Frightful Presence ambiguity

[hymer]

Dear Playgrounders!
The text on Frightful Presence (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules/#Frightful_Presence_Ex) has a strange ambiguity, and I was hoping somesone would straighten it out for me:

First it says that those affected 'may become frightened or shaken'. Later on, it details that on a failed save the affected creature becomes 'shaken, or panicked if it has 4 Hit Dice or fewer.'
So why is frightened mentioned at first? What does it signify? Is it about fear-stacking?

[Florian]

Frightened always happen at 4HD or less. Shaken happens at 5+ HD.

[hymer]

Frightened always happen at 4HD or less. Shaken happens at 5+ HD.

Well, there's shaken, frightened and panicked. It is explained how shaken and panicked occurs, but frightened is just mentioned as a possible outcome.

[Firest Kathon]

This looks like bad editing to me :smallannoyed:. It's a holdover from 3.5, where the frightful presence (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#frightfulPresence) special ability could cause different fear effects (e.g. dragons (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dragonTrue.htm) could cause panicked or shaken, while the vermiurge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/vermiurge.htm) could only cause shaken). In Pathfinder, the relevant conditions are those at the end, i.e. shaken for 4HD or less, and panicked for 5+ HD.


but frightened is just mentioned as a possible outcome
That: If you are already shaken, you would become frightened from the fearful presence if you have 5+ HD.

[hymer]

This looks like bad editing to me :smallannoyed:.

That would explain it, of course. But it's not a conclusion I like to jump to as soon a I don't understand something.


That: If you are already shaken, you would become frightened from the fearful presence if you have 5+ HD.

So fear stacking?

[Firest Kathon]

This looks like bad editing to me :smallannoyed:. It's a holdover from 3.5, [...]

That would explain it, of course. But it's not a conclusion I like to jump to as soon a I don't understand something.
I did point out that the text was there in 3.5 with different rules.


That: If you are already shaken, you would become frightened from the fearful presence if you have 5+ HD.

So fear stacking?
Yes.

[hymer]

I did point out that the text was there in 3.5 with different rules.

Indeed. I was saying the same thought had crossed my mind, but I didn't have any particular reason not to give the benefit of the doubt. Hence my asking here. :smallsmile:
Thanks for your thoughts!