Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Turku
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As per title, there are 2 scenario specific items (from different scenarios) this question relates to:
"[spoiler] Crystal [minor artifact]
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Whenever the bearer takes damage from negative energy, such as channel energy or an inflict spell, she takes 10 less points of damage. This reduction is applies after any saving throw is made."
"[spoiler spoiler] Ring
In addition, anytime the wearer takes negative energy damage, she subtracts 5 from the damage
taken (calculated after the wearer has rolled her Will save against the effect), to a minimum of 0 points of damage."
Should these stack?
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Good question.
Normally energy resistance doesn't stack, but neither of these technically grants negative energy resistance.
There probably isn't (and won't be) a formal answer to this, so I'd expect table variation.
I know the artifact is a scenario achievement reward. I don't recall seeing the ring. Do you have to purchase it?
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Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Turku
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You do have to purchase the ring, yes. It's actually a non-legal item from... Champions of corruption I think, but it was printed to the sheet for this adventure as a legal reward (slightly different wording and description).
And yeah, a definitive binding answer probably isn't coming, but that's okay, I'm just as happy with people's thoughts and opinions in an effort to get a feel on what the consensus might be.
And yeah, resistance doesn't stack. Neither gives resistance, though, and both are worded a bit differently (reduces vs takes less), but, it could be easy to argue that the items actually do give you resistance even if the word resistance isn't spelled out.
They are pretty niche, so personally I'd say "go for it", but that's just me.
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The ring has to be purchased, but it is a commonly available item provided a given team does not fail their missions in a given 'evergreen' scenario/quest pack.
Personally, if someone went through that much effort with the realization that one of those doesn't kick in until the level of the chronicle for the first item I'd be inclined to let them have it... that's a lot of work there, and the first item is *not* guaranteeed if the party is successful.
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RAW it totally stacks, for the reasons that have been presented.
RAI I doubt they are intended to stack. They behave in all ways like resistance and I don't know if I've seen anything (from the time that those came out) that has resist 10 negative energy.
My ruling if I were a GM, I'm torn but leaning toward no. I'm more of a RAI kind of person. Resist 10 negative energy is still solidly good.