Looking at the Chill Touch spell, the only Damage listed is to Living Creatures (plus enfeebled 1 if crit fail save). Undead just say Flat footed 1 round or but also fleeing on crit fail plus additional will save fail.
So is this
vs Living - 1d4 - Basic Fort Save
-- Crit Success = no damage
-- Success = half damage
-- Fail = full damage
-- Crit Fail = double damage plus enfeebled 1 for 1 round
vs Undead - no damage - Fort Save
-- Success and above = nothing
-- Fail = Flat-Footed for 1 round
-- Crit Fail = Flat-Footed for 1 round - Will Save
---- Fail and worse = Fleeing for 1 round
(also heightened just raises damage to living)
No damage to Undead using Chill Touch?
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Against a living creature, Chill Touch appears to automatically hit for 1d4+X damage.
Followed by a Fortitude saving throw, which if critically failed, inflicts enfeebled 1.
Nowhere in the spell description does it say "Basic _____ Save" (compared to, say, Electric Arc).
Is this a correct interpretation?
Cheers.
I see basic Fortitude save in the spell description under the portion for Living targets.
Yeah, the effect is pretty different for Living vs Undead, I don't think this is problem per se, damage isn't mandatory (see Tanglefoot).
I am inclined to just apply one Will Save for entire effect vs Undead, a 2nd save makes Crit effect too unlikely,
and the Crit effect is really what makes the usage vs Undead a semblance of balanced power-wise.
I also tend to think Flatfooted is not that impressive debuff especially for a Touch spell (since you're more likely to already be Flanking)
and while there is potential benefit even then (vs other non-flanking allies) I think another debuff like Frighten is better.
(maybe Frighten 1 normally and Frighten 2 on Crit, which would persist 1 round beyond the Fleeing condition)
Again on Touch spell / Flanking, while positioning for touch is often seen as a negative for a spell,
that also means they have potential chance for Flanking to gain bonus, for better success % compared to ranged or save spells,
so having the value of the spell disproportionately come from Crit effect is made more reasonable by being more likely to Crit,
not that just the normal debuff (Flatfooted, or as I proposed Frightened) isn't valuable itself.
People want every cantrip to do good damage, if you want damage, use a damage cantrip.
Weirdly I don't see anybody complain Tangelfoot doesn't do damage. This is more in line with that (vs Undead).
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I see basic Fortitude save in the spell description under the portion for Living targets.
Ok here's the case (for Living Creatures). Let me lead with the question "Is it not unprecedented that some Touch-range spells automatically hit?" (Given that touch AC no longer exists?)
Chill Touch's Save entry says "Fortitude"; notably not "Basic Fortitude". (Contrast with Electric Arc, for example). Then, the Description says: "The spell deals negative damage equal to 1d4 plus your spellcasting modifier. The target attempts a basic Fortitude save, but is also enfeebled 1 for 1 round on a critical failure."
Which could take to mean two things:
1) Do the sentences in order: Damage first (1d4+X), then roll the Fortitude save, applying result to status effect.
2) Do the sentences in reverse order: Roll the save first, then apply it's results to both effects (damage and status).
In the former case, the word "basic" has no meaning / is a typo.
In the latter case, the wording is a little unintuitive (resolving sentences in reverse order).
Cheers!