Active Effect Guide - foundryvtt/dnd5e GitHub Wiki

Up to date as of 4.1.0

This document only covers Active Effects available to the Core dnd5e System.

Legend

[number] - These square brackets mean "replace this with your value of the type within the brackets". So this example: [number] would mean you input 3. If roll data is allowed, you can input any roll data that would evaluate to a number.

[formula] - When formula is mentioned in this document it means this value can be populated with any dice formula. For example, Bless adds several effects with the Effect Value of 1d4. These fields always allow for the use of roll data.

See the Actor's Rolldata article for what is available for use as roll data.

Useful examples:

@attribute Description
@abilities.dex.mod Actor's Dexterity Modifier
@prof Actor's Proficiency Bonus
@details.level Actor's overall Level
@details.cr Actor's Challenge Rating
@classes.barbarian.levels Actor's Barbarian Class Level

Note

When using formulas in an Active Effect Value, the actor sheet display that corresponds to the changed value will not always display the evaluated formula, but it will be applied when rolled. E.g. When adding @abilities.cha.mod to system.bonuses.abilities.save to simulate a Paladin's Aura of Protection, the actor sheet will not display that bonus applied to saving throws. The bonus will be present when the saving throw is rolled.

Change Mode Description
Add Adds the provided value to the specified attribute. For numerical attributes, this can be used to both add and subtract from a particular value by specifying 1 or -1 as the value to add. For sets such as an item's properties or character's damage resistances this can be used to add or remove and entry (e.g. mgc to add the magical property, or -mgc to remove it).
Multiply Multiplies the defined attribute by the numeric value in the Effect Value field.
Override Replaces the defined attribute with the value provided in the Effect Value field. If applied to a text value such as a name or description a pair of curly brackets like {} can be used to include the value being overriden in the final output. So overriding on the name of "Breastplate" with Arcane Propulsive {} will result in the final name of "Arcane Propulsive Breastplate".
Downgrade Reduces the defined attribute only in cases where the current value of that attribute would be greater than value specified in the Effect Value field.
Upgrade Increases the defined attribute only in cases where the current value of that attribute would be less than value specified in the Effect Value field.
Custom The Custom change mode applies logic defined by a game system or add-on module. The dnd5e system does not utilize the Custom Change Mode

Commonly Desired Effect Examples

Abilities

system.abilities.[abbreviation].value
                                bonuses.check
                                        save
Ability Abbreviations
Ability Abbreviation
Strength str
Dexterity dex
Constitution con
Wisdom wis
Intelligence int
Charisma cha

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.abilities

Overriding an Ability Score

E.g. an Item or potion that sets an ability score to a set value while in use

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.abilities.[abbreviation].value Override [number] No

Upgrading an Ability Score

E.g. an Item or potion that sets an ability score to a set value, if the value does not already exceed that value, such as the Gauntlets of Ogre Power

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.abilities.[abbreviation].value Upgrade [number] No

Bonus to a Specific Saving Throw

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.abilities.[abbreviation].bonuses.save Add [formula] Yes

Bonus to a Specific Ability Check

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.abilities.[abbreviation].bonuses.check Add [formula] Yes

Bonus to All Ability Checks

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.bonuses.abilities.skill Add [formula] Yes

Bonus to All Saving Throws

E.g. Paladin Aura of Protection

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.bonuses.abilities.save Add [formula] Yes

Bonus to Initiative

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.init.bonus Add [formula] Yes

Concentration

Bonus to Concentration

Add a bonus to concentration saving throws.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.concentration.bonuses.save Add [formula] Yes

Concentration Limit

Change the amount of effects you can maintain concentration on at the same time.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.concentration.limit Override [number] No

Skills

system.skills.[abbreviation].value
                             bonuses.check
                                     passive
Skill Abbreviations
Skill Abbreviation
Acrobatics acr
Animal Handling ani
Arcana arc
Athletics ath
Deception dec
History his
Insight ins
Investigation inv
Intimidation itm
Medicine med
Nature nat
Persuasion per
Perception prc
Performance prf
Religion rel
Sleight of Hand slt
Stealth ste
Survival sur

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.skills

Bonus to a Specific Skill Check

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.skills.[abbreviation].bonuses.check Add [formula] Yes

Bonus to a Specific Skill Passive

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.skills.[abbreviation].bonuses.passive Add [number] No

Upgrade Proficiency Level to Expertise

The number must be one of 0, 0.5, 1, and 2.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.skills.[abbreviation].value Upgrade [number] No

Bonus to All Skill Checks

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.bonuses.abilities.skill Add [formula] Yes

Encumbrance

system.attributes.encumbrance.multipliers.encumbered
                                         .heavilyEncumbered
                                         .maximum
                                         .overall
                             .bonuses.encumbered
                                     .heavilyEncumbered
                                     .maximum
                                     .overall

Multipliers will multiply the default encumbrance values and bonuses will add a fixed amount to them. The values for encumbered, heavilyEncumbered, and maximum apply to the three encumbrance thresholds while overall applies to all three equally. Each of these takes a formula.

Movement

system.attributes.movement.[movementType]
Movement Types
Movement Type Value
Burrow burrow
Climb climb
Fly fly
Swim swim
Walk walk

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.movementTypes

Multiply Speed by modifier

E.g. An Item or Spell which doubles/halves/etc. an Actor's speed.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.movement.[movementType] Multiply [number] No

Add a different Speed

E.g. An Item or Spell which grants an Actor a flying or swimming speed.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.movement.[movementType] Override [number] No

Armor Class

system.attributes.ac.bonus
                     formula
                     calc
                     cover
                     flat
                     min

Add a Bonus to AC

E.g. An Item or Spell which adds something to the Actor's current AC for the duration.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.ac.bonus Add [number] Yes

Override the AC Calculation to a custom formula

E.g. An Item or Spell which sets the Actor's AC to 12 + Int for the duration.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value
system.attributes.ac.calc Override custom
system.attributes.ac.formula Override 12 + @abilities.int.mod

Bonus to Spell DCs

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.bonuses.spell.dc Add [number] Yes

Attack Roll Bonuses

system.bonuses.msak.attack
               mwak
               rsak
               rwak
Attack Roll Types
Movement Type Value
Melee Spell attack msak
Melee Weapon attack mwak
Ranged Spell attack rsak
Ranged Weapon attack rwak

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.itemActionTypes

Bonus to All Melee Attack Rolls (both spell and weapon)

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.bonuses.mwak.attack Add [formula] Yes
system.bonuses.msak.attack Add [formula] Yes

Bonus to All Ranged Attack Rolls (both spell and weapon)

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.bonuses.rwak.attack Add [formula] Yes
system.bonuses.rsak.attack Add [formula] Yes

Damage Roll Bonuses

system.bonuses.msak.damage
               mwak
               rsak
               rwak
Attack Roll Types
Movement Type Value
Melee Spell attack msak
Melee Weapon attack mwak
Ranged Spell attack rsak
Ranged Weapon attack rwak

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.itemActionTypes

Bonus to All Melee Attack Damage Rolls (both spell and weapon)

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.bonuses.mwak.damage Add [formula] Yes
system.bonuses.msak.damage Add [formula] Yes

Bonus to All Ranged Attack Damage Rolls (both spell and weapon)

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.bonuses.rwak.damage Add [formula] Yes
system.bonuses.rsak.damage Add [formula] Yes

Immunities/Resistances/Vulnerabilities

system.traits.ci.value
              di
              dr
              dv

Add a Condition Immunity

Condition Types
Condition Value
Blinded blinded
Charmed charmed
Deafened deafened
Diseased diseased
Exhaustion exhaustion
Frightened frightened
Grappled grappled
Incapacitated incapacitated
Invisible invisible
Paralyzed paralyzed
Petrified petrified
Poisoned poisoned
Prone prone
Restrained restrained
Stunned stunned
Unconscious unconscious

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.conditionTypes

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value
system.traits.ci.value Add [conditionType]

Add a Damage Type Immunity

Damage Types
Damage Type Value
Acid acid
Bludgeoning bludgeoning
Cold cold
Fire fire
Force force
Lightning lightning
Necrotic necrotic
Piercing piercing
Poison poison
Psychic psychic
Radiant radiant
Slashing slashing
Thunder thunder

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.damageTypes

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value
system.traits.di.value Add [damageType]

Add a Damage Type Resistance

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value
system.traits.dr.value Add [damageType]

Add a Damage Type Vulnerability

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value
system.traits.dv.value Add [damageType]

Add a Damage Type Modification

These are properties that cause the actor to take increased or decreased damage from certain damage types.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.traits.dm.amount.[damageType] Add [number] Yes

Creature Type

Temporarily override the displayed creature type of an actor. For example using 'humanoid' as the value and 'elf' as the subtype to display an actor's creature type as 'Humanoid (elf)'.

Creature Types The available creature types for the `system.details.type.value` property. The `subtype` property is free-form text.
Creature Type Key
Aberration aberration
Beast beast
Celestial celestial
Construct construct
Dragon dragon
Elemental elemental
Fey fey
Fiend fiend
Giant giant
Humanoid humanoid
Monstrosity monstrosity
Ooze ooze
Plant plant
Undead undead

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.creatureTypes

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value
system.details.type.value Override [creatureType]
system.details.type.subtype Override [text]

Scale Value

system.scale.[classIdentifier].[scaleIdentifier]
                                                .value
                                                .number
                                                .die
                                                .faces
                                                .modifiers
Dice Scale Values

The Dice Scale Values have a few unique keys, here is an example of the result for these keys based on a scale value that is 3d8. If the dice scale value has any dice modifiers attached (via .modifiers, see below), you can use .denom to retrieve the die denomination without modifiers attached if desired.

Key Value
@scale.[classIdentifier].[scaleIdentifier] 3d8
@scale.[classIdentifier].[scaleIdentifier].number 3
@scale.[classIdentifier].[scaleIdentifier].die d8
@scale.[classIdentifier].[scaleIdentifier].faces 8
@scale.[classIdentifier].[scaleIdentifier].denom d8

Increase the value of a Scale Value

E.g., an Item or Spell which allows additional use(s) of a Class Feature (e.g. adds an additional use of a Barbarian's Rage).

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.scale.barbarian.rages.value Add [number] No

Increase the number of die of a Dice Scale Value

E.g., an Item or Spell which increases the number of die in a Dice Scale Value (e.g. adds a die to a Rogue's Sneak Attack), and increases the size of the dice.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.scale.rogue.sneak-attack.number Add [number] No
system.scale.rogue.sneak-attack.faces Add [number] No

Add a dice modifier to a Dice Scale Value

E.g., making Sneak Attack reroll 1s by using the Effect Value r=1. For details on dice modifiers, see Dice Modifiers.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.scale.rogue.sneak-attack.modifiers Add [text] No

Hit Points

system.attributes.hp.value
                     max
                     temp
                     tempmax
                     bonuses.level
                             overall

Warning

Never alter the value, max, or temp attributes with an active effect, as this will cause issues.

Temporary Bonus to the Maximum HP

E.g. An Item or Spell which temporarily increases a character's Max HP (e.g. Aid).

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.hp.tempmax Add [number] No

Bonus to the Maximum HP

E.g. An Item or Feature which increases a character's Max HP by a flat amount.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.hp.bonuses.overall Add [formula] Yes

Bonus HP for each Character Level

E.g. An effect that provides a bonus to the hit points a character gains for each level they acquire (e.g., the Tough feat).

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.hp.bonuses.level Add [formula] Yes

Honorable Mentions

You can override the name of an actor (on the actor sheet, not the token), as well as its displayed image.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
name Override Steve No
img Override assets/steve.webp No

Overriding or adding to the proficiency modifier of the actor.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.attributes.prof Override [number] No
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