Internal Alchemist Breath Mastery Questions

[Iorthol]

My main question is on the specific rulings on the suspended animation feature of the ability.

"He can put himself into a state of suspended animation as a move action, and is then unconscious and appears completely dead; he awakens at a preset time or in response to a condition set by him when he enters this state."
The only description I found that seemed to explain suspended animation was Temporal Stasis.

Does anyone have a link to an official definition of Suspended Animation?
Mostly I want to know if this ability can be used to live for months at a time without eating, breathing, or aging.

[Darkthorne68]

I did a quick search of the PRD and everything I came up with refers back to Temporal Stasis. Seems that the definition is within that spell.

[Iorthol]

Thanks!
... Oh wait.
This says nothing can harm the subject. That doesn't seem right.
It doesn't seem fair for a 1st level character to be rendered invulnerable to all damage and effects with a move action. That would be horribly abuse-able.

[blahpers]

The definition is right there in the effect. He becomes unconscious and appears completely dead.

Oh hey, now I know how to stat Hyatt!

[Harark]

He appears dead and most people will assume that unless they are a highly skilled doctor. If someone knows this trick they can still hurt him in this state. Although at that time I believe an attack can qualify for a cou de grace.

[Joesi]

I'm not sure about aging, but per RAW it would definitely mean no breathing or eating necessary. I think it would prevent aging as well, yes.
Definitely no invulnerability or anything similar (although playing dead may very likely keep oneself alive as long as the person isn't consuming you for undead use or food or such)

Source: usage of the word "suspended animation" in science and popular culture.

If it didn't prevent aging (or the other stuff), I think it could result in some really lame games where the character dies because his trigger effect doesn't happen in time.

Other sources:

Quote:

Calikang

...As a full-round action, a calikang can enter a state of suspended animation, freezing in place and becoming motionless. It remains aware of its surroundings. In this state, the calikang is immune to disease, inhaled toxins, poison, starvation, and thirst, and receives a +4 bonus on all Fortitude saves. The calikang can exit this state as an immediate action—if it does so to attack a foe or initiate combat, it gains a +4 insight bonus on its Initiative check.

Quote:

Suspend Life

You can place yourself into a trance so deep that you are almost in suspended animation. Even powers that detect life or thought are incapable of determining that you are alive.

While you are suspended, you are aware of your surroundings. You feel the passage of one day for every year that actually passes. Though on a slower schedule, you grow hungry after a “day” without food (though a year passes in actuality) and begin to suffer the effects of thirst and starvation as appropriate. Time-based physical effects like aging are similarly slowed down, although durations of psionic powers and similar effects are treated normally.

If you take any damage, you come out of your trance 4 rounds later. The trance can also be ended by a successful use of dispel Psionics. If you choose to dismiss the power, your trance ends 10 rounds later.

Hardly, applies, but notice it says ALMOST IN suspended animation, so it implies suspended animation is no food or water. It doesn't specifically mention breathing, but if you extrapolate/infer from food/water, breathing would be unnecessary in complete suspended animation. From that same info Suspend Life would allow 15-60 days —365 times longer than normal— before having to make a constitution check.

Quote:

Elude Time

You place yourself in a state of suspended animation, similar to temporal stasis. At the time of casting, you choose when the stasis will expire, up to the maximum duration of the spell.

Until the duration ends, time ceases to flow for you, and all bodily functions cease. No force or effect can harm you until the spell expires or is removed, such as by a successful dispel magic spell.

This is a level 5 alchemist-only spell which identically duplicates temporal stasis except it's self-only (and 10 times cheaper to use). Kinda pointless to bring this one up I guess since it doesn't say anything helpful.

Quote:

Hosteling (armor ability)

... Because the stored animal is sleeping rather than in suspended animation (or even hibernating), it ages and gets hungry at the normal rate while stored...

Implies that suspended animation does not cause aging.

Quote:

Sepia Snake Sigil

... While trapped in the amber field of force, the subject does not age, breathe, grow hungry, sleep, or regain spells. It is preserved in a state of suspended animation, unaware of its surroundings. It can be damaged by outside forces (and perhaps even killed), since the field provides no protection against physical injury. However, a dying subject does not lose hit points or become stable until the spell ends....

Nice. Seems to indicate everything that suspended animation does.

So overall, science/popular culture seems to exactly agree with the way the game seems to be describing suspended animation, except in the obviously incorrect/flawed situations where it may be implying that it also provides invulnerability.

[Dennis Baker]

As with anything if there is no specific in game definition you use the actual definition of the term. You are unconscious, don't need to eat or drink, but doesn't offer any protections or immunities.

-----------------------
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspended_animation

[blahpers]

Crap, I hate it when I accidentally FAQ a post and can't undo it. Apologies to Paizo staff.