Level Up (A5E) New Conditions: Agonized, Forgetful, Manic, Placid, Vexed

[Steampunkette]

I have two questions:

1) What is the purpose of creating additional conditions?
2) How common will these conditions be?

The first question's answer is likely "In order to streamline communication at the table". After all, describing a character as "Vexed" is a lot easier than listing off each of the effects of the Vexed condition. If someone gets Vexed often enough it becomes much easier to just tell someone they've been Vexed than to go over each function...

But that's going to depend on how common the condition itself actually -is-.

If Vexed is something a handful of monsters can whip out and it never comes up outside of that you're not going to be streamlining much by telling a player their character is "Vexed". They'll immediately ask "What does Vexed do?" and then you have to look it up and explain it.

But if it comes up fairly often, like "Poisoned" or "Fatigued" then people will at least know the basics and not have to ask what "Vexed" is when it comes up.

 

[Morrus]

When would this come up? Under what circumstances do you ever use a proficiency other than your own? What would that even mean?

Language than its own.

 

[Morrus]

Maybe consider repurposing them in that direction.

No, that's not what I'm trying to do here.

 

[Morrus]

I have two questions:

1) What is the purpose of creating additional conditions?

Same as the other conditions--to save repetition. That's basically what they are; capsules of oft-repeated rules given a label.

 

[xiphumor]

Language than its own.

What does this mean? Can you give me an example? I’m more confused now.

 

[xiphumor]

What does this mean? Can you give me an example? I’m more confused now.

Oh, it’s two parts.

1. You can’t use skill or tool proficiencies.
- I would rephrase this to “you can’t add your proficiency bonus to skill or tool checks.”

2. You can’t speak languages you’re not proficient in.
- This is basically the case anyway? You could make a check to try to get around it, but at best I would only let a player know a few words. Unless this is also supposed to just negate spells like tongues

 

[Distracted DM]

Brainshopping these. Very much works-in-progress. They probably won't all get used. Thoughts? (Also better names are welcomed!)

Agonized

• An agonized creature has disadvantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution ability checks.
• An agonized creature is unable to maintain concentration, and automatically fails ability checks made to do so.

Forgetful

• A forgetful creature cannot use skill or tool proficiencies, or languages other than its own.

Manic

• A manic creature is convulsed with laughter and can only take an action or a move on its turn.

Placid

• A placid creature cannot take hostile or aggressive actions.
• A placid creature will performan non-harmful, non-aggressive actions suggested to them by others, although if given contradictory suggestions it will follow those offered by its allies.

Vexed

• If a vexed creature can see or hear any enemies within 60 feet, it must move directly towards the closest.
• A vexed creature has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks.
• A vexed creature is unaffected by the frightened condition.

I love fresh ideas- to me, the question is if there is a need that these are filling.

For instance, A5e has Confused. Fantastic. There are plenty of things that caused a confusion-like effect, it makes sense that it'd be a condition.

I think it would help if you provided a descriptive example or two for each of these conditions in which they would take effect. Spell, poison, madness, etc.

Ex: The thief's senses were scrambled by the Umber Hulk's kaleidoscopic orbs. Confused, the thief leapt at the nearest creature and stabbed- wounding their comrade!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

@Morrus - Howabout Incensed for Vexed? Sounds more angry and less confused, IMO.

 

[Morrus]

I love fresh ideas- to me, the question is if there is a need that these are filling.

Assume for my purposes I feel I have a need.

 

[Cadence]

Assume for my purposes I feel I have a need.

From a creator side, is it useful to have a standard suite of affects to use for monsters and spells, even if they aren't common enough to make the list of "conditions"? [e.g. so you can just cut and paste the text in instead of recreating a bunch of very similar wheels?]