Complete General Guidelines and Glossary
Exclusive Unabridged Version!
Compiled by Kim Mohan

Glossary-- H

half: A saving throw descriptor for spells that deal damage. A successful saving throw of this type allows the subject to take only half the damage the spell would normally deal.

half-elf: One of the common races. Most half-elves are the children of human–elf pairings. Some, however, are the children of parents who themselves are partly human and partly elven. To humans, half-elves look like elves. To elves, they look like humans. Half-elven height ranges from under 5 feet to almost 6 feet tall, and weight usually ranges from 90 to 180 pounds. Half-elven men are taller and heavier than half-elven women, but the difference is less pronounced than that found among humans. Half-elves are paler, fairer, and smoother-skinned than their human parents, but their skin tones, hair color, and other details vary just as human features do. Half-elves tend to have green, elven eyes, though a few second-generation half-elves have humanlike eyes. Though they may have many talents, half-elves tend not to fit in well with either human or elven society.

halfling: One of the common races. Halflings stand about 3 feet tall and usually weigh between 30 and 35 pounds. Their skin is ruddy, their eyes are black or brown, and their hair is black and straight. The men often have long sideburns, but beards are rare among them and moustaches are almost unseen. Halflings are known for their ample appetites, their opportunist natures, and their ability to survive in the worst of circumstances.

half-orc: One of the common races. Half-orcs are as tall as humans and a little heavier, thanks to their musculature. Their grayish pigmentation, sloping foreheads, jutting jaws, prominent teeth, and coarse body hair make their lineage plain for all to see. In addition, any half-orc who has lived among or near orcs has scars. Half-orcs are known for their tenacity, courage, and combat prowess, as well as their love of simple pleasures.

half rank: Half of one rank in a skill. Each skill point spent on a cross-class skill buys a half rank in that skill. This represents partial purchase of the next skill rank, but does not improve skill checks based on that skill.

hardness rating: A measure of an object’s ability to resist damage. Only damage in excess of the object’s hardness rating is actually deducted from the object’s hit points upon a successful blow, or upon an encounter with an effect or energy type that would damage the object. Hardness ratings for typical objects and substances are given on Table 9–13: Common Weapon and Shield Hardness Ratings and Hit Points, Table 9–15: Substance Hardness Ratings and Hit Points, and Table 9–17: Object Hardness Ratings and Hit Points.

(harmless): A saving throw descriptor indicating that the spell in question is usually beneficial, not harmful. Nevertheless, a targeted creature can attempt a saving throw if desired.

haste bonus: A positive modifier, usually to AC, typically resulting from a spell or magical effect that causes the subject to move faster than normal.

HD: Standard abbreviation for Hit Dice.

healing: A subschool of the Conjuration school of magic. Healing spells can repair damage to a wounded character or even bring a dead creature back to life. Also, when capitalized, a spell domain composed of nine divine spells and a granted power themed around the concept of restoring life and/or health.

held: Carried, grasped, or worn by a creature. Also physically restrained (for example, a held door). Also, when italicized, immobile as the result of a spell or magical effect (such as hold person). Held characters are helpless, since they cannot move or perform any physical actions. Such characters continue to breathe normally, however, and can take purely mental actions.

helpless: Paralyzed, bound, held, sleeping, unconscious, or otherwise completely at an opponent’s mercy. An attack against a helpless creature can be either a regular attack (melee or ranged) or a coup de grace. A regular attack gains a +4 bonus if it is a melee attack, but not if it is ranged. Neither type of regular attack incurs attacks of opportunity from threatening foes. A helpless defender has an effective Dexterity score of 0 and an effective Dexterity modifier of –5, regardless of the actual score. Rogues may sneak attack a helpless opponent. A coup de grace is a full-round action in which the attacker uses a melee weapon, bow, or crossbow from an adjacent position to deliver a killing blow to a helpless opponent.

hit: Make a successful attack roll. A hit result indicates that the attacker has landed a solid enough blow to deal damage to the defender, regardless of any armor worn.

Hit Die: A die rolled to generate a creature’s hit point total. Hit Die type depends on character class (if any), creature type, or race. To generate a creature’s hit point total, roll a die of the appropriate type once for each level or Hit Die the creature has, applying any Constitution modifier to each roll, and total the results. Each time a character gains a new level, the player rolls one new Hit Die of the appropriate type, applies any Constitution modifier, and adds the result to the character’s previous hit point total. (A character with a Constitution penalty gains at least 1 hit point with each new level, regardless of die roll results.) The term Hit Dice is used synonymously with character levels for spells, magic items, and magical effects that affect a certain number of Hit Dice of creatures. The standard abbreviation for Hit Dice is HD.

hit point total: The amount of damage a creature or object can take before being disabled or ruined. A creature’s hit point total is the sum of its Hit Die rolls plus Constitution modifiers. Damage taken is subtracted from the hit point total of the creature or object to determine its current hit points. See also full hit points.

hit points: A measure of character health or object integrity. Hit points decrease on a one-for-one basis with points of damage taken and return to normal upon healing or natural recovery. A character’s hit point total increases permanently with additional experience and/or permanent increases in Constitution, or temporarily through the use of various special abilities, spells, magic items, or magical effects (see temporary hit points and effective hit point increase). The standard abbreviation for hit points is hp.

hp: Standard abbreviation for hit points.

Huge: A size category of creature. A Huge creature is between 16 and 32 feet in height or length and weighs between 4,000 and 32,000 pounds.

human: One of the common races. Humans typically stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds, with men being noticeably taller and heavier than women. Thanks to their penchant for migration and conquest, and to their short lifespans, humans are more physically diverse than the other common races, with skin shades that run from nearly black to very pale, eye color ranging from brown to blue, and curly, kinky, or straight hair of any color from black to blond. Males of the race have facial hair that may be sparse or thick, but they wear it in diverse ways or not at all. Plenty of humans have a dash of nonhuman blood, so they may demonstrate hints of elven, orc, or other lineages. Humans are known for their flexibility, ingenuity, and talent for survival.