Ioune stones and sleeping

[Finlanderboy]

Seeker of secrets page 43 wrote:

They have no effect on animals, mindless
constructs, and other non-sentient creatures; comatose
intelligent creatures and those with significant Intelligence
damage or drain cannot use ioun stones.

Now i would like to squash this before it becomes a problem. Does this mean Ioun stones have no benefit when you are asleep?

This would render a Tourmaline and Nacreous Gray Sphere worthless.

I feel this was meant to mean a character can not activate one under these situations.

[_Ozy_]

Do you often slip into a coma when you go to sleep? ;)

[CampinCarl9127]

Coma equal asleep. Not by a long shot. If you want I can go into the neuroscience of the difference, but I think that's a little unnecessary.

[Finlanderboy]

here is a definition i found of comatose "of or in a state of deep unconsciousness."

Either way being at negative HP would include that.

[Berinor]

Finlanderboy wrote:

here is a definition i found of comatose "of or in a state of deep unconsciousness."

Either way being at negative HP would include that.

I disagree. If they wanted unconscious, they'd have said that. And I doubt any doctor would describe someone unconscious from shock from a stab wound as in a coma. There's a stability implied there that doesn't play nice with bleeding out.

[CampinCarl9127]

Coma equal knocked out.

[Crimeo]

Quote:

here is a definition i found of comatose "of or in a state of deep unconsciousness."

That's just a bad definition. Comatose directly means "in a coma." Nobody would class you as in a coma when you have been knocked out for a little while or are asleep.

In-game, I THINK a "coma" only occurs when your INT score is at 0 due to ability damage or drain. (It uses the term "comatose" on the ability score rule page for this score only: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/ability-scores )

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

Ioun stones are specifically noted as being able to be snagged for their protection while you're asleep - but if they didn't work while you were KO'd or asleep, I'd think they'd say that too.