Ring of the Ram vs. Incorporeal: Half Damage or Full?


Rules Questions


I ruled half at the table, but I'm having second thoughts.

RPG Superstar 2011 Top 8

Ring of the Ram wrote:

The ring of the ram is an ornate ring forged of hard metal, usually iron or an iron alloy. It has the head of a ram as its device. The wearer can command the ring to give forth a ram-like force, manifested by a vaguely discernible shape that resembles the head of a ram or a goat. This force strikes a single target, dealing 1d6 points of damage if 1 charge is expended, 2d6 points if 2 charges are used, or 3d6 points if 3 charges (the maximum) are used. Treat this as a ranged attack with a 50-foot maximum range and no penalties for distance.

It calls the effect a force, several times, but otherwise doesn't explicitly state that it deals force damage or is a [force] type effect. Technically, I think its actually untyped damage by RAW, which would be halved against incorporeal creatures but bypasses all resistances, immunities, and DR.

RAI treating it as a force effect and therefore dealing full damage to incorporeal creatures also makes sense.

Both untyped and force damage effects are quite powerful, so if this is your own table I would pick one and stick with it. If its for society play, maybe someone else can shed some light on it.


Personally, I think the "force" in the description is English description, rather than a spell descriptor. The ring is Transmutation, and uses bull's strength and telekinesis, neither of which is a Force effect. I think it's using the Combat Maneuver section of telekinesis so it would be half damage to incorporeal creatures. (Not full damage, since it's not a force effect, not zero damage because the effect is magical in nature and SR applies)

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