Something that has confused me for some time about energy vulnerablity.
The book says something like this: A creature vulnerable to an energy type takes half again as much damage (+50%) from that specific energy type, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed or if the save is a success or failure.
That last part is throwing me. Is this saying that a creature vulnerable to an energy type doesn't get a save from that energy type?
Example: A wizard casts a cold-damage spell that deals 30 points of cold damage, half (15) if a save is made.
The way I've always though it worked was this: The spell is cast, the creature with vulnerability to cold rolls its save. If it fails, it takes 30 + 15 = 45 damage (+50%). If it succeeds, it takes 15 + 7 = 22 damage (+50% of half damage). (Or would that be half of 45? Numbers work out the same, but the mechanic may prove important in another situation...)
However, the reading of the spell could be taken to say that this poor cold-vulnerable creature takes 45 damage from this spell, regardless of whether or not it makes its save.
Is there any clarification on this anywhere?
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Taffer
Roll the save, determine normal damage, then multiply.
You know... Just to empower chaos...
You could also read that as saying "50% of the initial damage + whatever portion the result of your saving throw tells you to take", so taking the numbers of your example, you'd take 45 (30+15) on a failed or 30 (15+15) on a successful saving throw.
(I've always played it the way frank does.)
Roll the save, determine normal damage, then multiply.
I'm sorry if I seem obtuse, but when you say "determine normal damage"... do you mean "full damage" (as in save or not, you take full damage), or do you mean "damage as if the creature didn't have the vulnerability" (meaning full damage, but save for half)?
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Taffer
Here's some examples, you're fighting an ice mephit which is vulnerability to fire.
Alchemist Fire does fire damage with no save on a hit. The mephit takes normal damage plus 50% more. (if 1d6 = 4 would result in 6 points of damage.)
Fireball allows a save. So, if the mephit's save is successful he take 1/2 damage plus 50% of that number (if 5d6=18, then 1/2=9 plus 50% 4 = 13). On a failed save, the mephit would take full damage plus 50% of that number (if 5d6=18, then 18 plus 50% 9 = 27).
I'm sorry if I seem obtuse, but when you say "determine normal damage"... do you mean "full damage" (as in save or not, you take full damage), or do you mean "damage as if the creature didn't have the vulnerability" (meaning full damage, but save for half)?
Malaprop the wizard lobs a fireball at Spitz the Curiously Flammable Kobold. Malaprop rolls up 18 points of fire damage.
Spitz has vulnerability to fire. Malaprop rolls 18 points of fire damage.
Spitz rolls a Reflex save.
If Spitz succeeds on his save, he takes half damage. 18/2 = 9. Now vulnerability comes into play. (9 x 1.5) = (9 + 4.5, rounded down) = Spitz takes 13 points of fire damage.
If Spitz fails his save, he takes full damage, and again now vulnerability comes in. (18 x 1.5) = (18 + 9) = Spitz takes 27 points of fire damage.
Thanks for the input everyone! It really helped to clear things up for me!
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Taffer