Petrified

Conditions

A petrified creature has been turned entirely to stone. It is unconscious and unaware of its surroundings — and if the statue is broken, the creature will be permanently injured or killed when restored.

Effects

  • The creature is turned to stone — it cannot move, act, or perceive its surroundings.
  • The creature is unconscious and helpless.
  • The creature has hardness 8 (like stone) while petrified and is immune to most forms of damage except bludgeoning.
  • If the statue is broken or chipped while petrified, the creature will have corresponding injuries when restored — a broken arm on the statue means a broken arm on the creature. If the statue is reduced to rubble, the creature cannot be restored.
  • The creature does not age while petrified — time effectively stops for it.
Partial petrification. Some effects (like a failed Fortitude save against a medusa's gaze) require multiple failed saves. The first failure may cause a slowing effect (–2 penalty, treated as staggered); the second failure completes the petrification. Check the specific effect for details.

Ending the Condition

  • Stone to flesh (6th-level spell) restores the creature; if the statue is intact, the creature is unharmed. If the statue was damaged, the creature takes 3d6 damage per missing or broken piece (GM discretion).
  • Break enchantment can restore a petrified creature if the petrification was from a spell or supernatural effect.
  • Wish and miracle can restore a petrified creature regardless of the statue's condition.

Related Conditions

  • Paralyzed — similar complete immobility but the creature retains its normal material form and is aware; usually reversible without a specific counter-spell.
  • Helpless — petrified creatures are fully helpless while in stone form.
  • Unconscious — petrified creatures are unconscious and unaware.

Common Sources

Medusa gaze attack (Fort save each round of eye contact; two failures = petrification); basilisk gaze (DC-based Fort save); flesh to stone (6th-level spell); symbol of vulnerability (some variants); certain cockatrice bites (Fort save or petrified — cockatrices are notable for how quickly they can stack petrification). Only creatures with physical bodies that can be transformed to stone are subject to petrification — incorporeal creatures and undead are immune.