Ok can someone clear up Channel Energy confusion

[Reebo Kesh]

This situation came up on Saturday's game. The party was damaged and fighting skeletons. The cleric waded into the middle of combat and used Channel Energy. Should the power have:

a)Damaged the undead if the cleric so chose to.

b)Healed the party if the cleric so chose to.

c)Damaged the undead AND healed the party?

I don't think the description of the power is very clear, unless I'm missreading it.
Thanks in advance
Reebpo

[Noir le Lotus]

a or b, according to the choice of your cleric.

c is not possible (and would really make channeling too strong against undeads)

[Reebo Kesh]

Noir le Lotus wrote:

a or b, according to the choice of your cleric.

c is not possible (and would really make channeling too strong against undeads)

Thanks Noir le Lotus

[Marc Radle]

Noir le Lotus wrote:

c is not possible (and would really make channeling too strong against undeads)

At least, that is the reason given for reducing the effectiveness of Channel Energy given by Paizo. When we playtested the beta we found the original version to be very balanced and we were quite shocked and disapointed to see the ability had been downgraded in the final rules.

Sorry for the side commentary ;)

[Sean K Reynolds]

From the Channel Energy ability description on page 40:

PFRPGCR wrote:

A good cleric (or one who worships a good deity) channels positive energy and can choose to deal damage to undead creatures or to heal living creatures. An evil cleric (or one who worships an evil deity) channels negative energy and can choose to deal damage to living creatures or to heal undead creatures. A neutral cleric who worships a neutral deity (or one who is not devoted to a particular deity) must choose whether she channels positive or negative energy. Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed. This decision also determines whether the cleric casts spontaneous cure or inflict spells (see spontaneous casting).

Channeling energy causes a burst that affects all creatures of one type (either undead or living) in a 30-foot radius centered on the cleric.

[Evil Lincoln]

I played a beta cleric and it really was less fun. You could just steamroll hordes of undead.

[Hordak]

What if the cleric channels energy when fighting goblins for example... Would you heal them as well?

[Zaister]

Hordak wrote:

What if the cleric channels energy when fighting goblins for example... Would you heal them as well?

Yes, unless you can exclude them with the Selective Channeling feat.