Fight, flight, or freeze?Due to the nature of their vocation, adventurers tend to be less susceptible to fear and mental stress than common folk. Whereas a farmer might flee in terror from a bear or an apparition, adventurers are made of sterner stuff. That said, certain creatures and game effects can terrify or fray the mind of even the most stalwart adventurer.
If you plan to use any of these rules, discuss them with your players at the start of the campaign. See “Ensuring Fun for All” in chapter 1.
Whenever the characters encounter something that is supernaturally frightful, use the Frightened condition as the baseline effect. Fear effects typically require a Wisdom saving throw, with a save DC based on how terrifying the situation is. The Sample Fear DCs table provides some examples.
Typically, a Frightened creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
At your discretion, a Frightened creature might be subject to other effects as long as the Frightened condition lasts. Consider these examples:
| Example | Save DC |
|---|---|
| When the characters open a sarcophagus, a harmless yet terrifying apparition appears. |
10 |
| A character triggers a magical trap that creates an illusory manifestation of that character’s worst fears, visible only to that character. |
15 |
| A portal to the Abyss opens, revealing a nightmarish realm of torment and slaughter. |
20 |
When a character is subjected to an effect that causes intense mental stress, Psychic damage is the best way to emulate that effect.
The Sample Mental Stress Effects table provides a few examples of such effects, with suggested saving throw DCs and damage. Mental stress can usually be resisted with a successful Wisdom save, but sometimes an Intelligence or Charisma save is more appropriate. On a successful save, a character might take half as much damage instead of no damage, at your discretion.
| Example | Save DC | Psychic Damage |
|---|---|---|
| A character ingests a hallucinogenic substance that distorts the character’s perception of reality. |
10 | 1d6 |
| A character touches a fiendish idol that tears at the character’s mind, threatening to shatter it. |
15 | 3d6 |
| A magical trap flings a character into the Far Realm until the end of that character’s next turn. |
20 | 9d6 |
Exposure to mental stress can cause prolonged effects. Consider the following possibilities.
Short-Term Effects. The character has the Frightened, Incapacitated, or Stunned condition for 1d10 minutes. This condition might be accompanied by alarming behavior or hallucinations. These effects can be suppressed with the Calm Emotions spell or removed by the Lesser Restoration spell.
Long-Term Effects. The character has Disadvantage on some or all ability checks for 1d10 × 10 hours, stemming from an unwillingness or inability to exert a particular set of abilities. The character might feel enervated and unable to exert much Strength, for example, or become so suspicious of others that Charisma checks are more difficult. These effects can be suppressed with the Calm Emotions spell or removed by the Lesser Restoration spell.
Indefinite Effects. An indefinite effect is a long-term effect (see above) that lasts until removed by a Greater Restoration spell. It can be suppressed by a Calm Emotions spell.