Staggered

Conditions

A staggered creature is impaired and can only manage limited action each round. It is reduced to a single action per turn — not helpless, but severely limited in what it can accomplish. Staggered is also the condition a creature enters at exactly 0 hit points (see disabled).

Effects

  • Can only take a single action per round — either a standard action or a move action (not both). Free actions are still permitted.
  • Cannot take full-round actions.
  • Cannot take swift or immediate actions (these are considered additional actions beyond the single allowed).
  • The creature can still attack (as a standard action), move (as a move action), or cast a spell that takes a standard action.
Staggered from nonlethal damage. A creature whose nonlethal damage equals its current HP total becomes staggered. It can still take one action per round. If the nonlethal damage exceeds its HP, it falls unconscious.

Ending the Condition

  • Staggered from nonlethal damage ends when lethal HP exceed nonlethal damage (through healing or natural recovery at 1 HP/round of rest).
  • Staggered from spell or ability effects ends when the effect's duration expires or is dispelled.
  • The disabled condition (0 HP) causes staggered — healing above 0 HP removes it.

Related Conditions

  • Disabled — a creature at 0 HP is both disabled and staggered; strenuous activity risks dropping to dying.
  • Nauseated — also limits the creature to a single move action; but nauseated blocks attacks entirely.
  • Stunned — more severe; the creature cannot act at all and loses its DEX bonus to AC.
  • Unconscious — if nonlethal damage exceeds HP, staggered gives way to unconsciousness.

Common Sources

Being at exactly 0 HP (disabled condition); nonlethal damage equal to current HP; slow spell (also reduces speed and AC, plus staggered); hideous laughter (staggered as a side effect on some failed saves); symbol of stunning; certain monster abilities; the Dazing Assault feat. The Diehard feat changes dying to staggered — the creature treats itself as disabled (staggered) even at negative HP.