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AoE Effects (formerly Aura Effects)

by bwatford

FREE
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Description

This extension enables auras and area-of-effect buffs/debuffs by adding/removing effects on other actors based on proximity.

COMPATIBILITY

This extension is compatible with the following rulesets:

  • 3.5E
  • 4E
  • 5E
  • PFRPG
  • PFRPG2
  • SFRPG

Additionally, the Auras Visualized extension allows you to see the auras generated by this extension.


HOW To Use

To create an aura, two clauses are required, separated by a semicolon (;). The first clause defines the area of effect (modifier: AURA), and the second clause defines the applied effect for tokens within the aura.

Modifier Value Descriptors Notes
AURA (N) [faction]*, [behavior]*, [alignment]*, [size]*, [type]*, point, dying Effect is applied to all tokens in the defined area that match the descriptor filtering
  • (N): = Only numbers supported for value attribute.
  • *: = Multiple entries of this descriptor type allowed.
  • !: Use to negate a descriptor.

Basic Aura Effect

Aura of Protection; AURA: 10 ally; Aura of Protection AoE; SAVE: 5

  • This will create a 10-foot aura around the character with the effect.
  • Allies within 10’ will receive the effect: “Aura of Protection AoE; SAVE: 5”.

Note: While a label (like ‘Aura of Protection’, ‘Aura of Protection AoE’) is not mandatory, it is highly recommended to reference where effects are sourced from.

You can use IF/IFT conditions to control when an aura is applied or removed:

  • Before the “AURA” effect: Enables or disables parsing of the aura (e.g., for conditional auras).
  • After the “AURA” effect: Conditions will be copied to the recipients of the aura.

By default, the bearer of the aura effect will also receive its benefits. If this is not desired, use the FACTION() conditional operator.

Descriptor Types

The following descriptors determine whether an aura applies to an actor. All conditions must be true for the aura to apply.
You can reverse the results of any descriptor by using the ! operator (e.g., !friend, !ally, !self ).
If multiple factions applied, they must all be satisfied (Ex: ally, !self)

Faction

  • all: Applies aura to all actors (default).
  • ally: Applies aura to actors whose faction matches the effect source’s faction.
  • enemy: Applies aura to actors whose faction is “foe” if the effect source’s faction is “friend” (or vice versa).
  • foe: Applies aura to actors whose faction is “foe”.
  • friend: Applies aura to actors whose faction is “friend”.
  • neutral: Applies aura to actors whose faction is “neutral”.
  • none: Applies aura to actors whose faction is “none” or blank.
  • self: Applies aura to actor who is originating the aura.

Behavior

These modify the default behavior of auras. You can combine multiple special types to create unique effects.

Descriptor Notes Example
cube Changes the aura shape to a cube instead of a sphere. The cube’s side length is defined by the aura value. Example; AURA: 10 all,cube;Example E AoE; ATK: -5
single Applies the aura only when the target enters the area for the first time or starts their turn there. It won’t be reapplied if the target leaves and returns on the same turn. Example; AURA: 10 !ally,single; Example AoE; IF: FACTION(!self); ATK: -5
sticky Aura effects persist on the actor even if they move out of the aura. Example; AURA: 10 all,sticky; Example AoE; IF: FACTION(!self); Poisoned
once The aura is applied only once per turn, regardless of whether the actor leaves and re-enters the area. Example; AURA: 10 all,once; Example AoE; ATK: -5
3drect Changes the aura shape to any oriented 3D rectangle in the xy plane. The normal AURA range is the length (x axis), it also supports 4 other optional parameters - width (y axis - defaulted to length if not defined) - min z from source token center - max z from source token center (both z must be present or both defaulted to 0) - orientation in degrees (default is the source token orientation if not defined). Example of current cube definition; AURA: 10 ally,3drect|10|0|10|0, green; usual aura stuff
cylinder Changes the aura shape to any 3D cylinder in the xy plane. The normal AURA range is the radius, it also supports 3 other optional parameters - min z from source token center - max z from source token center (both z must be present or both defaulted to 0) - additional radius (for defining points bounded by two cylinders inner and outer). Example of wall of fire circle with 10 ft defined inward definition; AURA: 20 ally, cylinder|0|20, white; usual aura stuff
coneChanges the aura shape to any oriented cone in the xy plane. The normal AURA range is the radius of cone, it also supports 2 other optional parameters - orientation in degrees (default is the source token orientation if not defined) - half angle of cone (default 26.5 in FG if not defined) )).`Example of burning hands; AURA: 15 all,!self,single,cone; usual aura stuff`

Point

By default, aura distances are calculated from the outside of the token.
Use the point descriptor to calculate distance from the center of the token instead.

Example; AURA: 10 all,point; Example AoE; ATK: -5

Alignment

Supported alignments for each ruleset:

  • 5E, 4E, PFRPG, PFRPG2, SFRPG: lawful, chaotic, good, evil, l, c, g, e, n, lg, ln, le, ng, ne, cg, cn, ce.

Size

Supported sizes for each ruleset:

  • 5E & 4E: tiny, small, medium, large, huge, gargantuan
  • 3.5E, PFRPG, PFRPG2, & SFRPG: fine, diminutive, tiny, small, medium, large, huge, gargantuan, colossal

Type

Available creature types:

  • 5E: aberration, beast, celestial, construct, dragon, elemental, fey, fiend, giant, humanoid, monstrosity, ooze, plant, undead, living construct, aarakocra, bullywug, demon, devil, dragonborn, dwarf, elf, gith, gnoll, gnome, goblinoid, grimlock, halfling, human, kenku, kuo-toa, kobold, lizardfolk, merfolk, orc, quaggoth, sahuagin, shapechanger, thri-kreen, titan, troglodyte, yuan-ti, yugoloth
  • 4E: magical beast, animate, beast, humanoid, living construct, air, angel, aquatic, cold, construct, demon, devil, dragon, earth, fire, giant, homunculus, mount, ooze, plant, reptile, shapechanger, spider, swarm, undead, water
  • 3.5E/PFRPG: magical beast, monstrous humanoid, aberration, animal, construct, dragon, elemental, fey, giant, humanoid, ooze, outsider, plant, undead, vermin, living construct, air, angel, aquatic, archon, augmented, cold, demon, devil, earth, extraplanar, fire, incorporeal, native, psionic, shapechanger, swarm, water, dwarf, elf, gnoll, gnome, goblinoid, gnoll, halfling, human, orc, reptilian
  • PFRPG2: aberration, animal, beast, celestial, construct, dragon, elemental, fey, fiend, fungus, humanoid, monitor, ooze, plant, undead, adlet, aeon, agathion, air, angel, aquatic, archon, asura, augmented, azata, behemoth, catfolk, clockwork, cold, colossus, daemon, dark folk, demodand, demon, devil, div, dwarf, earth, elemental, elf, extraplanar, fire, giant, gnome, goblinoid, godspawn, great old one, halfling, herald, human, incorporeal, inevitable, kaiju, kami, kasatha, kitsune, kyton, leshy, living construct, mythic, native, nightshade, oni, orc, protean, psychopomp, qlippoth, rakshasa, ratfolk, reptilian, robot, samsaran, sasquatch, shapechanger, swarm, troop, udaeus, unbreathing, vanara, vishkanya, water
  • SFRPG: magical beast, monstrous humanoid, aberration, animal, companion, construct, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, ooze, outsider, plant, undead, vermin,living construct, aeon, agathion, air, angel, aquatic, archon, augmented, cold, demon, devil, earth, extraplanar, fire, incorporeal, native, psionic, shapechanger, swarm, water, dwarf, elf, gnoll, gnome, goblinoid, halfling, human, orc, reptilian

Dying

  • dying: Applies aura when the source actor is at 0 HP or in a dying state.
  • !dying: Applies aura when the source actor is not dying (HP 0).

Note: Auras with the “dying” descriptor will only trigger if the actor is in a dying state.

Exceptions

  • If a resulting aura effect is set to “off” in the combat tracker, the effect will not be removed based on token movement. This is useful for managing automatic effects like those for saved or immune creatures.
  • The factional relationship of ally or enemy is evaluated from the source of the aura effect.

5E Concentration (C)

For concentration effects, place the (C) modifier before or within the “AURA” clause, but not after it.

Correct Usage:

Example; (C); AURA: 10 all; Example AoE; Do something
Example; AURA: 10 all (C); Example AoE; Do something

Incorrect Usage:

Example; AURA: 10 all; Example; Do something (C)


Special Condition: Object

Actors with the Object condition will not be affected by auras.


GM Options

This extension adds two options under Options → AoE Effects.

1. Token Intersection Behavior

Setting: Percent of token overlap for inclusion in area

This setting controls how much of a token must overlap an aura before the effect is applied.

Option

Description          Use Case
Center

Triggers when the token’s center enters the aura Strict / precise control
Quarter

Triggers when @ 25% of the token overlaps Balanced for most campaigns
Near Edge

Triggers when the token is mostly inside the aura More forgiving / generous
Edge

Triggers as soon as any part of the token touches Very generous auras

Default: Center

2. Aura TRIGGER Adjustment

Setting: Aura Size Adjustment.

This is a global adjustment that adds or subtracts from all auras in the campaign. This is designed so GM's can customize how and when they want the auras in their campaign to trigger.

  • Positive numbers increase aura size. (Triggers sooner)
  • Negative numbers decrease aura size. (Triggers later)
  • Works with all aura shapes (Sphere, Cylinder, 3D Rectangle, and Cone).

Example: Setting this value to +5 will make the aura trigger 5 feet (1 grid square) sooner. +2.5 is 2.5 feet (half a grid square). etc.

Default: 0


Effect Sharing Threads




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