Status Effects

Status effects are things that happen to your character or other targets for an amount of time. Things that can happen to your character include: a player character might take damage over time, they might gain a buff or a debuff, a player might lose control of their character for a limited period of time, the character might be set-up for some extra damage later, an effect might affect how the player character can act, and the effect might be deadly! Status effects are meant to spice up play and affect how players tackle problems together by using abilities of their environment cleverly to inflict these effects to their benefit.

I disallow ppls to be affected by the safe status effect in the same round it was heckin' cured. You can mess with'em next round.

Damage Overtime

damage overtime effects cause damage and it happens over a period of time specified in the status effect. Usually, damage ramps up over time which gives players time to strategize on how to handle the effect

• Bleeding - On the first round, when a player character moves after receiving this status effect (engaging, disengaging, moving in the same zone, moving to another zone), they take 1 point of damage to their health for the round. On every following round, the bleeding worsens and does 1 and +1 damage to health each round where the player moves and does not tend to their bleeding. If the player does not move for three rounds, the bleeding status effect goes away.
• Burning - When a player character catches on fire via a spell, heat source, or bad luck, they gain the burning status effect until they can put themselves out with an action or via a water source or water spell. Burning does 1 damage to health on the first round and +1 per each round after the first.
• Electrified - At the start of each of your turns, take 1 damage to the player character’s health. Anytime they want to do an action that requires them to move and touch something (even with their weapon), they must make a physical save. On any kind of pass, they can do the action. On any kind of fail, their turn is skipped. This effect ends when the physical save is critically passed, or after three rounds of not touching or attacking anything.
• Falling - When Falling, your character has lost the ability to keep from falling or has lost any means to keep them from falling. Your character can only move down and, on Physical Save, can slightly influence where they fall. Fall damage is calculated based on the height of the fall as determined by the number of seconds spent falling, how how many actions they get before they hit the ground. If the fall is less than 6 seconds and no actions can be taken, the player makes an agility check; On any pass the player character takes no damage; on any fail, the player character takes 1 damage to their health. If the fall is 6 seconds and one action can be taken, the player makes an agility check with a Test of 2; On any pass, the player character takes 3 damage; on any kind of fail, the player character loses half their health. If the fall is 12 seconds or two actions can be taken, the player makes a physical save. On Crit, they survive with no injuries; on pass, they survive but are reduced to half health; on half-pass, they are reduced to one health; on fail, they are reduced to one health and are unconscious; on Crit Fail, they die. On any other amount of time, players make a physical save; On Crit pass, they survive but are reduced to one health and are unconscious; on any other roll, they die.
• Suffocating - Unless otherwise specified, a player character can hold their breath for minutes equal to their Fitness Score—minimum 6 seconds. After this time, they run out of air. When this happens, they are suffocating, lose 5 hit points every additional minute spent holding their breath. Suffocating’s effect ends if they are able to breath for one whole minute.

Buff & Debuff

Buffs are effects that help a player in some way, and rebuffs take away effects or hinder the player in some way. These effects make players seek to balance out the good and the bad in a scene.

• Covered- Please see Combat Scene for full brief on effect. If the player character is in partial cover, they gain +2 defense. If a player character is prone behind partial cover, they gain +2 defense, plus other targets have disadvantage to hit them. If a player character is behind full cover, they gain +4 defense, and other targets have disadvantage to hit them. If a target is also behind the player’s choice of cover, the player character no longer benefit from their cover, and the effect ends. This effect also ends when the character exits cover.
• Floating - When floating, you cannot be forced underwater except by a Force check at a test of 5. Additionally, you cannot gain the falling status effect, and instead gently descend. This effect ends when the source of the effect is exited, destroyed, or removed.
• Hastened - The player character gains an additional Complex Action. This effect ends when the source of the effect is exited, destroyed, or removed.
• Hidden- Please see Stealth Scene . To first hide, a player character must not be within the line of sight of anyone actively searching for them, and they must not have already aroused suspicions of those around them. From there, the player declares they are attempting to hide, and the GM either allows this or not. If they allow it, the scene becomes a stealth scene. This effect ends within the scene, and the article must be read for further details.
• Highlighted - The player character glows. They can be seen even when distant from the party, and they are easily visible at night. This status effect ends the effects of being invisible. Anyone trying to perceive the player character has double advantage, and hitting the character gives advantage. This effect ends when the source of the effect is exited, destroyed, or removed.
• Invisible - The player character is completely obscured and cannot be seen except by using magic. Any character attempting to find you has disadvantage on their perception checks. You gain advantage on your stealth checks. Investigation rolls can be used to find you and pin point your location by clever means: throwing dirt in water, flour in air, footprints on the ground. This effect ends when the source of the effect is exited, destroyed, or removed.
• Lucky - Hurray! The player character have advantage on all their rolls! This effect does not stack, but advantage does. This effect ends when the source of the effect is exited, destroyed, or removed.
• Reflecting - The player character gains a barrier on them that reflects half damage back unto targets who attacked the player character. This effect ends when the controller of the effect dismisses it, or when the source of the effect is exited.
• Regenerating - The player character regenerates health at a rate of 2 at the start of their turn for as many rounds as the effect persists. This effect ends when the controller of the effect dismisses it, or when the source of the effect is exited.
• Slowed - When slowed, the player character can only move as part of their quick action with a successful agility skill check. This status effect stacks; each “Slow” effect after the first gives disadvantage. This effect ends when the source of the effect is exited, destroyed, or removed.
• Unlucky - Oh no! The player character have disadvantage on all their rolls! This effect does not stack, but disadvantage does. This effect ends when the source of the effect is exited, destroyed, or removed.
• X-Down - If health maximum, energy maximum, defense, resistance, or damage is down, it is reduced by half. This status effect does not stack, but the same effect may be received for another stat.
• X-Up - If health maximum, energy maximum, defense, resistance, or damage is up, it doubles. This status effect does not stack, but the same effect may be received for another stat.

Loss of Control

Perhaps the most annoyed effect to be inflicted with as a player, this causes a player to lose control of their character in a meaningful way, such as being unable to decide who they attack, where they move, or what side they are on in a fight; these effects have a set time limit and ways to get out of them so players can go back to controlling their characters. Perhaps wonderfully for players, you can also inflict these effects on your enemies.

• Asleep - The player character loses 4 defense to a minimum defense of 0. When a character is asleep they cannot move, take actions, and auto-fail all saves. A character will awaken if they are harmed, if a loud sound disturbs them (combat is loud), with a GM prompted Spine or Sense skill check, and/or if another character uses Help to awaken the character. This effect ends when when the player awakens due to outside forces, or after 8 hours, whichever is longer.
• Berzerk - When berzerking, the player character gains +4 defense, but will targets anyone and everyone close to them. During this time, they are immune to the bewitched, confused, stunned, dead, possessed, or frightened status effects. Effect ends when controller of effect dismisses the effect, or after all enemies and allies break line of sight with berzerking character. If the berzerking player character would have died at any point during the status effect, at the end, they die.
• Bewitched - A bewitched target is Friendly to the source of the effect. They will do everything in their power to protect and guard the source of the effect and will act in its best interest if not directed—including fighting for the NPC and putting themselves in harm’s way, but not imminent death’s way. If a command is given, a bewitched target will do it so long as it will not knowingly or obvious harm them. This effect ends when the effect is dismissed. However, when the target is asked to attack their allies or feel forced to do so, the player character can make a Social Save. On any success, they are no longer bewitched.
• Corrupted - Perhaps the most insidious effect here, corrupted is gained after going to Level 2 corruption, and even if removed, the effect stays. please consult the Corruption article and discuss with your GM what this effect means for your character in the future.
• Confused - When confused, the player cannot use their quick actions. When they want to perform any task, they make a mental save. On crit pass, they are no longer afflicted by confusion and perform the task; on pass, they perform the action; on half-pass, they perform the task but hurt themselves; On fail, they are too confused to do the task and hurt themselves; on crit fail, they double hurt themselves. Any hurt received is equal to either 3 or their weapon damage—if held, whichever is greater. Effect ends when a successful mental save is made or if helped by an ally.

Turn-Action Economy

Decisions, decisions. These effects hinder some of what your character can do while still leaving the player in charge. These effects require clever thinking to manage and get rid of them.

• Drenched - Your character is soaked to the bone. No matter the energy of the player character, they now always go last until they are hit by a fire or wind source or magical spell for a round--6 seconds.
• Exhausted - This effect escalates per day a character does not rest, eat at least once, or drink a gallon of water or per time the character's energy is depleted and they fail their mental save. On the first day this happens, the character has disadvantage to skill checks, attack rolls. After the first day, their disadvantage stacks until they automatically fail checks. is only cured by a long rest. If a player character does not eat at least once, does not drink water at least once, and/or does not sleep at least four hours, they gain this effect. The character has disadvantage to skill checks, attack rolls, and is Slowed.
• Frightened - The player character that becomes frightened makes a mental save. On Crit pass, they resist the frightened effect, and can choose one player character they save from the effect; on pass, they resist the frightened effect; on half-pass, they become frightened and can make saves to fight the effect at the start of each of their turns; on fail, they become frightened and remain frightened until the source of their fear either dies or leaves; on crit fail, they drop their weapon and fall prone. A frightened character can then choose whether they fight or run away. On fight, the character loses half their defense, but gains advantage to hit. On run, the player can use quick action traverse without rolling for agility, but loses all defense.
• Possessed - When possessed, the player character makes a mental save; on success they are aware they have been possessed and may choose to end the effect. On fail, they are possessed. From here until the effect ends, when the possessed player character does something not in the possesser’s interests, the player character gains disadvantage to the roll; the opposite is true, and the player character can gain advantage on a roll if the player character does something in their interest. Finally, if the player character becomes bloodied or at death’s door at any point, they must make a mental save. On success, they know they are possessed and can choose to end the effect. On fail, the player must now make their character act in the possesser’s best interests until the danger has passed. If on Death’s door and the save is critically failed, the possesser can fully replace the original character or they can choose to strike a deal with the player character, amending this effect to the character’s and the possesser’s deal.
• Shivering - Whether due to the cold weather or a fearful effect, the character's body shivers uncontrollably. They take disadvantage to agility checks. While shivering a Physical Save must be made to see if you drop what you are holding at the start of your turn--which happens a fail of any kind; nothing happens on a pass of any kind. Finally, when asleep in a cold area as dictated by the GM, take the death's door status effect. Effect cannot happen and ends immediately if wearing any clothing under or above armor, or if layered clothing is worn.
• Silenced - the player character is surrounded in a shadow of silence around their person. They can speak and move but cannot be heard. They gain advantage to Stealth Rolls. Effect ends when dismissed by the controller of the effect or at the start of your next turn.
• Soiled - Muddied, oiled, or dirty, the player character is so filthy that they can no longer remain upright without difficulty nor hold any object until they clean themselves with an action or find a water source or are hit by a magical spell. Any object held as the status effect takes hold is dropped. Anytime the player character wants to move—including getting up, they must make a physical save. On any kind of pass, they can move for their turn; on any kind of fail they fall prone.

Set-Up

It’s a trap! Or, it will be. Set-Up effects are especially nasty because they leave players open to all kinds of gnarly effects.

• Addiction - The player character makes a mental save after taking an addictive. Upon any kind of fail, they gain disadvantage on mental saves and no longer benefit form any bonus to your mental save. You are cannot save against the bewitched no possessed status effects. This effect ends until cured or after a long rest.
• Bloodied - Your character has reached half health. This status effect is purely cautionary.
• Dazzled - The player character’s senses are distorted by an effect until the start of their next turn. They gain disadvantage on skill checks and attack rolls. Targets have advantage to hit them.
• Nauseous - The player character gains disadvantage on social saves and no longer benefits from a social save bonus. Additionally, the player character can not consume anything and gains Attack-Down and Health-Down until the character makes a mental save to throw up (on any success, and nothing on fail) or until after any kind of rest.
• Prone - The player character falls down. Targets have advantage to hit you while you are fallen and not covered. This effect ends upon standing up.
• Sweaty - Whether under pressure or due to the heat, the character's body begins to sweat. The player character takes disadvantage to skill checks during a Social Scene, disadvantage to social saves, and Defense Down (minimum 1). This effect is cured if armor is removed for one full round.
• Weakened - The player character’s gains disadvantage to physical saves and can no longer benefit from a physical save bonus. Additionally, elemental attacks and effects have advantage against you. This effect lasts until cured or after a rest.

Debilitating

The worst of the worst. These effects are ride or die and require help to get out of them or to manage them. Have your team nearby if you get these effects because they are a doozy

• Dead - This results after a player character fails their last Luck Save while on Death’s Door. The character ceases to consciously exist, the body the character leaves behind is a decomposing shell, and the character proceeds to an afterlife, if that character believes in one, so long as the plane they reside on is willing to relinquish the character’s soul.
• Death’s Door - To be on Death’s Door a player character either 1. drops to zero Health, or 2. is suffering from a single status effect causing them to be on Death’s Door--like Exhaustion. Death’s Door effect is removed if the status effect is removed or reduced, or if the health is healed to at least 1.
  If a character meets both of these criteria at any time, that character dies. Additionally, if a character goes past negative half their health, the character dies. If a character is suffering from two status effects that would put them on death’s door, the character dies.
  While the character is on Death’s Door, the player character makes a Luck save every round they are on Death’s Door at the every beginning of the round (or at least the beginning of their turn, if they forget). On crit pass, they either have the status effect that brings them to Death's Door alleviated by one level, or they gain 1 health; on pass, nothing happens; on half-pass, the character survives but is stunned until the beginning of their next turn; on fail, they fall prone and unconcsious until the start of their next turn; on a crit fail, the character falls unconscious and will die on their next turn if they do not receive aid.
• Despaired - Mortal despair takes over your player character who makes a mental save to fight it off. On crit pass or pass, the effect is resisted. On half-pass, the player character loses half energy and half health immediately (minimum of 1). On fail or crit fail, the player character drops to one energy and one health. After this, the effect is over.
• Solidified - The player character becomes solid whether by turning to stone, being encased in ice, or some other terrifying effect. A Solidified player character cannot take actions or speak, but any other status effect or ailment they had pauses along with their aging. The effects and aging resume normally when this status effect is removed or dismissed.
• Stunned - The player character loses the ability to speak, and they cannot move or cannot take actions. This effect lasts until the player character’s start of their next turn.
• Unconscious - The player character loses consciousness because they have either used too much energy, are suffering a from a peculiar effect, or are on Death’s Door. Player characters who gain this effect, fall prone and asleep, except damage will not wake them. This effect is cured As the source of the effect specifies, or after two intervals (8 hours) of remaining unconscious should the character live—whichever is first stated; if none is stated, then whichever is longer.
• Trapped - When grappled, pinned, restrained, or otherwise immobilized, the player is trapped and cannot attack, use their slow nor their fast interactions unless specified by the GM. Each round, the player makes a physical save to free themselves from the obstacle, or a contesting roll to free themselves from the person.

Toolbox Tips: Creating Additional Status Effetcs

You may find that out of the 55 status effects, you still don’t have an exact status effect touch you are looking for. With a full disclosure, I have omitted two status effects I liked quite a lot: Irradiated, and Wounded--the latter would involve using a wound table. If these or creating your own status effect interest you, here is a guide on how to do so.

A List of Penalities:

The boon of a status effect is that they limit the player character in some way and force the player to adapt. Here are some ways to make players and NPCs alike squirm:

PLEASE NOTE! I do NOT 1. recommend anyone mix all or even some two of these together as some combinations are outright deadly; and 2. I cannot condone the creation of effects outside these listed here--especially those that mess with the action economy in any scenario.
Some effects will be potent enough on their own. This is really up for you to decide and for you and your table to playtest. Remember, this is for your player’s fun, not their misery. Include them in the process of making these new status effects

Click to Expand/Minimize Lists

• Resolve Penalty.
  • Lose access to Personal Resolve
  • Lose access to Table Resolve
  • Cap Resolve Success to Half-Pass or Pass

• Movement Penalty.
  • Movement -10
  • Movement Halved
  • Movement reduced to 10
  • Movement reduced to 5
  • Movement reduced to 0
  • Forced to Crouch or Fall Prone
  • Fall Prone
  • Erratic Movement: Roll a D10, on 0 GM chooses direction, on 1-8 move to that designated tile on the grid, on 9 move in a direction player chooses

• Energy Penalty.
  • All actions cost double Energy
  • All reactions costs double Energy
  • Moving costs energy
  • Energy debt is doubled
  • Abilities cost Double Energy

• Health Penalty.
  • Health deduction over time
  • Health Maximum halved
  • No Healing outside rests

• Check Penalty.
  • Disadvantage to Save Rolls or a specific Save
  • Autofail, Double Disadvantage, or Disadvantage to Skill Rolls or a specific Skill
  • Double Disadvantage, or Disadvantage to Attack Rolls or a specific Weapon
  • Cap Skill Check Success to Half-Pass or Pass

• Damage Penalty.
  • -5 Damage
  • Damage Halved
  • Damage Nullified
  • Become Weak to a Damage Type
  • Become Resistant to a Damage Type

• Traits Penalty.
  • Lose Access to Traits

• Miscellaneous Penalty.
  • Lose Access to Abilities
  • Lose Access to specific type of Ability Tree
  • Gain +2 Defense
  • Lose -2 Defense, Maximum 0 defense
  • Carrying Capacity Halved
  • Does not benefit from Advantage
  • Does not suffer from Disadvantage
  • Cannot React
  • During Interaction Phase, can only move and lose access to other interactions
  • Others Have advantage to hit you.

Tables: To Stack or Not to Stack

Tables with Status effects are meant to show that an effect is getting worse, or has the potential to get worse. When generating a table, start with a small effect and either make it hurt with an ensemble of other effects, or blow that one effect up such that it is crippling. The flavor of status effects you are going for really depends on how you want them to play together, if at all.
Tables should have anywhere from 3 to 5 levels, no more or less; but as you can see, most status effects do not need tables; they have set requirements for when the effect ends and if it can be cured.

Status Effect Durations and Cures

In my head, I have made it that Status Effects that can be gotten rid of with a rest are not that bad; they require time and time only. This only impedes the adventurers if there is a narrative at stake; that’s usually enough cinematic tenseness to make the game interesting.
But not always. Sometimes players have access to time because they play long campaigns or they tend to float around; maybe they are the murderhobo type or the GM doesn't like to put in timed quests and events. This brings us to the next level; rests that additionally require a save. This creates situations where a character may still wake up with an effect. Sometimes, trying and failing is not very fun for players. If these status effects are used, make sure it can be any type of rest, or that another player can perform an aid check just in case to help out.
Okay, but what about those really bad status effects? Those that don’t go away unless dismissed or those that go away under really specific circumstances, like Possession? Have Saves be possible whenever possible; enable the player character to fight this status effect the whole way through; and if you don’t allow for that, allow others to help, or allow for rests to potentially get rid of the status effect but with multiple saves.
In the end, as I am sure you can tell, these creations are going to be all about what suits your needs. I know I break my own rules, but what I have laid out here should give you a consistent foundation to get started so you can break some rules too. Just don’t break the game and don’t keep others from having fun. Good Luck out there!

Alphabetical Status Effects

Click the word to be directed to the category of the effect

Addiction
Asleep
Berserk
Bewitched
Bleeding
Bloodied
Burning
Confused
Corruption
Covered
Dazzled
Dead
Death’s Door
Despaired
Drenched
Electrified
Exhausted
Falling
Floating
Frightened
Hastened
Hidden
Highlighted
Invisible
Lucky
Nauseous
Possessed
Prone
Reflecting
Regenerating
Silenced
Slowed
Soiled
Solidified
Stunned
Suffocating
Trapped
Unconscious
Unlucky
Weakened
X-Down
X-Up