Pathfinder 2: How Do Conditions Work?

Paizo gives us a glimpse at how conditions work in the upcoming Pathfinder 2nd Edition (which is now just a few weeks away from its Gen Con playtest launch!).

• Acclerated X -- increases speed by X
• Hampered X -- decreases speed by X
• Quick X -- increases actions by X
• Slowed X -- decreases actions by X
• Frightened X -- penalty of X to checks and saves (decreases by 1 at the end of each turn)
• Sick -- like Frightened, but requires an action retching to shake off
• Enfeebled -- attack and damage penalty, Str checks
• Sluggish -- AC, attack, Reflex save, Dex check penalty
• Stupified -- spell DC, Int/Wis/Cha check penalty, plus a chance of spells being disrupted
• Fatigued -- you are Hampered 5, plus -1 AC and saves, and each action increases the penalty by 1
• Relative conditions -- flat-footed (-2 AC), concealed; you have the condition to specific creature(s)

 

[Andor]

Why are people freaked out? Pathfinder 1E has a dozen conditions too.

Sure. How many of those require the PC to increment/decrement them by the round or action?

 

[evildmguy]

Only insofar as anyone would actually use the rules at the table. I agree this looks onerous when looked at from a "sum of all blog posts" perspective but any given DM is going to kit bash the hell out of this rules set.

So better to have more to cull out than no support at all and have to whole cloth write things up.

This is my thought as well. I would rather have more rules that I can cut down than fewer rules that I have to create.

Personally, after playing some M&M3E, I think I ignored conditions for too long. They are good ways to inflict something on a character without it being damage. And my players stepped up and reacted to those conditions. "Oh, I'm fatigued? I better stop and catch my breath." That sort of thing.