Spell Resistance and Sacred touch


Rules Questions


As I understand it (perhaps I'm wrong) a creature with SR needs to willingly lower it make sure beneficial spells work.
So even if the Spell states Yes (harmless) under SR the SR would apply unless the creature wants to be affected.

If a creature is at negative hp I guess he can not willingly lower his defences as he is unconscious.
This leads to the possibility that he dies because his healer buddy can't stabilize by cure or stabilize spells.

What about the Sacred Touch trait?
It's not stated that it's a spelllike ability or supernatural ability just that the one possesing it can stabilize by touch.

TL;DR

If someone with SR is dying, can you stabilize him with Sacred Touch without his SR interfering?


My gut instinct says this trait won't be stopped by SR.

But since this is a rules question: The text on the trait suggests that this ability comes from being exposed to positive energy at an early age, so I checked the "Channel Energy" ability, which says Supernatural.

Then I checked the description of Supernatural abilities:

Supernatural abilities are magical but not spell-like. Supernatural abilities are not subject to spell resistance and do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated (such as an antimagic field). A supernatural ability's effect cannot be dispelled and is not subject to counterspells.


Yes you could keep the character from dying via the trait, it isn't listed as being a spell or spell like effect which would cause the SR to kick in. The ability just "works." The flavor text has nothing to do with the mechanics of the trait so you don't just give it a EX, SU or SP "rating," you just allow it to do what it says.


Skylancer4 wrote:
Yes you could keep the character from dying via the trait, it isn't listed as being a spell or spell like effect which would cause the SR to kick in. The ability just "works." The flavor text has nothing to do with the mechanics of the trait so you don't just give it a EX, SU or SP "rating," you just allow it to do what it says.

Ehh, I'd nix it in an antimagic field per the supernatural ability rules. Otherwise the flavor text makes little sense.


blahpers wrote:
Skylancer4 wrote:
Yes you could keep the character from dying via the trait, it isn't listed as being a spell or spell like effect which would cause the SR to kick in. The ability just "works." The flavor text has nothing to do with the mechanics of the trait so you don't just give it a EX, SU or SP "rating," you just allow it to do what it says.
Ehh, I'd nix it in an antimagic field per the supernatural ability rules. Otherwise the flavor text makes little sense.

If we were in the Advice Forum, I'd completely go with that. Being we are in the Rules Forum, flavor text has got nothing to do with the actual game mechanics.


Does sacred touch provoke?

Silver Crusade

Umbranus... I'd like to know the same thing... I'm in an on-line campaign currently and this situation came up.

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