Do Unconscious Characters get will saves?


Rules Questions


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So I am playing a necromancer and will be casting "Create soul gem" on a NPC who was sentenced to death via hanging. Now I know hanging does not kill a human right off the bat unless it's a falling type of hanging.

So my question is would an NPC get a will save when they are unconscious to avoid their soul being trapped in a soul gem or do I have to wait the round till they die? Hard too say when he dies though...

School necromancy [death, evil]; Level cleric 3, sorcerer/wizard 3, witch 3

CASTING

Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S, F (crystal or gem receptacle worth at least 25 gp)

EFFECT

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one dying or recently dead creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION

You draw forth the ebbing life force of a dying creature or one that has died in the past round, forcing it into a crystal or gem receptacle and creating a soul gem. If the creature is alive and fails its saving throw, it dies and you capture its soul in the gem. If the creature is dead, you automatically capture the soul. The value of the soul gem depends on the nature of the creature it is made from.

If you are a souldrinker, you may cast this spell and expend 5 soul points to fill the gem with the equivalent of one basic soul.

Only one soul gem can be created from a particular dying creature. Any attempt to resurrect a body whose soul is trapped in a soul gem requires a caster check against a DC of 11 + your caster level at the time you cast this spell. Failure results in the spell having no effect, while success shatters the target’s soul gem and returns the creature to life as normal. If the soul gem resides in an unholy location, such as that created by the unhallow spell, the DC of this check increases by +2.


You always get a saving throw (if the ability calls for one) unless something specifically says otherwise. Nothing about the spell or being unconscious says you don't get a save, so you still get the will save.


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That said, for non-harmful effects, like Cure spells, invisibility, divinations, and things like that, unconcious creatures count as willing targets.

I don't think I'd count Create Soul Gem as non-harmful, personally. It's not a very nice thing to do.


Doomed Hero wrote:

That said, for non-harmful effects, like Cure spells, invisibility, divinations, and things like that, unconcious creatures count as willing targets.

I don't think I'd count Create Soul Gem as non-harmful, personally. It's not a very nice thing to do.

Counting as willing is only for targeting purposes. It has nothing to do with saving throws.

Harmless spells (spells with [Harmless] in the saving throw line) are the spells that don't require a saving throw if you want the effects. That has nothing to do with being unconscious. Though if unconscious, I don't think you would have the ability to decide to resist the spell, so you would automatically accept all [Harmless] spells.


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You get a Reflex save while unconscious.


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Jeraa wrote:
Doomed Hero wrote:

That said, for non-harmful effects, like Cure spells, invisibility, divinations, and things like that, unconcious creatures count as willing targets.

I don't think I'd count Create Soul Gem as non-harmful, personally. It's not a very nice thing to do.

Counting as willing is only for targeting purposes. It has nothing to do with saving throws.

Harmless spells (spells with [Harmless] in the saving throw line) are the spells that don't require a saving throw if you want the effects. That has nothing to do with being unconscious. Though if unconscious, I don't think you would have the ability to decide to resist the spell, so you would automatically accept all [Harmless] spells.

If you want to exploit this, though, it is perfectly legal to cast hibernate on an unconscious enemy for no-save minute/level paralysis. After all, they're willing.


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You can still target a "willing only" spell on a potentially unwilling target. It will just fail in they decide not to accept the spell. They are presented with a choice when the spell hits. Yes or no. Trickery/intimidation can be used to have a hostile target accept a spell without resistance that they otherwise would choose to resist.

Willing means the target accepts the spell without resistance (aka giving up your choice of making a save).

Unconsciousness prevents active resistance to will-save spells per the sentence quoted above.

Scarab Sages

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The 'unconscious are willing' clause is designed so a friendly character can cast harmless spells on you when you are unconscious, such as cure light wounds, without a save. It isn't intended to allow someone to cast harmful spells on you easier.


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Yes you get a will save when you are unconscious. The spell sleepwalk makes that pretty clear. The target is unconscious target touched, and the saving throw is Will negates. Unless the spell states harmless you get a will save when unconscious.


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Lorewalker wrote:
The 'unconscious are willing' clause is designed so a friendly character can cast harmless spells on you when you are unconscious, such as cure light wounds, without a save. It isn't intended to allow someone to cast harmful spells on you easier.

I agree. But taking the RAW text as it is allows it. RAI, I'm sure is exactly as you are portraying it -- you gain a saving throw even if you are unconscious.

RAW is also more consistent and logically coherent. A spell is a unique object, and unless specified in the text of the spell, the caster's attitude toward you, or you toward the caster is meaningless.

It is the desire of the target as to whether he wants to resist the spell or not at the moment of application of that spell that determines if the target is willing or not.

Yes means he is willing, no means he is not (and he gets a save if one is allowed). This is an active choice (most of the time its an obvious one)

If you are unconscious, you can't make that active choice, and according to the text, you default to willing.

Voluntarily Giving up a Saving Throw: A creature can voluntarily forego a saving throw and willingly accept a spell's result.

Someone is going to have to explain to me how you can willingly accept a spell's result and not be considered a willing target, and vice versa.


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That's what I mean so you are 1/2 dead how do you know who is healing you to not accept a will save ect... Honestly a will save is the fact that you have to be able to actively oppose the spell by will power. You can't use any will power if you are unconscious. It's funny how this game is so screwed up that it does not make any sense. A character who throws a fire ball at a downed character still gets a reflex save lol.

Quintain wrote:
Lorewalker wrote:
The 'unconscious are willing' clause is designed so a friendly character can cast harmless spells on you when you are unconscious, such as cure light wounds, without a save. It isn't intended to allow someone to cast harmful spells on you easier.

I agree. But taking the RAW text as it is allows it. RAI, I'm sure is exactly as you are portraying it -- you gain a saving throw even if you are unconscious.

RAW is also more consistent and logically coherent. A spell is a unique object, and unless specified in the text of the spell, the caster's attitude toward you, or you toward the caster is meaningless.

It is the desire of the target as to whether he wants to resist the spell or not at the moment of application of that spell that determines if the target is willing or not.

Yes means he is willing, no means he is not (and he gets a save if one is allowed). This is an active choice (most of the time its an obvious one)

If you are unconscious, you can't make that active choice, and according to the text, you default to willing.

Voluntarily Giving up a Saving Throw: A creature can voluntarily forego a saving throw and willingly accept a spell's result.

Someone is going to have to explain to me how you can willingly accept a spell's result and not be considered a willing target, and vice versa.


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LucasB wrote:

That's what I mean so you are 1/2 dead how do you know who is healing you to not accept a will save ect... Honestly a will save is the fact that you have to be able to actively oppose the spell by will power. You can't use any will power if you are unconscious. It's funny how this game is so screwed up that it does not make any sense. A character who throws a fire ball at a downed character still gets a reflex save lol.

Well, not to put a fine point on it, an unconscious character still gets a save, but his condition forces him to forego the saving throw, per RAW.

A downed character still gets a reflex save because his condition does not say that he foregoes his reflex save.

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