Is there a centralized rule for how to handle Persistent damage with saving throws?
For example:
Ankhrav:
Spray Acid (acid)
Frequency Once per hour
Effect The ankhrav spews acid in a 30-foot cone, dealing 3d6
acid damage and 1d4 persistent acid damage (Reflex DC 17
half, no damage on a critical success, double damage on a
critical failure).
Ways to interpret this on a successful save:
1. Take (3d6)/2 damage now and (1d4)/2 persistent damage every round
2. Take (3d6)/2 damage now and 1d4 persistent damage every round (applying "half" only to the initial damage)
3. Take (3d6)/2 damage now and no persistent damage every round (making a save avoids the persistent damage)
It seems like #1 is probably what is intended but #2 doesn't seem out of the question. #3 seems like the way we handled persistent damage (e.g. bleeding) in previous systems.
Ways to interpret this on a critical fail:
1. Take 6d6 damage now and 2d4 persistent damage every round
2. Take 6d6 damage now and 1d4 persistent damage every round (only double the damage, not the persistent damage)
It seems like #1 again is probably the intent, but since doubling the persistent damage is not mentioned, I could see a reasonable argument for #2.
Based on grammar alone I have to say #1 & #1. I don't believe the rulebook covers this explicitly.
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In a post on a different issue Mark Seifter mentioned a critical hit doubling all the damage, including sneak attack. Since persistent damage has damage in the name I'd go with 1. & 1. for these, that persistent damage is affected in the same way as other damage.