Afflictions
From curses to poisons to diseases, there are a number of afflictions that can affect a creature. While each of these afflictions has a different effect, they all function using the same basic system. All afflictions grant a saving throw when they are contracted. If successful, the creature does not suffer from the affliction and does not need to make any further rolls. If the saving throw is a failure, the creature falls victim to the affliction and must deal with its effects.
Afflictions require a creature to make a saving throw after a period of time to avoid taking certain penalties. With most afflictions, if a number of saving throws are made consecutively, the affliction is removed and no further saves are necessary. Some afflictions, usually supernatural ones, cannot be cured through saving throws alone and require the aid of powerful magic to remove. Each affliction is presented as a short block of information to help you better adjudicate its results.
Name: This is the name of the affliction.
Type: This is the type of the affliction, such as curse, disease, or poison. It might also include the means by which it is contracted, such as contact, ingestion, inhalation, injury, spell, or trap.
Save: This gives the type of save necessary to avoid contracting the affliction, as well as the DC of that save. Unless otherwise noted, this is also the save to avoid the affliction's effects once it is contracted, as well as the DC of any caster level checks needed to end the affliction through magic, such as remove curse or neutralize poison.
Onset: Some afflictions have a variable amount of time before they set in. Creatures that come in contact with an affliction with an onset time must make a saving throw immediately. Success means that the affliction is avoided and no further saving throws must be made. Failure means that the creature has contracted the affliction and must begin making additional saves after the onset period has elapsed. The affliction's effect does not occur until after the onset period has elapsed and then only if further saving throws are failed.
Frequency: This is how often the periodic saving throw must be attempted after the affliction has been contracted (after the onset time, if the affliction has any). While some afflictions last until they are cured, others end prematurely, even if the character is not cured through other means. If an affliction ends after a set amount of time, it will be noted in the frequency. For example, a disease with a frequency of “1/day” lasts until cured, but a poison with a frequency of “1/round for 6 rounds” ends after 6 rounds have passed.
Afflictions without a frequency occur only once, immediately upon contraction (or after the onset time if one is listed).
Effect: This is the effect that the character suffers each time if he fails his saving throw against the affliction. Most afflictions cause ability damage or hit point damage. These effects are cumulative, but they can be cured normally. Other afflictions cause the creature to take penalties or other effects. These effects are sometimes cumulative, with the rest only affecting the creature if it failed its most recent save. Some afflictions have different effects after the first save is failed. These afflictions have an initial effect, which occurs when the first save is failed, and a secondary effect, when additional saves are failed, as noted in the text. Hit point and ability score damage caused by an affliction cannot be healed naturally while the affliction persists.
Cure: This tells you how the affliction is cured. Commonly, this is a number of saving throws that must be made consecutively. Even if the affliction has a limited frequency, it might be cured prematurely if enough saving throws are made. Hit point damage and ability score damage is not removed when an affliction is cured. Such damage must be healed normally. Afflictions without a cure entry can only be cured through powerful spells, such as neutralize poison and remove curse. No matter how many saving throws are made, these afflictions continue to affect the target.
He failed a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid contracting it, so after the onset period of 1d3 days has passed, he must make another DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid taking 1d6 points of Strength damage. From this point onward, he must make a DC 15 Fortitude save each day (according to the disease's frequency) to avoid further Strength damage. If, on two consecutive days, he makes his Fortitude saves, he is cured of the disease and any damage it caused begins to heal as normal.
CursesCareless rogues plundering a tomb, drunken heroes insulting a powerful wizard, and foolhardy adventurers who pick up ancient swords all might suffer from curses. These magic afflictions can have a wide variety of effects, from a simple penalty to certain checks to transforming the victim into a toad. Some even cause the afflicted to slowly rot away, leaving nothing behind but dust. Unlike other afflictions, most curses cannot be cured through a number of successful saving throws. Curses can be cured through magic, however, usually via spells such as remove curse and break enchantment. While some curses cause a progressive deterioration, others inflict a static penalty from the moment they are contracted, neither fading over time nor growing worse. In addition, there are a number of magic items that act like curses. See Magic Items for a description of these cursed items. The following samples present just some of the possibilities when creating curses. Sample CursesBaleful Polymorph SpellType curse, spell; Save Fortitude DC 17 negates, Will DC 17 partial Effect transforms target into a lizard; see baleful polymorph description Bestow Curse TrapType curse, spell, trap; Save Will DC 14 Effect –6 penalty to Strength The BleachingType curse; Save Will halts or reverses (see text) Onset middle age; Frequency 1/year Effect Upon reaching middle age, any gnome who in the GM’s opinion does not adequately seek out new and interesting experiences runs the risk of experiencing the Bleaching. Each year that the gnome doesn’t act to mitigate his boredom, he must make a Will save with a DC equal to the amount of ability damage he’s taken from the Bleaching so far or 10 + his level, whichever is greater. If he fails, he takes a 1d6 drain to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma respectively. This drain cannot be healed in any manner short of a wish or miracle. If at any point the gnome undergoes sufficiently interesting experiences, he does not need to save that year to avoid further drain and may instead attempt a save that year at the curse's current DC to remove 1d4 points of ability drain from each affected ability score. If one of the gnome’s ability scores reaches 0 because of the curse (not as a result of some other ability damage or drain), he must immediately make a final save at the curse's current DC. If he fails, he dies and cannot be resurrected; if he succeeds, he becomes a bleachling. A bleachling is immune to the Bleaching and is immune to further effects of aging as per the druid’s timeless body ability, though he retains any age-related penalties already incurred; additionally, any ability drain due to the Bleaching is reversed. The colors of his body are muted, he treats druid as an additional favored class (including retroactively gaining favored class skill ranks which he may apply to Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skills), and he can cast speak with animals at will. The Bleaching cannot be cured by magic; it persists even in areas where magic does not function. Curse of the AgesType curse; Save Will DC 17 Frequency 1/day Effect age 1 year Mummy RotType curse, disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 16 Onset 1 minute; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d6 Con damage and 1d6 Cha damage; Cure mummy rot can only be cured by successfully casting both remove curse and remove disease within 1 minute of each other. UnluckType curse; Save Will DC 20 negates, no save to avoid effects Frequency 1/hour Effect target must reroll any roll decided by the GM and take the worse result Wendigo FeverType disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 17 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Wis plus shaken Cure the victim must first receive a break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC 20 caster level check for either spell), and after which the wendigo fever can be magically cured as any normal disease. Werewolf LycanthropyType curse, injury; Save Fortitude DC 15 negates, Will DC 15 to avoid effects Onset the next full moon; Frequency on the night of every full moon or whenever the target is injured Effect target transforms into a wolf under the GM's control until the next morning DiseasesFrom a widespread plague to the bite of a dire rat, disease is a serious threat to common folk and adventurers alike. Diseases rarely have a limited frequency, but most have a lengthy onset time. This onset time can also be variable. Most diseases can be cured by a number of consecutive saving throws or by spells such as remove disease. Sample DiseasesThe following samples represent just some of the possibilities when creating diseases. Basidirond SporesType disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 16 Onset immediate; Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds Effect1d2 Con damage; Cure1 save Blinding SicknessType disease, ingested; Save Fortitude DC 16 Onset 1d3 days; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d4 Str damage, if more than 2 Str damage, target must make an additional Fort save or be permanently blinded; Cure 2 consecutive saves Bonecrusher (Dengue) FeverThe name of this mosquito-borne illness comes from the terrifying sensation sufferers experience, as if their bones were being squeezed to pulp from within. The illness then leads to severe headaches, high fevers, and a distinctive rash of bright red dots across the lower limbs and chest. Type disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 12 Onset 1 week; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d4 Dex damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle Boot SoupThis infection is named for its ultimate result, should it go untreated for long periods of time. A fuzzy reddish-brown fungus grows painlessly between the toes and spreads from there to the top of the foot over the course of a day. If not removed within 24 hours, the character's movement speed is reduced by 5 feet for every day the infection is left to spread. It is only at this point that the character begins to feel pain as the fungus starts consuming living tissue and nerves, eventually leading to paralysis. Type disease (fungus), contact; Save Fortitude DC 16 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect speed reduced by 5 feet and 1d3 Dex damage, creatures reduced to speed 0 feet are permanently paralyzed; Cure 2 consecutive saves, or completely skinning or burning the affected area (inflicting 1d8 points of damage) Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle BrainwormsIndividually, these tiny parasites are almost invisible to the naked eye, yet en masse they're capable of taking down even the strongest animals. Entering the body through contact with an infected host or corpse (especially through open wounds), these thin worms quickly migrate to the brain and begin reproducing. The infestation is typically evidenced by a dulling of the senses and intellect and by erratic bouts of irrational rage toward other creatures during which the worms attempt to spread to other hosts through combat and injury. Examining the brain of a late-stage victim reveals a living carpet of thousands of tiny parasites. Type disease (parasite), contact or injury; Save Fortitude DC 14 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d3 Wis damage and 1d3 Int damage, if damaged in combat, target must make a second Fort save or gain the confused condition for the duration of the encounter; Cure 2 consecutive saves Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle Bregar’s GloomThis disease destroys a creature’s self-worth, making them pliable subjects for a would-be tyrant. Those that succumb to the disease become one of the wretched. Type disease, contact; Save Will DC 14 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1 day Effect 1d6 Cha damage. A creature that reaches 0 Cha becomes wretched; Cure 3 consecutive saves Bubonic PlagueType disease, injury or inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 17 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d4 Con damage and 1 Cha damage and target is fatigued; Cure 2 consecutive saves Cackle FeverType disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 16 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d6 Wis damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves Demon FeverType disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 18 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d6 Con damage, target must make a second Fort save or 1 point of the damage is drain instead; Cure 2 consecutive saves Devil ChillsType disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 14 Onset 1d4 days; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d4 Str damage; Cure 3 consecutive saves DysenteryA broad family of intestinal afflictions caused by everything from bacteria to viruses to parasitic worms, dysentery is characterized by explosive and sometimes bloody diarrhea, leading to dehydration and occasionally death. Type disease (parasite), contact or injury; Save Fortitude DC 16 Onset 1d3 days; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d6 nonlethal damage and target is fatigued and staggered; Cure 2 consecutive saves Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle Filth FeverType disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 12 Onset 1d3 days; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves FiregutThough less extreme than true dysentery, this disease is characterized by occasional vomiting of burning bile. It is extremely tenacious. Type disease, injury or inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 17 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect target is staggered; Cure 3 consecutive saves Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle Green HazeThis mold tends to begin growing in the folds of the eyelids. Over the course of a day, it spreads to cover the eyelids and begins to cover the eyeball. If left untreated, this mold can cause the character to go permanently blind. Type disease (fungus), contact; Save Fortitude DC 13 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect -4 on Perception checks, target is permanently blinded if fails 3 saves; Cure 2 consecutive saves Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle GreenscaleThis disgusting disease causes patches of skin to harden and crack, weeping greenish pus and covering the body with putrid, scale-like patterns. The disease is most commonly contracted through injury or other blood-to-blood contact with an infected creature, though certain carrion eaters of the jungle particularly birds have been known to play host to the disease without themselves suffering from it. Type disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 15 Onset 1d6 days; Frequency 1/week Effect 1d2 Cha damage and 1d2 Dex damage, target must make a second Fort save or 1 point of the Cha damage is drain instead; Cure 2 consecutive saves Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle LeprosyType disease, contact, inhaled, or injury; Save Fortitude DC 12 negates, Fortitude DC 20 to avoid effects Onset 2d4 weeks; Frequency 1/week Effect 1d2 Cha damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves Malaria (Jungle Fever)A classic traveler's nightmare, malaria is transmitted by the bites of mosquitoes and leads to fever, vomiting, shivering, and convulsions, and sometimes even severe brain damage, particularly in children. Type disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 18 Onset 1d3 days; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d3 Str damage and 1d3 Con damage and target is fatigued; Cure 2 consecutive saves Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle MindfireType disease, inhaled; Save Fortitude DC 12 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d4 Int damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves RabiesType disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 14 Onset 2d6 weeks; Frequency 1/day Effect 1 Con damage plus 1d3 Wis damage (minimum reduction to 1 Wis); Cure 2 consecutive saves Red AcheType disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 15 Onset 1d3 days; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d6 Str damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves Pulsing PuffsA character who has taken a wound (or even a small scratch) that remains unhealed for any length of time may soon find small blue-white spores sprouting within it. These spores quickly grow into phosphorescent, domed mounds that pulse along with the bearer's heartbeat. At first, the only effect of the growths is to prevent natural healing of the wound. However, if left untreated for more than a day, the spores take deeper root and begin to damage the character's Dexterity. Due to the fungus's beauty, some jungle tribes are known to cultivate it on the bound bodies of their prisoners. Type disease (fungus), injury; Save Fortitude DC 16 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d4 Dex damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle Red DripThe first sign that a character has the red drip is an inflammation of the cuticles and hands. Ifleft untreated, the cuticles begin to bleed and the hands swell until the nails blacken and fall off entirely. From there, the hands become a mess of oozing sores, festering and rotting. The infection then spreads up the arms and into the chest, killing the victim. Fortunately, this fungus generally only attacks one hand at a time, making amputation an effective cure. Type disease (fungus), contact; Save Fortitude DC 18 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d4 Dex damage and 1d2 Cha damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves or amputation of infected hand Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle ShakesType disease, contact; Save Fortitude DC 13 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d8 Dex damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves Sleeping SicknessEndemic throughout the Sodden Lands and the Mwangi Expanse, this parasitic affliction is spread by flying insects injecting tiny parasites into the victim's bloodstream and inducing fever, headache, joint pain, swelling of glands in the back and neck, and most notably fatigue. The disease gradually infects the brain, causing confusion, reduced coordination, difficulty keeping track of time, and insomnia. The best cure for this disease is dosing the patient with the poison arsenic if the patient survives, there's a cumulative 30% chance that the disease is immediately cured. Type disease (parasite), injury; Save Fortitude DC 14 Onset 1d2 days; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d4 Wis damage and target is fatigued; Cure 2 consecutive saves or arsenic (see text) Source Pathfinder Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle Slimy DoomType disease, contact; Save Fortitude DC 14 Onset 1 day; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d4 Con damage, target must make a second Fort save or 1 point of the damage is drain instead; Cure 2 consecutive saves Zombie RotType disease, contact; Save Fortitude DC = 10 + 1/2 the zombie's Hit Dice + the zombie's Cha modifier Onset 1d4 days; Frequency 1/day Effect 1d2 Con damage (this damage cannot be healed while the creature is infected); Cure 2 consecutive saves. Note Anyone who dies while infected rises as a plague zombie in 2d6 hours. Drugs and AddictionSanity and Madness | PoisonNo other affliction is so prevalent as poison. From the fangs of a viper to the ichor-stained assassin's blade, poison is a constant threat. Poisons can be cured by successful saving throws and spells such as neutralize poison. Contact poisons are contracted the moment someone touches the poison with his bare skin. Such poisons can be used as injury poisons. Contact poisons usually have an onset time of 1 minute and a frequency of 1 minute. Ingested poisons are contracted when a creature eats or drinks the poison. Ingested poisons usually have an onset time of 10 minutes and a frequency of 1 minute. Injury poisons are primarily contracted through the attacks of certain creatures and through weapons coated in the toxin. Injury poisons do not usually have an onset time and have a frequency of 1 round. Inhaled poisons are contracted the moment a creature enters an area containing such poisons. Most inhaled poisons fill a volume equal to a 10-foot cube per dose. Creatures can attempt to hold their breaths while inside to avoid inhaling the toxin. Creatures holding their breaths receive a 50% chance of not having to make a Fortitude save each round. See the rules for holding your breath and suffocation in Environment. Note that a character that would normally suffocate while attempting to hold its breath instead begins to breathe normally again.
Unlike
other afflictions, multiple doses of the same poison stack. Poisons
delivered by injury and contact cannot inflict more than one dose of
poison at a time, but inhaled and ingested poisons can inflict multiple
doses at once. Each additional dose extends the total duration of the
poison (as noted under frequency) by half its total duration. In
addition, each dose of poison increases the DC to resist the poison by
+2. This increase is cumulative. Multiple doses do not alter the cure
conditions of the poison, and meeting these conditions ends the
affliction for all the doses. For example, a character is bit three
times in the same round by a trio of Medium monstrous spiders,
injecting him with three doses of Medium spider venom. The unfortunate
character must make a DC 18 Fortitude save for the next 8 rounds. Fortunately, just one successful save cures the character of all three doses of the poison. Action: Applying
poison to a weapon or single piece of ammunition is a standard action. Whenever a character applies or readies a poison for use there is a 5% chance that he exposes himself to the poison and must save against the poison as normal. This does not consume the dose of poison. Whenever a character attacks with a poisoned weapon, if the attack roll results in a natural 1, he exposes himself to the poison. This consumes the poison on the weapon. Characters with the poison use class feature do not risk accidentally poisoning themselves.
Poisons can be made using Craft (alchemy). The DC to make a poison is equal to its Fortitude save DC. Rolling a natural 1 on a Craft
skill check while making a poison exposes the crafter to the poison.
Crafters with the poison use class feature do not risk poisoning
themselves when using Craft to make poison. Sample Poisons
The following samples represent just some of the possibilities when creating poisons. ArsenicType poison, ingested; Save Fortitude DC 13 Onset 10 minutes.; Frequency 1/minute for 4 minutes Effect 1d2 Con damage; Cure 1 save Azalea LeavesType poison, ingested; Save Fortitude DC 14 Frequency 1/round for 2 rounds Effect 1d3 Con damage and 1d3 Wis damage; Cure 1 save Cost 300 gp Source Wayfinder #3 BelladonnaType poison, ingested; Save Fortitude DC 14 Onset 10 minutes; Frequency 1/minute for 6 minutes Effect 1d2 Str damage, target can attempt one save to cure a lycanthropy affliction contracted in the past hour; Cure 1 save Black Adder VenomType poison, injury; Save Fortitude DC 11 Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds Effect 1d2 Con damage; Cure 1 save Black Lotus ExtractType poison, contact; Save Fortitude DC 20 Onset 1 minute; Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds Effect 1d6 Con damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves Black Smear
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