Glossary

81 of 81 entries

• Ability

  also: abilities, ability score, ability scores

  One of the six core traits defining a character: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Scores are generated at creation and drive most success/failure checks.

  See alsoAbility checkStrengthDexterityConstitutionIntelligenceWisdomCharisma

• Ability check

  also: ability checks

  A 1d20 roll against one of your ability scores. The roll succeeds if the result is equal to or less than the score (after any modifiers).

  See alsoAbility

• Alignment

  also: alignments

  A character's basic moral and ethical outlook, chosen at creation, on two axes: law-chaos and good-evil, for nine categories total. Some classes restrict allowed alignments.

  See alsoNeutrality

• Area of effect

  also: area-of-effect

  The region a spell or breath weapon affects. Creatures inside are affected unless a successful saving throw applies.

  See alsoSaving throwBreath weapon

• Armor Class

  also: AC

  A rating of how hard a character is to hit, from 10 (unarmored) down to 0 and into negatives (better). Lower AC is better.

  See alsoTHAC0Attack roll

• Attack roll

  also: to-hit roll, to hit roll

  The 1d20 roll that determines whether an attack hits, compared against the target's AC using the attacker's THAC0.

  See alsoTHAC0Armor Class

• Bend bars/lift gates roll

  also: bend bars, lift gates

  A percentile feat-of-strength check to bend metal bars, lift a portcullis, or perform a similar heavy exertion. The chance is set by Strength.

  See alsoStrength

• Bonus spells

  also: bonus spell

  Extra priest spells granted for high Wisdom, added on top of the normal per-level allotment.

  See alsoWisdomSphere of influence

• Breath weapon

  also: breath weapons

  An exhaled attack (such as a dragon's) that affects an area without an attack roll; targets in the area roll a saving throw.

  See alsoArea of effectSaving throw

• Chance of spell failure

  also: spell failure

  The percentage chance a priest's spell fails when cast, derived from Wisdom.

  See alsoWisdom

• Chance to learn spell

  also: chance to know spell, chance to learn a spell

  A wizard's percentage chance to successfully learn a new spell, derived from Intelligence.

  See alsoIntelligenceSchool of magic

• Charisma

  also: Cha

  The ability score for force of personality, persuasiveness, and leadership. Governs henchman limits and NPC reactions.

  See alsoHenchmenReaction adjustment

• Class

  also: character class, classes

  A character's profession (Fighter, Mage, Cleric, Thief, etc.), which sets Hit Dice, allowed weapons/armor, abilities, and advancement.

  See alsoLevelHit DiceSpecialistMulti-class characterDual-class character

• Common

  The shared trade language all player characters speak. Other languages may cost proficiency slots to learn.

  See alsoProficiency

• Constitution

  also: Con

  The ability score for health, stamina, and physique. Affects hit points, system shock, and resurrection survival.

  See alsoHit pointsSystem shockResurrection survival

• Damage

  The hit-point loss from a successful attack or other harmful effect, expressed in points.

  See alsoHit points

• Demihuman

  also: demihumans

  A non-human player race: dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, or halfling.

  See alsoRaceNonhuman

• Dexterity

  also: Dex

  The ability score for agility, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination. Affects missile attacks, AC, and initiative.

  See alsoArmor ClassInitiativeMissile combat

• Dice notation

  also: d, d3, d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, die, dice

  Shorthand for dice rolls: the number after 'd' is the die's faces (d6 = six-sided). A leading number means that many dice (2d6). A d3 is read off a d6 (1-2=1, 3-4=2, 5-6=3); a d100 uses two d10s as percentile dice.

  See alsoPercentile dice

• DMG

  Abbreviation for the Dungeon Master Guide, the companion rulebook for the person running the game.

• Dual-class character

  also: dual-class, dual class

  A human who advances in one class, then switches to a second class and starts over in it. Only humans can dual-class.

  See alsoClassMulti-class character

• Encumbrance

  also: encumbered

  The total weight a character carries, in pounds. Heavier loads reduce movement rate; based on Strength. (Optional rule.)

  See alsoMovement rateStrength

• Energy drain

  also: level drain, energy-drain

  An attack (often by undead) that strips experience levels from a character in addition to hit-point loss.

  See alsoLevelExperience points

• Experience points

  also: XP, experience point

  Points awarded by the DM for completing adventures, class-appropriate deeds, and solving problems. Accumulated XP raises a character's level.

  See alsoLevelClass

• Follower

  also: followers

  An NPC drawn to a character's reputation who serves for pay, often arriving at higher levels (e.g., a fighter's troops).

  See alsoHenchmenHirelingNonplayer character

• Gaze attack

  also: gaze attacks

  An attack (such as a basilisk's) that takes effect simply by making eye contact with the victim.

  See alsoSaving throw

• Henchmen

  also: henchman

  Loyal NPCs who follow a character out of loyalty and love of adventure rather than pay. The number allowed is set by Charisma; player and DM share control.

  See alsoCharismaHirelingFollower

• Hireling

  also: hirelings

  An NPC who works purely for money and is entirely under the DM's control.

  See alsoHenchmenFollower

• Hit Dice

  also: Hit Die, HD

  The dice rolled to determine a character's hit points, gained per level up to a class-dependent cap. A fighter uses d10s, a wizard d4s, and so on.

  See alsoHit pointsLevelClass

• Hit points

  also: hp, hit point

  A number tracking how much damage a character can take before death, set by Hit Dice. Lost hit points are usually regained by rest or healing.

  See alsoHit DiceDamageConstitution

• Infravision

  The ability to see heat in the dark, common to demihumans, typically out to 60 feet.

  See alsoDemihuman

• Initiative

  The determination of who acts first in a combat round, usually a d10 roll modified by Dexterity, weapon speed, and circumstances.

  See alsoRoundWeapon speedDexterity

• Intelligence

  also: Int

  The ability score for reasoning and memory. Sets a wizard's spell capacity, chance to learn spells, and number of languages.

  See alsoChance to learn spell

• Italic type

  also: italics

  In the rules, italic text marks the names of magical items and spells.

• Level

  also: levels, experience level

  A measure of a character's power and experience within a class, starting at 1st and rising as experience points accumulate.

  See alsoExperience pointsClassHit Dice

• Loyalty base

  also: loyalty

  A Charisma-derived modifier to the loyalty of a character's henchmen and followers.

  See alsoCharismaHenchmen

• Magic resistance

  also: MR

  A percentage chance for a creature to ignore magic that targets it, checked before any saving throw.

  See alsoSaving throwResistance

• Magical defense adjustment

  also: magic defense adjustment

  A Wisdom-based bonus or penalty to saving throws against mind-affecting magic (charm, hold, fear, and the like).

  See alsoWisdomSaving throw

• Maneuverability class

  also: maneuverability

  A rating (A-E) describing how tightly a flying creature can turn and maneuver.

• Material component

  also: material components, M

  A physical substance a spell consumes or requires when cast; abbreviated M in spell descriptions.

  See alsoVerbal componentSomatic component

• Maximum press

  The greatest weight a character can lift overhead, determined by Strength.

  See alsoStrength

• Melee

  Hand-to-hand combat at close range, as opposed to missile combat.

  See alsoMissile combatAttack roll

• Missile combat

  also: missile attack, missile fire

  Ranged combat using thrown or fired weapons (bows, slings, hurled spears), affected by range and Dexterity.

  See alsoMeleeRate of fireDexterity

• Movement rate

  also: movement, move

  How far a character can travel in a given time, reduced by encumbrance. Used for both exploration and combat positioning.

  See alsoEncumbranceRoundTurn

• Multi-class character

  also: multi-class, multiclass, multi class

  A demihuman who advances in two or more classes at once, splitting experience among them and using the best combat and saving-throw values.

  See alsoClassDual-class characterDemihuman

• Mythos

  also: mythoi

  The deity, religion, or pantheon a priest serves, which defines that priest's powers, allowed weapons, spheres, and ethos.

  See alsoSphere of influenceSpecialist

• Neutrality

  also: neutral

  On the law-chaos axis, indifference to order versus chaos; on the good-evil axis, unwillingness to commit to either. True Neutral seeks balance among all forces. Unintelligent creatures are treated as neutral by default.

  See alsoAlignment

• Nonhuman

  also: non-human

  Any character or creature that is not human; demihumans are the playable nonhuman races.

  See alsoDemihumanRace

• Nonplayer character

  also: NPC, NPCs, nonplayer characters

  Any character controlled by the DM rather than a player, including henchmen, hirelings, and followers.

  See alsoPlayer characterHenchmenHireling

• Open doors roll

  also: open doors

  A Strength-based check to force open a stuck or barred door.

  See alsoStrength

• Opposition school

  also: opposition schools

  The school(s) of magic a specialist wizard is barred from, opposite their chosen school on the schools diagram.

  See alsoSchool of magicSpecialist

• Percentage chance

  also: percent chance, percentage

  A probability expressed out of 100, resolved by rolling percentile dice.

  See alsoPercentile dice

• Percentile dice

  also: percentile, d100

  Two ten-sided dice (or one d100) read together to produce a result from 1 to 100; one die is the tens, the other the ones.

  See alsoDice notationPercentage chance

• Player character

  also: PC, PCs, player characters

  A character controlled by a player, as opposed to one run by the DM.

  See alsoNonplayer character

• Poison save

  also: save vs. poison, poison saving throw

  A saving throw to resist or reduce the effect of a poison.

  See alsoSaving throw

• Prime requisite

  also: prime requisites, prime-requisite

  The ability score(s) most important to a class. Scoring 16+ in all of a class's prime requisites grants a +10% experience bonus.

  See alsoAbilityClassExperience points

• Proficiency

  also: proficiencies, proficiency slot, proficiency slots

  A learned capability bought with proficiency slots: weapon proficiencies (which weapons you use without penalty) and nonweapon proficiencies (skills like swimming or cooking). Optional rules.

  See alsoProficiency checkCommon

• Proficiency check

  also: proficiency checks

  A check to use a nonweapon proficiency: roll 1d20 against the governing ability score plus any proficiency modifier, succeeding on equal or lower.

  See alsoProficiencyAbility check

• Race

  also: races

  A character's species - human or one of the demihuman peoples - which adjusts ability scores and may limit class and level choices.

  See alsoDemihumanNonhumanClass

• Rate of fire

  also: ROF

  How many times a missile weapon can be used per combat round (e.g., a bow may fire twice).

  See alsoMissile combatRound

• Reaction adjustment

  also: reaction adjustments

  A Charisma-derived modifier to how NPCs and creatures initially respond to a character.

  See alsoCharisma

• Regeneration

  also: regenerate

  The ability to recover lost hit points rapidly and automatically, sometimes regrowing limbs.

  See alsoHit points

• Resistance

  also: resistant

  A reduced vulnerability to a type of attack or energy, often expressed as halved damage or a saving-throw bonus.

  See alsoMagic resistanceSaving throw

• Resurrection survival

  also: resurrection survival chance

  A Constitution-based percentage chance to survive being raised or resurrected from death.

  See alsoConstitutionSystem shock

• Reversible

  also: reversed, reverse

  A spell that can be cast in an opposite form (for example, a healing spell reversed to cause harm).

  See alsoSphere of influence

• Round

  also: rounds, combat round

  The basic unit of combat time, about one minute, in which each combatant gets to act. Ten rounds make a turn.

  See alsoTurnInitiative

• Saving throw

  also: saving throws, save, saves

  A d20 roll to avoid or reduce a harmful effect (spell, poison, breath weapon, etc.); rolling the target number or higher succeeds.

  See alsoPoison saveMagical defense adjustment

• School of magic

  also: schools of magic, school

  One of the categories wizard spells are grouped into (Abjuration, Alteration, Conjuration/Summoning, and so on). A specialist wizard concentrates in one school.

  See alsoSpecialistOpposition school

• Somatic component

  also: somatic components, S

  A required gesture or hand motion for casting a spell; abbreviated S. Casting can fail if the hands are bound or the caster is armored.

  See alsoVerbal componentMaterial component

• Specialist

  also: specialist wizard, specialists

  A wizard who focuses on a single school of magic, gaining extra spells and save bonuses within it but barred from opposition schools. (Also used for specialty priests of a mythos.)

  See alsoSchool of magicOpposition schoolMythos

• Spell immunity

  Complete protection from a specific spell or category of magic, which automatically has no effect.

  See alsoResistanceMagic resistance

• Sphere of influence

  also: sphere, spheres, sphere of access

  A thematic group of priest spells (Healing, Combat, Plant, etc.). A priest's deity grants major or minor access to particular spheres.

  See alsoMythosBonus spells

• Strength

  also: Str

  The ability score for muscle and physical power. Affects melee attack and damage, weight allowance, and feats like forcing doors.

  See alsoMaximum pressOpen doors rollBend bars/lift gates roll

• Surprise roll

  also: surprise

  A check at the start of an encounter to see whether one side is caught off guard, granting the surprising side a free moment to act.

  See alsoInitiativeRound

• System shock

  also: system shock roll

  A Constitution-based percentage roll to survive a major physical stress such as being petrified, polymorphed, or magically aged.

  See alsoConstitutionResurrection survival

• THAC0

  also: thac0

  "To Hit Armor Class 0" - the attack-roll number a character needs to hit AC 0. Subtract the target's AC from your THAC0 to get the roll you need. Lower THAC0 is better.

  See alsoAttack rollArmor Class

• Turn

  also: turns

  A unit of game time equal to ten combat rounds, about ten minutes, used mainly for exploration and spell durations.

  See alsoRoundMovement rate

• Turn undead

  also: turning undead

  A priest's (or paladin's) granted power to drive off or destroy undead and certain evil creatures by presenting a holy symbol.

  See alsoMythos

• Verbal component

  also: verbal components, V

  Required spoken words or sounds for casting a spell; abbreviated V. A silenced or gagged caster cannot provide it.

  See alsoSomatic componentMaterial component

• Weapon speed

  also: weapon speed factor, speed factor

  A rating of how quickly a weapon can be used, applied as a modifier to initiative; lower is faster.

  See alsoInitiative

• Wisdom

  also: Wis

  The ability score for insight, willpower, and intuition. Sets a priest's bonus spells and chance of spell failure, and adjusts saves against mind magic.

  See alsoBonus spellsChance of spell failureMagical defense adjustment