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Chapter 11: Game Mastering / Afflictions

Poisons

Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 415
Each poison has a delivery mechanism. Page 417 explains the details of the various methods of delivery. A character who is poisoned attempts a saving throw after the listed onset and at the listed frequency thereafter. Upon initial exposure, regardless of whether she succeeds at her saving throw, the victim loses a number of Hit Points equal to the poison’s DC – 10. If a victim is exposed to multiple doses of the same poison, she must attempt a separate save for each dose and progresses to the next state on the poison track with each failed save.

Strength Poison Track

Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Staggered—Immobile—Dead

Weakened

The victim takes a –2 penalty to Strength-based ability checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, and skill checks, and the DCs of his spells and special abilities decrease by 2. The victim’s total carrying capacity is reduced by two-thirds (minimum 1 bulk), and he gains the encumbered condition regardless of how much he is carrying.

Impaired

The victim takes an additional –2 penalty to the affected checks, rolls, and DCs, and he gains the overburdened condition regardless of how much he is carrying.

Staggered

The victim is staggered, except he can still take a purely mental full action.

Immobile

The victim is helpless and can take only purely mental actions.

Dead

The victim dies.

Dexterity Poison Track

Healthy—Sluggish—Stiffened—Staggered—Immobile—Dead

Sluggish

The victim takes a –2 penalty to Reflex saves and Dexterity-based ability checks, attack rolls, and skill checks; the DCs of her spells and special abilities decrease by 2; and she becomes flat-footed.

Stiffened

The victim loses her Dexterity bonus to her Armor Class, and she can’t take reactions.

Staggered

The victim is staggered but can take purely mental full actions.

Immobile

The victim is helpless and can take only purely mental actions.

Dead

The victim dies.

Constitution Poison Track

Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Debilitated—Unconscious—Dead

Weakened

The victim takes a –2 penalty to Fortitude saves, Constitution checks, and Constitution-based DCs. Every time the victim attempts a Fortitude save against the poison—whether he succeeds or fails—he loses Hit Points as per on initial exposure.

Impaired

The victim takes an additional –2 penalty to the affected checks, and the DCs of his spells and special abilities decrease by 2.

Debilitated

Strenuous actions cause the victim pain. If he takes a standard action, he immediately loses 1 Hit Point.

Unconscious

The victim is unconscious and can’t be woken by any means.

Dead

The victim dies.

Intelligence Poison Track

Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Animalistic—Comatose—Dead

Weakened

The victim takes a –2 penalty to all Intelligence-based ability checks and skill checks, and the DCs of her spells and special abilities decrease by 2. If she has 1 or more levels in a spellcasting class whose key ability score is Intelligence, she can’t cast her highest level of spells from that class.

Impaired

The victim takes an additional –2 penalty to the affected checks and the affected DCs decrease by an additional 2. If she has 1 or more levels in a spellcasting class whose key ability score is Intelligence, she can’t cast her 2 highest levels of spells from that class.

Animalistic

The victim suffers the effects of a feeblemind spell (see page 354), except her Charisma and Charisma-based skills are unaffected.

Comatose

The victim can’t process thoughts and can’t be woken.

Dead

The victim’s brain stops working, and she dies.

Wisdom Poison Track

Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Confused—Comatose—Dead

Weakened

The victim takes a –2 penalty to Will saves and Wisdom-based ability checks and skill checks, and the DCs of his spells and special abilities decrease by 2. If he has 1 or more levels in a spellcasting class whose key ability score is Wisdom, he can’t cast his highest level of spells from that class.

Impaired

The victim takes an additional –2 penalty to the affected checks, and the affected DCs decrease by an additional 2. If he has 1 or more levels in a spellcasting class whose key ability score is Wisdom, he can’t cast his 2 highest levels of spells from that class.

Confused

The victim gains the confused condition.

Comatose

The victim can’t experience reality and can’t be woken.

Dead

The victim’s brain stops working, and he dies.

Charisma Poison Track

Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Pliable—Catatonic—Dead

Weakened

The victim takes a –2 penalty to Charisma-based ability checks and skill checks, and the DCs of her spells and special abilities decrease by 2. If she has 1 or more levels in a spellcasting class whose key ability score is Charisma, she can’t cast her highest level of spells from that class.

Impaired

The victim takes an additional –2 penalty to the affected checks and DCs. If she has 1 or more levels in a spellcasting class whose key ability score is Charisma, she can’t cast her 2 highest levels of spells from that class.

Pliable

The victim has little sense of self and goes along with nearly any order or suggestion. Creatures attempting Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate checks against her automatically succeed, though Diplomacy checks to improve her attitude still have the normal DC.

Catatonic

The victim loses agency and can’t interact with anything.

Dead

The victim loses autonomic functions and dies.

Drugs

Drugs are a special kind of poison that grant a beneficial effect right away but also move the user a single step down the associated poison track. However, the user doesn’t lose Hit Points, even if the drug functions as a Constitution poison. Taking a drug also exposes the user to the addiction disease (see page 418), with a DC that depends on how addictive the drug is. If a character is dosed with a drug against his will, he can attempt a Fortitude save against the drug’s DC. If he succeeds, this negates both the drug’s beneficial and negative effects, as well the chance for addiction. Immunity to poison or a similar effect prevents a character from experiencing the drug’s beneficial effects, and removing or suppressing a drug’s negative effects with restorative spells also cancels the benefits.