Failure Results
If a character fails a Horror save, the player
should roll 1d4 and compare it to the effect cat-
egory to select a specific symptom of Horror. If a
character fails a Horror save by 16+ points, he
suffers a major Horror effect and must make an
immediate Madness save (at DC = Horror save
DC -5).
Player Tips: You can speed up Horror saves
by rolling the d20 and the d4 at the same time — if
you succeed at the Horror save, you can just
ignore the d4 roll. Alternatively, if you and the
DM both agree that a Horror effect in the category
you rolled is particularly suited to the scene, you
can ignore the d4 roll and simply choose that
effect.
DM Tip: When a character fails a Horror
save, make a note of the cause of the failed check,
the failed save's DC, and the date in your
campaign's calendar (a sample note might read:
"Rotting body,
Failure Results
If a character fails a Horror save, the player
should roll 1d4 and compare it to the effect cat-
egory to select a specific symptom of Horror. If a
character fails a Horror save by 16+ points, he
suffers a major Horror effect and must make an
immediate Madness save (at DC = Horror save
DC -5).
Player Tips: You can speed up Horror saves
by rolling the d20 and the d4 at the same time — if
you succeed at the Horror save, you can just
ignore the d4 roll. Alternatively, if you and the
DM both agree that a Horror effect in the category
you rolled is particularly suited to the scene, you
can ignore the d4 roll and simply choose that
effect.
DM Tip: When a character fails a Horror
save, make a note of the cause of the failed check,
the failed save's DC, and the date in your
campaign's calendar (a sample note might read:
"Rotting body,
Failure Results
If a character fails a Horror save, the player
should roll ld4 and compare it to the effect cat-
egory to select a specific symptom of Horror. If a
character fails a Horror save by 16+ points, he
suffers a major Horror effect and must make an
immediate Madness save (at DC = Horror save
DC -5).
Player Tips: You can speed up Horror saves
by rolling the d20 and the d4 at the same time — if
you succeed at the Horror save, you can just
ignore the d4 roll. Alternatively, if you and the
DM both agree that a Horror effect in the category
you rolled is particularly suited to the scene, you
can ignore the d4 roll and simply choose that
effect.
DM Tip: When a character fails a Horror
save, make a note of the cause of the failed check,
the failed save's DC, and the date in your
campaign's calendar (a sample note might read:
"Rotting body,
Oct. 31, DC 8."). Horror saves have long-term
results, and this information will come in handy
later for recovery checks.
Minor Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Aversion
2 Fearstruck
3 Frozen
4 Nausea
Moderate Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Nightmares
2 Obsession
3 Rage
4 Revulsion
Major Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Fascination
2 Haunted
3 Mental Shock
4 System Shock
Aversion: The character is frightened. Al-
though the Fear effect has a duration of only 5d6
rounds, for as long as the character suffers from
this Horror effect he is automatically shaken
whenever he comes within 50 feet of the location
where he failed this Horror save or any identical
places.
Fearstruck: The character is panicked. This
Fear effect lasts 5d6 rounds, but the character
suffers no further effects.
Frozen: The character is momentarily over-
whelmed by the scene before him and can take no
action for three rounds. He is considered flatfooted
for the duration.
Nausea: The sight causes the character to
become physically ill. He suffers an effective de-
crease of 1d4+l points of Constitution. For an
equal number of rounds, he cannot cast spells and
can take only partial actions as he struggles to
retain his last meal. The character regains these
lost Constitution points at the rate of 1 per hour.
Nightmares: For the moment, the character is
merely shaken. This Fear effect lasts 5d6 rounds.
However, the next time the character tries to go to
sleep, the horrific events of this scene will play
themselves out again in his mind, causing the
character to wake with a scream after only 5d6
minutes. The nightmares return every time he tries
to sleep, preventing rest. For as long as this Horror
effect lasts, the character cannot regain arcane
Oct. 31, DC 8."). Horror saves have long-term
results, and this information will come in handy
later for recovery checks.
Minor Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Aversion
2 Fearstruck
3 Frozen
4 Nausea
Moderate Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Nightmares
2 Obsession
3 Rage
4 Revulsion
Major Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Fascination
2 Haunted
3 Mental Shock
4 System Shock
Aversion: The character is frightened. Al-
though the Fear effect has a duration of only 5d6
rounds, for as long as the character suffers from
this Horror effect he is automatically shaken
whenever he comes within 50 feet of the location
where he failed this Horror save or any identical
places.
Fearstruck: The character is panicked. This
Fear effect lasts 5d6 rounds, but the character
suffers no further effects.
Frozen: The character is momentarily over-
whelmed by the scene before him and can take no
action for three rounds. He is considered flatfooted
for the duration.
Nausea: The sight causes the character to
become physically ill. He suffers an effective de-
crease of 1d4+l points of Constitution. For an
equal number of rounds, he cannot cast spells and
can take only partial actions as he struggles to
retain his last meal. The character regains these
lost Constitution points at the rate of 1 per hour.
Nightmares: For the moment, the character is
merely shaken. This Fear effect lasts 5d6 rounds.
However, the next time the character tries to go to
sleep, the horrific events of this scene will play
themselves out again in his mind, causing the
character to wake with a scream after only 5d6
minutes. The nightmares return every time he tries
to sleep, preventing rest. For as long as this Horror
effect lasts, the character cannot regain arcane
Oct. 31, DC 8."). Horror saves have long-term
results, and this information will come in handy
later for recovery checks.
Minor Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Aversion
2 Fearstruck
3 Frozen
4 Nausea
Moderate Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Nightmares
2 Obsession
3 Rage
4 Revulsion
Major Horror Effects
1d4 Effect
1 Fascination
2 Haunted
3 Mental Shock
4 System Shock
Aversion: The character is frightened. Al—
though the Fear effect has a duration of only 5d6
rounds, for as long as the character suffers from
this Horror effect he is automatically shaken
whenever he comes within 50 feet of the location
where he failed this Horror save or any identical
places.
Fearstruck: The character is panicked. This
Fear effect lasts 5d6 rounds, but the character
suffers no further effects.
Frozen: The character is momentarily over-
whelmed by the scene before him and can take no
action for three rounds. He is considered flatfooted
for the duration.
Nausea: The sight causes the character to
become physically ill. He suffers an effective de-
crease of ld4+l points of Constitution. For an
equal number of rounds, he cannot cast spells and
can take only partial actions as he struggles to
retain his last meal. The character regains these
lost Constitution points at the rate of l per hour.
Nightmares: For the moment, the character is
merely shaken. This Fear effect lasts 5d6 rounds.
However, the next time the character tries to go to
sleep, the horrific events of this scene will play
themselves out again in his mind, causing the
character to wake with a scream after only 5d6
minutes. The nightmares return every time he tries
to sleep, preventing rest. For as long as this Horror
effect lasts, the character cannot regain arcane
spells, and each full day without rest incurs a
cumulative -1 morale penalty to all attack rolls,
saves, and checks, to a -4 maximum penalty.
Lack of sleep also erodes the character's
health. Without rest, he cannot regain hit points
through natural healing.
Sleep can grant dreamless rest, allowing the
character to regain spells and negate accumulated
penalties. If the character does not receive a sleep
spell every night, however, the nightmares begin
again.
Elves neither truly sleep nor dream and thus
are immune to this effect; players of elven charac-
ters should reroll the d4 or choose another
moderate effect instead.
Obsession: The character is unable to shake
this horrific memory. He continually replays the
events in his mind, mumbles about them under his
breath, and tries to bring all conversations back to
this terrible topic.
His obsessed mind becomes clouded, and he
seldom sleeps. With each day of restless
obsession, he suffers a cumulative -1 morale
penalty to initiative and Listen, Search, and Spot
checks, to a maximum penalty of -4.
The character ignores his health while ob-
sessed. He cannot regain hit points through natural
healing, and each full week without rest also in-
flicts 1 point of effective Constitution decrease.
Once the character recovers from Obsession, lost
Constitution points return at the rate of 1 per day.
(See "Recovering from Failure," below.)
Rage: The character's mind is overwhelmed
by a primitive, mindless fury directed toward the
source of horror. He must drop anything in his
hands that is not a weapon, then rush forward to
attack the object of his hatred in melee. This blind
fury acts as a barbarian's rage ability, with the
following exceptions: unlike a barbarian, the char-
acter is not in control of his actions. He cannot
retreat from battle and will not stop attacking the
subject of his rage even if it is destroyed. He must
also move toward the subject using the most direct
route, even if this means passing through threat-
ened areas. If anyone — even an ally — tries to
block his path and he cannot move around, he
must fight his way through the obstacle.
The rage lasts a number of rounds equal to 3 +
the character's (heightened) Constitution modifier.
When the rage ends, the character regains control
of his actions, but he is fatigued (as detailed under
the Barbarian in the Player's Handbook).
spells, and each full day without rest incurs a
cumulative -1 morale penalty to all attack rolls,
saves, and checks, to a -4 maximum penalty.
Lack of sleep also erodes the character's
health. Without rest, he cannot regain hit points
through natural healing.
Sleep can grant dreamless rest, allowing the
character to regain spells and negate accumulated
penalties. If the character does not receive a sleep
spell every night, however, the nightmares begin
again.
Elves neither truly sleep nor dream and thus
are immune to this effect; players of elven charac-
ters should reroll the d4 or choose another
moderate effect instead.
Obsession: The character is unable to shake
this horrific memory. He continually replays the
events in his mind, mumbles about them under his
breath, and tries to bring all conversations back to
this terrible topic.
His obsessed mind becomes clouded, and he
seldom sleeps. With each day of restless
obsession, he suffers a cumulative -1 morale
penalty to initiative and Listen, Search, and Spot
checks, to a maximum penalty of -4.
The character ignores his health while ob-
sessed. He cannot regain hit points through natural
healing, and each full week without rest also in-
flicts 1 point of effective Constitution decrease.
Once the character recovers from Obsession, lost
Constitution points return at the rate of 1 per day.
(See "Recovering from Failure," below.)
Rage: The character's mind is overwhelmed
by a primitive, mindless fury directed toward the
source of horror. He must drop anything in his
hands that is not a weapon, then rush forward to
attack the object of his hatred in melee. This blind
fury acts as a barbarian's rage ability, with the
following exceptions: unlike a barbarian, the char-
acter is not in control of his actions. He cannot
retreat from battle and will not stop attacking the
subject of his rage even if it is destroyed. He must
also move toward the subject using the most direct
route, even if this means passing through threat-
ened areas. If anyone — even an ally — tries to
block his path and he cannot move around, he
must fight his way through the obstacle.
The rage lasts a number of rounds equal to 3 +
the character's (heightened) Constitution modifier.
When the rage ends, the character regains control
of his actions, but he is fatigued (as detailed under
the Barbarian in the Player's Handbook).
spells, and each full day without rest incurs a
cumulative —l morale penalty to all attack rolls,
saves, and checks, to a -4 maximum penalty.
Lack of sleep also erodes the character's
health. Without rest, he cannot regain hit points
through natural healing.
Sleep can grant dreamless rest, allowing the
character to regain spells and negate accumulated
penalties. If the character does not receive a Sleep
spell every night, however, the nightmares begin
again.
Elves neither truly sleep nor dream and thus
are immune to this effect; players of elven charac—
ters should reroll the d4 or choose another
moderate effect instead.
Obsession: The character is unable to shake
this horrific memory. He continually replays the
events in his mind, mumbles about them under his
breath, and tries to bring all conversations back to
this terrible topic.
His obsessed mind becomes clouded, and he
seldom sleeps. With each day of restless
obsession, he suffers a cumulative -l morale
penalty to initiative and Listen, Search, and Spot
checks, to a maximum penalty of —4.
The character ignores his health while ob-
sessed. He cannot regain hit points through natural
healing, and each full week without rest also in-
flicts 1 point of effective Constitution decrease.
Once the character recovers from Obsession, lost
Constitution points return at the rate of l per day.
(See ”Recovering from Failure," below.)
Rage: The character's mind is overwhelmed
by a primitive, mindless fury directed toward the
source of horror. He must drop anything in his
hands that is not a weapon, then rush forward to
attack the object of his hatred in melee. This blind
fury acts as a barbarian's rage ability, with the
following exceptions: unlike a barbarian, the char-
acter is not in control of his actions. He cannot
retreat from battle and will not stop attacking the
subject of his rage even if it is destroyed. He must
also move toward the subject using the most direct
route, even if this means passing through threat—
ened areas. If anyone — even an ally — tries to
block his path and he cannot move around, he
must fight his way through the obstacle.
The rage lasts a number of rounds equal to 3 +
the character's (heightened) Constitution modifier.
When the rage ends, the character regains control
of his actions, but he is fatigued (as detailed under
the Barbarian in the Player’s Handbook).
Revulsion: Works as Aversion, except that the
character is shaken if exposed to anything that
merely reminds him of the horror scene. A charac-
ter horrified by a vampire attack may suffer
repulsion upon seeing a large swarm of bats or
hearing the conversational mention of a vampire,
for example.
Fascination: The character develops a morbid
fascination with the scene. This obsession be-
comes so overpowering that it warps the
character's personality. In the fascinated
character's mind, the source of the horror effect
becomes more and more powerful. The fascinated
character may eventually believe that the source is
omnipotent; he may even revere it. As an example,
a character who becomes fascinated after
witnessing a vampire draining the blood from a
victim may seek out that vampire and offer his
servitude. As the fascinated character warps
himself into a willing slave of his own horror, he
suffers a cumulative, effective drain of 1 point
each from Wisdom and Charisma each week. If
either score drops below 3, the character becomes
a lost one (see "Additional Failures" under "Mad-
ness Saves").
Once the character recovers from Fascination,
lost Wisdom and Charisma points return at the rate
of 1 each per day.
Revulsion: Works as Aversion, except that the
character is shaken if exposed to anything that
merely reminds him of the horror scene. A charac-
ter horrified by a vampire attack may suffer
repulsion upon seeing a large swarm of bats or
hearing the conversational mention of a vampire,
for example.
Fascination: The character develops a morbid
fascination with the scene. This obsession be-
comes so overpowering that it warps the
character's personality. In the fascinated
character's mind, the source of the horror effect
becomes more and more powerful. The fascinated
character may eventually believe that the source is
omnipotent; he may even revere it. As an example,
a character who becomes fascinated after
witnessing a vampire draining the blood from a
victim may seek out that vampire and offer his
servitude. As the fascinated character warps
himself into a willing slave of his own horror, he
suffers a cumulative, effective drain of 1 point
each from Wisdom and Charisma each week. If
either score drops below 3, the character becomes
a lost one (see "Additional Failures" under "Mad-
ness Saves").
Once the character recovers from Fascination,
lost Wisdom and Charisma points return at the rate
of 1 each per day.
Revulsion: Works as Aversion, except that the
character is shaken if exposed to anything that
merely reminds him of the horror scene. A charac—
ter horrified by a vampire attack may suffer
repulsion upon seeing a large swarm of bats or
hearing the conversational mention of a vampire,
for example.
Fascination: The character develops a morbid
fascination with the scene. This obsession be-
comes so overpowering that it warps the
character's personality. In the fascinated
character's mind, the source of the horror effect
becomes more and more powerful. The fascinated
character may eventually believe that the source is
omnipotent; he may even revere it. As an example,
a character who becomes fascinated after
witnessing a vampire draining the blood from a
victim may seek out that vampire and offer his
servitude. As the fascinated character warps
himself into a willing slave of his own horror, he
suffers a cumulative, effective drain of 1 point
each from Wisdom and Charisma each week. If
either score drops below 3, the character becomes
a lost one (see "Additional Failures" under "Mad—
ness Saves").
Once the character recovers from Fascination,
lost Wisdom and Charisma points return at the rate
of 1 each per day.
Haunted: Witnessing the horrific scene shat-
ters the character's ability to see any good in the
world. He suffers the Obsession effect and also
suffers 1d6+l points of effective Charisma
decrease as his spirit becomes hardened and
withdrawn. Once the character recovers from the
Haunted effect, lost Constitution and Charisma
points return at the rate of 1 each per day.
Mental Shock: The character's mind simply
shuts down, unable to comprehend what it is wit-
nessing. While suffering from mental shock, the
character can take no actions and is considered
flatfooted. He will walk if dragged along but
cannot run.
Mental shock lasts three rounds. At the end of
that duration, the character must make another
Horror save at the same DC to escape the effects.
If he fails, the effects persist, but he can retry the
saving throw once every three rounds until he
succeeds. If the horrific scene is no longer present,
the character gains a cumulative +1 morale bonus
to each retry until he succeeds.
System Shock: The shock proves to be too
much for the character's heart; he must make an
immediate Fortitude save against the same DC or
suffer 3d6 points of temporary Constitution
damage.
Haunted: Witnessing the horrific scene shat-
ters the character's ability to see any good in the
world. He suffers the Obsession effect and also
suffers 1d6+l points of effective Charisma
decrease as his spirit becomes hardened and
withdrawn. Once the character recovers from the
Haunted effect, lost Constitution and Charisma
points return at the rate of 1 each per day.
Mental Shock: The character's mind simply
shuts down, unable to comprehend what it is wit-
nessing. While suffering from mental shock, the
character can take no actions and is considered
flatfooted. He will walk if dragged along but
cannot run.
Mental shock lasts three rounds. At the end of
that duration, the character must make another
Horror save at the same DC to escape the effects.
If he fails, the effects persist, but he can retry the
saving throw once every three rounds until he
succeeds. If the horrific scene is no longer present,
the character gains a cumulative +1 morale bonus
to each retry until he succeeds.
System Shock: The shock proves to be too
much for the character's heart; he must make an
immediate Fortitude save against the same DC or
suffer 3d6 points of temporary Constitution
damage.
1tnessing the horrific scene shat—
ters the character's ability to see any good in the
world. He suffers the Obsession effect and also
suffers ld6+l points of effective Charisma
decrease as his spirit becomes hardened and
withdrawn. Once the character recovers from the
Haunted effect, lost Constitution and Charisma
points retum at the rate of 1 each per day.
Mental Shock: The character's mind simply
shuts down, unable to comprehend what it is wit—
nessing. While suffering from mental shock, the
character can take no actions and is considered
flatfooted. He will walk if dragged along but
cannot run.
Mental shock lasts three rounds. At the end of
that duration, the character must make another
Horror save at the same DC to escape the effects.
If he fails, the effects persist, but he can retry the
saving throw once every three rounds until he
succeeds. If the horrific scene is no longer present,
the character gains a cumulative +l morale bonus
to each retry until he succeeds.
System Shock: The shock proves to be too
much for the character’s heart; he must make an
immediate Fortitude save against the same DC or
suffer 3d6 points of temporary Constitution
damage.
