HorizonVirtual:Rewrite Descriptions

The description of each rewrite is presented in a standard format. Each category of information is explained and defined below.

NAME

The first line of every rewrite description gives the name by which the rewrite is generally known.

SCHOOL (SUBSCHOOL)

Beneath the rewrite name is a line giving the school of rewriting (and the subschool, if appropriate) that the rewrite belongs to.

Almost every rewrite belongs to one of eight schools of rewriting. A school of rewriting is a group of related rewrites that work in similar ways. A small number of rewrites (limited wish, permanency, prestidigitation, programmer mark and wish) are universal, belonging to no school.

Abjuration

Abjurations are protective rewrites. They create physical or rewrite-based barriers, negate rewrite-based or physical abilities, harm trespassers, or even banish the subject of the rewrite to another plane of existence.

If one abjuration rewrite is active within 10 feet of another for 24 hours or more, the rewrite-based fields interfere with each other and create barely visible energy fluctuations. The DC to find such rewrites with the Search skill drops by 4.

If an abjuration creates a barrier that keeps certain types of programs at bay, that barrier cannot be used to push away those programs. If you force the barrier against such a program, you feel a discernible pressure against the barrier. If you continue to apply pressure, you end the rewrite.

Conjuration

Each conjuration rewrite belongs to one of five subschools. Conjurations bring manifestations of objects, programs, or some form of energy to you (the summoning subschool), actually transport programs from another plane of existence to your plane (calling), heal (healing), transport programs or objects over great distances (teleportation), or create objects or effects on the spot (creation). Programs you conjure usually, but not always, obey your commands.

A program or object brought into being or transported to your location by a conjuration rewrite cannot appear inside another program or object, nor can it appear floating in an empty space. It must arrive in an open location on a surface capable of supporting it. The program or object must appear within the rewrite’s range, but it does not have to remain within the range.

Calling: A calling rewrite transports a program from another plane to the plane you are on. The rewrite grants the program the one-time ability to return to its plane of origin, although the rewrite may limit the circumstances under which this is possible. Programs who are called actually die when they are killed; they do not disappear and reform, as do those brought by a summoning rewrite (see below). The duration of a calling rewrite is instantaneous, which means that the called program can’t be undone.

Creation: A creation rewrite manipulates matter to create an object or program in the place the rewriter designates (subject to the limits noted above). If the rewrite has a duration other than instantaneous, rewriting holds the creation together, and when the rewrite ends, the conjured program or object vanishes without a trace. If the rewrite has an instantaneous duration, the created object or program is merely assembled through rewriting. It lasts indefinitely and does not depend on rewriting for its existence.

Healing: Certain divine conjurations heal programs or even bring them back to life.

Summoning: A summoning rewrite instantly brings a program or object to a place you designate. When the rewrite ends or is undone, a summoned program is instantly sent back to where it came from, but a summoned object is not sent back unless the rewrite description specifically indicates this. A summoned program also goes away if it is killed or if its hit points drop to 0 or lower. It is not really dead. It takes 24 hours for the program to reform, during which time it can’t be summoned again.

When the rewrite that summoned a program ends and the program disappears, all the rewrites it has executed expire. A summoned program cannot use any innate summoning abilities it may have, and it refuses to execute any rewrites that would cost it XP, or to use any rewrite-like abilities that would cost XP if they were rewrites.

Teleportation: A teleportation rewrite transports one or more programs or objects a great distance. The most powerful of these rewrites can cross system boundaries. Unlike summoning rewrites, the transportation is (unless otherwise noted) one-way and not undoable.

Teleportation is instantaneous travel through the Astral Plane. Anything that blocks astral travel also blocks teleportation.

Divination

Divination rewrites enable you to learn secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, to find hidden things, and to foil deceptive rewrites.

Many divination rewrites have cone-shaped areas. These move with you and extend in the direction you look. The cone defines the area that you can sweep each round. If you study the same area for multiple rounds, you can often gain additional information, as noted in the descriptive text for the rewrite.

Scrying: A scrying rewrite creates an invisible rewrite-based sensor that sends you information. Unless noted otherwise, the sensor has the same powers of sensory acuity that you possess. This level of acuity includes any rewrites or effects that target you, but not rewrites or effects that emanate from you. However, the sensor is treated as a separate, independent sensory organ of yours, and thus it functions normally even if you have been blinded, deafened, or otherwise suffered sensory impairment.

Any program with an Intelligence score of 12 or higher can notice the sensor by making a DC 20 Intelligence check. The sensor can be undone as if it were an active rewrite.

Lead sheeting or rewrite-based protection blocks a scrying rewrite, and you sense that the rewrite is so blocked.

Enchantment

Enchantment rewrites affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior. All enchantments are mind-affecting rewrites. Two types of enchantment rewrites grant you influence over a subject program.

Charm: A charm rewrite changes how the subject views you, typically making it see you as a good friend.

Compulsion: A compulsion rewrite forces the subject to act in some manner or changes the way her mind works. Some compulsion rewrites determine the subject’s actions or the effects on the subject, some compulsion rewrites allow you to determine the subject’s actions when you execute the rewrite, and others give you ongoing control over the subject.

Evocation

Evocation rewrites manipulate energy or tap an unseen source of power to produce a desired end. In effect, they create something out of nothing. Many of these rewrites produce spectacular effects, and evocation rewrites can deal large amounts of damage.

Illusion

Illusion rewrites deceive the senses or minds of others. They cause people to see things that are not there, not see things that are there, hear phantom noises, or remember things that never happened.

Figment: A figment rewrite creates a false sensation. Those who perceive the figment perceive the same thing, not their own slightly different versions of the figment. (It is not a personalized mental impression.) Figments cannot make something seem to be something else. A figment that includes audible effects cannot duplicate intelligible speech unless the rewrite description specifically says it can. If intelligible speech is possible, it must be in a language you can speak. If you try to duplicate a language you cannot speak, the image produces gibberish. Likewise, you cannot make a visual copy of something unless you know what it looks like.

Because figments and glamers (see below) are unreal, they cannot produce real effects the way that other types of illusions can. They cannot cause damage to objects or programs, support weight, provide nutrition, or provide protection from the elements. Consequently, these rewrites are useful for confounding or delaying foes, but useless for attacking them directly.

A figment’s AC is equal to 10 + its size modifier.

Glamer: A glamer rewrite changes a subject’s sensory qualities, making it look, feel, taste, smell, or sound like something else, or even seem to disappear.

Pattern: Like a figment, a pattern rewrite creates an image that others can see, but a pattern also affects the minds of those who see it or are caught in it. All patterns are mind-affecting rewrites.

Phantasm: A phantasm rewrite creates a mental image that usually only the executer and the subject (or subjects) of the rewrite can perceive. This impression is totally in the minds of the subjects. It is a personalized mental impression. (It’s all in their heads and not a fake picture or something that they actually see.) Third parties viewing or studying the scene don’t notice the phantasm. All phantasms are mind-affecting rewrites.

Shadow: A shadow rewrite creates something that is partially real from extradimensional energy. Such illusions can have real effects. Damage dealt by a shadow illusion is real. Saving Throws and Illusions (Disbelief): Programs encountering an illusion usually do not receive saving throws to recognize it as illusory until they study it carefully or interact with it in some fashion.

A successful saving throw against an illusion reveals it to be false, but a figment or phantasm remains as a translucent outline.

A failed saving throw indicates that a character fails to notice something is amiss. A character faced with proof that an illusion isn’t real needs no saving throw. If any viewer successfully disbelieves an illusion and communicates this fact to others, each such viewer gains a saving throw with a +4 bonus.

Necromancy

Necromancy rewrites manipulate the power of death, unlife, and the life force. Rewrites involving undead programs make up a large part of this school.

Transmutation

Transmutation rewrites change the properties of some program, thing, or condition.

[DESCRIPTOR]

Appearing on the same line as the school and subschool, when applicable, is a descriptor that further categorizes the rewrite in some way. Some rewrites have more than one descriptor.

The descriptors are acid, air, chaotic, cold, darkness, death, earth, electricity, evil, fear, fire, force, good, language-dependent, lawful, light, mind-affecting, sonic, and water.

Most of these descriptors have no game effect by themselves, but they govern how the rewrite interacts with other rewrites, with special abilities, with unusual programs, with alignment, and so on.

A language-dependent rewrite uses intelligible language as a medium for communication. If the target cannot understand or cannot hear what the executer of a language-dependant rewrite says the rewrite fails.

A mind-affecting rewrite works only against programs with an Intelligence score of 1 or higher.

LEVEL

The next line of a rewrite description gives the rewrite’s level, a number between 0 and 9 that defines the rewrite’s relative power. This number is preceded by an abbreviation for the class whose members can execute the rewrite. The Level entry also indicates whether a rewrite is a domain rewrite and, if so, what its domain and its level as a domain rewrite are. A rewrite’s level affects the DC for any save allowed against the effect.

Names of rewrite-executing classes are abbreviated as follows: programmer Pgr; thinker Thk.

The domains a rewrite can be associated with include Air, Animal, Chaos, Death, Destruction, Earth, Evil, Fire, Good, Healing, Knowledge, Law, Luck, Rewriting, Plant, Protection, Strength, Sun, Travel, Trickery, War, and Water.

COMPONENTS

A rewrite’s components are what you must do or possess to execute it. The Components entry in a rewrite description includes abbreviations that tell you what type of components it has. Specifics for material, focus, and XP components are given at the end of the descriptive text. Usually you don’t worry about components, but when you can’t use a component for some reason or when a material or focus component is expensive, then the components are important.

Verbal (V): A verbal component is a spoken incantation. To provide a verbal component, you must be able to speak in a strong voice. A silence rewrite or a gag spoils the incantation (and thus the rewrite). A rewriter who has been deafened has a 20% chance to spoil any rewrite with a verbal component that he or she tries to execute. Somatic (S): A somatic component is a measured and precise movement of the hand. You must have at least one hand free to provide a somatic component.

Material (M): A material component is one or more physical substances or objects that are annihilated by the rewrite energies in the executing process. Unless a cost is given for a material component, the cost is negligible. Don’t bother to keep track of material components with negligible cost. Assume you have all you need as long as you have your rewrite component pouch.

Focus (F): A focus component is a prop of some sort. Unlike a material component, a focus is not consumed when the rewrite is executed and can be reused. As with material components, the cost for a focus is negligible unless a price is given. Assume that focus components of negligible cost are in your rewrite component pouch.

Divine Focus (DF): A divine focus component is an item of spiritual significance. The divine focus for a cleric or a paladin is a holy symbol appropriate to the character’s faith.

If the Components line includes F/DF or M/DF, the arcane version of the rewrite has a focus component or a material component (the abbreviation before the slash) and the divine version has a divine focus component (the abbreviation after the slash).

XP Cost (XP): Some powerful rewrites entail an experience point cost to you. No rewrite can restore the XP lost in this manner. You cannot spend so much XP that you lose a level, so you cannot execute the rewrite unless you have enough XP to spare. However, you may, on gaining enough XP to attain a new level, use those XP for executing a rewrite rather than keeping them and advancing a level. The XP are treated just like a material component—expended when you execute the rewrite, whether or not the executing succeeds.

EXECUTING TIME

Most rewrites have an executing time of 1 standard action. Others take 1 round or more, while a few require only a free action.

A rewrite that takes 1 round to execute is a full-round action. It comes into effect just before the beginning of your turn in the round after you began executing the rewrite. You then act normally after the rewrite is completed.

A rewrite that takes 1 minute to execute comes into effect just before your turn 1 minute later (and for each of those 10 rounds, you are executing a rewrite as a full-round action, just as noted above for 1- round executing times). These actions must be consecutive and uninterrupted, or the rewrite automatically fails.

When you begin a rewrite that takes 1 round or longer to execute, you must continue the concentration from the current round to just before your turn in the next round (at least). If you lose concentration before the executing is complete, you lose the rewrite.

A rewrite with an executing time of 1 free action doesn’t count against your normal limit of one rewrite per round. However, you may execute such a rewrite only once per round. Executing a rewrite with an executing time of 1 free action doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.

You make all pertinent decisions about a rewrite (range, target, area, effect, version, and so forth) when the rewrite comes into effect.

RANGE

A rewrite’s range indicates how far from you it can reach, as defined in the Range entry of the rewrite description. A rewrite’s range is the maximum distance from you that the rewrite’s effect can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which you can designate the rewrite’s point of origin. If any portion of the rewrite’s area would extend beyond this range, that area is wasted. Standard ranges include the following.

Personal: The rewrite affects only you.

Touch: You must touch a program or object to affect it. A touch rewrite that deals damage can score a critical hit just as a weapon can. A touch rewrite threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit. Some touch rewrites allow you to touch multiple targets. You can touch as many willing targets as you can reach as part of the executing, but all targets of the rewrite must be touched in the same round that you finish executing the rewrite.

Close: The rewrite reaches as far as 25 feet away from you. The maximum range increases by 5 feet for every two full executer levels.

Medium: The rewrite reaches as far as 100 feet + 10 feet per executer level.

Long: The rewrite reaches as far as 400 feet + 40 feet per executer level.

Unlimited: The rewrite reaches anywhere on the same plane of existence.

Range Expressed in Feet: Some rewrites have no standard range category, just a range expressed in feet.

AIMING A REWRITE

You must make some choice about whom the rewrite is to affect or where the effect is to originate, depending on the type of rewrite. The next entry in a rewrite description defines the rewrite’s target (or targets), its effect, or its area, as appropriate.

Target or Targets: Some rewrites have a target or targets. You execute these rewrites on programs or objects, as defined by the rewrite itself. You must be able to see or touch the target, and you must specifically choose that target. You do not have to select your target until you finish executing the rewrite.

If the target of a rewrite is yourself (the rewrite description has a line that reads Target: You), you do not receive a saving throw, and rewrite resistance does not apply. The Saving Throw and Rewrite Resistance lines are omitted from such rewrites.

Some rewrites restrict you to willing targets only. Declaring yourself as a willing target is something that can be done at any time (even if you’re flat-footed or it isn’t your turn). Unconscious programs are automatically considered willing, but a character who is conscious but immobile or helpless (such as one who is bound, cowering, grappling, paralyzed, pinned, or stunned) is not automatically willing.

Some rewrites allow you to redirect the effect to new targets or areas after you execute the rewrite. Redirecting a rewrite is a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Effect: Some rewrites create or summon things rather than affecting things that are already present.

You must designate the location where these things are to appear, either by seeing it or defining it. Range determines how far away an effect can appear, but if the effect is mobile it can move regardless of the rewrite’s range.

Ray: Some effects are rays. You aim a ray as if using a ranged weapon, though typically you make a ranged touch attack rather than a normal ranged attack. As with a ranged weapon, you can fire into the dark or at an invisible program and hope you hit something. You don’t have to see the program you’re trying to hit, as you do with a targeted rewrite. Intervening programs and obstacles, however, can block your line of sight or provide cover for the program you’re aiming at.

If a ray rewrite has a duration, it’s the duration of the effect that the ray causes, not the length of time the ray itself persists.

If a ray rewrite deals damage, you can score a critical hit just as if it were a weapon. A ray rewrite threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit.

Spread: Some effects, notably clouds and fogs, spread out from a point of origin, which must be a grid intersection. The effect can extend around corners and into areas that you can’t see. Figure distance by actual distance traveled, taking into account turns the rewrite effect takes. When determining distance for spread effects, count around walls, not through them. As with movement, do not trace diagonals across corners. You must designate the point of origin for such an effect, but you need not have line of effect (see below) to all portions of the effect.

Area: Some rewrites affect an area. Sometimes a rewrite description specifies a specially defined area, but usually an area falls into one of the categories defined below.

Regardless of the shape of the area, you select the point where the rewrite originates, but otherwise you don’t control which programs or objects the rewrite affects. The point of origin of a rewrite is always a grid intersection. When determining whether a given program is within the area of a rewrite, count out the distance from the point of origin in squares just as you do when moving a character or when determining the range for a ranged attack. The only difference is that instead of counting from the center of one square to the center of the next, you count from intersection to intersection.

You can count diagonally across a square, but remember that every second diagonal counts as 2 squares of distance. If the far edge of a square is within the rewrite’s area, anything within that square is within the rewrite’s area. If the rewrite’s area only touches the near edge of a square, however, anything within that square is unaffected by the rewrite.

Burst, Emanation, or Spread: Most rewrites that affect an area function as a burst, an emanation, or a spread. In each case, you select the rewrite’s point of origin and measure its effect from that point.

A burst rewrite affects whatever it catches in its area, even including programs that you can’t see. It can’t affect programs with total cover from its point of origin (in other words, its effects don’t extend around corners). The default shape for a burst effect is a sphere, but some burst rewrites are specifically described as cone-shaped. A burst’s area defines how far from the point of origin the rewrite’s effect extends.

An emanation rewrite functions like a burst rewrite, except that the effect continues to radiate from the point of origin for the duration of the rewrite. Most emanations are cones or spheres. A spread rewrite spreads out like a burst but can turn corners. You select the point of origin, and the rewrite spreads out a given distance in all directions. Figure the area the rewrite effect fills by taking into account any turns the rewrite effect takes.

Cone, Cylinder, Line, or Sphere: Most rewrites that affect an area have a particular shape, such as a cone, cylinder, line, or sphere.

A cone-shaped rewrite shoots away from you in a quarter-circle in the direction you designate. It starts from any corner of your square and widens out as it goes. Most cones are either bursts or emanations (see above), and thus won’t go around corners.

When executing a cylinder-shaped rewrite, you select the rewrite’s point of origin. This point is the center of a horizontal circle, and the rewrite shoots down from the circle, filling a cylinder. A cylinder-shaped rewrite ignores any obstructions within its area.

A line-shaped rewrite shoots away from you in a line in the direction you designate. It starts from any corner of your square and extends to the limit of its range or until it strikes a barrier that blocks line of effect. A line-shaped rewrite affects all programs in squares that the line passes through.

A sphere-shaped rewrite expands from its point of origin to fill a spherical area. Spheres may be bursts, emanations, or spreads.

Programs: A rewrite with this kind of area affects programs directly (like a targeted rewrite), but it affects all programs in an area of some kind rather than individual programs you select. The area might be a spherical burst, a cone-shaped burst, or some other shape.

Many rewrites affect “living programs,” which means all programs other than constructs and undead. Programs in the rewrite’s area that are not of the appropriate type do not count against the programs affected.

Objects: A rewrite with this kind of area affects objects within an area you select (as Programs, but affecting objects instead).

Other: A rewrite can have a unique area, as defined in its description.

(S) Shapeable: If an Area or Effect entry ends with “(S),” you can shape the rewrite. A shaped effect or area can have no dimension smaller than 10 feet. Many effects or areas are given as cubes to make it easy to model irregular shapes. Three-dimensional volumes are most often needed to define aerial or underwater effects and areas.

Line of Effect: A line of effect is a straight, unblocked path that indicates what a rewrite can affect. A line of effect is canceled by a solid barrier. It’s like line of sight for ranged weapons, except that it’s not blocked by fog, darkness, and other factors that limit normal sight.

You must have a clear line of effect to any target that you execute a rewrite on or to any space in which you wish to create an effect. You must have a clear line of effect to the point of origin of any rewrite you execute.

A burst, cone, cylinder, or emanation rewrite affects only an area, programs, or objects to which it has line of effect from its origin (a spherical burst’s center point, a cone-shaped burst’s starting point, a cylinder’s circle, or an emanation’s point of origin).

An otherwise solid barrier with a hole of at least 1 square foot through it does not block a rewrite’s line of effect. Such an opening means that the 5-foot length of wall containing the hole is no longer considered a barrier for purposes of a rewrite’s line of effect.

DURATION

A rewrite’s Duration entry tells you how long the rewrite-based energy of the rewrite lasts.

Timed Durations: Many durations are measured in rounds, minutes, hours, or some other increment. When the time is up, the rewriting goes away and the rewrite ends. If a rewrite’s duration is variable the duration is rolled secretly (the executer doesn’t know how long the rewrite will last).

Instantaneous: The rewrite energy comes and goes the instant the rewrite is executed, though the consequences might be long-lasting.

Permanent: The energy remains as long as the effect does. This means the rewrite is vulnerable to undo rewrite.

Concentration: The rewrite lasts as long as you concentrate on it. Concentrating to maintain a rewrite is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Anything that could break your concentration when executing a rewrite can also break your concentration while you’re maintaining one, causing the rewrite to end.

You can’t execute a rewrite while concentrating on another one. Sometimes a rewrite lasts for a short time after you cease concentrating.

Subjects, Effects, and Areas: If the rewrite affects programs directly the result travels with the subjects for the rewrite’s duration. If the rewrite creates an effect, the effect lasts for the duration. The effect might move or remain still. Such an effect can be destroyed prior to when its duration ends. If the rewrite affects an area then the rewrite stays with that area for its duration.

Programs become subject to the rewrite when they enter the area and are no longer subject to it when they leave.

Touch Rewrites and Holding the Charge: In most cases, if you don’t discharge a touch rewrite on the round you execute it, you can hold the charge (postpone the discharge of the rewrite) indefinitely. You can make touch attacks round after round. If you execute another rewrite, the touch rewrite dissipates.

Some touch rewrites allow you to touch multiple targets as part of the rewrite. You can’t hold the charge of such a rewrite; you must touch all targets of the rewrite in the same round that you finish executing the rewrite.

Discharge: Occasionally a rewrites lasts for a set duration or until triggered or discharged.

(D) Dismissible: If the Duration line ends with “(D),” you can dismiss the rewrite at will. You must be within range of the rewrite’s effect and must speak words of dismissal, which are usually a modified form of the rewrite’s verbal component. If the rewrite has no verbal component, you can dismiss the effect with a gesture. Dismissing a rewrite is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

A rewrite that depends on concentration is dismissible by its very nature, and dismissing it does not take an action, since all you have to do to end the rewrite is to stop concentrating on your turn.

SAVING THROW

Usually a harmful rewrite allows a target to make a saving throw to avoid some or all of the effect. The Saving Throw entry in a rewrite description defines which type of saving throw the rewrite allows and describes how saving throws against the rewrite work.

Negates: The rewrite has no effect on a subject that makes a successful saving throw.

Partial: The rewrite causes an effect on its subject. A successful saving throw means that some lesser effect occurs.

Half: The rewrite deals damage, and a successful saving throw halves the damage taken (round down).

None: No saving throw is allowed.

Disbelief: A successful save lets the subject ignore the effect.

(object): The rewrite can be executed on objects, which receive saving throws only if they are rewrite-based or if they are attended (held, worn, grasped, or the like) by a program resisting the rewrite, in which case the object uses the program’s saving throw bonus unless its own bonus is greater. (This notation does not mean that a rewrite can be executed only on objects. Some rewrites of this sort can be executed on programs or objects.) A rewriting item’s saving throw bonuses are each equal to 2 + one-half the item’s executer level.

(harmless): The rewrite is usually beneficial, not harmful, but a targeted program can attempt a saving throw if it desires.

Saving Throw Difficulty Class: A saving throw against your rewrite has a DC of 10 + the level of the rewrite + your bonus for the relevant ability (Intelligence for a programmer, Charisma for a thinker, or Wisdom for a cleric, druid, paladin, or ranger). A rewrite’s level can vary depending on your class. Always use the rewrite level applicable to your class.

Succeeding on a Saving Throw: A program that successfully saves against a rewrite that has no obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or a tingle, but cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack. Likewise, if a program’s saving throw succeeds against a targeted rewrite you sense that the rewrite has failed. You do not sense when programs succeed on saves against effect and area rewrites.

Automatic Failures and Successes: A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on a saving throw is always a failure, and the rewrite may cause damage to exposed items (see Items Surviving after a Saving Throw, below). A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a success. Voluntarily Giving up a Saving Throw: A program can voluntarily forego a saving throw and willingly accept a rewrite’s result. Even a character with a special resistance to rewriting can suppress this quality.

Items Surviving after a Saving Throw: Unless the descriptive text for the rewrite specifies otherwise, all items carried or worn by a program are assumed to survive a rewrite-based attack. If a program rolls a natural 1 on its saving throw against the effect, however, an exposed item is harmed (if the attack can harm objects). Refer to Table: Items Affected by Rewrite-based Attacks. Determine which four objects carried or worn by the program are most likely to be affected and roll randomly among them. The randomly determined item must make a saving throw against the attack form and take whatever damage the attack deal.

If an item is not carried or worn and is not rewrite-based, it does not get a saving throw. It simply is dealt the appropriate damage.

Table: Items Affected by Rewrite-based Attacks

Order(1)	Item
1st	Shield
2nd	Armor
3rd	Rewriting helmet, hat, or headband
4th	Item in hand (including weapon, wand, or the like)
5th	Rewriting cloak
6th	Stowed or sheathed weapon
7th	Rewriting bracers
8th	Rewriting clothing
9th	Rewriting jewelry (including rings)
10th	Anything else

1 In order of most likely to least likely to be affected.

REWRITE RESISTANCE

Rewrite resistance is a special defensive ability. If your rewrite is being resisted by a program with rewrite resistance, you must make a executer level check (1d20 + executer level) at least equal to the program’s rewrite resistance for the rewrite to affect that program. The defender’s rewrite resistance is like an Armor Class against rewrite-based attacks. Include any adjustments to your executer level to this executer level check.

The Rewrite Resistance entry and the descriptive text of a rewrite description tell you whether rewrite resistance protects programs from the rewrite. In many cases, rewrite resistance applies only when a resistant program is targeted by the rewrite, not when a resistant program encounters a rewrite that is already in place.

The terms “object” and “harmless” mean the same thing for rewrite resistance as they do for saving throws. A program with rewrite resistance must voluntarily lower the resistance (a standard action) in order to be affected by a rewrite noted as harmless. In such a case, you do not need to make the executer level check described above.

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

This portion of a rewrite description details what the rewrite does and how it works. If one of the previous entries in the description included “see text,” this is where the explanation is found.