Animated objects are immune to critical hits?

[Alzrius]

Apologies if this has come up before.

It's self-evident in Pathfinder that constructs are immune to critical hits. Likewise, there's nothing in the animated objects monster entry to suggest that they have any additional immunities in that regard.

But then I noticed this section from the Additional Rules chapter:

Quote:

Immunities: Objects are immune to nonlethal damage and to critical hits. Even animated objects, which are otherwise considered creatures, have these immunities.

So apparently animated objects are still immune to critical hits in Pathfinder? Is this by design, or is this a vestigial rule from 3.5? If not, presumably this also disqualifies sneak attack and other forms of precision damage on animated objects as well?

[Dosgamer]

Constructs are not immune to precision damage in Pathfinder. Since animated objects are a monster that conform to the construct creature type, and because I didn't see anything in their description that says otherwise, they are not immune to critical hits either.

Unanimated objects (like a door, chains, whatever) that are just ordinary objects are immune to critical hits. I really dislike the distinction by the way, but there you have it.

[Alzrius]

Dosgamer wrote:

Constructs are not immune to precision damage in Pathfinder. Since animated objects are a monster that conform to the construct creature type, and because I didn't see anything in their description that says otherwise, they are not immune to critical hits either.

Unanimated objects (like a door, chains, whatever) that are just ordinary objects are immune to critical hits. I really dislike the distinction by the way, but there you have it.

That's what I said too when someone else brought this issue up. But then they pointed out that section under Additional Rules...

[Dosgamer]

It's a little silly to have two sets of rules for very similar things, I agree. It may have something to do with backwards compatibility to 3.5 and then Pathfinder changed construct rules for the Bestiary and hence the discrepancy. I really don't know for sure.

[AvalonXQ]

The cited rule is quite unambiguous -- animated objects are immune to critical hits.

I think this is a good rule, because it stops a piece of silliness that might otherwise occur -- namely, animating an object so that you can break it faster with sneak attacks and crits.

[wraithstrike]

Animated objects are immune to critical hits, constructs are not.

With that aside the "immune to crits" rule for animated objects should have been in the bestiary under the construct rules or either the in the Animated Objects entry.

[Happler]

Is this not a situation where a FAQ would be good?

The Bestiary has been stated as the updated source for some things (see how natural attacks interact with two-weapon fighting). Might this also be the case here?

Nothing in the Bestiary states that animated objects are immune to critical hits (either in the monster listing or in the construct traits, at least on the PRD).

Here is all the construct traits add to the animated object in the bestiary:

Quote:

Construct Traits (Ex) Constructs are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). Constructs are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. Constructs are not at risk of death from massive damage.

Format: construct traits; Location: Immune.

This is either in error in the Bestiary or in the Core and I think that it would be good to get it worked out (at least for the ease of play, reference the object crit immunity in the stat lines for the animated objects in the bestiary or in the spell or both).

[PaulH]

Hi

Are constructs also immune to Magic Missile?

Thanks
Paul H

[Jeraa]

PaulH wrote:

Hi

Are constructs also immune to Magic Missile?

Thanks
Paul H

Constructs are creatures and so are affected by Magic Missile.