Disease: Delirium Fever

[OnlineDM]

I wrote up a custom disease called Delirium Fever on my blog a little while ago and just realized that I should probably share it here as well. I find that there aren't a lot of disease options out there in 4th Edition, which is a shame - I think the mechanic is rather interesting.

Delirium Fever

• Description: The patient is afflicted with a high fever accompanied by profuse sweating and weakness. As the disease progresses, the patient may fall into unconsciousness with periodic bouts of delirious wakefulness, babbling incoherently. Left untreated, Delirium Fever can be fatal.
• Level: 6
• Exposure: Via the venom of giant spiders (either at range via spitting, in melee via a bite, or after a hit from a weapon with spider venom on it)
• Progression: Saving throw to avoid infection after initial exposure. Endurance DC16 to maintain, Endurance DC 21 to improve.
• Initial state: The patient is weakened, and their hit points cannot go above their bloodied value (temporary hit points can still be gained as normal). Improvement from this state represents the disease being cured.
• Intermediate state: The patient is weakened and slowed, and their hit points cannot go above their healing surge value.
• Advanced state: The patient is unconscious, with occasional bouts of waking delirium.
• Final state: The patient dies.

 

[Kingreaper]

I would make the intermediate stage slightly less harsh (maybe just "weakened, speed reduced by 2, and cannot go above surge value") simply to make it more different from the advanced stage.

As is, in both the intermediate and advanced stage the character is incapable of combat, and needs to be carried for overland travel, so I see them as too similar.

Other than that, it seems like a good disease for some situations, although one to use very sparingly.

 

[OnlineDM]

Good point; surge value rather than 1 hp makes sense. Thanks for the suggestion! I've edited the disease to reflect this.