Brilliant Energy vs. Disruption vs. Flaming


3.5/d20/OGL


I asked this in the PF rules forum, but I realized I was most interested in the 3.X versions.

Anyone know if RAW the brilliant energy effect makes the disruption effect nullified?

Similarly, if (for example) brilliant energy and flaming are both active at the same time, is the flaming part incapable of affecting objects?

Further, what about brilliant energy and a slaying arrow?

I was uncertain on this point, as it could be argued either way.

I realized I should clarify, since nothing particularly changes if dealing with living creatures.

What I meant was, let's presume it's a slaying arrow of undead or constructs. Normally, the slaying arrow property bypasses the typical immunities of those creatures (specifically in regards to fortitude saves), which was the source of the question.

Similarly, a flaming whatever thrust into, let's say, a box. Does the fire damage simply ignore the box, or does the "weapon" damage ignore the box, but the flames affect it as normal?


Also, I should ask about RAI and opinions on balance, too, as well as RAW!


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Tacticslion wrote:

I asked this in the PF rules forum, but I realized I was most interested in the 3.X versions.

Anyone know if RAW the brilliant energy effect makes the disruption effect nullified?

Similarly, if (for example) brilliant energy and flaming are both active at the same time, is the flaming part incapable of affecting objects?

Further, what about brilliant energy and a slaying arrow?

I was uncertain on this point, as it could be argued either way.

I realized I should clarify, since nothing particularly changes if dealing with living creatures.

What I meant was, let's presume it's a slaying arrow of undead or constructs. Normally, the slaying arrow property bypasses the typical immunities of those creatures (specifically in regards to fortitude saves), which was the source of the question.

Similarly, a flaming whatever thrust into, let's say, a box. Does the fire damage simply ignore the box, or does the "weapon" damage ignore the box, but the flames affect it as normal?

Well, TL...I'm not sure what the RAW specifically would be on that, but my 3.5-based interpretation would be that the weapon damage is negated. Brilliant Energy v undead/constructs/objects = no damage, and so anything that adds to the weapon damage would also be ignored. So yeah, I think BE would negate Disruption or an equivalent Bane property.

Now with bonus damage that is not creature type specific (elemental damage) I could legitimately see a ruling either way.

Option 1: The base damage doesn't effect you, so bonus damage can't apply.

Option 2: You don't take damage from the weapon, but fire still burns paper. A lit torch can still set things on fire even if the target is immune to being clubbed with the torch itself.

Personally, I would go with Option 2 regardless of the RAW argument. I remember a ruling at some point...I don't know if it came out of 3.x or PF1...that concerned critical immune targets and the elemental burst properties. The ruling held that elemental bursts still do their extra d10s on a successful crit even if the target is immune to crits in general - you won't get the x3 for the axe damage, but the extra 2d10 elemental still goes through. I would use similar logic here.


So, thought of another question.

What if I have brilliant energy, ghost touch, and disruption and seek out an incorporeal undead?

Again, looking for RAW, RAI, Opinions on Balance, etc.


Hmmm. I'd allow it. Partially because there isn't anything for BE to ignore in any case, but mostly because I think BE is severely overpriced for what it does and it needs to either be cheaper or work differently.

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