Tengu Carrion Sense trait vs. Undead

[jabberwoky]

*Carrion Sense: Many tengus have a natural ability to sniff out carrion. While their sense of smell isn't as keen as that of other species, it is particularly attuned to the scent of injuries or death. Tengus with this racial trait have a limited scent ability, which only functions for corpses and badly wounded creatures (50% or fewer hit points). This racial trait replaces gifted linguist.

Does this mean that a tengu can sniff out certain undead creatures, or is undeath a different smell from carrion (because it's magic)?

[BigNorseWolf]

I'd let it work for undead that weren't.. you know liches or skeletons. Bout the only good they're going to get out of it...

[The black raven]

I would say it does not work on undead, except when they are badly wounded ;-)

[Mortalis]

By strict RAW; it does not work on undead (unless they're 50% injured, lol). By plain logic, I'd say yeah, and what's more I'd allow it.

[evolved]

Mortalis wrote:

By strict RAW; it does not work on undead (unless they're 50% injured, lol). By plain logic, I'd say yeah, and what's more I'd allow it.

I disagree, with a caveat. The text of carrion sense says specifically that it works on corpses. The first line in the bestiary entry for zombie states 'Zombies are the animated corpses of dead creatures, forced into foul unlife via necromantic magic like animate dead.' So specifically, zombies are corpses, which carrion sense works against.

Skeletons are generally stripped of dead flesh (which is what carrion is) and are called 'the animated bones of dead creatures' in the bestiary. So I would say it does not work on them.

[Avianfoo]

Mortalis wrote:

By strict RAW; it does not work on undead (unless they're 50% injured, lol). By plain logic, I'd say yeah, and what's more I'd allow it.

Except for undead that are corpses. But seriously which corporeal undead arn't corpses, seriously?

[The black raven]

"Undead are corpses" is fluff rather than crunch. Using fluff to adjudicate crunch does not always work as well as you would like.

[Kazaan]

"...which only functions for corpses and badly wounded creatures (50% or fewer hit points)."

Would you allow this to work on a Skeleton at half HP? What about a plant-type creature? Incorporeal creatures? Constructs? You've got to place the line somewhere; even if where you place it creates an "all-inclusive" category.

[Avianfoo]

The black raven wrote:

"Undead are corpses" is fluff rather than crunch. Using fluff to adjudicate crunch does not always work as well as you would like.

That's what a vitalist would say! Stand up for Undead Rights! We may be dead but we are not gone!

And you are misquoting. It's: "corporeal undead are corpses". Which logically follows from "Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces.". But as you so astutely point out, logic cannot used to interpret rules.

So strictly by the rules the ability in question applies to only unmoving completely dead corpses (zombies are undead and not corpses; that's just fluff) and to wounded creatures (including half wounded ghosts). Thats RAW for you. It makes little or no sense.