What is the current official text for Negative Energy Affinity? The PRD has it in at least 2 distinct forms, and there is a FAQ response from Sean K Reynolds that is distinct from both of those.
From Universal Monster Rules:
Quote:
Negative Energy Affinity (Ex): The creature is alive but is healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy, as if it were an undead creature.
From the Dhampir description (ARG)
Quote:
Negative Energy Affinity: Though a living creature, a dhampir reacts to positive and negative energy as if it were undead—positive energy harms it, while negative energy heals it.
From SKR's FAQ response: ( http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fo#v5748eaic9oyk )
Quote:
Negative Energy Affinity (Ex): The creature is alive, but is treated as undead for all effects that affect undead differently than living creatures, such as cure spells and channeled energy.
Unfortunately, none of these are particularly unambiguous.
1) Which of these is the 'current' definition? I'm assuming either the first or last one, but I'm not sure which supersedes the other.
2) Is there any possibility of getting a less ambiguous definition? Or add Positive Energy and Negative Energy Descriptor to spells and effects to make which ones apply.
Something like this would be less ambiguous (but really long):
Negative Energy Affinity (Ex): The character is alive but is affected differently than other living creatures by Positive and Negative energy. Any negative energy effect that would heal an undead creature's hit point damage would heal this character's hit points and any positive energy effect that would do hit point damage to an undead creature would do hit point damage to this creature. Positive and Negative energy effects on Ability Drain or Damage, Status effects, Negative Levels, or other statistics treat this character as if they were a living creature.
Spell by spell examples and guesses at answers:
Using a Dhampir as the example -
Cure Foo Wounds Spells & Heal: Harms a Dhampir (obvious from intent)
Inflict Foo Wounds Spells & Harm: Heals a Dhampir (obvious from intent)
Restoration Family: My instinct is that it removes temporary negative levels from the Dhampir (and permanent, if it could get permanent negative levels) and eliminates states (insanity, exhaustion, etc.) as appropriate. As for Ability Drain or Damage? I'm not sure. I have to assume it heals them, as there is no obvious negative-energy equivalent.
Regeneration: My instinct is that it regenerates the physical body, it might remove exhaustion and fatigue, and it does not heal any damage. Not sure, though.
Goodberry: The filling meal affect should effect the Dhampir, but as for the healing? No idea. It might even do 1 point of damage.
Restfull sleep: I assume it would work, as it is a considered natural healing (and a Necro spell), but I'm not certain.
Blessing of Courage and Life: My instinct is that the Dhampir would get the +2 morale bonus, but the healing effect would harm them.
Cleanse: Given it is personal, it should work fine when cast by a Dhampir. On the other hand, It may be either cure damage or cure other states. I'm not sure. And if it is found on a magic item? No idea.
Slay Living: I think Dhampirs as subject to this, but I'm not entirely certain.
Veil of Positive Energy: I think the burst effect would harm Dhampirs, but again, not sure.
Life-Dominant Soul makes this even more confusing. (From Pathfinder Player Companion: Blood of the Night)
Quote:
Benefit: You are healed by channeled positive energy used to heal living creatures and channeled negative energy used to heal undead, but both only heal half the normal amount. You still take damage from positive energy used to harm undead, such as that from channeled energy and lay on hands.
(this is on d20pfsrd.com, so I'm assuming it is OGL. If it isn't I'll edit to paraphrase rather than quote.)
If a Cleric channels positive energy to heal living, or a Cleric channels negative energy to heal undead, the Dhampir is effected. If a Cleric channels positive energy to harm undead, the Dhampir is harmed, and if the Cleric channels negative energy to harm the living, the Dhampir is unaffected. If subject to an Inflict Wounds spell, the Dhampir is healed. Essentially, it is easy to understand what happens with Negative Energy (at least, the same powers would effect the Dhampir as without the feat). Positive Energy Effects that heal the living without harming the undead and vice versa are also clear.
The problem is Positive Energy powers that can do both at the same time -- Lay on Hands and Cure Wounds spells are now entirely ambiguous. The same ability/spell is used to both harm undead and heal living, without any change. The Mass variants of Cure spells can do both at once.
So is this now up to the intent of the caster/user? Lay on Hands heals or harms based on what the Paladin wants at the time? What if the caster is unaware of how positive energy affects a Dhampir? Roll a die and take a 50/50 shot? Something else?
There is no clarification needed, as the abilities are very clear.
If an ability specifies a special effect for living/undead targets, the Dhampir is affected by the undead version.
Therefore, for the ones you are unsure of, the answers are:
1) Cure spells harm him because they specify undead are harmed
2) Inflict spells heal him because they specify undead are healed
3) Restoration works on a Dhampir in exactly the same way it works on anyone else because there's nothing in the description that specifies undead get a different effect
4) Regeneration works the same on a Dhampir as anyone else, because no special effect for undead is listed.
5) Goodberry works fine, see above for reason
6) Restful Sleep again works, see above
7) Blessing of Courage and Life gives both the buff and the healing, because once again, no special effect is listed for undead.
8) Cleanse specifies that if used by a target with negative energy affinity, it cleanses with negative energy (meaning it still works as advertised).
9) Slay Living works on a Dhampir, as they are living and no special effect is listed for undead.
10) Veil of Positive Energy would harm Dhampirs, as it specifies a special effect for undead.
Seriously, it's simpler than you're making it. If there's a special effect listed for undead, Dhampir get it. If not, they don't and it works normally.
Life Dominant Soul only affects channeling and nothing else, by the way.
