Heat, cold, hunger, thirst, lack of sleep, and other hazards can wear down even the hardiest of heroes, sending them into a downward spiral that can lead to death if they can’t improve their situation.
When to Use These Rules: When you want to emphasize the dramatic and dangerous nature of extreme environments or lack of resources.
Other hazards listed in this section, such as falling, poison, disease, and the like, generally come up in response to a creature or situation.
The Basics: Each hazard is different, but most are an attribute check made periodically against some dangerous effect. Failure tends to cause Fatigue. Use the standard rules modified by any changes noted in this section.
Stumbling down a slope or running through a cavern in the dark might cause numerous cuts, scrapes, and bumps.
Characters moving through injurious terrain make an Athletics roll. Those who fail gain a level of Fatigue.
Recovery: Fatigue levels from Bumps & Bruises improve one level every 24 hours instead of every hour (see Fatigue).
A character may use the Healing skill to treat the injuries. Success relieves one level of Fatigue from Bumps & Bruises and a raise relieves two. Each healer may attempt this roll only once unless the GM decides a change in circumstances warrants another opportunity (finding medical supplies, for example).
Climbing uses the Athletics skill, and the basics are covered under Movement. When the game is in rounds, each inch climbed takes 2″ of Pace.
No roll is usually needed to ascend ladders or trees with sturdy limbs unless the GM feels there’s a good reason (being chased, injured, etc.).
Under stress (such as during combat rounds), the climber must roll Athletics to make progress. Success means he moves normally, failure means he doesn’t make any progress that round, and a Critical Failure indicates a fall! If secured by a rope or other restraint, he falls half the length of the restraint and suffers Fatigue from Bumps & Bruises (see above). If unsecured, see the Falling rules.
Modifiers: The GM should assign a bonus (+2) if the surface has numerous hand- and footholds or the climber has good equipment. Assign a penalty (-1 to -4) for smooth surfaces, lack of equipment, bad weather, etc.
Break lengthy ascents like climbing mountain sides into three roughly even sections. Assume any falls occur at the “top” of each section
The GM might also consider using the Dramatic Task system if the surface must be ascended in a certain amount of time—such as before weather hits, guards return, etc.
Trudging through deep snow for hours on end, facing biting winds, or falling in ice water can wear down and kill even a hearty warrior.
A character must make a Vigor roll every four hours spent in weather below freezing (32° F); at -2 if the temperature is below 0° F. Failure means the hero incurs a Fatigue level.
Roll only once per day if a character has appropriate cold weather gear (heavy furs and the like), or once every five days if well-provisioned with shelter, food, and other resources.
Death: Incapacitated victims die after 2d6 hours instead of waking Exhausted.
Recovery: Victims can recover Fatigue only after they receive adequate warmth and shelter.
Diseases cover a wide range of maladies, from long-term debilitating illnesses to those which might cause immediate spasms or death.
Diseases can be contracted through various vectors, such as an airborne source, ingestion, or the touch or bite of a creature that causes a Wound or Shaken result. In any of these situations, the victim must make an immediate Vigor roll to avoid infection.
To handle such a diverse range of diseases, we’ve broken them down into three major categories. If you’re trying to model a specific disease, adjust the rules presented here to better reflect its symptoms.
Recovery: Diseases can be cured by the healing power with the Neutralize Poison or Disease modifier, or with specific medications — whether or not those are available depends on the game (GM’s call).
The symptoms can often be treated by common medicines, however. With a successful Healing roll, a physician, priest, herbalist, etc., can prescribe or create a treatment. She may attempt to do so once per day.
Each application of the treatment (balms, poultices, elixirs, etc.) reduces Fatigue by one level for four hours.
Type Effect
Chronic At the start of every game session, the character makes a Vigor roll. Failure means he’s Exhausted from spasms, coughing fits, or similar issues for that session. A Critical Failure means he will expire before the end of the session. The GM is encouraged to let heroes go out in a blaze of glory if possible. Success means the victim is Fatigued for the game session, and a raise means he gets a second wind and suffers no ill effects.
Debilitating Flus, viruses, stomach bugs and the like have various specific symptoms but generally result in the character being Fatigued for 2d6 days.
Lethal Fast-acting diseases might be found in the darkest depths of forgotten dungeons or in specific locations on Golarion. Upon contracting the disease, the hero is Fatigued. At the start of each turn thereafter, he must make a Vigor roll or suffer a Wound! (Some diseases may call for a Vigor roll more slowly, such as once per hour or once per day.) A successful Healing roll stops the effects only if the proper medicine is on hand to stop the disease.
Swimming is covered under Movement. In still water, each inch of movement on the tabletop takes 2″ of Pace. Swimming up- or downstream should modify this as the Game Master sees fit.
Under hazardous conditions, swimmers must roll Athletics to move. Failure means she makes no progress that round, and a Critical Failure causes a level of Fatigue. With success she moves normally.
If it becomes important to know, characters can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to 2 plus their Vigor die, or half that if they weren’t prepared for being submerged and didn’t have time to get a good breath.
Add +2 to swimming rolls if a character has something that floats to hold on to.
Armor: Subtract 1 for each point of worn Armor, not counting any magical bonuses. Swimming in chain mail, for example, subtracts 3 from a character's Athletics (swimming) rolls.
Death: Incapacitated characters perish in a number of rounds equal to their Vigor die. If someone can get to the victim before then, he can be resuscitated with a Healing roll at -2.
On Golarion, characters may encounter natural or magical sources of electricity. Contact with a high voltage electrical source (GM’s call) causes 3d6 damage. Increase the damage by +1d6 if the victim is standing in deep water or driving rain, and +2 if the victim wears mostly metal armor (chain mail, plate mail).
Armor: Armor doesn’t protect from electrical damage unless it’s specifically designed to do so (e.g., a rubberized suit).
Falling damage is 1d6+1 for every full 10 feet (or d6+1 per 2" on the tabletop), to a maximum of 10d6+10.
Snow: Particularly soft ground, such as very deep snow, acts as a cushion. Every foot of soft snow reduces damage 1 point.
Water: A successful Athletics roll halves damage into reasonably deep water at heights of 10″ (20 yards) or less. A raise negates the damage entirely. Those who fall into water from heights greater than 20 yards take damage as if they’d hit solid earth.
If a flammable target is hit by fire (GM’s call), roll 1d6. On a 6, the target catches fire and immediately takes the damage listed below. Very flammable targets catch fire on a 4–6. Volatile targets, such as a person dowsed in pitch, catch fire on a 2–6.
Fire continues to cause damage at the beginning of the victim’s turns. Roll a d6 immediately after it does so. On a 6, it grows in intensity to whatever maximum the GM feels is appropriate (usually 3d6 for organic beings). On a 1, the fire drops a level, or burns out if reduced below 1d6 damage.
A character may also make an Athletics roll to put out a fire on himself, others, or a flame the size of a Medium Blast Template. This is an action, plus any modifiers for intensity, tools, the flammability of the target, etc.
Damage Description
1d6 Spot contact, steam
2d6 Bonfire, burning room
3d6 Fireball
5d6 Lava
Armor: Armor protects normally unless the attack or hazard’s description says otherwise. A hero hit with a fireball is still better off if he has a breastplate than not, for example.
Flaming Weapons: Flame doesn’t cause extra damage but may set the target on fire if the target is flammable or volatile (as above).
Fires in confined areas produce deadly smoke. Each person within must make a Vigor roll every round. If the roll is failed, the character gains a level of Fatigue. A wet cloth or similar precaution adds +2 to the roll.
Death: A person Incapacitated from smoke inhalation dies in a number of minutes equal to his Vigor. If someone can get to the victim before then, he can be resuscitated by removing him from the hazard and succeeding on a Healing roll at -2.
Heat over 90° Fahrenheit can cause heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
A character must make a Vigor roll every four hours spent in weather above 90° F; at
-2 if the temperature is above 110° F. Failure means the hero incurs a Fatigue level.
Roll only once per day if a character has plenty of water, or once every five days if well-provisioned with shelter, food, and other resources.
Heatstroke: A Critical Failure when resisting heat indicates heatstroke! The hero must make a second Vigor roll or perish.
Recovery: A victim must cool down somehow to recover Fatigue. This usually means water, shade, and rest.
Traversing landscapes at high elevations can cause Fatigue—and potentially worse—to those who aren’t used to it.
When traveling at altitudes roughly a mile high or higher, a character must make a Vigor roll every four hours. Failure means the hero incurs a Fatigue level. The roll is at -2 for elevation greater than 10,000 feet, and -4 (maximum) for higher than 15,000 feet.
At the GM’s discretion, characters who are already acclimated to these elevations don’t need to roll.
Death: Incapacitated victims die after 2d6 hours.
Recovery: Victims recover one level of Fatigue per hour after resting for at least two full hours.
Average-size humans need about 1,500 calories of reasonably nutritious food per day to avoid the effects of hunger. If sufficient sustenance isn’t available, a character begins to suffer and die.
After 24 hours without enough food, the victim must make a Vigor roll. Failure means he gains a Fatigue level.
See the Survival skill when a character wants to hunt or scrounge for food from the local environment.
Death: An Incapacitated character dies from hunger 3d6 hours later.
Recovery: The victim must have at least a half day’s food to recover.
The bane of adventurers across all of Golarion can be delivered by the smallest of foes—poison!
When an adventurer is poisoned, he must make an immediate Vigor roll minus the strength of the poison (if listed). Failure causes the effects listed below:
Knockout: The victim is knocked out (Incapacitated and unconscious) for 2d6 hours (twice that with a Critical Failure).
Lethal: The victim is Stunned, takes a Wound (two with a Critical Failure), and perishes in 2d6 rounds.
Mild: The victim suffers Fatigue, or Exhaustion with a Critical Failure. This cannot cause Incapacitation.
Paralyzing: The victim is Stunned and cannot attempt to recover for d4+1 rounds (double that with a Critical Failure).
These are basic and simplified poison effects that can be altered as needed to suit specific creatures or hazards. A particularly deadly venomous snake, for example, might still cause Exhaustion to those who resist its effects, or Fatigue with a raise.
Treatment: A character may make a Healing roll minus the strength of the poison (if any modifier is listed) to stop its effects. If successful, the victim’s life is saved and the poison no longer has any ill effects— paralyzed victims can move and those rendered unconscious wake.
Each character may only attempt one Healing roll per incident to cure the poison, but another character with Healing may try as well.
Most people need a minimum of six hours’ sleep out of every 24. A character who goes without must make a Vigor roll every 24 hours thereafter or suffer Fatigue. Tea or similar stimulants add +1 to the roll.
An average-sized human requires two quarts of water a day. This requirement is doubled in very dry conditions (such as the desert) or areas of great heat and high humidity (the jungle) as the character perspires constantly and begins to dehydrate.
If enough water isn’t available, the hero begins to suffer from dehydration. A day after he can’t get enough water, he must make a Vigor roll every eight hours (every four hours in a very hot or humid environment). Failure incurs a level of Fatigue.
See the Survival skill when a character wants to search for water from the local environment
Recovery: Characters recover Fatigue levels normally after receiving sufficient water.
Death: An individual Incapacitated by thirst perishes after 2d6 hours.
Traps are mechanical or magical in nature, usually constructed to protect treasures or stop intruders. They range from simple camouflaged pits to poisoned darts and triggered magical burst effects.
Haunts function like traps, but are specific supernatural phenomena connected to restless shades or other spirits. These areas react violently to the presence of the living, usually triggering some kind of effect when the area is entered or some item of personal import is touched or approached.
Here's how to read each trap or haunt's description:
Type: Mechanical, Magical, Haunt
Notice Check: Yes or No, with any modifier to a Notice roll to detect the presence of a trap. Success allows the heroes to react before the trap or haunt is triggered.
Thievery Check: Yes or No, with any modifiers to the Thievery die roll needed to succeed in disabling a trap.
Effects: How the trap springs or the haunt manifests and their game effects.
Wounds: Haunts can be affected by the healing power. When the haunt is healed a number of Wounds equal to the number listed here, it's disabled.
Reset: After a certain duration, a haunt (even a disabled one) resets to its original state. The duration is listed in the haunt. This continues until the haunt is destroyed.
Destroying a Haunt: To completely destroy a haunt, its source must be destroyed. This is usually listed before the haunt or in the description. This will often involve destroying something, such as a cursed corpse.
Type: Mechanical; Notice Check: Yes, at –2; Thievery Check: Yes, at –2
Trigger: A hinged section of floor is rigged to give way. Any Size 0 or larger creature entering the room triggers a collapse.
Effect: Victims fall 30 feet (3d6+3 damage) unless they make an Evasion roll to dive clear.
Type: Haunt (6’ radius); Notice Check: No (the spirit appears without warning);
Trigger: Proximity; Wounds: 1; Reset: 1 day
Effect: The spirit manifests in front of the victim, causing him to make a Fear check when the ghostly image appears.