When "paralyzed", what exactly is paralyzed ?


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


When a creature gets paralyzed, what part(s) of it get(s) paralyzed ? Only the skin ? the muscles ? the bones ? everything including organs ?

How does it work technically ? Because the way I see it, getting paralyzed would basically mean that your heart stops beating, your lungs stop inhaling/exhaling, your blood stops flowing, etc... but it's not the case because this isn't a deadly condition by itself. Sure you can starve, but unless you're attacked as well, you "could" keep living for a while. You also don't harden like a statue, you just collapse to the ground like a ragdool.

Maybe I'm nitpicking, but it's good to know.


I've always thought it is like being tied down very tight.You can breath,look around with your eyes (but cannot turn your head) and maybe have other involuntary body functions active, but you are otherwise helpless.


Easiest to envision as muscle/nervous system lockup. Initiated motion is impossible, but the body's autonomous functions continue. (heartbeat, breathing, etc)


Gandal wrote:
I've always thought it is like being tied down very tight.You can breath,look around with your eyes (but cannot turn your head) and maybe have other involuntary body functions active, but you are otherwise helpless.

Even the eyes get me confused...it's a voluntary action to keep them open, so getting paralyzed would relax the eyelids and close the eyes, making you blind as well... but again, taht's not part of the condition.

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2015 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

I think you may be reading too much into it. You're stuck and can't move, can't even speak, but you don't even collapse to the ground.


thats another thing. if youre in mid stride or mid fight, get paralyzed, wouldnt momentum bring you to the ground ?


JiCi wrote:
Even the eyes get me confused...it's a voluntary action to keep them open, so getting paralyzed would relax the eyelids and close the eyes, making you blind as well... but again, taht's not part of the condition.

That was an example.Anyway whether the eyes are still working or not i don't think it is relevant if you are on the ground with the mobility of a rock.

That depends on the intentions of the npc who inflicted the condition on you.


Gandal wrote:
JiCi wrote:
Even the eyes get me confused...it's a voluntary action to keep them open, so getting paralyzed would relax the eyelids and close the eyes, making you blind as well... but again, taht's not part of the condition.

That was an example.Anyway whether the eyes are still working or not i don't think it is relevant if you are on the ground with the mobility of a rock.

That depends on the intentions of the npc who inflicted the condition on you.

Intentions... ? I don't follow, paralysis affects anyone [who's not immune] on the same degree, so I couldn't just paralyze someone's legs for instance (would be a nice lower-level spell though.)


I meant if the cause of the condition wants to kill you or not.The condition affects all of the body [unless immunity].
You cannot move muscles,arms,legs,fingers,head,whatever.
You can breath and keep your eyes opened.
This is pretty much all i can think of about it.

Shadow Lodge

The dictionary definition works fine, why invent stuff?

Paralysed
1) Cause (a person or part of the body) to become partly or wholly incapable of movement.
2) Render (someone) unable to think or act normally, esp. through panic or fear.

The rules have some game specific additions to the normal definition:

Paralysis
Some monsters and spells have the supernatural or spell-like ability to paralyze their victims, immobilizing them through magical means. Paralysis from poison is discussed in the Afflictions section.

A paralyzed character cannot move, speak, or take any physical action. He is rooted to the spot, frozen and helpless. Not even friends can move his limbs. He may take purely mental actions, such as casting a spell with no components.

A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer can't swim and may drown.


0gre wrote:

The dictionary definition works fine, why invent stuff?

Paralysed
1) Cause (a person or part of the body) to become partly or wholly incapable of movement.
2) Render (someone) unable to think or act normally, esp. through panic or fear.

The rules have some game specific additions to the normal definition:

Paralysis
Some monsters and spells have the supernatural or spell-like ability to paralyze their victims, immobilizing them through magical means. Paralysis from poison is discussed in the Afflictions section.

A paralyzed character cannot move, speak, or take any physical action. He is rooted to the spot, frozen and helpless. Not even friends can move his limbs. He may take purely mental actions, such as casting a spell with no components.

A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer can't swim and may drown.

(Wow... I really need to recheck some of this stuff...)

BTW, it wasn't much about inventing than about thoroughly knowing how to describe it. To me, being paralyzed means no movement, but not being frozen as well. That's why I demanded explanations a bit more complex.

In fact, WHY is it that you get frozen in place when getting paralyzed ? Why don't you just get numb and collapse of the ground by a ragdoll, like someone getting paralyzed from the legs after an accident ? Sure it makes sense if you get encased in something like ice, but getting paralyzed like being frozen ice-solid by a poison is a bit odd to me.


Because it's magic?

Yeah, in RL if some condition acted the way paralysis in PF does, you'd fall over. Even if you were standing with a good balance you'd probably fall over given the funny shape a human body is. But, being paralysed is bad enough without being prone as well. (Although, if you *did* fall over, other monsters may be less likely to attack your helpless body).

As usual my response is, if the lack of realism makes enough difference to you, house rule that a paralysed person automatically falls over. Otherwise, just hand wave it in the way that a wizard does.


With creatures that paralyze without using poison, it's usually a magical effect. Ghouls, for instance. Think of the paralysis as a type of instant rigor mortis that affects all voluntary movement. It's a sort of cinematic style that's fairly common in the fantasy genre.

Shadow Lodge

JiCi wrote:

BTW, it wasn't much about inventing than about thoroughly knowing how to describe it. To me, being paralyzed means no movement, but not being frozen as well. That's why I demanded explanations a bit more complex.

In fact, WHY is it that you get frozen in place when getting paralyzed ? Why don't you just get numb and collapse of the ground by a ragdoll, like someone getting paralyzed from the legs after an accident ? Sure it makes sense if you get encased in something like ice, but getting paralyzed like being frozen ice-solid by a poison is a bit odd to me.

I agree with you. If you've ever seen someone paralyzed they aren't stuck frozen in place. Chalk it up to magic or house rule it as you see fit.


0gre wrote:
I agree with you. If you've ever seen someone paralyzed they aren't stuck frozen in place. Chalk it up to magic or house rule it as you see fit.

This is not wholly accurate: Paralysis in the real world is variable. One type is flaccid paralysis, where, as you mention muscles become limp and unable to contract. Another type is tonic paralysis, where the muscles are rigid and immovable.

Shadow Lodge

Sure... but neither case reflects the in-game "Freeze in place instantly without falling over" version.

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