AoE Effects

[bwatford]

AoE Effects
(formerly Aura Effects)

FREE on FG Forge

Download on FG Forge →

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Advanced Area-of-Effect and Aura Management for Fantasy Grounds Unity

Automatically apply and remove effects based on token proximity with powerful built-in visual overlays. Supports spheres, cubes, cylinders, cones, flexible 3D rectangles, concentration tracking, conditional logic, and custom visuals across nearly all d20 rulesets.

Bring area-of-effect spells, auras, and targeting zones to life on your virtual tabletop.

AoE Effects v1.1 enhances Fantasy Grounds by overlaying precise geometric area-of-effect shapes directly onto the battle map. These shapes are fully tied to the Fantasy Grounds Effects system, enabling GMs and players to visually represent spells, breath weapons, hazardous terrain, magical auras, and any other area-based ability with precision, clarity, and full automation.

Drop a token representing a spell (such as Entangle or Spirit Guardians) on the map and the extension automatically applies the correct conditions, damage, difficult terrain, bonuses, or penalties to everyone inside the area — and cleanly removes them when tokens leave.

→ Download / View the Complete AoE Effects v1.1 User Documentation (PDF)
Updated June 2026 — The single source of truth for syntax, examples, and visuals

Why AoE Effects Exists
Many spells and abilities create ongoing areas that affect creatures turn after turn. Tracking these manually is slow and error-prone, especially with multiple overlapping effects. AoE Effects gives you a reliable, visual, and highly configurable system that handles it all automatically while dramatically improving immersion for your players.

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What's New in v1.1

• Major improvements to the Aura Visualization system with many new built-in animated visuals (webs, vines, fog, spirits, bonfires, and more)
• Expanded advanced shape support including full parameter control for 3drect (walls, lines, projecting effects, true 3D cubes), cylinder (with height and ring options), and cone
• Retirement of the older standalone “Auras Visualized” extension — all of its functionality (and much more) is now built directly into AoE Effects
• New GM options for visualization toggle, default border colors, transparency levels, and global aura size adjustment
• Significantly expanded and reorganized documentation with richer examples, tables, and in-game screenshots
• Numerous stability improvements, better conditional logic handling, and refined token intersection behavior

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Key Capabilities

• Automatic effect application & removal based on proximity and configurable token overlap rules (Quarter, Center, Near Edge, or Edge)
• Advanced 3D shapes: Sphere, Cube, Cylinder (vertical tubes with optional height and ring support), Cone, and highly flexible 3D Rectangle for walls, lines, and projecting effects
• Powerful built-in visual rendering — players can actually see glowing auras, animated webs, thorny vines, fog clouds, spirits, and more directly on the map
• Custom visual auras — easily import your own images (darkness, runes, fire, energy fields, etc.) and use them in any aura definition
• Full concentration tracking using the simple (C) modifier
• Conditional logic with IF and IFT statements so effects only apply under specific circumstances (e.g., only shapechangers, only while the source is not dying)
• Broad ruleset support: Works with 3.5E, 4E, 5E, PFRPG, PFRPG2, SFRPG, and SFRPG2
• Extensive GM controls: Global aura size adjustment, master visualization on/off toggle, default colors, and transparency settings

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Quick Start Example

 Entangle; (C); IF: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self,cube,entangle; Restrained; SPEED: difficult

This creates a 20-foot square Entangle effect (with animated vines visual) that applies the Restrained condition and difficult terrain to everyone except the caster. Concentration is tracked automatically.

Many more tested, production-ready examples (including recommended two-effect patterns for Web, Moonbeam, Spike Growth, Spirit Guardians, and more) are available in the full PDF documentation linked above.

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How to Use & Advanced Syntax

The core syntax remains simple and powerful: define an area with the AURA: keyword, then specify what effect should be applied to tokens inside that area.

Full details on every descriptor (faction, behavior, point, single, sticky, etc.), advanced shape parameters for 3drect, cylinder, and cone, conditional logic (IF / IFT), concentration placement, and dozens of practical examples are now in the comprehensive PDF documentation linked at the top of this post.

The PDF is the single source of truth for syntax and usage.

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GM Options & Campaign Settings

All global settings for AoE Effects are found under Options → AoE Effects.

Key options include:

• Token intersection behavior (how much of a token must overlap an aura)
• Global aura size adjustment (+/- to all auras in the campaign)
• Master toggle for Aura Visualization
• Default border color and transparency for aura visuals

Complete descriptions, recommended values, and examples for every setting are included in the official PDF documentation.

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Licensing Information

Copyright (c) 2026

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

"Fantasy Grounds" is a trademark of SmiteWorks USA LLC and is Copyright 2004-2023 SmiteWorks USA LLC.

The CoreRPG ruleset, all other official SmiteWorks rulesets, and all files included therein are copyright 2004-2023, Smiteworks USA LLC.

Aura Visualization Graphics License
Graphics and visual assets used by Aura Visualization are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

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[Lo Zeno]

I just downloaded the new version and it's giving an error when launching a campaign:

[6/9/2026 9:31:14 AM] [ERROR] Unable to locate extension file. [AoE Effects] [/strings/strings_aura.xml]

This happens on a new, blank campaign with no other extensions. Once the campaign loads, the extension effects don't actually work.

[bwatford]

I just downloaded the new version and it's giving an error when launching a campaign:

[6/9/2026 9:31:14 AM] [ERROR] Unable to locate extension file. [AoE Effects] [/strings/strings_aura.xml]

This happens on a new, blank campaign with no other extensions. Once the campaign loads, the extension effects don't actually work.

Delete the old one and update again and it should fix it. I uploaded a new build.... a trailing / was the cause.

[Lo Zeno]

Indeed, it's fixed and it works now, thanks.

The Forge page mentions this:

Disabling Aura Effect Chat Messages

You can suppress aura apply/removal notifications for specific factions or all factions by adjusting the “Silence Notifications for Aura Types” setting.

I can't find that setting in the Options window though, where is it available?

[MrDDT]

Thanks for all the work you put into this and keeping this running and adding in good stuff. Thanks!!!!!

[cds29]

I noticed there were AoE effects, one using the old Aura effects thumbnail and the newest one with the banner you have in your op. Are they both the same?

[bwatford]

I noticed there were AoE effects, one using the old Aura effects thumbnail and the newest one with the banner you have in your op. Are they both the same?

They are identical, it is a glitch that is causing both to show in the Forge, it has been reported to Moon Wizard.

[bwatford]

Indeed, it's fixed and it works now, thanks.

The Forge page mentions this:

I can't find that setting in the Options window though, where is it available?

That was left over coding from the old Aura Effects, looking into that issue.

[SilentRuin]

In case anyone wants some examples I use in my GAL extension - these show different AURA shape uses - look between "AURA:" and the following ";" skipping any colors which was for some other extension I don't even use (lot of BCEG effect syntax you can ignore).. FYI a lot of default arguments taken advantage of - and I'll be danged to hockey sticks if I ever use that misnamed misbegotten "cube" keyword that is really an orthogonal 2D flat square. Most of these are also designed to not be placed at 0 degrees but instead respect the tokens orientation.

TESTED GAL NPCs - Token moving into aura:
- at height inside, above, below, and within shape range
- when alive or dead
- if single that it only applies once per round
- if once that it only applies once
- Center/Quarter/Near Edge/Edge overlap of target tokens.
- any speed effects applied to movement by step counter

Entangle - worked:
Entangle; (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self,3drect, point; AoE Entangle; IF: !DYING; SPEED: difficult

(BCEG SRE - remove on source end turn)
Entangle; (with save); (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, 3drect, point, once; AoE Entangle; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: [SDC] STR (M); SAVEADD: EntangleRestrained

EntangleRestrained; Restrained; 'Use Action to make STR check to escape

Fog cloud - worked (need to test OBSCURED: physical)

Fog Cloud; (C); LIGHT: 20/20 darkness; AURA: 20 all,!self, point; AoE Fog Cloud; OBSCURED: physical

Darkness - worked (need to test OBSCURED: magical darkness)

Darkness; (C); LIGHT: 15 /15 darkness; AURA: 15 all,!self,point; AoE Darkness; OBSCURED: magical darkness; [D: 1 hour]

Flaming Sphere - worked:

Flaming Sphere; (C); LIGHT: 20 torch; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 5 all,!self; AoE Flaming Sphere; IF: !DYING; SAVEE: [SDC] DEX (M)(H); SAVEDMG: 2d6 fire, spell

Moonbeam - worked (though lighting does not seem to apply unless something else is done to the CT entries effects like add/remove) (need to test height):

Moonbeam; (C); LIGHT: 5/0 91C9E7FF; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 5 all,!self, cylinder|0|40, point, single; AoE Moonbeam; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (M)(H); ; SAVES: [SDC] CON (M)(H); SAVEDMG: 2d10 radiant, spell; IF: TYPE(shapechanger); DISSAV

Spike Growth - worked

Spike Growth; (C); AURA: 20 all,!self, point; AoE Spike Growth; SPEED: difficult; 'Camouflaged spikes: WIS(Perception) DC (SDC) to notice take 2d4 piercing damage every 5ft

Web - worked

Web; (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self,3drect|20|0|5, point; AoE Web; IF: !DYING; SPEED: difficult; DISSKILL: perception

Web; (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, single, 3drect|20|0|5, point; AoE Web; IF: !DYING; IF: !CUSTOM(WebRestrained); SAVEA: [SDC] DEX (M); SAVES: [SDC] DEX (M); SAVEADD: WebRestrained; 'Escape DC (SDC) STR

WebRestrained; Restrained

Call Lightning - worked - just asset placement for this one

Call Lightning; (C)

Hunger of Hadar - worked

Hunger of Hadar; (C); LIGHT: 20/20 darkness; IFT: !DYING; AURA: all, !self, 20 point; AoE Hunger of Hadar; IF: !DYING; OBSCURED: magical darkness; SPEED: difficult; DMGO: 2d6 cold, spell; SAVEE: [SDC] DEX (M); SAVEDMG: 2d6 acid, spell

Sleet Storm - worked

Sleet Storm; (C); LIGHT: 40/40 darkness; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 40 all,!self, cylinder|0|20, point; AoE Sleet Storm; IF: !DYING; OBSCURED: physical; SPEED: difficult

Sleet Storm; (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 40 all,!self, cylinder|0|20, point, single; AoE Sleet Storm; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: [SDC] DEX (M); SAVES: [SDC] DEX (M); SAVEADD: SleetStormDeluge

SleetStormDeluge; prone; 'If you fail save and concentrating on spell, lose concentration

Stinking Cloud - worked but darkness issues where tokens see when they should not.

Stinking Cloud; (C); LIGHT: 20/20 darkness; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, point; AoE Stinking Cloud; IF: !DYING; OBSCURED: physcial; SAVES: [SDC] CON (M); SAVEADD: Retching and Reeling

Retching and Reeling; incapacitated

Evard's Black Tentacles - worked

Evard's Black Tentacles; (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, 3drect, point; AoE Evard's Black Tentacles; IF: !DYING; SPEED: difficult

Evard's Black Tentacles; (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, single, 3drect, point; AoE Evard's Black Tentacles; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: (SDC) DEX (M); SAVES: (SDC) DEX (M); SAVEDMG: 3d6, bludgeoning, spell; SAVEADD: EvardRestrained

EvardRestrained; Restrained

Ice Storm - worked

Ice Storm; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self,cylinder|0|40,point; AoE Ice Storm; IF: !DYING; SPEED: difficult

Wall of Fire * - worked

Wall of Fire Inner Circle; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 10 all,!self, cylinder|0|20, point; AoE Wall of Fire Inner Circle; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEE: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEDMG: 5d8 fire

Wall of Fire Inner Line; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 60 all,!self, 3drect|10|0|20, point; AoE Wall of Fire Inner Line; SAVEA: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEE: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEDMG: 5d8 fire

Wall of Fire Outer Circle; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 10 all,!self, cylinder|0|20|20, point; AoE Wall of Fire Outer Circle; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEE: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEDMG: 5d8 fire

Wall of Fire Outer Line; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 60 all,!self, 3drect|10|0|20, point; AoE Wall of Fire Outer Line; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEE: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEDMG: 5d8 fire

Cloudkill - worked

Cloudkill; (C); LIGHT: 20 /20 darkness; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self,point; AoE Cloudkill; IF: !DYING; OBSCURED: physical

Cloudkill; (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, single, point; AoE Cloudkill; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (M)(H); SAVES: [SDC] CON (M)(H); SAVEDMG: 5d8 poison,spell

Insect Plague - worked

Insect Plague; (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, point, once; AoE Insect Plague; IF: !DYING; SPEED: difficult; DISSKILL: perception; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (M)(H); SAVEE: [SDC] CON (M)(H); SAVEDMG: 4d10 piercing, spell

Wall of Light - worked

Wall of Light; LIGHT: 120 light; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 60 all,!self,3drect|5|0|10,single,point; AoE Wall of Light; SAVEA: (SDC) CON (H)(M); SAVEE: (SDC) CON (H)(M); SAVEDMG: 4d8 radiant, spell; SAVEADD: WallofLightBlinded

WallofLightBlinded; Blinded

Wall of Thorns * - worked

Wall of Thorns Circle; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, cylinder|0|20, point; AoE Wall of Thorns Circle; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEDMG: 7d8 slashing, magic

Wall of Thorns Line; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 60 all,!self, 3drect|5|0|10, point; AoE Wall of Thorns Line; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: (SDC) DEX (H)(M); SAVEDMG: 7d8 slashing, magic

Incendiary Cloud - worked

Incendiary Cloud; (C); LIGHT: 20/20 darkness; IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, point; AoE Incendiary Cloud; IF: !DYING; OBSCURED: physical

Incendiary Cloud; (C); IFT: !DYING; AURA: 20 all,!self, point, once; AoE Incendiary Cloud; IF: !DYING; SAVEA: [SDC] DEX (M)(H); SAVEE: [SDC] DEX (M)(H); SAVEDMG: 10d8 fire, spell

These all need to use state RTS to make sure its instant one time operation as best you can - NEED TESTING

Burning Hands; AURA: 15 all, cone, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] DEX (H)(M)(RA); SAVEDMG: 3d6 fire

Cone of Cold; AURA: 60 all, cone, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(M)(RA); SAVEDMG: 8d8 cold

Aganazzar's Scorcher; AURA: 30 all, 3drect|*5, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] DEX (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 3d8 fire

Lightning Bolt; AURA: 100 all, 3drect|*5, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] DEX (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 8d6 lightning

Thunderwave; AURA: 15 all, 3drect|*15|0|15, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d8 thunder

Breath Weapons (need to use state RTS to make sure its instant one time operation as best you can) - NEED TESTING

Black Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 30 all, 3drect|*5, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 acid
Blue Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 30 all, 3drect|*5, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 lightning
Brass Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 30 all, 3drect|*5, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 fire
Bronze Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 30 all, 3drect|*5, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 lightning
Copper Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 30 all, 3drect|*5, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 acid

Gold Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 15 all, cone, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 fire
Green Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 15 all, cone, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 poison
Red Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 15 all, cone, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 fire
Silver Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 15 all, cone, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 cold
White Dragonborn Breath Weapon; AURA: 15 all, cone, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] CON (H)(RA); SAVEDMG: 2d6 cold

Fear (need to use state RTS to make sure its instant one time operation as best you can) - NEED TESTING

Fear; AURA: 30 all, cone, single, !self; SAVEA: [SDC] WIS (RA); SAVEADD: Frightened

[bwatford]

Thanks for that list @SilentRuin, that is very helpful.

We are already hard at work, on correcting the "cube" issue that is present in the extension that was left over from the old Aura Effects coding.

The logic that we will be using for version 2 of this extension will address the issue and make cubes, well cubes (3 dimensional), and squares will be flat.

- default will stay sphere (3d)
- circle (flat, no height)
- cylinder (3d)
- square (flat, no height)
- cube (3d)
- wall (3d)
- Line (flat, no height)

But that is down the road a bit, trying to get beyond the version 1 release at the moment.