Conditions

Conditions alter a characters capabilities in a variety of ways can can arise as a result of a class feature, an attack, or other effect. Most conditions, such as blindness, are impairments. A condition lasts until it is countered (the prone condition is countered by standing up for example) or for a duration specified by the effect that imposed the condition.

If multiple effects impose the same condition on a creature, each instance of the condition has its own duration, but the conditions effects don't get worse. A creature either has a condition or doesn't. The following definitions specify what happens to a creature while it is subjected to a condition.

## **Bleeding**

During combat, you might suffer one or more open wounds and start bleeding. Open wounds can occur if an enemy scores a Critical Hit against you with a weapon that does either Piercing or Slashing damage. Other ways an open wound can occur is detailed in an effects description. For example, when the Impaled Condition ends or when you're bitten. If this happens, you gain the following effects:

* The Bleeding condition is cumulative. Each time you suffer any kind of open wound, your Bleeding level goes up by 1. You take an amount of damage each round equal to 1d4 per your Bleeding level.
* If your Bleeding level exceeds three, your movement speed is reduced by half.
* You suffer a penalty to Death Saving Throws equal to your Bleeding level.
* The Condition ends when each of your Wounds are patched up with a successful Wisdom (First Aid) check or your die. The DC for patching up an open wound is 10 + the targets Bleeding Level.

## **Blinded**

A Blinded Creature suffers the following effects:

* A blinded creature can’t see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.
* Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s Attack rolls have disadvantage.

## **Burning**

While burning, a creature suffers the following effects:

* A burning creature has disadvantage on ability checks, and concentration checks.
* At the start of each of its turns, a burning creature must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 fire damage. Each time the saving throw is failed, the DC increases by 1. On a success, or if a creature uses an action to extinguish the flames, the condition ends.

## **Charmed**

A Charmed Creature suffers the following effects:

* A charmed creature can’t Attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful Abilities.
* The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.

## **Confused**

A Confused Creature suffers the following penalty.

* A confused creature has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma ability checks and saving throws.

## **Dazed**

While dazed, you experience the following effect:

* You can move or take *one* action on your turn, not both. You also can't take a bonus action or reaction.

## **Deafened**

A Deafened Creature suffers the following effects:

* A deafened creature can’t hear and automatically fails any ability check that requires hearing.

## **Dehydrated**

You can get the Dehydrated condition if you go 24 hours without drinking and fail your Constitution saving throw. While Dehydrated, you experience the following effects:

* Their movement speed is halved.
* They have disadvantage of ability checks and saving throws involving Charisma.

The Dehydrated Condition can only be removed by drinking water or some other liquid that is safe to drink.

## **Drunk**

A Drunk Creature suffers the following effects:

* A drunk creature has disadvantage on Dexterity, Wisdom, and Intelligence ability checks and saving throws, as well as attack rolls.
* A drunk creature has advantage on Charisma ability checks.
* A drunk creature gains temporary hit points equal to their level + 5 for the duration of the condition.
* Every time a drunk creature fails a Constitution saving throw to resist the alcohol, they gain 1 level of exhaustion.
* Every hour while they are conscious and drunk, or if they are conscious and have levels of exhaustion caused by being drunk, a creature can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If they succeed and they have levels of exhaustion caused by being drunk, a level of exhaustion is removed. If they succeed and don't have levels of exhaustion caused by drunk, they are no longer drunk.
* The drunk condition can also end when the creature finishes a long rest.

## **Exhausted**

While you are subjected to the Exhausted Condition, you experience the following effects:

* This Condition is cumulative. Each time you receive it, you gain one level of exhaustion. You die if your exhaustion level. exceeds ten.
* When you make an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you subtract your exhaustion level from the d20 roll.
* When you reach 5 levels of Exhaustion, you're considered Slowed (see Condition). When you reach 9 levels of exhaustion, your speed is reduced to 5.

Finishing a Long Rest removes one of your levels of exhaustion. When your exhaustion level reaches zero, you are no longer Exhausted.

## **Freezing**

When a creature spends too much time in a cold environment, it gets this Condition. This condition affects the creature's stamina and its body movements, causing shivering and numbness. The creature receives the following effects:

* The creatures speed is halved.
* The creature has disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws and ability checks.
* The Creature takes cold damage equal to 1d8 - their Constitution Modifier for every hour they have this Condition until they either die or the Condition ends.

## **Frightened**

A Frightened creature suffers the following effects:

* A frightened creature has disadvantage on Ability Checks and Attack rolls while the source of its fear is within Line of Sight.
* The creature can’t willingly move closer to the source of its fear.

## **Grappled**

While you are Grappled, you experience the following effects:

* A grappled creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed.
* You have Disadvantage on attack rolls against any target other than the grappler.
* The grappler can drag or carry you, but the grappler is Slowed (See Condition) while moving, unless you are Tiny or two or more Sizes smaller than the grappler.

While Grappled, you can make a Dexterity or Strength Saving Throw against the grapple’s escape DC at the end of each of your turns, ending the Condition on yourself on a success. The Condition also ends if the grappler is Incapacitated or if something moves you outside the grapple’s range without using your Speed.

## **Hidden**

While you are Hidden, you experience the following effects:

* You aren’t affected by any effect or feature that requires its target to be seen.
* If you are Hidden when you roll Initiative, you have Advantage on the roll.
* Attack Rolls against you have Disadvantage and *your* Attack Rolls have Advantage.

The Condition ends on you immediately after any of the following occurrences: you make a sound louder than a whisper, an enemy finds you, you make an Attack Roll, or you aren’t Heavily Obscured or behind any Cover.

## **Impaled**

While you are Impaled, you experience the following effects:

* Their movement is reduced to 0.
* They have disadvantage on attack rolls and they automatically fail Dexterity checks and Saving Throws.
* They receive 1d6 Piercing damage at the start of each of their turns until the Impaled condition ends.
* On their turn, they can use their action to make a Strength (Athletics) check with a DC of 15 to pull themselves off of whatever has Impaled them. When they succeed on the Strength check, they receive the Bleeding Condition.

## **Incapacitated**

While you are Incapacitated, you experience the following effects:

* You can’t take Actions or Reactions.
* Your Concentration is broken.
* You can’t speak.
* If you are Incapacitated when you roll Initiative, you have Disadvantage on the roll.

## **Infected**

You can get Infected by either failing your Constitution Saving Throw against a Bite or against Spores. If you're Infected by a Bite, you also receive the Bleeding Condition (See Condition). Upon being Infected, you suffer the following penalties:

* For each day since you were Infected, you must make a Constitution Saving Throw (DC = 10 + days since Infection). Your Hit Point Maximum is decreased by 2d6 per Character Level on a failure, or half as much on a success.
* You gain a penalty to Attack Rolls, Ability Checks, and Savings throws equal to 2 + Days Since Infection.
* Upon your Hit Point Maximum reaching half of what it was originally, your movement speed is also halved.
* Upon your Hit Point Maximum reaching 0, you die. So long as your brain isn't destroyed, you come back as a Zombie or Runner (GMs Discretion) 1d4 hours later. If your legs have been removed or are inoperable, you come back as a Crawler. If you have the Heavy Body Build, you come back as a Bloated Zombie. See the page for Fallen Survivors for rules on running reanimated Players.

## **Overheated**

While you are overheated, you experience the following effects:

* Your movement Speed is halved.
* You have Disadvantage on Constitution saving throws to resist the Dehydrated Condition (See Condition).

## **Paralyzed**

While you are Paralyzed, you experience the following effects.

* A paralyzed creature is incapacitated (see the condition) and can’t move or speak.
* The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity Saving Throws.
* Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
* Any Attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.

## **Poisoned**

While you are Poisoned, you experience the following effects:

* A poisoned creature has disadvantage on Attack rolls and Ability Checks.
* A poisoned creature has disadvantage on Saving Throws Involving Constitution.

## **Prone**

While you are Prone, you experience the following effects:

* A prone creature’s only Movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
* The creature has disadvantage on Attack rolls.
* An Attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the Attack roll has disadvantage.

## **Restrained**

While you are Restrained, you experience the following effects:

* A restrained creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed.
* Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s Attack rolls have disadvantage.
* The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity Saving Throws.

## **Slowed**

While you are Slowed, you experience the following effects:

* You must spend 1 extra foot of movement for every foot you move using your Speed.
* Attack rolls against you have Advantage.
* You have Disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.

## **Starved**

You can get Starved if they go 24 hours without food and fail their Constitution Saving Throw. While you are Starved, you experience the following effects:

* Your Movement Speed is halved.
* You have Disadvantage on Attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws that involve Strength or Dexterity.
* If the Starved Condition isn't removed in 1d4 days, you die.

The Starved Condition can only be removed by eating.

## **Stunned**

While you are Stunned, you experience the following Effects:

* A stunned creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move, and can speak only falteringly.
* The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity Saving Throws.
* Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.

## **Surprised**

A small group of Bandits sneak up on a Survivor camp, attempting rob them of anything useful they might have. A group of Zombies tear into a Survivor camp in the night, unnoticed by the Survivors until one of them is already bitten. In one of these situations, one side of the battle gains Surprise over the other. A Surprised character gains the following effects:

* You cannot move or take an action or bonus action on your first turn in combat, and you can't take a reaction until the turn ends.

At the start of combat, the GM determines who might be surprised. If neither side tries to be stealthy, they automatically notice each other. Otherwise, the GM compares the Dexterity (Stealth) checks of anyone hiding with the Passive Wisdom (Perception) score of each creature on the opposing side. Any creature that doesn't notice a threat is surprised at the start of the encounter. A member of a group can be surprised even if the other members aren't.

## **Unconscious**

While you are Unconscious, you experience the following effects:

* An unconscious creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings
* The creature drops whatever it’s holding and falls prone.
* The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity Saving Throws.
* Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
* Any Attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.

## **Winded**

You get the Winded condition when you take the Dash action on your turn. While Winded, you experience the following effects:

* Your movement speed is 0 until the end of your next turn.
* You can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.