Complete General Guidelines and Glossary
Exclusive Unabridged Version!
Compiled by Kim Mohan

Glossary-- M

Magic: A spell domain composed of nine divine spells and a granted power themed around the use and dispelling of spell effects.

magic action: Any one of the following actions involving magic or special abilities: cast a spell, activate magic item, or use special ability. Casting a spell may be a standard action or a full-round action, depending on the spell. Activating a magic item and using a special ability are typically standard actions, unless otherwise noted.

make: Follow the usual procedure (typically rolling dice) for carrying out a particular game rule. To make an attack roll, skill check, saving throw, or ability check, roll 1d20 and add the appropriate modifiers. To "make" a roll can also mean to be successful at the check in question.

massive damage: At least 50 points of damage resulting from a single attack. This amount of damage represents a single trauma so major that it has a chance to kill even the toughest creature outright. Any character who survives the damage from an attack of this severity must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 15) or die anyway, regardless of current hit points. The massive damage rule does not apply in the case of a character who sustains a like amount of damage from multiple wounds, none of which dealt 50 or more points by itself.

masterwork: Exceptionally well-made. A masterwork item confers a bonus or benefit upon its user because of exceptional craftsmanship rather than magical enhancement. Masterwork items include weapons, armor, shields, and tools of all sorts (see Table 8–9: Special and Superior Items). To create a masterwork version of an item, a character must create both the standard item and the masterwork component as separate works. The masterwork component has its own price and DC. Once both components are completed, the masterwork item is finished. A masterwork weapon’s bonus to attack rolls does not stack with enhancement bonuses.

Material Plane: A plane of existence unique among all others because it is naturally made up of building blocks (elements and energies) from all of the Inner Planes. Activities on the Material Plane frequently attract the attention of beings from the Outer Planes. The Material Plane is the reality where most campaigns take place.

material: A type of component for arcane spells. A material component is a physical substance or object that is annihilated by the spell energies in the casting process. To cast a spell with a material component, the caster must have the proper item or substance. (Characters must specifically acquire any material components with listed costs, but all others are assumed to be in the character’s spell component pouch unless some event changes this.) Unless the material components are particularly elaborate, preparing them is a free action.

max out: Increase a skill to its maximum allowed skill rank, as defined by character level and skill type (class or cross-class). Class starting packages assume that the player maxes out all listed skills.

medium: A range category for spells. Spells listed as medium range can reach a maximum distance of 100 feet+10 feet/caster level from the caster.

Medium-size: A size category of creature. A Medium-size creature is between 4 and 8 feet in height or length and weighs between 60 and 500 pounds.

melee: Close combat. Melee combat consists of physical blows exchanged by opponents close enough to threaten one another’s space. Typically, this means the opponents are adjacent (within 5 feet of one another), though creatures whose natural attack forms or weapons have reach may engage in melee at a greater distance from their opponents.

melee attack: Any physical attack form suitable for close combat. Melee attacks include attacks with melee weapons (those that do not have reach), unarmed strikes, most natural weapon use (horns, claws, teeth, etc.), plus special attack forms such as disarm, grab, and trip. Some thrown weapons can also be used to make melee attacks.

melee attack bonus: A modifier applied to a melee attack roll. Melee attack bonus = base attack bonus + Strength modifier + size modifier.

melee attack roll: A number that represents the overall outcome of a creature’s attempt to strike an opponent in melee combat. To make a melee attack roll, roll 1d20 and add the appropriate modifiers for the attack type, as follows: melee attack roll = 1d20 + base attack bonus + Strength modifier + size modifier. The result is the AC hit. Therefore, to score a hit that deals damage, the melee attack roll must equal or exceed the target’s Armor Class.

melee touch attack: A melee attack that delivers a special effect instead of damage. This type of attack involves physical contact between a specified part of the attacker’s body (hand, lips, etc.) and the target creature. A melee touch attack requires a successful hit with a melee attack roll, but disregards target armor. That is, the target cannot benefit from any armor bonuses, shield bonuses, or natural armor bonuses to AC. (Other factors that can affect AC, such as size modifiers, Dexterity modifiers, and deflection bonuses, all apply normally to the target’s AC, however.) Melee touch attacks can deliver various spells, as well as energy drain and other effects. This type of attack is also used to execute certain special attacks, such as grabs and trips.

melee weapon: A weapon designed for close combat. Most melee weapons are hand-held and can be used only against opponents within 5 feet of the attacker. These include swords, daggers, axes, and clubs. A few, such as polearms, are reach weapons and can be used against opponents 10 feet from the attacker, but not against those closer. Some melee weapons can also be thrown, but these are generally more effective when used for melee. Melee weapons can inflict bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.

metamagic feat: A feat that allows a spellcaster to prepare and cast spells with greater effect, as if the spells were of a higher spell level than they actually are. The use of a metamagic feat requires preparing a spell in a higher spell slot than it normally would occupy.

mind-affecting: Influencing a target’s mind or the way a creature thinks. Certain skills, spells, and magical effects are mind-affecting. Also a spell descriptor denoting spells that influence or alter mental processes. Mind-affecting spells include enchantments and certain illusions (specifically patterns and phantasms).

miss chance: The possibility that a successful attack roll misses anyway because of the attacker’s uncertainty about the target’s location. Miss chances range from 20% to 50% and occur when a target has concealment (full or partial) or as a result of certain spells, magic items, and magical effects. When a miss chance applies with respect to a particular defender, the attacker makes a miss chance roll after any successful attack roll against that target.

miss chance roll: A die roll to determine the success of an attack roll to which a miss chance applies. For example, if an attacker has already made a successful attack roll against a defender to whom a 20% miss chance applies, the attacker must then make a miss chance roll on 1d100. On a result of 01–20, the attack misses. On a result of 21–00, it hits.

modifier: Any bonus or penalty applying to a die roll. A positive modifier is called a bonus, and a negative modifier is called a penalty.

Mnk: Standard abbreviation for monk.

monk: One of the eleven character classes. Monks are martial artists who specialize in unarmed strikes and use a variety of exotic powers. Monks typically dwell with others of their class in small, walled cloisters, pursuing personal perfection through a combination of action and contemplation. Monks are known for their ability to fight unarmed and unarmored. Their best-known feats are their ability to stun an opponent with an unarmed blow and their preternatural awareness of attacks. Though they don’t cast spells, monks channel a subtle energy, called ki, which allows them to perform these and other amazing feats.

monster: Another name for creature, often used in spell names (such as the summon monster spells) or to indicate a larger set of qualifying beings than "person" (as in charm monster as opposed to charm person). Also, a creature most often (though not always) hostile to a character or an adventuring party. See the Monster Manual for game statistics of monsters.

movement-only action: A combat action that takes the place of moving at normal speed. A character can take a move-equivalent action instead of moving at normal speed in a standard action, or instead of moving twice normal speed in a double move, or as a partial action. Move-equivalent actions include climbing (one-quarter speed), drawing or sheathing a weapon, readying or loosing a shield, opening a door, picking up an item, retrieving a stored item, moving a heavy object, standing up from a prone position, loading a hand or light crossbow, and mounting or dismounting a horse. In addition, many feats and spells involve move-equivalent actions.

morale bonus: A modifier representing the effects of greater hope, courage, and determination. Morale bonuses can apply to saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. These modifiers usually result from supernatural abilities, spells, or magical effects.

mount: Any creature that a character can ride. Mounts allow characters to travel about faster and more easily. Typical mounts include horses, warhorses, mules, donkeys, ponies, and warponies. Special mounts include riding dogs, worgs, griffons, hippogriffs, unicorns, pegasi, and dragons.

mounted combat: Fighting while riding another creature. Riding into battle offers several advantages, particularly in conjunction with skills such as Ride, Mounted Archery, and Mounted Combat. Though warhorses and warponies are trained for combat, many other typical mounts (such as light horses, ponies, and heavy horses) are afraid of battle. The rider of such a creature must make a successful Ride check (DC 20) each round as a move-equivalent action just to control such a creature. A successful Ride check (DC 5) allows the rider to use both hands to attack and defend while mounted. A successful Ride check (DC 10) allows the rider to direct a trained mount (typically a warhorse or warpony) to attack in battle while the rider attacks normally. A mount acts on the rider’s initiative result and performs as directed if controlled. The rider moves at the mount’s speed, but the creature uses its own action to move. This leaves the rider free to take move-equivalent actions (such as loading a light crossbow) normally and still attack while the mount is moving. A rider can even exercise the full attack action while riding, if desired. However, if a mount moves more than 5 feet in a round, the rider can make only a partial melee attack.

move in: To maintain a grapple, the attacker must move into the target’s space. This provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening enemies, but not from the target.

move action: The movement portion of a standard action. Movement up to a character’s speed is permitted during a move action. Other movement-related actions include double move and charge.

move-equivalent action: A combat action that takes the place of a move action in a round. A character can take a move-equivalent action instead of the move action in a standard action, or instead of both move actions in a double move, or instead of an entire partial action. Move-equivalent actions include climbing (one-quarter speed), drawing or sheathing a weapon, readying or loosing a shield, opening a door, picking up an item, retrieving a stored item, moving a heavy object, standing up from a prone position, loading a hand or light crossbow, and mounting or dismounting a horse. In addition, many feats and spells involve move-equivalent actions.

mundane: Normal, natural, commonplace, or everyday. For example, mundane items are those with no magical enhancements. Mundane movements include walking, swimming, and flight (for winged creatures), but not magically enabled movements such as blink, dimension door, plane shift, teleport, etc.