The attitude mechanic presented here can guide any ability checks used to resolve any social interaction.
Begin by choosing the starting attitude of the NPC(s) involved in the interaction: friendly, neutral, or hostile:
Friendly. A friendly NPC is willing to actively help PCs and generally wants to see them survive and flourish. Friendly creatures perform simple and reasonable tasks or favors without coercion. Persuading a friendly creature to perform a potentially harmful task or act in a way opposed to its nature requires a successful CHA check.
Neutral. A neutral NPC has no strong feelings toward the PCs (positive or negative) and treats them as is most beneficial or logical for the NPC. Neutral NPCs might be polite, disinterested, standoffish, or any behavior you might extend to strangers or acquaintances in the real world. Persuading a neutral creature to perform basic or low-risk tasks typically requires a successful CHA check. Persuading a neutral NPC to perform a high-risk task is more difficult.
Hostile. A hostile NPC is unwilling to help PCs and generally wants to see them fail. Being hostile doesn't necessarily mean the NPC wants to attack or threaten the PCs though. For instance, a city watch member might be hostile if they suspect the PCs of committing a crime but don't (yet) have the evidence to arrest them. Persuading a hostile creature to perform basic or low risk tasks requires a successful difficult CHA check. Convincing a hostile creature to perform a high-risk task is usually impossible. Even persuasion for low-risk tasks might be impossible depending on how hostile you judge the NPC's feelings to be.
Once you set the attitude, play out the conversation (or a portion of it) using standard roleplaying.
Shifting Attitude. A creature can shift its starting attitude during a conversation due to excellent roleplaying or as the result of successful ability checks. An NPC shouldn't shift more than one step in attitude over the course of a single interaction.
Using Insight. If a PC expresses a desire to intuit more about a creature, consider offering a WIS (Insight) check to glean more information about them. Clues about an NPC's desires, mood, and behavior are valuable tools for persuasive conversation.
Once the conversation ends or comes to a point where the PCs have laid out their goals, it's time for a check. Simple conversations might require only one check to summarize the entire discussion. More complex conversations with multiple goals might have several associated checks.
The most relevant checks are likely to be CHA (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion). Choose one that matches the nature of the conversation. Consider giving advantage for excellent roleplaying, well-presented logic, or clever use of information. Similarly, consider giving disadvantage if goals or logic are unclear or contradictory.
The DC for these conversational checks is determined by the attitude of the NPC being persuaded, as shown on the NPC Reactions tables.
| DC | Friendly Reactions |
|---|---|
| 0 | The NPC does as asked, as long as no risk or sacrifice is involved. |
| 10 | The NPC does as asked, accepting minor risk or sacrifice. |
| 20 | The NPC does as asked, accepting major risk or sacrifice. |
| DC | Neutral Reactions |
|---|---|
| 0 | The NPC does no harm and offers no help. |
| 10 | The NPC does as asked, as long as no risk or sacrifice is involved. |
| 20 | The NPC does as asked, accepting minor risk or sacrifice. |
| DC | Hostile Reactions |
|---|---|
| 0 | The NPC offers no help and might take minor risk or sacrifice to do harm. |
| 10 | The NPC does no harm and offers no help. |
| 20 | The NPC does as asked, as long as no risk or sacrifice is involved. |
When PCs witness terrors beyond mortal comprehension, they might be inflicted with dread.
Various magical effects, diseases, and supernatural hazards can inflict dread on an otherwise stable mind. Resisting a dread-inducing effect usually requires a WIS or CHA save, but specific effects can detail how to avoid or overcome dread effects.
A calm emotions spell can suppress the effects of dread while a restoration spell can rid a creature of a short-term or long-term dread effect. Depending on the source of the dread, the remove curse spell might also prove effective. A greater restoration spell or more powerful magic is required to rid a character of an indefinite dread effect.
Dread effects can be short-term, long-term, or indefinite. Simple horrors typically impose short-term dread effects, which last for just a few minutes. More horrific encounters or cumulative exposure can result in long-term or indefinite dread effects.
| D100 | Effect (Lasts 1d10 Minutes) |
|---|---|
| 01–20 | The creature retreats into its mind and becomes paralyzed. The effect ends early if the creature takes any damage. |
| 21–30 | The creature becomes incapacitated and spends the duration screaming, laughing, or weeping. |
| 31–40 | The creature becomes frightened and must use its action and movement each round to flee from the source of its fear. |
| 41–50 | The creature begins babbling and is incapable of normal speech or spellcasting. |
| 51–60 | The creature must use its action each round to attack the nearest creature. |
| 61–70 | The creature experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on ability checks. |
| 71–75 | The creature does whatever anyone tells it to do that isn't obviously self-destructive. |
| 76–80 | The creature experiences an overpowering urge to eat something strange such as dirt, slime, or offal. |
| 81–90 | The creature is stunned. |
| 91–100 | The creature falls unconscious. |
| D100 | Effect (Lasts 1d10 × 10 Hours) |
|---|---|
| 01–10 | The creature feels compelled to repeat a specific activity over and over, such as washing hands, touching things, praying, or counting coins. |
| 11–20 | The creature experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on ability checks. |
| 21–30 | The creature suffers extreme paranoia and has disadvantage on WIS and CHA checks. |
| 31–40 | The creature regards something (usually the source of its dread) with intense revulsion, as if affected by the antipathy effect of the antipathy/sympathy spell. |
| 41–45 | The creature experiences a powerful delusion. Choose a random potion. The creature imagines it is under that potion's effects. |
| 46–55 | The creature becomes attached to a "lucky charm," such as a person or an object, and has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saves while more than 30 feet from it. |
| 56–65 | The creature is blinded (25%) or deafened (75%). |
| 66–75 | The creature experiences uncontrollable tremors that impose disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saves that involve STR or DEX. |
| 76–85 | The creature suffers from partial amnesia. The creature knows who it is and retains its statistics and features but doesn't recognize other people or remember anything before the dread took effect. |
| 86–90 | When the creature takes damage, it must succeed on a DC 15 WIS save or be affected as though it failed a save against the confusion spell. The confusion effect lasts for 1 minute. |
| 91–95 | The creature loses the ability to speak. |
| 96–100 | The creature falls unconscious. No amount of jostling or damage can wake the creature. |
| D100 | Flaw (Lasts Until Cured) |
|---|---|
| 01–15 | Indulging in vices keeps me numb. |
| 16–25 | I keep whatever I find. |
| 26–30 | I try to become more like someone else I know—adopting their style of dress, mannerisms, and name. |
| 31–35 | I must bend the truth, exaggerate, or outright lie to be interesting to other people. |
| 36–45 | Achieving my goal is the only thing of interest to me, and I'll ignore everything else to pursue it. |
| 46–50 | I find it hard to care about anything that goes on around me. |
| 51–55 | I don't like the way people judge me all the time. |
| 56–70 | I am the smartest, wisest, strongest, fastest, and most beautiful person I know. |
| 71–80 | Powerful enemies are hunting me, and their agents are everywhere I go. I am sure they're watching me all the time. |
| 81–85 | There's only one person I can trust. And only I can see this special friend. |
| 86–95 | I can't take anything seriously. The more serious the situation, the funnier I find it. |
| 96–100 | I've discovered that I really like killing people. |
Curses, diseases, hazards, and traps are excellent tools to increase encounter difficulty or toss in a plot twist. All of these share a format to make them easy to run. The similarities and differences of each are described here.
A few sample curses, diseases, hazards, and traps in this section include preset DCs, damage, and mechanical elements ready to use without modification. However, any of these encounter elements can (and should) be adjusted for PCs of various levels and skill sets.
Along with basic information about its nature, each curse, disease, hazard, and trap description includes a trigger, the effects once triggered, and the resolution necessary to remove, prevent, mitigate, or otherwise end the effects:
Curses, diseases, hazards, and traps have varying levels of severity, which detail the degree of danger the effect poses: setback, dangerous, or deadly. An effect intended to be a setback is unlikely to kill or seriously harm characters, a dangerous effect is likely to seriously injure (and potentially kill) characters, and a deadly effect is very likely to kill at least one character. The attack bonus of an effect, the save DC to resist its effects, and the damage it deals can vary depending on its severity. Use the Effects Save DCs and Attack Bonuses and Damage Severity by Level tables for suggestions based on the three levels of severity. When using these tables, disregard any information not applicable to the effect of the curse, disease, hazard, or trap you are creating.
| Effect Danger | Save DC | Attack Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Setback | 10–11 | +3 to +5 |
| Dangerous | 12–15 | +6 to +8 |
| Deadly | 16–20 | +9 to +12 |
| PC Level | Setback | Dangerous | Deadly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 (1–4) | 5 (1d10) | 11 (2d10) | 22 (4d10) |
| Tier 2 (5–10) | 11 (2d10) | 22 (4d10) | 55 (10d10) |
| Tier 3 (11–16) | 22 (4d10) | 55 (10d10) | 99 (18d10) |
| Tier 4 (17–20) | 55 (10d10) | 99 (18d10) | 132 (24d10) |
This section features a collection of ready-to-use curses.
Curse
This curse permanently transforms a Humanoid into a werecreature of the same kind that turned it. The curse of lycanthropy can be spread only by those already changed by it.
Trigger: When a creature with the Lycanthrope tag bites a Humanoid or otherwise passes its saliva into a Humanoid's wound, it can spread the curse.
Effects: For the first 30 days after becoming infected, the Humanoid experiences dreams and nightmares related to the Beast associated with its curse, such as bear or wolf. After 30 days, the Humanoid undergoes its first transformation. While sleeping, it loses control of its body and acts as a member of its type of lycanthropy.
A newly cursed Humanoid continues transforming each night, remembering only fragments of these events. Every 7 days, it can repeat the save it made when it was first cursed. When it succeeds on this save three times, it gains full control of its transformation, retains its memories while transformed, and no longer has to make this save, becoming a true Lycanthrope.
Resolution: For the first 30 days after becoming infected, the curse can be cured with the remove curse spell or similar magic. Once a creature's first transformation occurs after these first 30 days, the creature can no longer be cured of lycanthropy, except by a wish spell or similar magic.
Curse
A curse that punishes the self-serving and robs people of their fortunes—in fate if not in purse. It typically protects gold or other treasure in the possession of Fey, but powerful or influential individuals might hire or convince Fey to protect their treasure with the curse.
Trigger: This curse takes effect when a creature steals the cursed gold pieces, trinkets, or other symbols of wealth.
Effects: The creature cursed is plagued with bad luck for 24 hours. While cursed, the creature can't use Luck points, can't gain Luck points, and can't add its PB to attack rolls or ability checks. If the cursed creature rolls a 20 on an attack roll or an ability check, the curse ends. If the cursed creature rolls a 1 on an attack roll or an ability check, the duration of the curse is extended for another 24 hours.
Resolution: The curse can be lifted with a remove curse spell or similar magic. Alternatively, the curse can be ended by giving away all fortune gained within the last week to someone in honest need. This alternative resolution might be available only to creatures that discover it by succeeding on a DC 13 INT (History) check while using the researching downtime option.
Curse
This disease-like curse slowly rots a victim's flesh.
Trigger: A creature has a 50 percent chance to become cursed with mummy rot for each minute it spends exposed to the remains of a mummy or to the remains of a creature that died while cursed by mummy rot. Alternatively, a creature can become cursed with mummy rot during a combat encounter with a mummy or mummy lord.
Effects: The cursed creature's flesh slowly deteriorates, rotting off in flakes at first, then whole chunks as the curse progresses. While cursed, the creature can't regain hit points. At the end of each long rest, it must succeed on a DC 13 CON save or its hit point maximum is reduced by 7 (2d6). If the curse reduces the creature's hit point maximum to 0, the creature dies, and its body turns to dust.
Resolution: The curse lasts until removed by the remove curse spell or similar magic. A creature normally immune to disease is immune to mummy rot, but spells and effects that combat diseases, such as the restoration spell, have no effect on this curse.
This section features a collection of ready-to-use diseases.
Disease
Victims in the grips of this disease succumb to random fits of manic laughter, giving the disease its common name and its morbid nickname, "the shrieks."
Trigger: When a Humanoid starts its turn within 10 feet of an infected creature, it must succeed on a DC 10 CON save or become infected. Once a Humanoid succeeds on this save, it is immune to infection from that creature for 24 hours.
Effects: Fever, disorientation, and mild giggles manifest 1d4 hours after infection. In addition, the infected creature gains one level of exhaustion that can't be removed until the disease is cured. Any event that causes stress—including entering combat, taking damage, experiencing fear, or having a nightmare—forces the creature to make a DC 13 CON save. On a failure, the creature takes 5 (1d10) psychic damage and becomes incapacitated with a fit of laughter for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the fit and the incapacitated condition on a success.
Resolution: At the end of each long rest, an infected creature can make a DC 13 CON save. On a success, the DC for this save and for the save to avoid a fit of laughter is reduced by 1d6. When the save DC drops to 0, the disease is cured. A creature that fails three of these saves gains a random form of indefinite dread.
Disease
This disease is a catchall name for a swath of illnesses that incubate in sewers, refuse heaps, and stagnant waters. It can be also transmitted by creatures that dwell in those areas, such as rats and otyughs.
Trigger: When a Humanoid comes into contact with filth or offal contaminated by sewer plague, it must succeed on a DC 11 CON save or become infected. Every hour a creature spends wading through or otherwise in contact with sewage, refuse, or stagnant water, it has a 50 percent chance of becoming infected, without requiring a save. At the GM's discretion, creatures native to sewers or swamps might also transmit this disease through Bite or Claw attacks.
Effects: Fatigue and muscle cramps manifest 1d4 days after infection. When the disease manifests, the infected creature suffers one level of exhaustion. After the disease manifests and until it is cured, the infected creature regains only half the normal number of hit points from spending Hit Dice and regains no hit points after finishing a long rest. After finishing a long rest, an infected creature must make a DC 11 CON save. On a failure, the creature suffers one level of exhaustion. On a success, its exhaustion decreases by one level.
Resolution: If a successful save reduces an infected creature's level of exhaustion to zero, it recovers from the disease. Alternatively, an infected creature can be cured by the restoration spell or similar magic.
Disease
This painful infection causes bleeding from the eyes and eventually blinds the victim.
Trigger: When a Beast or Humanoid drinks water contaminated with sight rot, it must succeed on a DC 15 CON save or become infected.
Effects: One day after infection, the creature's vision starts to become blurry. The creature takes a −1 penalty to attack rolls and ability checks that rely on sight. At the end of each long rest after the symptoms appear, the penalty worsens by 1. When it reaches −5, the victim is permanently blinded until its sight is restored.
Resolution: An infected creature can be cured with an ointment made from the eyebright flower, which grows in swamps. Applied to the eyes before a long rest, one dose of the ointment prevents the disease from worsening after that rest. After three doses, the ointment cures the disease entirely. A creature that has proficiency with herbalist tools can turn one eyebright flower into one dose of ointment with 1 hour of work. A creature blinded by sight rot can have its sight restored by the restoration spell or similar magic.
This section features a collection of ready-to-use hazards.
Hazard
Briar growth is brush rife with thorns that impedes movement and scratches those that travel through it.
Trigger: When a creature enters an area of briar growth, it suffers the effects of the hazard.
Effects: An area covered in briar growth is difficult terrain. For every 5 feet a creature moves within briar growth, it takes 5 (1d10) piercing damage. A creature that moves more than 5 feet within briar growth must succeed on a DC 13 DEX save or be restrained by the thorns. A creature, including the restrained creature, can take its action to free the restrained creature by succeeding on a DC 13 STR check.
Resolution: Each 10-foot cube patch of briar growth has 20 hit points and AC 13, and it is vulnerable to slashing damage and immune to poison and psychic damage. If a patch of briar growth takes at least 5 slashing or fire damage, each creature that moves through that patch has advantage on the DEX save. If a patch of briar growth is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed and no longer affects that area. Alternatively, the speak with plants spell suppresses the effects of briar growth in an area, provided that area of briar growth is nonmagical.
Hazard
Icy waters can sap the strength of hearty barbarians and ill-adapted creatures alike, exhausting muscles and spirits and threatening a cold end from the exposure. Immersion in exceptionally cold water causes creatures to lose heat faster than their bodies generate it.
Trigger: When at least half a creature's body is immersed in water that is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, it suffers the effects of the hazard. A creature that is resistant or immune to cold damage or that has natural adaptation to cold climates is immune to the effects of the hazard.
Effects: A creature can be immersed in frigid water for a number of minutes equal to its CON modifier before suffering its effects. At the end of each minute after that, the creature must succeed on a DC 10 CON save or suffer one level of exhaustion. A creature that is vulnerable to cold damage has disadvantage on this save.
Resolution: An affected creature must leave the area.
Hazard
Quicksand is a dangerous mix of water and loose soil or sand that causes creatures in it to sink into the ground. Undisturbed quicksand typically appears to be little more than sandy ground devoid of flora.
Trigger: When a creature enters quicksand for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it suffers the effects of the hazard. Quicksand can be recognized with a successful DC 13 INT (Nature) or WIS (Survival) check.
Effects: The creature sinks 1d4 feet into the quicksand and becomes restrained. At the start of each of the creature's turns, it sinks an additional 1d4 feet. A breathing creature completely submerged in quicksand begins suffocating.
Resolution: An affected creature must leave the area. If a creature restrained by quicksand isn't completely submerged, a creature, including the restrained creature, can take its action to free the restrained creature by succeeding on a STR check with a DC equal to 10 plus the number of feet the creature has sunk into the sand.
This section features a collection of ready-to-use traps for your game.
Trap (Mechanical)
This trap uses a trip wire to collapse supports that are holding up an unstable section of ceiling, which is often intentionally made unstable for this purpose. This trap can also be used to represent a collection of boulders or rocks suspended above an area.
Trigger: When a creature moves through the trap's area or otherwise hits the trip wire, it activates the trap. A creature can notice the trap with a successful DC 10 WIS (Perception) check.
Effects: Each creature in the trap's area must make a DC 15 DEX save, taking 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage on a failure, or half as much damage on a success. Once triggered, the ground in the trap's area is covered in rubble and is difficult terrain.
Resolution: A ceiling or roof can typically collapse only once, permanently ending the trap once triggered. The trap can be disarmed with a successful DC 15 DEX (Thieves' Tools) check. A creature without thieves' tools can attempt this check with disadvantage using any edged weapon or edged tool. If a creature fails a check to disarm the trap, it triggers.
Trap (Mechanical)
This trap uses a trip wire to release a net suspended from the ceiling. The trip wire is a few inches off the ground and stretches between two columns, trees, or similar anchor points. The net is typically hidden from view by natural covering, such as cobwebs or foliage, or by minor illusory magic.
Trigger: When a creature moves through the trap's area or otherwise hits the trip wire, it activates the trap. A creature can notice the trap with a successful DC 10 WIS (Perception) check.
Effects: When the trap is triggered, the net is released, covering a 10-foot-by-10-foot area. Those in the area are trapped under the net and restrained, and those that fail a DC 10 STR save are also knocked prone. A creature, including the restrained creature, can take its action to free the restrained creature by succeeding on a DC 10 STR check.
Resolution: The net has 20 hit points and AC 10, and it is immune to poison and psychic damage. If the net is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed, freeing any creatures trapped by it. A net can typically fall only once, permanently ending the trap once triggered, unless the trap includes a mechanism that pulls the net back into place. The trap can be disarmed with a successful DC 15 DEX (Thieves' Tools) check. A creature without thieves' tools can attempt this check with disadvantage using any edged weapon or edged tool. If a creature fails a check to disarm the trap, it triggers.
Trap (Complex Magic)
This trap repeatedly reverses gravity to pulp creatures caught in its area.
Trigger: When a creature moves to a space within 5 feet of a magical rune painted in the center of the trap's area. A creature can notice the rune with a successful DC 13 WIS (Perception), and a creature aware of the rune can discern the trap's nature with a successful DC 15 INT (Arcana) check. A spell or other effect that can sense the presence of magic, such as the detect magic spell, reveals an aura of transmutation magic in the trap's area.
Effects: Each creature and item that isn't being worn or carried within 30 feet of the rune falls upward, stopping at the ceiling or 50 feet, whichever occurs first. A creature can make a DC 15 DEX save to grab onto a fixed object it can reach, thus avoiding the fall. If some solid object, such as a ceiling, is encountered in this fall, falling items and creatures strike it just as they would during a normal downward fall, taking falling damage as normal. If an item or creature reaches the top of the area without striking anything, it remains there, oscillating slightly until the gravity changes again. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) of the next round, the gravity reverses, and each creature within 30 feet of the rune falls downward, taking falling damage if it strikes an object, as normal. The gravity continues to reverse, sending creatures falling up or down, on initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) each round for 1 minute.
Resolution: After 1 minute, the trap stops reversing gravity, returning gravity in the area to normal and ending the effects of the trap until triggered again. The trap can be destroyed, immediately ending its effects, by damaging the rune. Alternatively, a successful dispel magic spell (DC 13) cast on the rune destroys the trap.
Trap (Mechanical)
One of the simplest, most common, and most effective traps is a deep hole dug in the ground or beneath the floor, hidden by a cover made from materials that blend with the surrounding terrain. This kind of trap can also be used to represent unstable flooring in a multi-level building, ship, or similar structure, which might send a creature walking across it tumbling to a floor below. Pit traps are typically 5 feet in diameter and 10 feet deep.
Trigger: When more than 20 pounds of weight is placed on the pit's cover, the trap activates. A creature can notice the absence of foot traffic over the section of floor that forms the pit's cover with a successful DC 15 WIS (Perception) check. A creature aware of the lack of foot traffic over the cover can determine it is the cover of a pit with a successful DC 15 INT (Investigation) check or by interacting with the cover, such as lifting a corner or lightly pressing on it from a safe space.
Effects: The cover collapses under the weight or swings down like a trapdoor, causing all creatures on it to fall into the pit below. Each affected creature takes falling damage based on the pit's depth.
Resolution: The cover of a pit can be removed, but the trap otherwise can't be disarmed. At the GM's discretion, a pit can be filled in, or its cover can be shored up to prevent it from collapsing with at least 10 minutes of work and the appropriate materials.
Trap (Mechanical)
A spring-loaded, poisoned needle hides within a lock. This trap is most often found in locks protecting treasure chests, secret doors, or private wardrobes.
Trigger: When a creature attempts to open the lock without the proper key, the trap activates. A creature can recognize the lock is trapped with a successful DC 20 INT (Investigation) check.
Effects: The needle springs 3 inches out from the lock, striking the creature that triggered the trap or the nearest creature within range. The target takes 1 piercing damage and 11 (2d10) poison damage, and it must succeed on a DC 15 CON save or be poisoned for 1 hour.
Resolution: The trap can be disarmed with a successful DC 15 DEX (Thieves' Tools) check, which removes the needle from the lock. If a creature fails a check to disarm the trap, it triggers.
At the start of each combat encounter, the GM gains a special resource called Doom based on the CR of the encounter, as detailed in the Doom by Encounter Tier table. The GM can use Doom to influence the results of creature die rolls, turning the tide on the PCs or helping a creature last just one turn longer.
The GM can spend Doom in the following ways:
| Encounter CR | Doom |
|---|---|
| 0–4 | 1 |
| 5–8 | 2 |
| 9–12 | 3 |
| 13–16 | 4 |
| 17–20 | 5 |
| 21+ | 6 |