Does positive &/or negative energy such as that from the cure/inflict spells count as energy damage for effects such as certain bloodline arcana?
Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell that deals energy damage, you can change the type of damage to fire. This also changes the spell’s descriptors to match this energy type. for instance.
or are those effects strictly limited to the elemental energies (acid/cold/electricity/fire/sonic) even 'tho it isn't worded that way?
I'm inclined to beleive that the Intent is for them not to apply, but by RAW they do seem to apply. I can't find the answer in any of the books or the FAQ so I turn to the community for help.
It is limited to the energy types of fire, cold, electricity, acid, and sonic.
Despite being called positive or negative energy they are not considered energy types anywhere else within the rules.
That's what I thought, but a player of mine wanted clarification. thanks.
Pretty sure that force and sonic damage would qualify for this.
They're referenced as energy type in Performance combat, Magus Energy Attunement, Energy Siege Shot, Force Athame, Twilight Knife, and Mage's Sword.
But Pos/Neg Energy is also referred to as energy, and expressed in the same way as other eneries in regards to "typing" damage.
As well they are explicitly referenced as energy in the Environment's section on Inner Planes, covering the Pos/Neg Energy Planes and Elemental Planes.
Likewise, there is Resistance to Pos/Neg Energy expressed the same way, and indeed if it is not Energy Damage,
then there is no rule to explain how to use mechanics like Negative Energy Resistance like Deathless Spirit Aasimar have.
So in theory Positive and Negative Energy Damage spells should work with this.
Nevertheless, there is an additional rules detail beyond whether they count as energy damage.
Most of the spells you would use are Cure/Inflict Wounds and such.
But those don't state they are doing 'negative[positive] energy damage'.
They just state who they deal damage to, or heal.
And state the spell is powered by Pos/Neg energy, but it's not inherently the exact same thing.
Channel Energy is also Pos/Neg energy,
yet it's effects do not inherently deal Pos/Neg energy damage to those wounded by the relevant energy.
In fact, Channel Energy actually deals untyped damage... If it was negative energy damage, it would say so,
as Energy Siege Shot and Twilight Knife and Fireball and Lightning spells do for Force, Fire, Electric damage, and so on.
So a Deathless Spirit Aasimar's Negative Energy Resistance would not apply to it, although their +2 to Saves vs. Negative Energy WOULD.
Inflict Light Wounds reads
The spell channels energy that deals untyped damage. Not eligible to use with this Arcana.
The only obviously eligible spell I could find (searching for spell statblock phrases and "positive[/negative] energy") was the Paladin spell "Veil of Positive Energy" which may deal Pos Energy Damage when it is dismissed. That spell would work with this Arcana by RAW.
Whether or not Cure/Inflict (and Channel and being on Pos/Neg Energy Planes) are in fact INTENDED to be "Pos/Neg Energy Damage" and thus subject to Pos/Neg Energy Resistance, as well as being eligible for this Arcana, I can't say. They aren't worded to the same format other energy damage is, so conservatively, they don't count as that. It does seem PLAUSIBLE they should count as "Pos/Neg Energy Damage", for all the other mechanics mentioned, irrespective of this Arcana, but until Paizo states otherwise or issues appropriate FAQ/Errata, that would not appear the conservative RAW interpre