Dungeons & Dragons Made One Condition Infinitely More Horrifying in 2024 Rules

Dungeons & Dragons made a small but terrifying change to one condition in the new 2024 core rules.

By Christian Hoffer

One condition is much more terrifying in Dungeons & Dragons' new ruleset. As part of the new 2024 rules updates coming out next month, the Dungeons & Dragons team has updated many of the conditions that provide mechanical buffs or debuffs to creatures both in and out of combat. Some conditions have received massive overhauls (such as Exhaustion) while others have received technical changes that make the conditions much more tactical or nuanced. However, one condition received a minor update that makes it much more....terrifying in practice than it was in the 2014 core rules. 

On its surface, the Petrified condition hasn't changed from its 2014 core rules. Medusa, Basilisk, and a handful of other monsters can impose the Petrified condition, which turns a creature into an inanimate substance. In the 2024 core rules, the Petrified condition still imposes the same mechanical effects – a creature is Incapacitated, has a speed of 0, all attacks against it has Advantage, they automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws, they're immune to poison and have resistance to all damage types. However, a Petrified creature is unaware of its surroundings in the 2014 rules, something that's not specified in the 2024 core rules. 

Related:

While it's possible that this is an oversight, it's also possible that the D&D design team removed that specification to open up some interesting story possibilities. A Petrified creature might be acutely aware of everything that's happened around them while trapped in a Petrified state, thus providing players with valuable information. Or, an unpetrified creature might be driven to madness from having watched their companions die in front of them and left in a petrified states for hundreds of years. Of course, a DM could still rule that a Petrified creature is still unaware of their surroundings – it's ultimately up to their interpretation.

The new Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook comes out on September 17th.

Trending Now: