More Fear Stages (3.5e Variant Rule)
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Contents
More Fear Stages
Introduction[edit]
One thing I have always found a bit clunky with the D&D fear conditions is that you are either a little shaken up, or you are running out of there full speed. This variant aims to add a few more stages to fear scale and a couple corrections to (hopefully) not totally break existing stuff.
Rule Mechanics[edit]
There are 5 stages of fear: troubled, shaken, unnerved, frightened, panicked. Note that all of the ones from the SRD are modified slightly. I changed the "saving throw" penalty to a "DCs of abilities" penalty because that allows it to affect casters as much as it affects fighters. Also, having a condition that makes it harder to save against further stages of the condition can be a snowball effect.
Troubled: A troubled character takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls, DCs of abilities, skill checks, and ability checks.
Shaken: A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, DCs of abilities, skill checks, and ability checks.
Unnerved: An unnerved creature keeps its distance from the source of its fear as best it can. It must keep 60 ft. away from the source of its fear if it is able to do so and cannot willingly move closer than 60 ft. of its source of fear. If unable to keep away, it may fight. An unnerved creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, DCs of abilities, skill checks, and ability checks.
Frightened: A frightened creature flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight. A frightened creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, DCs of abilities, skill checks, and ability checks. A frightened creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.
Panicked: A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can’t take any other actions. In addition, the creature takes a –2 penalty on all skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers and does not attack, typically using the total defense action in combat. A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.
Changes To Intimidate[edit]
Giving one level of fear is suddenly a kinda shitty nerf for intimidate. Instead, we can have it scale, which it probably should have done in the first place.
Demoralize: As a standard action, you can use Intimidate to weaken an opponent’s resolve in combat. To do so, make an Intimidate check opposed by the target’s modified level check (1d20 + character level or Hit Dice + target’s Wisdom bonus [if any] + target’s modifiers on saves against fear). If you win, the target gets one fear level. For every 5 points you exceed the check, the target gets an additional fear level. You can intimidate only an opponent that you threaten in melee combat and that can see you.
Skill check modifiers for demoralize:
- Move action: -5
- Swift action: -10
- Immediate action: -15
- Perform against a target you are not threatening: -2 per 5ft. the target is away from you.
- Perform against a target that cannot see you: -5
Changes to Spells[edit]
Bane gets a buff and instead makes all enemies that fail their save troubled.
Cause Fear has always been a pretty strong spell, so I don't think it is too big a deal to change the "on successful save" to just troubled. I'm tempted to say that as a 1st level spell, unnerved might be a better fit than frightened, but that really messes with the spell more than I want to. Scare also gets the same nerf.
Fear and Symbol of Fear do not need to be changed.
Most Other Fear Effects[edit]
Generally, when something causes creatures to be shaken on a failed save, you can consider downgrading it to troubled or upgrading it to cause troubled on a successful save. I would do the latter with a dragon fear aura, for example, but maybe not with a blood curdling roar like my Dire Ape.
The downgrade from frightened to unnerved is fairly significant, but should be considered. Frightened creatures are completely sent out of combat, whereas unnerved ones lose 1 turn usually and a lot of tactical movement options. That alone is still a pretty strong effect and, although not quite as nasty as frightened, is probably more fun for the actual players.
Anything I Missed?[edit]
Let me know on the talk page if there are any glaring oversights.
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