So as near as I can figure the rules, it seems that if you choose to channel positive energy with rulership it means you either heal people with it or use it to harm undead, at which point you get the one round daze ability.
I'm building a cleric for mummies mask for a first time player, and I am not sure I need both, but since the saves are the same I'm not really certain I need the variant channel if I'm going to take turn undead. Does anyone have any experience with these abilities who can give me their take on which worked out better? I've read that turn undead isn't worth it.
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Unfortunately no.
When using variant channel those who channel positive energy only getting the heal benefit, those who channel negative energy only get the harm benefit.
A variant channeling either modifies positive channeled energy when used to heal or modifies negative energy when used to harm. When using positive energy to heal, affected creatures gain only half the normal amount of healing but also receive a specific beneficial effect. When channeling negative energy to harm, affected creatures take only half the normal damage but take an additional penalty or harmful effect; a successful saving throw negates the additional penalty or effect but does not reduce the damage any further. Creatures that would normally ignore the effect of a particular channel (such as undead with respect to a positive energy channel used to heal) ignore the variant effect of that channel.
Variant channeling as a system was done terribly.
Unfortunately no.
When using variant channel those who channel positive energy only getting the heal benefit, those who channel negative energy only get the harm benefit.
rules in support of statementVariant channeling as a system was done terribly.
RAI is pretty obvious on this, but as for RAW, if a cleric with a variant channel uses positive to harm or negative to heal, is it done at the full, regular effect?
Yes, that appears to be the case. When using positive energy to harm undead it should deal full damage. When using negative energy to heal undead it should heal full damage.
Variant channeling is actually really only good for negative energy clerics, because they can cause some decent status effects (none of the beneficial healing effects are very good) and still heal undead at full capacity. I'm pretty sure there is an item to treat yourself as undead for the purposes of channel energy, or you can always play a dhampir.
I suggest anyone truly interested in the variant channeling mechanic be a neutral aligned cleric who worships a neutral deity (or no deity). So that they can take this feat, Versatile Channeler, and get the most out of their choice.