Persistent Effects

Persistent Effects are areas that contain an effect lasting for a duration. They may be created by a variety of phenomena, including powers, creatures, objects, weather, and environmental features. Persistent Effects remain active until they are destroyed or their duration expires.

These effects vary widely in form and function but generally fall into one or more broad categories:

Constant Effects

Examples

Constant effects apply continuously throughout the area and affect all creatures and objects within it. These effects may grant bonuses or penalties, impose Status Effects, alter terrain, or provide benefits such as Concealment. A creature or object is only affected while it remains within the area; once it leaves, the effect no longer applies to it.

Damaging Effects

Examples
  • A room filled with caustic vapors deals 10 points of Caustic Damage each round to any creatures within it.
  • A fractured relic from an outer plane emits waves of mental destruction, dealing 3d8 psychic damage per round to nearby creatures.

Damaging effects inflict damage on creatures or objects that are exposed to the area. A creature or object takes damage once per round—either when it first enters the area, or at the start of the round if it is already inside. Re-entering the area during the same round does not cause additional damage.

Attacking Effects

Examples
  • A Medusa has a Petrifying Gaze Aura (30ft) that makes an attack against all creatures within it once per round.
  • A Stinking Cloud makes an attack each round against creatures inside the area, attempting to Nauseate them with its foul vapors.

Attacking effects make an attack against creatures within the area, either at the start of the round or when they first enter. Each creature is subject to the attack at most once per round, even if it leaves and re-enters the area. If the attack hits, the creature suffers the effect; if it misses, there is typically no effect—though some powerful abilities may apply a reduced effect on a miss.

Some effects instead trigger an attack in response to a creature's actions, such as moving, attacking, or using a power. These attacks are usually limited to once per creature per round and may be either Interruptive or Reactive in nature.

Restorative Effects

Examples
  • The Altar of Lifespring ability grants Regeneration to all creatures within its healing waters.
  • A sacred grove radiates vitality, restoring 2d6 Hitpoints each round to those beneath its boughs.

Restorative effects recover lost resources for creatures within the area. These may include Hitpoints, Stamina, Resolve, Morale, or other expendable attributes. Some effects may even grant saving throws, remove conditions, or provide other forms of recovery.

A creature benefits from a restorative effect once per round, either when it first enters the area or if it begins its turn inside. The amount restored may be a flat value, a number of dice, or scale based on the creature's Healing Value, or similar value.

Fast Healing and Regeneration

If a restorative effect grants Fast Healing or Regeneration, the creature gains that ability for one round upon entering the area. This allows it to heal at the end of the round, as per the normal rules for Fast Healing and Regeneration even if the creature is no longer within the area at that time. It can then gain that ability again in subsequent rounds as long as the creature re-enters or remains within the area.

Multiple Effects

When a creature is affected by multiple persistent effects at the start of the round, it may choose the order in which those effects apply. This choice must be made before any individual effect is resolved. Overlapping Persistent Effect Areas all function individually, dealing damage (or healing) all separately. Constant bonuses granted by overlapping effects follow normal bonus stacking rules and opposed penalties and bonuses may cancel each other out.