Descriptors
A
Acid
[Acid] effects consist of caustic substances that eat away at whatever they hit.
Arming
[Arming] effects create a new weapon or transmute an existing weapon. No two [Arming] effects can coexist on the same weapon. Additional [Arming] effects applied to the same weapon override ones previously applied.
B
Binding
[Binding] effects control or restrict a creature’s movement.
C
Cold
[Cold] effects create icy substances or leech heat from an area.
D
Darkness
[Darkness] effects absorb or obstruct light.
Death
[Death] effects horribly harm a creature and generally threaten to leave it [Battered]. A creature may only activate one [Death] effect in any given [Round].
Dispelling
[Dispelling] effects end active effects created by spells or spell-like abilities. If a creature using a [Dispelling] effect on an opponent does not know what effects are present on the opponent, the highest-circle effect eligible to be ended is ended. Ending an effect created by a spell or spell-like ability that targeted a creature ends only the effect on that creature and does not affect other creatures.
E
Electricity
[Electricity] effects cause electrical shock or overload, potentially burning or disrupting creatures.
F
Fear
[Fear] effects frighten creatures.
Figment
[Figment] effects create an illusory image, object, or sound.
Fire
[Fire] effects burn stuff.
Force
[Force] effects create tangible magical structures or shapes.
G
Glamer
[Glamer] effects alter or obscure the appearance of an object.
Ground
[Ground] effects alter the ground in some way but do not extend above the ground. [Swimming] creatures and creatures with the Fly movement mode have [Immunity] to ground effects.
H
HP Reduction
[HP reduction] effects reduce a creature’s maximum hit points until the end of the [Encounter]. Such effects do not affect a creature’s actual hit points unless its actual hit points are above the new maximum, in which case the creature has only its current maximum hit points. [HP reduction] effects stack with each other, but cannot total to more than half of a creature’s normal maximum hit points.
L
Light
[Light] effects emit photons that make it easier to see, or blind creatures.
M
Mind-affecting
[Mind-affecting] effects alter one’s mental state.
Miss Chance
[Miss chance] effects give a creature an additional defense against incoming attack rolls. Any attack roll that would normally hit a creature with [Miss chance] is subject to a percentile chance for failure; a d% roll under the specified threshold (usually 20% or 50%) means that the attack misses. Apply only the highest applicable [Miss chance] to any given attack roll.
N
Negative
[Negative] effects are tied to negative energy, which animates and bolsters [Undead] creatures but is inimical to living creatures.
P
Positive
[Positive] effects are tied to positive energy, which heals and invigorates living creatures but harms [Undead] creatures.
Precision
[Precision] effects exploit weak points for massive damage. Only a single source of additional damage with the [Precision] descriptor can apply to any single attack. Attacks and abilities that benefit from a fury bonus to attack rolls, damage or save DCs cannot also deal damage with the [Precision] descriptor.
S
Sensor
[Sensor] effects create a magical sensor that acts as a proxy for a spellcaster’s senses.
Surge
[Surge] effects are bursts of magic or sheer effort. A creature may only activate one [Surge] effect per [Round].
T
Teleport
[Teleport] effects cause creatures and the items they are currently carrying to instantly move from one square to another, without physically passing through the intervening squares. The creature simply disappears in one place and reappears in another, though the creature may choose to treat itself as having moved into the squares on the shortest path between the two places to trigger certain abilities.
The destination square must be unoccupied. If any line from the starting square to the destination square would pass through a [Force] effect, such as a wall of force spell, the teleport effect is interrupted, causing the creature to instead appear in the nearest square adjacent to that [Force] effect.
[Teleport] effects require line of sight from the starting point to their destination point. Actions used to move that would normally provoke attacks of opportunity only provoke from opponents who threaten the teleporting creature’s starting square if that movement has the [Teleport] descriptor.
V
Volley
[Volley] effects expand the breadth and range of attacks. An attack with the [Volley] descriptor may be applied against multiple creatures: A single attack roll is made, and the result is compared to the AC of each affected creature as though those creatures were attacked individually. This comparison is made only once per attack with the [Volley] descriptor to each creature. Abilities and effects other than the attack’s damage (this includes base damage, additional damage, and bonuses to damage) that take place as the result of a hit or critical hit only activate once as a result of the attack, and apply to no more than one creature the attack hit, of the attacker’s choice.
W
Ward
[Ward] effects create a magical barrier or protection for a creature.
Warp
[Warp] effects are [Teleport] effects that do not require line of sight, do not provoke attacks of opportunity, and are not interrupted by [Force] effects.