Change to Penalties

[Argothe]

Page 12 wrote:

Penalties are numerical values that are subtracted from a check or statistical score. Penalties do not have a type and most penalties stack with one another.

So bonuses from the same source or of the same type do not stack unless otherwise stated, but penalties do stack unless otherwise stated. The Ray of Enfeeblement entry specifically states that this penalty does not stack, but other spells like Bane and Crushing Despair have no such clause, meaning that multiple Bane spells even from the same caster now stack with each other.

[Varthanna]

Argothe wrote:

Page 12 wrote:

Penalties are numerical values that are subtracted from a check or statistical score. Penalties do not have a type and most penalties stack with one another.

So bonuses from the same source or of the same type do not stack unless otherwise stated, but penalties do stack unless otherwise stated. The Ray of Enfeeblement entry specifically states that this penalty does not stack, but other spells like Bane and Crushing Despair have no such clause, meaning that multiple Bane spells even from the same caster now stack with each other.

Does the PFRPG no longer have the clause that the 3.5 SRD had under Casting Spells? Specifically:

"Spells that provide bonuses or penalties on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and other attributes usually do not stack with themselves."

If this is still included I would assume that specific (spells) trumps general (penalties), though in any case I dont think its broken, as Will saves are still required and they're mind affecting.

[azhrei_fje]

Since the beginning of the 3.0E days, penalties have always been unnamed so they've always stacked (as long as they're from different sources, as already mentioned).

Of course, WotC (in their infinite wisdom) started breaking their own rule and giving names to penalties in some products so that muddied the water.

But I have always used the "penalties always stack" rule with no adverse effects.