Deprivation and Strength of Spirit
(Source: Honor and Shadow)
The deprivation rules are an alternate system to reflect the dangers and potential benefits of climactic extremes and environmental hazards. They attempt to streamline the existing rules so that dice rolls can be made to represent entire days of travel, making the dangers of environmental conditions obvious without being overwhelming.
These rules are appropriate for long-term overland travel. For shorter durations of exposure, refer to the SRD.
| Circumstance | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Dorn | +5 |
| Positive modifier on Survival check* | |
| Normal speed | +1 per bonus of +6 |
| Half speed | +1 per bonus of +3 |
| Stationary | +1 per bonus of +1 |
| Appropriate gear | +1 to +4 |
| Lacking food/water | -1 to -4 |
| Fatigued | -3 |
| Exhausted | -6 |
| Feats | |
| Endurance | +8 |
| Lucky | +4 |
| Self-Sufficient | +4 |
* The bonuses granted by a positive Survival modifier can be used by the character with the modifier, or granted to someone with whom he is traveling. These modifiers include not just ranks in the Survival skill, but the normal modifiers like Wisdom, bonuses from feats and favored regions, and the like. |
|
Hazards
The first part of the deprivation rules is identifying the hazards faced by the heroes. Three levels of hazard exist for cold and heat dangers. When traveling for lengths of time through environments in which these hazards are present, characters must make a daily Fortitude saving throw or suffer penalties. The save DCs vary by the level of the hazard, while the penalties suffered vary by the amount which the character missed the saving throw. The DCs assume an average of eight hours of exposure.
Level 1 is considered very cold conditions (below 40° F) or very hot conditions (above 90° F), and has a daily deprivation DC of 20. Level 2 is severe cold (below 0° F) or severe heat (110° F), and has a daily deprivation DC of 35. Level 3 is extreme cold (below -20° F) or extreme heat (above 140° F), and has a daily deprivation DC of 50. Note that if the PC travels through different levels of threat during the same day, the DM should assign the penalty for the most common temperature extreme, or generate a rough average DC based on the amount of time suffering from each hazard.
Circumstances
Surviving overland travel in Level 1 conditions can be difficult, and at higher levels impossible, for most characters. Circumstances are used to offset the high DCs. The most common circumstance is the level of survival skill that the traveling characters can bring to bear; basic necessities like clothing, food, and shelter can also provide bonuses. On the other hand, a lack of these assets can inflict penalties. A total list of bonuses and penalties is provided in the table above.
Effects
If a character succeeds at the Fortitude save, he suffers no penalties. If he fails, he suffers 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per three points by which he failed the save DC. A character who suffers 25% of his hit point total in nonlethal damage from hazards is fatigued, and cannot recover from the fatigue until the character rests. A character who suffers 50% of his hit point total in nonlethal damage, or one who is gatigued and performs any actions that would cause him to become fatigued, becomes exhausted instead, and cannot recover from the fatigue until the character rests. The character can be assumed to suffer the total damage spread throughout the day. If a character suffers nonlethal damage equal to his hit point total (knocking him unconscious), he begins suffering lethal damage from deprivation.
Keep in mind that, in addition to their bonus to Fortitude saving throws against cold environment effects, Dorns take half the normal nonlethal damage from cold environment effects.
Strength of Spirit
Extreme circumstance sometimes drive people to extreme acts. By using these optional rules, characters may draw strength from their exposure to the elements. Only Dorns have the cultural background of loss, pride, and stubbornness to make these efects common, but particularly proud and resolute characters of any race may use these rules with the DM's permission.
In order to benefit from each of the states listed below, the character must voluntarily fail a deprivation check and take on the appropriate additional penalties. A character cannot benefit from any of the states of deprivation if they are incapable of succeeding in the deprivation check in the first place. A character may only benefit from one of the states of deprivation at a time.
For each benefit, the bonuses end if the chracter no longer fulfills the prerequisites (such as if he rests, is healed of his exhaustion with a lesser restoration, and so on).
Beyond the Veil: Your trials have caused your mind to wander and you see things that may or may not be there. If you would be fatigued due to deprivation, you may choose to become exhausted instead. You gain a +4 circumstance bonus to your initiative checks as your mind sees things before they happen. In addition, the Constitution cost to cast spells after running out of spell energy decreases by one (minimum of one).
Heightened Clarity: In your exhausted state, paranoia begins to overwhelm you. You are ready for anything, real of imagined. When you become exhausted due to deprivation, you take a -8 penalty to your Dexterity and Strength instead of the normal -6. While suffering this extreme exhaustion, you gain the uncanny dodge ability, as per the barbarian class ability of the same name. If you already have uncanny dodge, you gain improved uncanny dodge. If you already have improved uncanny dodge, you gain +4 effective levels when determining what level opponents must be to sneak attack you. In addition, you can call upon a hidden well of mental vigor, gaining a +4 bonus on Will saving throws.
Mind in Dreaming: Your tired mind notices minor details your waking mind would otherwise overlook. When you become fatigued due to deprivation, you suffer a -4 penalty to your Dexterity and Strength instead of the normal -2. In exchange, you may roll twice when making Listen and Spot checks, taking the better of the two rolls.
Suffer My Anger: Your anger keeps you warm, and the trials of your environment only strengthen your resolve to defeat your enemies. When you have suffered 75% or more of your hit point total in nonlethal damage due to deprivation checks, anger wells up within you. You gain the rage class ability once per day. If you already have this ability, you gain greater rage. In addition, the wounds inflicted by weapons are nothing compared to the pain you've suffered from the elements; you gain DR 1/—. This DR is cumulative with DR you may have from other sources.