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View Full Version : Rules Q&A Fear Aura + Frightened Question



Des
2015-01-29, 09:12 AM
First time posting haha, so hi! Quick question regarding levels of fear and the Fear Aura ability as seen in the Dread Necromancer class from HoH. From what I understand (though I've found nothing definitive on this), the Shaken effect applied by this Fear Aura only affects targets within the aura's radius (5ft), and therefore targets that leave the user's influence will be relieved of this condition (I'm not 100% sure if it works this way though, but it seems to make sense given that it is an 'aura' and specifies no duration for the shaken effect. Please correct me if I'm wrong there, and point to a source if you could. Thx).

My question is: If an affected target were to be advanced to Frightened by another fear effect or spell, and they flee, do they instantly drop down to Shaken upon leaving the 5ft radius of the aura? If so, do they immediately cease the need to flee (potentially allowing them to re-engage with that move action if they so desire), or do they complete their move as if they were still fleeing?

I'm gonna be trying out the class and was building it with a little bit of fear-induction in mind, and am trying to figure out how useful the aura really would prove. I'm afraid it'll be infinitely less useful than it reads lol. Thanks.

Deophaun
2015-01-29, 10:47 AM
Please correct me if I'm wrong there, and point to a source if you could.
Well, by RAW, you're wrong, and the source is the power. It says they become Shaken. Period. There is no duration. So, by RAW, they never stop being Shaken.

This is, of course, silly, and most people go with it as you describe.

For the rest of your question: fear goes by whatever has the longest duration. So, if you make someone Shaken, and that Shaken condition would last for a minute, and then next round you make them Panicked, and that condition would normally last for a round, they will actually be Panicked for nine rounds.

As per the Rules Compendium:

When such multiple exposures occur, the worst stage of fear lasts until the duration of all the effects causing the fear expire.