Phantasmal Killer

[Atalius]

The spell states under Critical Failure:

Critical Failure The target is so afraid it might die. It must attempt a Fortitude save; if the target fails, it dies. On a successful Fortitude save, the target takes 12d6 mental damage, is fleeing until the end of its next turn, and is frightened 4. This effect has the incapacitation trait.

Which part exactly has the incapacitation trait? The failing the fort save and dieing part? The 12D6 damage part? Or?

[Lanathar]

Interesting question. I would imagine the damage sticks. I say this because I don't think there are any incapacitate coded spells that apply to damage

The intention of incapacitate is to prevent bosses going down in one round to an unlucky save. So that points to the "death" part being incapacitate

I would say the 12d6 sticks and that incapacitate applies to the death effect.
What I am unclear on is the fleeing and frightened part. Once again incapacitate is meant to prevent a boss being utterly shut down with an unlucky roll which suggests it also applies to this

[thenobledrake]

The fortitude save has the incapacitation trait, so the target isn't as likely to die if they are higher level.

Effectively, the incapacitation trait applies to the whole critical failure entry without resulting in the initial critical failure being made into a normal failure by doing so.

[beowulf99]

To summarize, a character of twice the level of the spell only "fails" on a critical failure, and passes on a failure and up, but still takes the 12d6 damage, is fleeing and is frightened 4.

So on a critical pass of the fortitude save does none of that apply? Or does the damage and flee/fright still happen because they already failed their initial save?

I lean towards the second case, but would like more input.

*Edit: for clarity

[Lanathar]

beowulf99 wrote:

To summarize, a character of twice the level of the spell only "fails" on a critical failure, and passes on a failure and up, but still takes the 12d6 damage, is fleeing and is frightened 4.

So on a critical pass of the fortitude save does none of that apply? Or does the damage and flee/fright still happen because they already failed their initial save?

I lean towards the second case, but would like more input.

*Edit: for clarity

There is no Critical Success condition for the Fort effect so the success effect would still apply. Which I guess makes sense as it is only unlocked with an initial critical fail on the will save