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

Glossary-- S

(S): Standard abbreviation for shapeable.

sacred bonus: A modifier to ability checks, turning checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, and/or saving throws. Sacred bonuses stem from the power of good, particularly certain spells and magical effects used by good clerics.

save: Standard abbreviation for saving throw.

saving throw: A number that represents the overall chance for a creature or object to avoid some or all of the consequences of a spell, spell-like effect, supernatural ability, or special ability used against it. There are three types of saving throws, which are differentiated by the quality is being used to avoid the effect. These are Reflex saving throws, Will saving throws, and Fortitude saving throws. The saving throw type required to avoid a given effect is listed with its description. To make a saving throw, roll 1d20 and add any applicable modifiers resulting from race, class, ongoing spells, magic items or some other source. For example, a Fortitude saving throw = 1d20 + Fortitude base save bonus + Constitution modifier. The standard abbreviation for saving throw is save.

school of magic: A group of related spells that work in similar ways. There are eight schools of magic available to spellcasters: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation. A beginning wizard can choose to specialize in one school of magic at the expense of one or more other schools. That is, specialists can obtain the spells of their chosen schools more easily, but the spells of the prohibited school or schools become unavailable. A few spells are universal and belong to no school.

score: The numerical rating associated with an ability. For example, Strength 13 means that a character has a score of 13 in the ability known as Strength.

scribe: Write a spell onto a scroll. To accomplish this, a spellcaster must know the spell and have the item creation feat Scribe Scroll. Scribing a scroll takes 1 day for each 1,000 gp in its base price (its spell level ´ its caster level ´ 25 gp). The spellcaster must spend 1/25 of this base price in XP and use up raw materials costing 1/2 this base price. In addition, scribing a spell with a costly material component or an XP cost requires that the spellcaster expend the material component or pay the XP cost.

scry: See and hear events from afar through the use of a spell (such as scry) or a magic item (such as a crystal ball). Scrying most often requires gazing into a reflective surface, such as a mirror, a pool, a crystal, a gem, or a clear or translucent mineral. The Scry skill improves both the chances of successful scrying and the chances of noticing the scrying attempts of another.

sense: Detect through the normal physical senses. Characters may sense Enchantment effects and the motives of others, among other things.

set a weapon: Brace a long weapon (such as a halfspear, shortspear, trident, or urgrosh) against the ground or a solid object to meet an attack by a charging opponent. To set a weapon, a character must use the ready action. A set weapon deals double damage upon a successful hit against a charging character.

shadow: A subschool of the Illusion school of magic. The caster weaves shadow spells out of extradimensional energies from the Plane of Shadow to create an object or creature that is partially real (quasi-real). Shadows can have real effects, including inflicting real damage. Such damage is not automatically healed if the true nature of the illusion is later revealed.

shapeable: Moldable within stated limits. If a spell’s area or effect entry ends with (S), the caster can shape the resultant magical energy as desired within certain limits. A shaped effect or area can have no dimension smaller than 10 feet. Other limitations are given in the individual spell descriptions. Many shapeable effects and areas are given as cubes to make it easy for casters to model irregular shapes. The standard abbreviation for shapeable in spell descriptions is (S).

shield bonus: A type of modifier that applies to Armor Class. A shield (either mundane or magical) grants the wearer a shield bonus, as do various spells, magic effects, and magic items. Shield bonuses do not stack with one another, though they do stack with natural armor bonuses and armor bonuses. Armor Class = 10 + armor bonus + shield bonus + Dexterity modifier + size modifier.

silver piece: A unit of currency that is more valuable than a copper piece but less valuable than a gold piece. One silver piece equals 10 copper pieces and 10 silver piece equal 1 gold piece. The standard abbreviation for silver piece is sp.

single move action: A partial action involving movement. When a character must take only partial actions, a standard action breaks down into an activity (such as an attack) and a single move action. Movement up to a character’s speed is permitted during a single move action.

size: The physical dimensions and/or weight of a creature or object. Creatures and weapons are divided into size categories. Creature size modifiers, derived from those categories, affect Armor Class, attack rolls, and Hide checks. Movement, lifting/carrying limits, and allowed weapon size categories also depend on creature size. The size categories, from smallest to largest, are Fine, Diminutive, Tiny, Small, Medium-size, Large, Huge, Gargantuan, and Colossal. Though these sizes apply to both creatures and weapons, the specific dimensions and weights given for the categories correspond only to creatures. Weapons are grouped into sizes according to what size creatures can effectively wield them. (That is, a creature can easily wield weapons of its own size category and smaller, but must use two hands to wield weapons one size category larger than itself. A creature cannot wield weapons two or more size categories larger than itself.) Size categories also affect the number and sizes of creatures that can grapple a particular target.

size modifier: The bonus or penalty derived from a creature’s size category. Size modifiers apply to Armor Class, attack rolls, Hide checks, and various other skill checks. In combat, larger creatures are easier to hit, but can hit their opponents more effectively. Smaller creatures are more difficult to hit, but cannot hit their opponents as well. These effects combine to produce no net effect for a fight between two creatures of the same size category. Creatures can acquire different size modifiers by increasing or decreasing their sizes through certain spells and magic items, or through special abilities that allow them to take the forms of other creatures.

skill: A special talent that characters can acquire and improve through training. Subskills that further define certain skills, such as Profession (herbalist), are included in parentheses after the skill names. Unlike feats, skills require checks for successful use. Each skill has a key ability associated with it. The modifier for that ability applies to all skill checks made against that skill. To use a skill, a character must make a successful skill check. Some skills allow retries without penalty, but others do not. In addition, many skills allow untrained use (that is, a character who does not have the skill can still attempt an action involving it). Such use requires a skill check as usual, but at 0 skill ranks. Ability modifiers associated with the skill’s key ability apply normally to such a check.

skill check: A method of deciding the result when a character attempts an action that uses a skill. A skill check takes into account the character’s training (skill rank), natural talent (ability modifier), and luck (the die roll). It may also take into account a particular race’s knack for certain things (racial bonus) or what armor the character is wearing (armor check penalty), among other things. To make a skill check, roll 1d20 and add the character’s skill modifier. This total is called the check result. (Higher results are always better, but a natural 20 is not an automatic success, and a natural 1 is not an automatic failure.) If the check result equals or exceeds the Difficulty Class number assigned by the DM (or the opponent’s check, if the action is opposed) the check succeeds. Unless otherwise specified, a character can take <<10>> or take <<20>> on a skill check. If others help, a check that would otherwise fail may succeed. In most cases, a character can try again if a skill check fails. Some skills, however, have natural consequences of failure that must be taken into account, and some are virtually useless once a check has failed. For most skills, when a character has succeeded once, additional successes are meaningless.

skill modifier: The bonus or penalty associated with a particular skill. Skill modifier = skill rank + ability modifier + miscellaneous modifiers. (Miscellaneous modifiers include racial bonuses, armor check penalty, situational modifiers, etc.). Skill modifiers apply to skill checks for character actions that make use of the corresponding skills.

skill points: A measure of a character’s ability to gain and improve skills. Characters gain skill points with each advancement in character level, at a rate determined by their classes, Intelligence modifiers, and races, as given on Table 6–1: Skill Points per Level. They can then spend these skill points to purchase ranks in new skills or in skills already possessed. Class skills can be purchased at a rate of one rank per skill point, and cross-class skills at a rate of a half rank per skill point.

skill rank: A number indicating how much training or experience a character has with a given skill. Skill ranks are incorporated into the skill modifier, which in turn improves the chance of success for skill checks with that skill. The maximum rank attainable in a class skill is character level plus 3. The maximum rank attainable in a cross-class skill is one-half that number (do not round up or down). Thus, skill ranks range from 0 (indicating no training at all) to 23 (for a 20th-level character who has increased a skill to its maximum rank). A character with no ranks in a skill may still be able to use it untrained if the skill description does not prohibit this. Skill ranks can be purchased with skill points at a rate of one rank per point for class skills or a half rank per point for cross-class skills.

somatic: A type of component for spells, both divine and arcane. A somatic component is a series of measured and precise gestures with the hands or other parts of the body. To cast a spell with a somatic component, the caster must have at least one hand free.

sonic: A spell descriptor denoting a spell that inflicts sound damage.

Sor: Standard abbreviation for sorcerer.

sorcerer: One of the eleven character classes. A sorcerer is a spellcaster with innate magical ability. Sorcerers use no books, no mentors, and no theories. They develop rudimentary powers at puberty, and their magic is intuitive rather than logical. Sorcerers know fewer spells than wizards do, and they acquire new spells more slowly. In addition, they cannot specialize in certain schools of magic the way wizards can. But sorcerers can cast their spells more often than wizards can, and they need not select and prepare them ahead of time. They also have more time to learn fighting skills and are proficient with simple weapons. The standard abbreviation for sorcerer is Sor.

sp: Standard abbreviation for silver piece.

special feat: A feat that is available only to a specified class. For example, only clerics or paladins can take Extra Turning, only fighters can take Weapon Specialization, and only wizards can take Spell Mastery.

speed: The number of feet an unencumbered creature can move when taking a standard action. Speed depends primarily on a character’s race and armor. Humans elves, half-elves, and half-orcs move at 30 feet when unencumbered, or at 20 feet when wearing medium or heavy armor. Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings move at 20 feet when unencumbered, or at 15 feet in medium or heavy armor. Shields do not affect speed.

spell: A one-time magical effect. The two primary categories of spells are arcane and divine. Clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers cast divine spells, while wizards, sorcerers, and bards cast arcane spells. Spells are further grouped into eight schools of magic (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation). Most spellcasting characters must prepare their spells ahead of time, though sorcerers and bards are exempt from this requirement.

spell completion item: A magic item (typically a scroll) that contains a partially cast spell. Since the spell preparation step has already been completed, all the user need do to cast the spell is complete the final gestures, words, etc. normally required to trigger it. To use a spell completion item safely, the caster must be high enough level in the appropriate class to cast the spell already, though it need not be a known spell. A caster who does not fit this criterion has a chance of spell failure (see page @@ for possible consequences). Activating a spell completion item is a standard action and provokes attacks of opportunity exactly like casting a spell does.

spell component: Any of several triggers required to complete the casting of a spell. Components may be verbal (V), somatic (S), material (M), focus (F), divine focus (DF), or experience point (XP). Verbal components consist of a few words, which the caster must be able to speak aloud in a firm voice. Somatic components are gestures, most often complex, which the caster must have at least one hand free to perform. Material, focus, and divine focus components are objects that the caster must have readily available to complete the spell. Material components are consumed in the casting, but focus and divine focus components are not. Spells with an experience point component actually cost the caster experience points. To use such a spell, the caster must have enough XP to spare without losing a level in the process. A spell may have more than one kind of component.

spell descriptor: A term that provides additional information about how a particular spell functions or what kind of damage it inflicts. Descriptors govern how a spell interacts with other spells, special abilities, unusual creatures, alignment, and so on. The descriptors are acid, chaotic, cold, darkness, death, electricity, evil, fear, fire, force, good, language-dependent, lawful, light, mind-affecting, sonic, and teleportation.

spell failure: The chance that a spell fails and is ruined when cast under less-than-ideal conditions. For example, wearing armor interferes with the gestures required to cast most arcane spells. Therefore, an arcane spellcaster who attempts to cast a spell with somatic components while wearing armor and/or using a shield must make an arcane spell failure roll against the appropriate entry in the Arcane Spell Failure column on Table 8–5: Armor. If the result indicates a failure, the spell does not work at all.

spell knowledge item: A magic item (such as a wand) that produces a particular spell effect. Any spellcaster whose class spell list includes a particular spell knows how to use a spell knowledge item that duplicates it, regardless of whether or not the character knows (or could know) that spell at the time. The user must determine what the spell stored in the item is before trying to use it. To activate the item, the user must speak a word, but no gestures or spell finishing are required. Activating a spell knowledge item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

spell-like ability: A special ability with effects that resemble those of a spell. In most cases, a spell-like ability works just like the spell of the same name, but a few are unique. Spell-like abilities are activated mentally and have no verbal, somatic, or material components. Using such an ability works like casting a spell in that it requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. If the user’s concentration is broken, the ability does not work, but the attempt counts against the user’s daily limit of uses. Unless noted otherwise, a spell-like ability has a casting time of 1 action, making its use a standard action. Armor never causes a chance of failure for a spell-like ability, even if its effect resembles that of an arcane spell with a somatic component. Spell-like abilities are subject to spell resistance and can be dispelled by dispel magic. They do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated (like an antimagic field).

spell preparation: A necessary part of the spellcasting process for wizards, clerics, paladins, rangers, and druids. Preparing a spell requires careful reading from a spellbook (for wizards) or devout prayers or meditation (for divine spellcasters). The character actually casts the first and lengthiest part of the spell during the preparation phase, leaving only the very end for completion at another time. To use a prepared spell, the character finishes the casting with the appropriate spell components—a few special words, some complex gestures, a specific item, or a combination of the three. A prepared spell is used up once cast and cannot be cast again until the spellcaster prepares it again. Sorcerers and bards need not prepare their spells.

spell resistance: A special defensive ability that allows a creature or item to resist the effects of spells and spell-like abilities. To overcome spell resistance, a spellcaster (or user of a spell-like ability) must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster’s level) at least equal to the target’s spell resistance. Success indicates that the spell takes effect normally. Failure leaves the target unaffected. In most cases, spell resistance applies only when a resistant creature is the target of the spell, not when it encounters a spell that is already in place. A creature with spell resistance must voluntarily drop it to receive the effects of a spell (even one noted as Harmless) without the caster level check described above. Supernatural abilities are not subject to spell resistance.

spell slot: The "space" in a spellcaster’s mind dedicated to holding a spell of a particular spell level. A spellcaster has enough spell slots to accommodate an entire day’s allotment of spells. The number of spell slots a caster has is given on the appropriate character class table in Chapter 4. Spellcasters who must prepare their spells in advance generally fill their spell slots during the preparation period, though a few slots can be left open for spells prepared later in the day. A spellcaster can always opt to fill a higher-level spell slot with a lower-level spell, if desired.

spell version: One of several variations of the same spell. Typically, different versions of a spell produce different effects, ranges, or areas. The caster must select the desired version of the spell at the time of casting. Symbol, dispel magic, and ice storm each have multiple versions.

spontaneous casting: A special ability that allows a cleric to drop a prepared nondomain spell in favor to gain a cure or inflict spell of the same level or lower. Since the substitution of spells occurs on the spur of the moment, clerics need not prepare their cure or inflict spells in advance. Clerics spontaneously casting cure or inflict spells can also cast metamagical versions of them if they have the appropriate feat. Casting a 1-action metamagical spell spontaneously is a full-round action, and spells with longer casting times require an extra full-round action to cast.

Which category of spell a cleric can spontaneously cast depends upon alignment. Good clerics or clerics of good deities channel positive energy to cast cure spells spontaneously, while evil clerics or clerics of evil deities channel negative energy to cast inflict spells spontaneously. Players of neutral clerics must decide at the time of character creation whether their characters channel positive or negative energy. This determines each neutral cleric’s spontaneous casting option as above, with three exceptions: All lawful neutral clerics of Wee Jas convert their spells to inflict spells, not cure spells. All clerics of St. Cuthbert and all nonevil clerics of Obad-Hai convert spells to cure spells, not inflict spells.

spread: An area or effect descriptor for spells. Spreads move out in all directions from a point of origin specified by the caster. Unlike bursts, spreads can turn corners and extend into areas that the caster can’t see. Therefore, the caster need not have line of effect to all portions of an effect spread. The distance covered by a spread is figured according to the actual distance the effect travels, taking into account any turns it makes. An example of a spell with area spread is fireball. An example of a spell with effect spread is obscuring mist.

SR: Standard abbreviation for spell resistance.

stable: Unconscious but not dying, with a current hit point total between –1 and –9. A dying character who is stabilized regains no hit points, but stops losing them at a rate of 1 per round. The chance for a dying character to become stable and what occurs thereafter vary with the treatment provided, as follows:

Untended: Dying characters who receive no assistance cannot recover hit points through natural healing. For such a character, roll 1d100 at the end of each round. On a result of 01–90, the character loses 1 hit point; on a result of 91-00, the character stabilizes. Once the character is stable, roll 1d100 for each hour of game time. On a result of 01–90, the character loses 1 hit point. On a result of 91–00, the character becomes conscious and disabled (as though at 0 hit points, although this does not alter a negative hit point total). Thereafter, roll 1d100 each day. On a result of 01–90, the character loses 1 hit point; on a roll of 91–00, the character starts recovering hit points naturally. At that point, the character is no longer in danger of losing hit points, even if the current hit points are negative.

Tended: A successful Heal check at DC 15 stabilizes a dying character and prevents further hit point loss. An hour after the character becomes stable, roll 1d100. On a result of 91–00, the character becomes conscious and disabled (as though at 0 hit points, although this does not alter a negative hit point total). A character who remains unconscious nevertheless recovers hit points naturally and has the same chance to revive every hour. At 1 or more hit points, the character is back to normal.

Healed: If any sort of healing cures even 1 point of damage, the dying character stops losing hit points and becomes stable. A character whose current hit points are raised to 0 through healing becomes conscious and disabled. A dying character whose current hit points are raised to 1 or more by healing becomes fully functional again.

stack: Comnbine for a cumulative effect. Both modifiers and spells can stack within certain limitations. In most cases, modifiers to a given check or roll stack if they have different type descriptors, but do not stack if they have the same descriptors, regardless of their sources. That is, two enhancement bonuses to AC do not stack, but an enhancement bonus and a defelction bonus do stack with each other. If the modifiers to a particular roll do not stack, only the best bonus or worst penalty applies. For example, a character with both a +2 and a +4 deflection bonus to AC gains only the +4 bonus, since the two identical bonus types do not stack. Dodge bonuses, however, do stack with one another. Also, an armor bonus from a shield stacks with an armor bonus from armor. Spell effects that do not stack may overlap, coexist independently, or render one another irrelevant, depending on their exact effects.

staggered: Having subdual damage equal to current hit points. A staggered character is so badly weakened or roughed up that only a partial action is possible each round. Characters are no longer staggered once their current hit points exceed their subdual damage.

standard action: The most basic type of combat action. Standard actions allow a character to perform an activity (attack, cast a 1-action spell, use a skill, etc.) and move at normal speed within a combat round. The movement portion of the action can occur either before or after the activity. Characters can also perform as many free actions as the DM allows in conjunction with a standard action. Miscellaneous standard actions include ready a weapon, concentrate to maintain a spell, dismiss a spell, aid another, bull rush, feint, overrun (charge), heal a dying friend, use a 1 action skill, rebuke undead, turn undead, strike a weapon (attack), strike an object (attack), and total defense.

Str: Standard abbreviation for Strength.

Strength: One of the six character abilities. Strength measures a character’s muscle and physical power. The numerical rating of Strength is called the Strength score. A character’s Strength modifier applies to melee attack rolls, damage rolls for most melee and thrown weapons, Climb, Jump, and Swim checks (as well as other skill checks with Strength as their key ability), and Strength checks (for breaking down doors and the like). The standard abbreviation for Strength is Str. Also, a spell domain composed of nine divine spells and a granted power themed around the concept of physical power.

strike a weapon: Deliberately target a weapon or shield held by an opponent. The attacking weapon must be a slashing melee weapon no more than one size category smaller than the weapon attacked. Doing so provokes an attack of opportunity from the opponent. After this is resolved, the attacker and defender make opposed attack rolls. If the attacker wins, roll damage and deal it to the weapon or shield. If the defender wins, the attempt fails. Strike a weapon is a standard action. If the attacking weapon does not have an enhancement bonus at least as high as that of the defending weapon or shield, the attempt automatically fails.

strike an object: Deliberately target an object with an attack. Unlike striking a weapon, this action has no restrictions as to the type or size of weapon used. Strike an object is a standard action. The ease of striking an object depends on its nature and situation, as follows:

Inanimate unattended objects: Attacking an inanimate, immobile object not in use by a creature does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Such an object has an AC of 10 plus its Dexterity modifier (–5 for no Dexterity) plus its size modifier, and the attacker gains a +4 bonus on the attack roll. Attackers who use a full-round action to line up a shot automatically hit with a melee weapon and gain a +5 attack bonus with a ranged weapon. However, objects are immune to critical hits.

Inanimate attended objects: Attacking an attended (held, carried, or worn) object provokes an attack of opportunity from the attending creature. Such an object uses the attendant’s Dexterity modifier (not its own –5), plus any magic deflection bonus to AC that creature may have. Attackers gain no bonuses to their attack rolls in this case. In addition, a held object gains a +5 bonus to AC because the creature can move it quickly out of harm’s way.

Animated objects: These count as creatures for AC purposes (see the Monster Manual for details).

stunned: Dazed and unable to take combat or movement actions. A stunned creature loses any positive Dexterity modifier to AC, and each attacker gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against that creature. In addition, stunned characters immediately drop anything they are holding.

subdual damage: Nonlethal damage typically resulting from an unarmed attack, an armed attack delivered with intent to subdue, a forced march, or a debilitating condition such as heat or starvation. Subdual damage represents bruising, tiredness, and general disorientation rather than actual wounds. An attacker attempting to deal subdual damage with a melee weapon that typically deals normal damage incurs a –4 penalty on the attack roll. (Likewise, a weapon that typically deals subdual damage can be used to deal real damage at a –4 attack roll penalty.) Subdual damage is accumulated and tracked, but not subtracted from a character’s current hit points. If subdual damage ever exceeds current hit points for any reason, however, the character falls unconscious. A spell or magic item that cures hit point damage can also remove an equal amount of subdual damage. Both kinds of healing occur in their full normal amounts if both kinds of damage are present in the subject of a cure spell. Subdual damage heals normally at the rate of 1 hit point per hour per level.

subject: A creature affected by a spell. Typically, a successful targeted spell effect travels with the subject or subjects for the spell’s duration. Creatures can enter and leave the area covered by an area or effect spell, becoming subject to the spell when they enter and free of it when they leave.

Summoning: A subschool of the Conjuration school of magic. A summoning spell instantly transports a creature or object to a place designated by the caster. When the spell ends, a summoned creature is instantly transported back to wherever it came from, but a summoned object does not return to its place of origin unless the spell description so indicates. Summoned creatures also return whence they came if killed or dropped to 0 hit points. (Such a creature is not dead, but requires 24 hours to reform. It cannot be summoned again during this period.

Sun: A spell domain composed of nine divine spells and a granted power themed around the brilliance and warmth of the sun.

supernatural ability: An innate magical power that produces a particular effect. Using a supernatural ability does not provoke an attack or opportunity unless otherwise specified in the description. Supernatural abilities are not subject to dispelling, disruption or spell resistance. However, they do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated, such as inside an antimagic field. Various bardic abilities (such as courage, countersong, and greatness), clerical abilities (such as turning, rebuking, commanding, or bolstering undead), monk feats (such as stunning attack, ki strike, diamond body, quivering palm, and empty body), a paladin’s smite evil ability, a dragon’s fiery breath, a medusa’s petrifying gaze, and a spectre’s energy draining are all examples of supernatural abilities. Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless otherwise specified.

suppress: Cause a magical effect to cease functioning without actually ending it. When the supression ends, the spell effect is returns, provided it has not expired in the meantime.

surprise: A special situation that occurs at the beginning of a battle if some (but not all) combatants are unaware of their opponents’ presence. In this case, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. In initiative order (highest to lowest), those combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take a partial action during the surprise round. Creatures unaware of opponents are flat-footed through the entire surprise round and do not enter the initiative cycle until the first regular combat round. The DM determines who is aware of whom at the start of a battle, often by calling for Listen checks, Spot checks, or other checks from the characters.

synergy bonus: A modifier resulting from an unusually benefician interaction between two related skills. In general, having 5 or more ranks in a skill gives a character a +2 bonus on skill checks using its synergistic skills, as noted in the skill descriptions. For example, Animal Empathy can provide bonuses for Handle Animal checks.