What happens to petrified characters?

[Nikosandros]

What are the defenses of a petrified character? What can affect him?

Also, is there any way to reverse the state?

 

[dragon_eater]

Petrified: (Player's Handbook pg 277)
You have been turned to stone.
You can't take actions.
You gain resist 20 to all damage.
You are unaware of your surroundings.
You don't age.

The Remove Affliction ritual on pg 311 of the Player's Handbook says that if cures petrification.

 

[Tervin]

The ritual Remove Affliction can remove petrification, unless you mess up and kill the poor victim instead.

On the other hand the victim has Resist 20 to everything and doesn't age while in that state. (PH p 277)

 

[TimeOut]

What are the defenses of a petrified character? What can affect him?

I would say, the same as any stone statue. I think there are rules for items in the DMG.

Also, is there any way to reverse the state?

Remove Affliction Ritual, PHB, page 311

Edit: Yay, double ninja!

 

[lukelightning]

On the other hand the victim has Resist 20 to everything and doesn't age while in that state. (PH p 277)

Medu Sa's Beuty Parlor, now featuring "eternal youth" treatments!

Also, if you read the description of medusas there is an interesting tidbit about reversing petrification (it's exactly like something I suggested on the boards a year or so ago.... though to be honest I'm sure a zillion people had the same idea).

 

[Tervin]

Looking at Remove Affliction now, it is even better than the Cure Disease ritual. Lots of risk for the victim if you are not that great at Heal. I just love the feel of that ritual. (And Petrification is also better than it ever was...)

 

[hamishspence]

The two rituals

The risks to the cured person make me think of a really old term: System Shock. In that just cos you are cured, doesn't mean you automatically survive. Is that an example of 4th ed harking back to pre-3rd ed ideas?

 

[Nikosandros]

I had read the rules in the PHB, but I find them somewhat confusing.

Why don't they simply state that the character becomes an inert object?

The character is unaware of his surroundings, but can he think?

He has resist 20 vs all damage, but is he subject to psychic damage? Can he be charmed? Can he be healed?

I would say no to all of this, but the rule is confusing.

 

[Eldorian]

Dogs pee on them.

 

[Grazzt]

I had read the rules in the PHB, but I find them somewhat confusing.

Why don't they simply state that the character becomes an inert object?

The character is unaware of his surroundings, but can he think?

He has resist 20 vs all damage, but is he subject to psychic damage? Can he be charmed? Can he be healed?

I would say no to all of this, but the rule is confusing.

Agreed. I'd say no to all the above as well. Though I might allow healing if it affected objects (which is exactly what Mr Petrified is now...a statue).