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Reference
Effects
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 Overview
Effect Attributes
Each effect is represented by a number of attribute fields that determine how the effect will be applied within the ruleset. The remaining sections in this portion of the manual will provide example effects and go into detail about how the effect attributes will impact your game when effects are applied.
Using Effects in Your Game
Effects in 4E can be very complex, once you decide to take advantage of all of the functionality available. Many features of effects can be handled manually by calculations done by the players and GM, just like sitting around the gaming table. It is recommended that you slowly add effect capabilities to your game until the comfort level of you and your players has been reached.
While effects can be entered manually, the effects system was designed to pull the effect information directly from the power description text by parsing the words. Just enter the text in the exact same format as the rulebooks, or drop the powers from your own data modules.
The effect system was built to handle 90% of the situations. 4E can be a very complex game, as it is built using exception-based game design principles. With all the exceptions that are defined by powers, and the primary focus of the effects support was for the core rulebooks (PHB, DMG, MM); there will be some powers and effects that will not be able to be represented in the current version of the ruleset.
Unsupported Effects
- Effects that expire on the target's initiative will need to be adjusted manually, since applied effects always use the effect originator's initiative.
Examples
Good Examples
- ATK: 2 power
- SAVE: 1
- DMGO: 2d6
- DMG: 1d6 cold
- RESIST: 5 fire; RESIST: 5 cold
Bad Examples
PC Power Effect Examples
- RESIST: 2 [WIS]
- ATK: [-DEX]
- DMG: 2d6+1 [CON]
Application Attribute Examples
- +1 to next d20 roll this turn = "ATK:1, DMG:1, SKILL:1, ABIL:1, SAVE:1" (Expires End, Apply Once)
- +2 to your next attack and damage roll before the end of your next turn = "ATK:2; DMG:2" (Expires End N., Apply Single)
Label
The effect label describes any impact that the effect will have on the affected creature while the effect is active.
General Label Notes
- Format = [effect component]; [effect component]; ...
- Components can either be conditions, modifiers, or special tags,.
- Effect components that do not start with a supported tag are treated as text only.
- Effects can only be applied to creatures in the combat tracker.
- Effects on PC character sheet power tabs can contain sub-tags to indicate that a current ability bonus be added to or subtracted from the effect bonus.
Condition Effect Components
- Examples: Blinded, Marked, ...
- Not case-sensitive
- Condition modifiers do not stack if multiple conditions on same creature.
Modifier Effect Components
- Examples: ATK, DMG, ...
- Format = [tag]: [dice/numbers] [descriptors]
- Case-sensitive
- If colon missing, component is treated as having no dice, modifiers nor descriptors.
- Only one descriptor of each descriptor type is allowed per effect component, except as noted.
- Multiple range types are allowed.
- Multiple energy types are allowed for the DMG/DMGW tags.
- Modifiers stack as long as their bonus type is blank or unique. If modifiers have the same bonus type, then the larger value will be used.
Special Tag Effect Components
- Examples: FAIL, AURA, ...
- Case-sensitive
- Unique format for each tag
Label: Conditions
| Condition |
Applied To |
T |
Modifiers Applied |
Notes |
| Actions |
| Balancing |
|
|
GRANTCA |
|
| Climbing |
|
|
GRANTCA |
|
| Running |
|
|
GRANTCA; ATK: -5 |
|
| Squeezing |
|
|
GRANTCA; ATK: -5 |
|
| Combat Advantage |
| CA |
Attacker |
Y |
ATK: 2 |
|
| GRANTCA |
Defender |
Y |
DEF: -2 |
|
| Uncanny Dodge |
Defender |
|
Negates CA/GRANTCA |
|
| Status |
| Blinded |
|
|
GRANTCA; SKILL: -10 Perception |
|
| Dazed |
|
|
GRANTCA |
|
| Deafened |
|
|
SKILL: -10 Perception |
|
| Dominated |
|
|
GRANTCA |
|
| Grabbed |
|
|
|
|
| Helpless |
|
|
GRANTCA |
|
| Immobilized |
|
|
|
|
| Insubstantial |
|
|
|
Half damage from all sources. |
| Invisible |
|
Y |
CA; TCONC |
|
| Marked |
|
|
ATK: -2 |
Only when effect source not included in attack. |
| Petrified |
|
|
RESIST: 20 |
|
| Phasing |
|
|
|
|
| Prone |
|
|
GRANTCA (melee only); DEF: 2 ranged; ATK: -2 |
|
| Restrained |
|
|
GRANTCA; ATK: -2 |
|
| Sanctioned |
|
|
|
From Divine Power |
| Slowed |
|
|
|
|
| Stunned |
|
|
GRANTCA |
|
| Surprised |
|
|
GRANTCA |
|
| Swallowed |
|
|
|
|
| Unconscious |
|
|
GRANTCA; DEF: -5 |
Prone effect applied separately |
| Weakened |
|
Y |
|
All attacks deal half damage. |
Fields Legend
T = Effects can be targeted to only apply to conditions against certain opponents
Label: Modifiers
| Mod |
Applied To |
D |
N |
T |
Descriptors |
Notes |
| ATK |
Attacker |
Y |
Y |
Y |
[bonus type], [range], opportunity |
Attack rolls |
| DMG |
Attacker |
Y |
Y |
Y |
[bonus type], [range], [energy]* |
Damage rolls (all) |
| DMGW |
Attacker |
|
Y |
Y |
[bonus type], [range], critical |
Damage rolls (increases weapon multiples) |
| HEAL |
Healer |
Y |
Y |
|
|
Healing rolls |
| SKILL |
|
Y |
Y |
|
[bonus type], [skill name], [ability name] |
Skill checks |
| ABIL |
|
Y |
Y |
|
[bonus type], [ability name] |
Ability checks |
| INIT |
|
Y |
Y |
|
[bonus type] |
Initiative checks |
| SAVE |
|
Y |
Y |
|
[bonus type] |
Saving throws |
| SPEED |
|
|
Y |
|
[bonus type] |
Speed. Informational only. |
| DEF |
Defender |
|
Y |
Y |
[bonus type], [range], opportunity |
All defenses |
| AC |
Defender |
|
Y |
Y |
[bonus type], [range], opportunity |
AC defense |
| FORT |
Defender |
|
Y |
Y |
[bonus type], [range], opportunity |
Fortitude defense |
| REF |
Defender |
|
Y |
Y |
[bonus type], [range], opportunity |
Reflex defense |
| WILL |
Defender |
|
Y |
Y |
[bonus type], [range], opportunity |
Will defense |
| CONC |
Defender |
|
|
Y |
[range]* |
Concealment (ATK: -2 vs. melee/ranged only) |
| TCONC |
Defender |
|
|
Y |
[range]* |
Total Concealment (ATK: -5 vs. melee/ranged only) |
| COVER |
Defender |
|
|
Y |
[range]* |
Cover (ATK: -2) |
| SCOVER |
Defender |
|
|
Y |
[range]* |
Superior Cover (ATK: -5) |
| DMGO |
|
Y |
Y |
|
[energy]* |
Ongoing damage |
| REGEN |
|
Y |
Y |
|
|
Regeneration |
| RESIST |
Defender |
|
Y |
Y |
[energy] |
Resistance to damage type. (all if not specified) |
| VULN |
Defender |
|
Y |
Y |
[energy] |
Vulnerability to damage type. (all if not specified) |
| IMMUNE |
Defender |
|
Y |
Y |
[energy], all |
Immunity to damage type. |
| SWARM |
Defender |
|
Y |
|
|
Swarm creature type. Half damage from melee/ranged, bonus damage from close/area. |
| RAGE |
|
|
|
|
[rage name] |
From PHB2. Informational only |
Fields Legend
D = Dice phrases supported (NdN)
N = Number values supported
T = Effects can be targeted to only apply to modifiers against certain opponents
Descriptor Legend
[bonus type] = racial, power, feat, shield, item, proficiency, enhancement
[range] = melee, ranged, area, close
[energy] = acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, thunder
[ability name] = strength, constitution, dexterity, intelligence, wisdom, charisma
[skill name] = any skill name
* = Multiple entries of this descriptor type allowed.
Label: Special Tags
| Special Tag |
Notes |
| AFTER: [expiration] |
Components after this tag are ignored. Components including and before this tag are removed when the effect expires, instead of removing the effect entirely. The expiration of the revised effect is set to the value of the expiration value, if any. |
| FAIL: [expiration] |
Components after this tag are ignored. Components including and before this tag are removed when a saving throw against this effect fails. The expiration of the revised effect is set to the value of the expiration value, if any. Since the Failed Save clause only triggers for saving throws made at the end of a turn, this clause will only trigger on saving throws made using the auto-save option. |
| AURA |
Denotes that the source power is an aura. If no expiration defined for effect, it will be set to "start" of current initiative when applied. |
| ZONE |
Denotes that the source power has the zone keyword. If no expiration defined for effect, it will be set to "start" of current initiative when applied. |
| TRGT |
When applied, denotes an effect that appears to be targeted to specific entities. In the combat track quick effect view, it is used to identify effect targets. |
Legend
[expiration] = start, end, endnext, save, encounter
Expiration
The expiration attribute of an effect defines the duration of an effect.
-
-: Never expires.
-
Enc: Only expires once a rest is performed.
-
Save: Expires on a successful save. (Auto-save option will roll saves for each effect at end of creature's turn. Manual save rolls will end effect if only one effect with save.) Also, a save modifier field will appear next to any effect with a Save duration, where a modifier can be applied to the save versus this effect.
-
End N.: Expires at end of next turn, based on initiative value set with expiration. An expiration initiative field will appear next to any applied effect with an End N. duration. Currently, these effects will always be set to the effect originator's initiative when applied, but can be edited manually to a different initiative value.
-
Start: Expires at start of next turn. (same notes as End N.)
-
End: Expires at end of current turn. (same notes as End N.)
Other Attributes
Active
-
On: The effect will be visible as defined by visibility tag, and any components of the effect will be applied as appropriate.
-
Off: The effect will only be visible in the effect details of the CT, and the effect will not have any impact on the game.
Visibility
-
All: The effect can be seen by everyone (players and GM).
-
GM: The effect can only be seen by the GM.
Application
-
All: All effect components are applied as long as the effect is active.
-
Once: If any effect component is applied, then the effect expires.
-
Sngl: If any effect component is applied, then that effect component expires. All other effect components will remain active.
Targeting
The targeting attribute is only available for effects located on the PC powers page.
-
Trgt: If double-clicked, the effect will be applied to the current target(s) of the originating PC.
-
Self: If double-clicked, the effect will be applied to originating PC.
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