zaphod77's page

Sneak attack damage is possible with spells that roll to hit, if you are within 30 feet.

Sneak attack damage with a spell is th same type of damage as the spell. e.g. sneak attack damage from an acid arrow is acid damage.

Ability damage is a special type of damage, therefore it is damage.

Therefore if a spell uses a roll to hit, and deals ability damage, the sneak attack damage is also ability damage. There was a ruling made for 3.5 that said it as negative energy damage, but this rule was not carried forward that I can see.

Most spells that used to deal ability damage now apply an ability penalty, so you can't sneak attack with them.

Calcific Touch still deals ability damage.

Greater Invisibility+Calcific touch=sneak attack that deals dex against ac 10 for normal size targets. If you hit and beat spell resistance, you can have a decent shot at insta petrify, as the save does not prevent the damage.

RAW, this appears to work. Calcific Touch is clearly intended to be able to reduce Dex to zero so it can paralyze. it's supposed to take multiple hits to do so.

Is there some obscure rule that exists in pathfinder that prevents this stunt?

If not, i propose one of the following fixes.

1) import the obscure rule from dnd that sneak attack damage from an ability damage/drain/negative level attack is negative energy hp damage. This fixes every possible existing and future case.
2) rewrite Calcific Touch such that it applies a stacking penalty that can equal the current stat, and when it does so, petrifies the target as intended, but cannot have sneak attack damage added to it.

This is from BoED and Eberron.

The differences between deathless and undead are.

1) deathless are powered by positive energy instead of negative. this has the following below effects.
2) Deathless are NOT immune to drain, but still immune to other effects requiring fortitude save, and to ability damage). (this is a disadvantage compared to undead)
3) deathless can be rebuked by those who channel positive energy, and harmed/turned by those who channel negative energy. this is overall a disadvantage, but only if the cleric can turn you. normal neg channeling channeling hurts you same as living. control by good NPCs isn't really too much of a disadvantage since good NPCs are bound by their alignment. :)
4) deathless are healed by positive energy, and harmed by negative. therefore they can receive normal healing jut fine. big advantage for PC.
5) spells that have extra effect on undead do not affect deathless differently. they have reduced vulnerability to searing light. advantage to pc vs undead for sure.
6) spells that specifically affect or create undead, (other then detection) except for detection do not affect deathless (animate dead, control undead, etc.). but there are deathless specific versions of those spells, with opposite alignment descriptors, which are known to your setting if deathless exist. There owuld, for exmaple be a separate invisibility to deathless spell, though i'd rule that normal invisibility works fine against them.

Are they the same RP? more RP?

The deathless type would seem to convert well to this system, but i can't figure out what RP the various component of the undead race are to estimate.

Also, how to i estimate the RP costs of stuff like "at will dimension door" (blink dog) and "no hands" (blink dogs again) or "pell always on"? am i to assume that if it's not listed, pcs cant' have it with the new system?

I'm well aware that certain spells are overpowered for their level in certain contexts. i expect that magic item cost would be a good idea to work out the RP.