Does channel energy have full or half effect vs incorporeal undead? It looks like force effects are the only energy that does full damage, but I might be missing something.
You know.. I wouldn't have thought so, but at least according to the definition of incorporeal it would seem so. Channel Energy is indeed a supernatural effect, and according to the Incorporeal entry, incorporeal creatures take half damage from all non-force effect supernatural effects.
Incorporeal: Creatures with the incorporeal condition do not have a physical body. Incorporeal creatures are immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Incorporeal creatures take half damage (50%) from magic weapons, spells, spell-like effects, and supernatural effects. Incorporeal creatures take full damage from other incorporeal creatures and effects, as well as all force effects.
Does channel energy have full or half effect vs incorporeal undead? It looks like force effects are the only energy that does full damage, but I might be missing something.You know.. I wouldn't have thought so, but at least according to the definition of incorporeal it would seem so. Channel Energy is indeed a supernatural effect, and according to the Incorporeal entry, incorporeal creatures take half damage from all non-force effect supernatural effects.
Incorporeal: Creatures with the incorporeal condition do not have a physical body. Incorporeal creatures are immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Incorporeal creatures take half damage (50%) from magic weapons, spells, spell-like effects, and supernatural effects. Incorporeal creatures take full damage from other incorporeal creatures and effects, as well as all force effects.
That bodes well for my eventual Shadowdancer's Shadow. Now I just need to figure out how to get an incorporeal Ring of Protection made for it to wear...
Channel Energy is for targeting undead and living. Undead would include the Incorporeal undead. Now that this power is intended for this particular type of target I would grant full damage.
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I don't really see a problem with incorporeal undead taking less damage from something like channel energy. Since, in terms of game mechanics, being incorporeal is a relatively large advantage they traditionally tend to have fewer hit dice in relation to their challenge rating. Fewer hit dice normally means fewer hit points on average, so a half-strength channel energy would probably come out affecting them in roughly the same percentage strength as a more solid type of undead of the same CR.
It probably isn't exactly even but it should be in the realm where it isn't that much of an advantage or disadvantage. Plus it makes the game more interesting when there are different kinds of creatures that react to abilities in different ways.
Channel Energy is for targeting undead and living. Undead would include the Incorporeal undead. Now that this power is intended for this particular type of target I would grant full damage.
Agreed. A problem with RAW and RAI