The Taint of Evil

The normal rules for stacking fear effects apply to phobias as well. If a character becomes shaken from exposure to an object of her phobia, a second exposure to a different object while she is still shaken makes her frightened. An encounter with a group of creatures of the same kind counts as a single exposure, even if more creatures of the same kind appear in the middle of the encounter. However, if a character with a phobia about vermin is fighting a group of monstrous centipedes when a monstrous spider suddenly appears, this different type of vermin counts as a second exposure to a different object. A player (or the DM in some cases) can choose any of the following creature types as the object of a character’s phobia: aberrations, animals, constructs, dragons, elementals and fey, giants and monstrous humanoids, magical beasts, oozes and vermin, outsiders, plants, or undead. In addition, characters can have phobias regarding the following situations:

Cramped Quarters: This phobia can by activated by any situation that calls for an Escape Artist check, including grappling. It also applies whenever the character is paralyzed. The effective CR equals the CR of the creature grapplling the character, or 1 for every 5 points by which the DC of the Escape Artist check exceeds 10, or the saving throw DC of the paralysis effect –10. A character with this phobia can never initiate a grapple.

Darkness: This phobia applies whenever the character is in shadowy illumination or complete darkness. Darkvision does not negate this phobia, but low-light vision might make a character’s space brightly illuminated instead of shadowy. This phobia also applies when the character is blinded. The effective CR equals one-half the character’s level for shadowy illumination, or the character’s level for complete darkness or being blinded.

Fire: This phobia applies when the character is within the effect or area of a spell with the fi re descriptor, when the character is targeted by such a spell, when the character encounters a creature with the fi re subtype, and in any other situation when the character is at real risk from taking fi re damage (such as being near lava, being targeted by alchemist’s fi re, or fi ghting near a raging bonfi re). The effective CR equals the actual CR of a fi re subtype creature, or double the fi re spell’s level, or 1 per 2d6 points of damage that could be dealt by contact with a nearby fi re.

Heights: This phobia applies when the character is moving vertically (climbing, fl ying, falling, and so on), or near a sudden drop (clifftops, bridges, stairs, pit traps, and the like), or in any other situation where falling damage is possible. The effective CR equals 1 per 20 feet of height. The DM can apply modifi ers to the Will save DC, particularly if the character is in a situation that applies modifi ers to Climb or Balance check DCs. For example, if the character is crossing a chasm on a slippery ice bridge (+5 to Balance check DCs) or climbing a crumbling, moss-covered cliff (+5 to Climb check DCs), the Will save DC might also increase by 5.

Magic: This phobia applies whenever the character is targeted by a hostile spell or is within the area of a hostile spell. The effective CR equals double the spell’s level. All spells cast by the same creature during a single encounter count as a single exposure to the object of the character’s phobia.

Water: This phobia applies when the character is standing or swimming in water, on a boat, or facing a creature with the water subtype. The effective CR equals the actual CR of a water subtype creature, one-half the character’s level for still water, or the character’s level for fast-moving water.

Removing Phobias

A phobia can be removed from a character through the application of a heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish spell directed specifi cally at that phobia. If the phobia is only a mild phobia, a character can also overcome his fear by facing it directly. In order to do so, the character must succeed on his Will save against 10 consecutive exposures to the source of his fear.

One of the features that distinguishes a fantasy horror game from a more typical fantasy campaign is the idea, prominent in the horror genre, that evil is a corrupting force. Though a paladin might remain entirely virtuous in her actions and even her thoughts, long years of struggle against the forces of evil can erode her body and soul. True heroes refuse to allow the taint of evil to spread, warding it off through magic or penance. Sometimes, however, even well-intentioned characters end up embracing the taint within them, using it to increase their physical or mental power. Characters can acquire taint by entering a place suffused with evil, by coming into contact with a horribly evil object, through the attacks of certain monsters, and by performing evil acts. This taint can manifest physically, in which case it is called corruption, or mentally, in which case it is called depravity. Both corruption and depravity are measured in points. Typically, characters acquire 1 to 3 points of corruption or depravity from exposure to evil. Prolonged exposure generally has the potential to bestow an additional 1 point of corruption or depravity for every 24 hours of exposure. The specifi c amounts of taint acquired from different circumstances are detailed elsewhere in this book—see Horror Environments later in this chapter, Dread Magic in Chapter 5, and specifi c monster descriptions in Chapter 6. In most cases, a character can attempt a saving throw to resist the effects of taint. Corruption allows a Fortitude save, while depravity allows a Will save. Any time a character acquires more points of corruption at one time than her current Constitution modifi er, she must attempt another Fortitude save (DC 15 + points of corruption acquired). If this save is successful, she is sickened for 1d4 rounds; if she fails, she is nauseated for 1d4 rounds. Similarly, any time a character acquires more points of depravity at one time than his current Wisdom modifi er, he must attempt another Will save (DC 15 + points of depravity acquired). If this save is successful, he is dazed for 1d4 rounds; if he fails, he is stunned for 1d4 rounds. Creatures with the Evil subtype and undead creatures are immune to any negative effects from taint. They automatically have effective corruption and depravity scores equal to one-half their Charisma score, +1 for undead or +2 for outsiders. They take no penalties due to these taint scores, but they can use them to qualify for feats or prestige classes (see Chapter 5).