Auras and Player Knowledge

[dvvega]

Greetings,

just a quick question regarding auras - more specifically those auras that are subtle in effect rather than overtly damaging.

Players are told/supposed to know when a creature is bloodied, or when a creature is a minion as far as I understand it.

But how about auras? When a player is affected by an aura that has no discernible effect on them - should they be told?

If it imposes a -2 penalty on attack rolls then the next roll they make they find out about the aura? Or are they told "creature X has an aura that gives -2".

The creature that has me asking this is the Goblin Acolyte of Maglubyet (MM2). Its aura stops hit point regain. Now this kind of activity (hit point regain) usually occurs when "forced" by the party healer.

So if no one knows about the aura's effects until they are enacted, the healer says "spend a surge" you do and you do not regain hit points.

Any thoughts on this? I was planning to scatter a bunch of these guys around a battle field for a higher level party focused on a larger foe.

D

 

[Deverash]

There's a rule that creatures(which would include the PCs to me) always know what effects are on them, unless something says something else. I'd certainly say they'd know they can't regain hit points. If you want to screw with them a bit, make it a knowledge check for them to know WHY they can't recovery hit points.

Now there are exceptions, as for everything in 4e. Somethings the players (and monsters) shouldn't know about, even when the effect is on them, but that's specifically called out.

Anyways, that's my take.

 

[DracoSuave]

There's a guideline in the DMG that says that abilities such as auras should be declared up front.

'Subtle' and 'Inperceptible' are not the same word. If the ability is subtle, describe it as subtle.

'In a circle around it, you can almost swear you see the dulling of color, like the energies of life itself were being slowly muted. (Arcana check made) ...almost as if the Shadowfell itself could be channeled through his merest presence.'

 

[dvvega]

Could I get a citation to that guideline - seems my brain missed it

I don't like the idea of giving away all the information up front until they've experienced it, however if the RAW states it I will do it since I'm running a 100% RAW game as my first campaign to ensure I understand the rules 100% before I run off and make changes.

D

 

[Jhaelen]

I'd just tell the pc getting inside the aura that something is giving her an uncanny feeling. Figuring it out (before being affected by it) would require a knowledge check, methinks.

 

[Joshua Randall]

It's a playstyle (DMstyle) thing.

Some people prefer to know all mechanical effects of everything, all the time. The game is fun because you have full information with which to plan your PC's actions.

Some people prefer to have only vague hints as to the mechanical effects, possibly unlocking knowledge of the mechanical effects with skill checks. The game is fun because you never quite know what's going to happen to your PC until the PC experiences it firsthand.

Both are fine ways to play.

 

[the Jester]

It's a playstyle (DMstyle) thing.

Joshua has the right of it. Although by the RAW pcs should know the effects of an aura, I sometimes prefer the "SURPRISE!!" element. 4e is really kind of against "gotcha!" moments, but some groups love them.

 

[Scribble]

I feel like it's better to give them some sort of hint, rather then a gotcha.

Usually I (try to) say something like "Standing close to the monster you feel somewhat dejected... You get the feeling you wouldn't be able to rally back up to your full potential if you stay close..."

At least I would say give them the ability to sense it based on a related skill check almost like traps.

 

[the Jester]

Yeah, most auras fall under the "you can tell what's affecting you" category imho. An example of an aura I wouldn't tell the pcs about is the fire within of the Chosen of Imix (MM3 117)- allies in the aura gain resist 10 fire. That might be a bad example since it doesn't affect the pcs at all... here we go: the dream hag's nightmare weaver aura:

Any unconscious enemy that starts its turn within the aura stands up and is dominated until the end of its next turn. The enemy remains unconscious but takes a single action during its turn, chosen by the dream hag.

 

[Scribble]

Yeah, most auras fall under the "you can tell what's affecting you" category imho. An example of an aura I wouldn't tell the pcs about is the fire within of the Chosen of Imix (MM3 117)- allies in the aura gain resist 10 fire. That might be a bad example since it doesn't affect the pcs at all... here we go: the dream hag's nightmare weaver aura:

I could swing either way on that one. Like others have said it's kind of more a preference thing.

You could hit them with something like "As you drawl close to the hag you feel as if she is probing at your mind- Not enough to feel threatened by it, but if you were to completely let your guard down..."

I think I tend to kind of go by how threatening I think the aura will be.