Ecological Aspect

A world’s ecological rating determines how benign or hostile the overall environment is as well as the similarities of landscape, flora, and fauna as compared to the base campaign. A rating of 2 indicates a completely hostile environment while an E20 world represents a paradise. A rating of 10–12 indicates a generally earth-like environment that may contain hazardous extremes, such as deserts, ocean depths, low air pressure at high altitude, etc.

Ecological Notes

Worlds rated E6 or less inflict one of more of the effects (DM’s choice) from the table below upon visitors from the base campaign. The type of effect should reflect the nature of the environment. For example, one world’s acidic atmosphere might inflict damage and another world’s polluted air might reduce Constitution.

Condition
Severe
Hostile
Deadly
Constitution



Loss
1d6/Day
1d6/Hour
1d6/Round
Damage
2d4/Day
2d4/Hour
2d4/Round
Poison Save*
1/Day
1/Hour
1/Round

* The saving throw must be attempted at the end of each exposure period; failure results in immediate death.

Severe Conditions: The environment poses a danger if exposure lasts too long. The intensity is similar to a desert or polar ice cap. Mundane precautions—drinking extra water, wearing a heavy coat—can negate or reduce the damage.

Hostile Conditions: The environment poses an immediate threat to normal humans. The intensity is similar to immersion in arctic water or exposure to volcanic gases. Mundane precautions might reduce the effects to severe or be entirely ineffective. Minor protective magic, such as an endure cold/heat spell, ring of fire resistance, or ring of warmth, negates the effects.

Deadly Conditions: The environment can kill normal humans within minutes. Intensity is similar to the surface of the moon or the interior of a volcano. Mundane precautions are ineffective, and some magical items or spells might prove too weak to provide effective protection. The deadly effects listed on the table are the minimums, and they can be much greater if conditions are particularly intense. For example, the flames on the Plane of Elemental Fire require unprotected creatures to save vs. breath weapon or die immediately. A successful save still inflicts 5d10 points of damage each round.

Worlds rated E18 or higher seem like paradises to visitors from worlds rated E12 or less. At the DM’s option, certain actions can be perilous on such worlds. For example, characters who go to sleep on such worlds may slumber until attacked or awakened. Smelling a flower might produce a state of euphoria similar to a confusion spell, although random actions tend to be non-violent; if the dice roll indicates an attack the affected character sings and dances, perhaps urging other nearby creatures to join in.

Natives of worlds rated E16 or higher generally cannot tolerate conditions on less benign worlds. They suffer the effects from severe conditions on worlds rated five less than their home worlds, hostile penalties on worlds rated six less, and deadly penalties on worlds rated seven or more less.

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