Stats dropped to 1


Rules Questions


What happens when a target's stats drop to 1? I know they go unconscious at 0. But what about at 1?

Are they still dangerous?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Technically they are still functional, but severely impaired with the usual negatives of stats that low. Calculate the relevant capabilities as normal.


Can a target even hold himself up with a strength of 1?

Or stand with a Dex of 1?

Do they even know if they are being hurt or what is hurting them with an Int of 1?


Yes. Check out the rules for feeblemind for some specifics.


Int of 1 is animal level intelligence. Yes, it's still aware enough to know it's being injured. Only mindless creatures would be unaware of being harmed. You question of 1 int really boils down to, would an animal do it, or how would an animal react?

Int is probably the easiest.

As for strength, a creature with a strength of 1 has a light carrying capacity of 3lbs, medium of 6lb, and heavy of 10lb. So, if they have any stuff on them they're probably not going anywhere. There isn't a clear and fast rule about being able to move at all depending on your strength score. A strength of 10 gives you a heavy load of 100 lbs, but average people can walk despite weighing more than 100 lbs. I would probably use the rules for dragging to determine whether or not you can stand and walk. You drag weight is 5 times your heavy carry weight. So an average human can drag 500 lbs. Even at a strength of 6 you can carry 60 lbs and drag 300, so most everyone should clearly be able to move themselves without aid even unto their eldest years (according to game rules).

Dex doesn't really have much to do with standing, that would be more along the lines of strength. Now, staying standing rather than falling over because of balance, maybe. I would say the best way to represent low dex would be to ask for acrobatics (or similar skill) checks for things that wouldn't normally require a check such as staying upright while walking. With a 1 you're looking at a -5 penalty, + armor check penalty. Maybe a -8. If you don't have ranks in acrobatics you have a 40% chance to fall over assuming a DC 0.


Ah. I see. So basically for dex use rules along the lines of the Grease Spell. That sounds cool.


Fastmover wrote:
Ah. I see. So basically for dex use rules along the lines of the Grease Spell. That sounds cool.

Yeah, thats what I'd do. A lack of dexterity is kind of difficult to represent as anything other than being super clusmy. Which is, I think, exactly what it should be.


d20pfsrd wrote:
Strength: Damage to your Strength score causes you to take penalties on Strength-based skill checks, melee attack rolls, and weapon damage rolls (if they rely on Strength). The penalty also applies to your Combat Maneuver Bonus (if you are Small or larger) and your Combat Maneuver Defense. A character with a Strength score of 0 is too weak to move in any way and is unconscious. Some creatures do not possess a Strength score and have no modifier at all to Strength-based skills or checks

Strength damage doesn't impact your carrying capacity. I think this is for ease of play purposes, because recalculating encumbrance potentially several times in combat to see if you're overloaded would grind combat to a halt.


Also, according to the Acrobatics rules, the DC for a surface 1-3 feet wide is 5, while 3 feet or wider is 0. If a character is at risk and their total modifier to Acrobatics is less than -1, Claxon has the right idea here. You can easily take 10 out of combat, but in combat you would likely fumble around trying to stand.


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Low Wisdom and Low Charisma are even harder to quantify.

I'd like to credit the Ravenloft Player's Handbook for this:

Low Intelligence: A player with a low intelligence may seem like a cheery and friendly fellow, but has no short term memory, and can't remember anything from one minute to the next.

Low Wisdom: This character will likely have good memory, but will be unable to perform any external task, such as putting clothes on or opening doors.

Low Charisma: Low Charisma causes the character to lose all sense of the outside world and wander in a daze. Often, the character will mumble to themselves and ignore the existence of others.


Fastmover wrote:

What happens when a target's stats drop to 1? I know they go unconscious at 0. But what about at 1?

Are they still dangerous?

Sounds like they got the "Old" status from Bard's Tale...


Alton Nimblewit wrote:
d20pfsrd wrote:
Strength: Damage to your Strength score causes you to take penalties on Strength-based skill checks, melee attack rolls, and weapon damage rolls (if they rely on Strength). The penalty also applies to your Combat Maneuver Bonus (if you are Small or larger) and your Combat Maneuver Defense. A character with a Strength score of 0 is too weak to move in any way and is unconscious. Some creatures do not possess a Strength score and have no modifier at all to Strength-based skills or checks
Strength damage doesn't impact your carrying capacity. I think this is for ease of play purposes, because recalculating encumbrance potentially several times in combat to see if you're overloaded would grind combat to a halt.

Damage versus drain hadn't been specified in the thread thus far, but it is importnat to note the effects of damage versus drain.

You can look up the information on the PRD, but I believe there have also been some FAQ's on it to clarify things. One such, as mentioned, is that strength damage doesn't lower your carrying capacity while strength drain would. I believe intelligence damage you would keep all your skill, while intelligence drain you would loose skill points, and the loss would be retroactive. A caster ability score being damage wont reduce their spellcasting ability in except maybe save DCs. Where as if the casting stat suffers drain they would instantly loose access to spells and spell slots.

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