So the txt of Feast of ashes says:
You curse the target with a hunger no food can assuage. On a failed saving throw, the target begins to starve. The effects of this spell cannot inflict more nonlethal damage than the target has hit points. No amount of eating can counter the effect and, further, even attempting to eat causes the target to become nauseated for 1 round unless they make a DC 12 Fortitude save. The target still experiences the other normal effects of anything consumed (such as poisons or potions). Feast of ashes can be removed with a break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish spell, but effects suffered as a result of starvation must be healed by normal means.
blah blah saving throw it works, the enemy is hungry and begins to take nonlethal dmg. BUT this is what I need clarification on: it says the EFFECTS from this spell CANNOT deal more nonlethal than the target has hp. I take that as the target will take nonlethal till 1 then remain at 1 for the duration of the spell. BUT others in our group have interrupted as it actually takes the afflicted to 0 hp bc technically that hasnt dealt more dmg than hp and then since its still starving it starts to take LETHAL dmg and then it dies after a number of days.
So our question pretty much boils down to can we sneak into a boss room, cast feast of ashes and then peace out and wait for it to die? or will it never die from starvation bc it cannot deal more nonlethal than hp
As per the source:
Staggered and Unconscious
When your nonlethal damage equals your current hit points, you're staggered. You can only take a standard action or a move action in each round (in addition to free, immediate, and swift actions). You cease being staggered when your current hit points once again exceed your nonlethal damage.
When your nonlethal damage exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious. While unconscious, you are helpless.
Spellcasters who fall unconscious retain any spellcasting ability they had before going unconscious.
If a creature's nonlethal damage is equal to his total maximum hit points (not his current hit points), all further nonlethal damage is treated as lethal damage. This does not apply to creatures with regeneration. Such creatures simply accrue additional nonlethal damage, increasing the amount of time they remain unconscious.
So staggered but not Unconscious. As writen it wont go past into leathal damage, and wont knock-out.
Thanks for the quick replies!
@crux: tho I see your point tho I dont understand your post. If I read your post correctly, this effect can still deal nonlethal up to its HP. technically at that point it would become staggered and any further dmg would result in lethal. Tho I believe you, I still want to pose this question as fairly as possible and assuming if our party waited the full amount of time AND the full amount of time would kill it, I dont see y someone couldnt put that curse on and walk home and let the enemy starve to death. Bc as I said before technically the spell reads that it cannot deal MORE than nonlethal equal to its HP, which would never happen anyway bc as soon as it equaled it the NONlethal would stop and the lethal dmg would start
bump
The effects of this spell cannot inflict more nonlethal damage than the target has hit points.
This line means that once the target reaches nonlethal damage equal to his hit points, he will be staggered and take no further effect (any damage) from this curse. Though a single point of damage (from another source) will drop him into unconsciousness.
Though if, this is a BBEG, he should have the resources to have a cleric (attempt to) remove the curse. Also magical healing can make him feel better for a while.
There is a haunt in one of the PFS scenarios that didn't have this very important line. Basically, as written, it is a death sentence because the nearest town is just too far away.