When I looked for answers I was only getting "they stack". Those discussions were always about dazzling display or take your choice of how many other feats/abilities that have stacking fear effects. Im talking about a probable magic effect here. There are many and abilities can cause fear of various levels too. When it says "will save or panicked" you make your will save or you are panicked. End of story right? Or do you become shaken, then it can be cast again then you become frightened, and again for panicked?
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The effects are the effects.
If you suffer from shaken, you take -2.
If you suffer from frightened, you take -2. (and run until a corner, where you can fight)
If you suffer from panicked, you take -2. (and run until you are cornered, where you meet a cowards death in the corner of some dungeon)
If you are sickened, you take another -2.
If you are nauseated, you don't take a -2, but can't attack. (1 move per turn)
So if you only get panicked, you only suffer those effects. If you get panicked and shaken, you get a double whammy. They don't "stack" unless you are under their effects. So no, if you get panicked, you don't get shaken, frightened, and panicked in one shot. You just suffer the panicked condition (-2, run, can't fight). HOWEVER, if three spell casters/attackers hit you with three different effects, one which makes you panicked, one that makes you frightened, one that makes you shaken... well, you'll probably die in the nearest corner... (-2, run, can't fight)... and if another couple guys whammy you with sickened and nauseated, you're really boned (-4, only 1 move per turn, run, can't fight)
You're probably thinking of them as negative bonuses from the same source (fear) - since bonuses from the same sources aren't supposed to stack, they don't. And honestly, as a GM, I usually just use the "worst" fear condition (so I think like you do - it is a fear (negative) bonus, so it doesn't stack with itself.
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There is no numerical penalty for frightened or panicked, they each just include the -2 for being shaken.
(so if you're suffering from all 3, you don't take -6)
My book has them all listed separately... with "a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks." - each listed in the description of each one...
Saying "it is like shaken" doesn't delete the -2 from that condition's description. Which is to say "it doesn't say "you get the same -2 as from shaken, plus blah blah blah."" - It says if you are frightened, you get a -2 (separate from the -2 in shaken's description).
Kind of like nauseated and sickened don't have any common effects. Even though they are basically "more severe" forms of each other.
ps. I completely rule as GM exactly how you claim, but apparently the OP has stated everyone he asked said "they stack." And, honestly, I can see an argument for that (if you are under the effects individually).
the PRD (as opposed to what it says in the book, which makes it look like each condition carries an added -2) makes it clearer I think... http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/glossary.html#fear
RAW, the effective -2's would not stack, as you can only suffer one effect - and you would be "stacked" to the next one pursuant to the "becoming even more fearful" in the book. So our "original thinking" is correct on this. The "stacking" means that you follow page 563's rule on "more fearful"... so yeh, whack them twice and they become more fearful, unless it is an ability that has a "maximum fear level" like demoralize under Intimidate (demoralize under "stares" and such do stack since they don't say they are limited to extending the duration like demoralize under Intimidate does).
They stack in the sense that you move to the next worse condition. You are never shakened and frightened. You move from one to the next. Since you no longer have the previous condition then the previous condition's penalties do not apply, and the rules directly state that you if you have one condition that it becomes the next one. They do not say that if you have one condition that you additionally gain the next one.
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They stack in the sense that you move to the next worse condition. You are never shakened and frightened. You move from one to the next. Since you no longer have the previous condition then the previous condition's penalties do not apply, and the rules directly state that you if you have one condition that it becomes the next one. They do not say that if you have one condition that you additionally gain the next one.
Correct, page 563 explains it. PS. please keep in mind Fear effects are (almost always?) mind affecting effects.
I was meaning "they stack" in relation to feats and abilities that cause shaken. Those quite often stack with themselves (or a similar ability) once. But I think the question was answered. If someone causes a fear effect that is save or become panicked...your panicked.