduced to 0, you immediately regain 1 Hit Point, becoming Alive.
- Recovering through Hit Points. If your Hit Points increase to 1 or above, you become Stable and your Dying value reduces by one each round.
- If your Dying value becomes 0 when you still have 1 or more Hit Points, you become Alive.
- If you are reduced to 0 Hit Points before your Dying value reaches 0, you become Unstable.
- Stable. If you become Stable, you do not need to roll Flat DC checks. Instead, your Dying condition remains the same, unless you become Unstable, and you gain 1 Hit Point after 1d4+2 hours.
- If you gain 1 Hit Point, you start Recovering through Hit Points.
- If you are dealt damage, you become Unstable.
Dying Rules Flowchart (Digital)
Resting
There are two types of rests, Long Rests, eight hours or more, and Short Rests, between one and eight hours. Each has benefits befitting the length of time spent to recover. You can gain the benefits of three Short Rests between Long Rests.
Short Rests
These rests are a minimum of one hour long, with a maximum of eight hours. During this time, you can participate in low-energy activities, such as reading, talking, simple cooking, or napping. Some skills, such Crafting, can be performed during a short rest as if during Downtime.
- Hit Points. You cannot regain Hit Points.
- Ability Points, Pools, and Rounds. If you used any of these abilities, you regain a quarter of the full number of points, rounds, or uses of the ability, rounded down, with a minimum of 1.
- Spells. If you used any spell slots, you regain a quarter of the full number of slots, rounded down, with a minimum of 1.
You can only benefit from a short rest for three times in a row. After the third time, you must take a long rest before you can benefit again from a short rest.
Long Rests
These rests are a minimum of eight hours long, with no maximum. During this time, you must spend at least eight hours sleeping. Extra hours past the eight can be spent on any Downtime activity.
- Hit Points. You regain up to half of your total Hit Points, to a maximum of your total Hit Points.
- Ability Points, Pools, and Rounds. If you used any of these abilities, you regain all points, rounds, or uses of the ability.
Spells. If you used any spell slots, you regain all slots.