5e MM Condition Immunities

[Razuchee]

Hello Playground!
After lurking around in the forum for about a year, I decided to start giving my two copper pieces as well.
After seeing Yorrin's list of damage resistances and immunities and was unable to find a list of condition immunities, I decide to make one myself.

This is from the Monster Manual. Relative amount means the relation to the 461 entries in the MM (I did not include incapacitated and invisible for obvious reasons).



Condition
# of Immunities
Relative amount [%]
Prime examples


Blinded
20
4.3
Things without eyes


Charmed
53
11.4
Many bosses, Constructs


Deafened
17
3.6
Plants


Exhaustion
46
9.9
Undead and Constructs


Frightened
45
9.7
Constructs, Big Monsters


Grappled
12
2.6
Incorporeal beings


Paralyzed
43
9.3
Formless beings


Petrified
31
6.7



Poisoned
96
20.8
Everyone and their mother


Prone
31
6.7
floating and formless beings


Restrained
18
3.9
Formless and Incorporeal beings


Stunned
8
1.7
Swarms


Unconcious
9
1.9
Elementals



Interestingly, there are no condition immunities among the miscellaneous and NPC entries except for swarms.

[arrowed]

Nice list! One thing that sort of bugs me about immunity to poisons/poison damage/the poisoned condition is that it's such a broad category to shut down with one immunity. I know this edition was partially made to be simple and easy to play, but can't we have poisons that specifically affect fiends, or plants, or undead? The scientist within me is ticked off that a poison affects every creature not immune to it in the same way in game, when in the real world individual humans are randomly vulnerable to otherwise standard foods via allergies. Are wood elves affected by poison ivy? Are dwarves immune to the toxins of common mushrooms? Are dragonborn even mammals?
Ok, rant over. But once again, nice list. It's very interesting. :smallsmile:

[MrFahrenheit]

Nice list! One thing that sort of bugs me about immunity to poisons/poison damage/the poisoned condition is that it's such a broad category to shut down with one immunity. I know this edition was partially made to be simple and easy to play, but can't we have poisons that specifically affect fiends, or plants, or undead? The scientist within me is ticked off that a poison affects every creature not immune to it in the same way in game, when in the real world individual humans are randomly vulnerable to otherwise standard foods via allergies. Are wood elves affected by poison ivy? Are dwarves immune to the toxins of common mushrooms? Are dragonborn even mammals?
Ok, rant over. But once again, nice list. It's very interesting. :smallsmile:

I'd partially agree here. The issue to me would be - what do you add? For the sake of example, let's say it's an "envenomed" condition: Would it have the same effects as poisoned? Should you have a new "venom" damage type to compliment it?

[Razuchee]

I'd partially agree here. The issue to me would be - what do you add? For the sake of example, let's say it's an "envenomed" condition: Would it have the same effects as poisoned? Should you have a new "venom" damage type to compliment it?

I would rule it that there are poisons that ignore the immunity if it is applied to a specific being. I think this would also be in the spirit of 5e's DM over RAW.

[MrFahrenheit]

I would rule it that there are poisons that ignore the immunity if it is applied to a specific being. I think this would also be in the spirit of 5e's DM over RAW.

Didn't 2e do this? I never played, but I remember seeing the monstrous manual for it, where they differentiates between chlorine and mustard gas, for example.

As a DM, I think adding one other type of "poison" would be fine, but beyond that overcomplicates the spirit of 5e. You'd also have to go back and rework creatures that should have a venomous attack vs a poison one.

[Razuchee]

I never played anything besides 5e (although i'd like to play some 3.5 as it seems to be less restrictive).

But how would you handle the poison damage type in such a case?

[MrStabby]

I presume the grappled figure does not include creatures too big to be grappled by normal PCs?

[Razuchee]

No it does not. I only listed the stated Immunities, as this might change when you become large.

[Joe the Rat]

If it's only a matter of having a big enough opponent, it's not really an immunity, is it?
The interesting thing is that poison damage immunity and poisoned condition immunity generally do appear together... but as separate traits, they don't have to be. Feel free to come up with some logic there. Part of the problem is that the specific condition (boozled to the point of Disadvantage) can be caused by things are not necessarily poisons. Troglodyte stench and horrible smell environment effects cause you to gain the poisoned status. Does Poisoned immunity really mean you can't be thrown off by Really Bad Odors?

A couple of ideas:

The Sickened condition. Just like Poisoned, only not from poisons. Good for things that don't have to get in the bloodstream to make you want to throw up.
Exhaustion Poisons. Make this CON save or gain (a) level(s) of exhaustion. (3 rolls over 3 rounds, for up to 3 levels?). nasty in general, or use as reagents specifically designed for poison/ed immune creatures.
Specific to the Writeup effect. "[Creature/Creature Type] suffers Disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks." Don't even offer poison as an explanation. Use a different damage type (one appropriate to the specific target) if you need a damage rider. Acid or Necrotic would be a good defoliant.

[Razuchee]

A couple of ideas:

The Sickened condition. Just like Poisoned, only not from poisons. Good for things that don't have to get in the bloodstream to make you want to throw up.
Exhaustion Poisons. Make this CON save or gain (a) level(s) of exhaustion. (3 rolls over 3 rounds, for up to 3 levels?). nasty in general, or use as reagents specifically designed for poison/ed immune creatures.
Specific to the Writeup effect. "[Creature/Creature Type] suffers Disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks." Don't even offer poison as an explanation. Use a different damage type (one appropriate to the specific target) if you need a damage rider. Acid or Necrotic would be a good defoliant.


The problem with new conditions is that they are a nuisance to implement. The other Ideas are pretty good, but are there not already poisons that give exhaustion?

[Joe the Rat]

Not sure, I'm afdmg at the moment. I know a few diseases do.
Specific-to-substance writeup effect is my default solution. I love the idea of a cursed oil that can "posion" elementals.

[Razuchee]

Specific-to-substance writeup effect is my default solution. I love the idea of a cursed oil that can "posion" elementals.

So you make concotions that are good against exactly one type of creature, or am I interpreting something wrong? 'Cause that sounds like an idea I'm gonna steal.

[Plaguescarred]

Thanks for putting this list togheter Razuchee it's fun to see the different immunities % by creature!

[MrStabby]

What are the 8 creatures immune to being stunned?

I know of Helmed Horrors but cant think of the others. In the example column you put elementals, but they are not immune to the stunned condition.

[Razuchee]

You are right, don't know what I was thinking there. I'm going to change it.

Demiliches, Helmed Horrors, and the swarms (bats, insects etc.) are Immune to it.