Hi folks,
While I first encountered this in the Beginner's Box Gamemaster's Guide, I also found that it was in the Core Rulebook as well.
I really can't understand why there is any difference between, 'Helpless', 'Paralyzed' and 'Unconscious'. It seems to me that regardless of the label attached to the 'creature's state', the game mechanic(s) *should* be the same. Yes, there is a bit more prose on the subjects in the Core Rulebook, but as I read them, they are still the same thing just stated in somewhat different ways.
Any insights are appreciated. Thanks!
Take care,
Harry
Helpless characters can't do anything.
Paralyzed characters can't do anything physical but can use purely mental actions, like cast a spell with no components (Silent Spell with a Verbal only component).
Unconscious characters are helpless but can sometimes be brought back to consciousness. Sleeping characters are unconscious.
Helpless is more of a general term and the other two are specific reasons why someone would be helpless.
For an example of the difference between those: a character that is bound is considered helpless, but not unconscious, so it can still cast a still spell. Paralyzed and helpless are more alike, but effects that remove paralysis doesn't always remove other kinds of helplessness.
Folks, I'm not trying to be difficult, I really don't understand. So please bear with me...
Helpless characters can't do anything.
Paralyzed characters can't do anything physical but can use purely mental actions, like cast a spell with no components (Silent Spell with a Verbal only component).
Unconscious characters are helpless but can sometimes be brought back to consciousness. Sleeping characters are unconscious.
Helpless is more of a general term and the other two are specific reasons why someone would be helpless.
Not sure I follow, how could a paralyzed character use a spell with a verbal only component? Seems that would require the ability to move your mouth to speak. Which doesn't sound like being paralyzed to me... ;-) Given my comment... How is that different from helpless?
Just because an unconscious character can be restored to an unconscious state, how does that affect their current state? i.e. unconscious in my mind's eye equals helpless. So sure next round your friend might revive you from being unconscious, but if you were attacked *before* that, and were still unconscious, how would that be different from being helpless and/or paralyzed. (Other than to perhaps describe the 'special effect' that caused the condition.)
I'm really not seeing any difference between these conditions. :-\
Take care,
Harry
Folks, I'm not trying to be difficult, I really don't understand. So please bear with me...
Not sure I follow, how could a paralyzed character use a spell with a verbal only component? Seems that would require the ability to move your mouth to speak. Which doesn't sound like being paralyzed to me... ;-) Given my comment... How is that different from helpless?Helpless characters can't do anything.
Paralyzed characters can't do anything physical but can use purely mental actions, like cast a spell with no components (Silent Spell with a Verbal only component).
Unconscious characters are helpless but can sometimes be brought back to consciousness. Sleeping characters are unconscious.
Helpless is more of a general term and the other two are specific reasons why someone would be helpless.
Silent Spell allows you to ignore the Verbal component for spells. This means a spell like Feather Fall, which is Verbal only, can be cast without any components.
Just because an unconscious character can be restored to an unconscious state, how does that affect their current state? i.e. unconscious in my mind's eye equals helpless. So sure next round your friend might revive you from being unconscious, but if you were attacked *before* that, and were still unconscious, how would that be different from being helpless and/or paralyzed. (Other than to perhaps describe the 'special effect' that caused the condition.)
I'm really not seeing any difference between these conditions. :-\
Take care,
Harry
Unconscious and paralyzed characters are helpless. Helpless is a general condition and the other two are conditions that are Helpless plus some other notes. There are many ways to be helpless. Those are just two of them. You could also be bound. You could be the victim of a hold person spell.
A paralyzed character is frozen in place and unable to move or act. A paralyzed character has effective Dexterity and Strength scores of 0 and is helpless, but can take purely mental actions. A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A paralyzed swimmer can't swim and may drown. A creature can move through a space occupied by a paralyzed creature—ally or not. Each square occupied by a paralyzed creature, however, counts as 2 squares to move through.
You are still conscious though and that means you can still take actions, as long as they are purely mental. Maybe you are a druid and you can wild shape into an air elemental to fly away or a water elemental to swim away. Both are purely mental actions.
Unconscious: Unconscious creatures are knocked out and helpless. Unconsciousness can result from having negative hit points (but not more than the creature's Constitution score), or from nonlethal damage in excess of current hit points.
You are not conscious and that means you cannot wild shape or cast a spell or take any actions at all. In some cases you are also bleeding out. Maybe you were struck with enough non-lethal damage that you were knocked out (cure spells will heal lethal and nonlethal at the same time). Maybe you were subject to a sleep spell (loud noise won't wake you but you can be woke up with a swift kick to the ribs). Maybe you are just sleeping for the night (you can make a Perception check to wake up from noise).
In both cases (and the others listed under Helpless) you are completely at the mercy of your opponent and therefore are Helpless.
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Silent Spell allows you to ignore the Verbal component for spells. This means a spell like Feather Fall, which is Verbal only, can be cast without any components.
As soon as I got access to 5th-level spells, a Silent Dimension Door was a permanent choice in every day's preparations. And was a life-saver on several occasions.
Thanks for the replies! That makes more sense now.
Take care,
Harry