Have a question about feats and rage powers compatibility

[Noganov]

Hello all! I have a question about compatibility next build: Diehard feat + greater Guarded Life rage power + Raging Vitality feat + Invulnerable Rager barbarian!
At the first seems this barbarian will stay at negative hitpoints (Diehard feat or ferocity ability), and "ignore" tons of damage (up to his MAX HP), because he continuous raging (Raging Vitality) and guarded life is always active, and he have big DR/- !
For example: The Invulnerable Rager barbarian 9lvl. PC stay at 1 HP and the enemy will attack at 20 damage. The DR (4) down damage to 16, and G.Guarded Life can convert up to 18 damage to nonlethal. After this attack PC's looks a little beaten, and stay with 0 HP and 15 nonlethal damage, because he have Diehard feat.
All in this build is nice, but what about nonlethal damage in negative hitpoints?
"...when it (nonlethal) exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious", and diehard feat doesn't say nothing about nonlethal dmg.

So this character must falling if he have some nonlethal dmg?
I can't see the reason to take Diehard feat! This barbarian will fall in all variants with nonlethal damage, right?

[Taja the Barbarian]

Diehard allows you to stay semi-active while at negative HP and therefore does not generally interact with Raging Vitality or the Guarded Life rage powers:

• Diehard keeps you from fall unconscious at negative HP, so Raging Vitality's ability to keep raging while unconscious isn't actually necessary.
• Guarded Life converts some of your damage to nonlethal damage, which typically keeps Diehard from coming into effect due to the 'When your nonlethal damage exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious' rule.

[Noganov]

Taja the Barbarian wrote:

Diehard allows you to stay semi-active while at negative HP and therefore does not generally interact with Raging Vitality or the Guarded Life rage powers:

• Diehard keeps you from fall unconscious at negative HP, so Raging Vitality's ability to keep raging while unconscious isn't actually necessary.
• Guarded Life converts some of your damage to nonlethal damage, which typically keeps Diehard from coming into effect due to the 'When your nonlethal damage exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious' rule.

Yes, I know about nonlethal damage from guarded life. That's why I'm asking about compatibility with diehard...

Bad... I thought I can create the character, who will become more powerful when HP drop to deathly point. =(

Thanks for answer! Have a nice day! =)

[MrCharisma]

If it's a home game talk to your GM about it.

The RAI seems to imply that Diehard would let you keep fighting, so if your GM is ok with it you can still make it work.

[Noganov]

MrCharisma wrote:

If it's a home game talk to your GM about it.

The RAI seems to imply that Diehard would let you keep fighting, so if your GM is ok with it you can still make it work.

No, no, no, no =) He think that my barbarian is over powerful =)

I think if I create this build with Flagellant feat - in a future my barbarian will see more and more wizards at the enemy line, who casts debuf spells and withdraw my character from battle. =(

[Diego Rossi]

Quote:

Invulnerability (Ex)

At 2nd level, the invulnerable rager gains DR/— equal to half her barbarian level. This damage reduction is doubled against nonlethal damage.

This ability replaces uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge, and damage reduction.

Quote:

Guarded Life (Ex)

Benefit: While raging, if the barbarian is reduced below 0 hit points, 1 hit point of lethal damage per barbarian level is converted to nonlethal damage. If the barbarian is at negative hit points due to lethal damage, she immediately stabilizes.

You have already taken the damage, reduced by whatever DR you have, converting it to nonlethal doesn't allow you to apply your DR a second time. It is damage you have already received. DR doesn't apply to damage you have already received. It isn't a new source of damage.

So yes, you go down for non letal damage.

[Noganov]

Diego Rossi wrote:

Quote:

Invulnerability (Ex)

At 2nd level, the invulnerable rager gains DR/— equal to half her barbarian level. This damage reduction is doubled against nonlethal damage.

This ability replaces uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge, and damage reduction.

Quote:

Guarded Life (Ex)

Benefit: While raging, if the barbarian is reduced below 0 hit points, 1 hit point of lethal damage per barbarian level is converted to nonlethal damage. If the barbarian is at negative hit points due to lethal damage, she immediately stabilizes.

You have already taken the damage, reduced by whatever DR you have, converting it to nonlethal doesn't allow you to apply your DR a second time. It is damage you have already received. DR doesn't apply to damage you have already received. It isn't a new source of damage.

So yes, you go down for non letal damage.

I know that DR does not block nonlethal damage after converting from guarded life =) Thanks =)

I was hoping that somewhere the game developers would clarify this situation. But looking at your answers I understand that the comic situation remained as it is... =)

Thanks for all answers =)

[Diego Rossi]

Noganov wrote:

I know that DR does not block nonlethal damage after converting from guarded life =) Thanks =)

Reading your post I realized that you did know that, but still made my post, as I feel that it is an easy error to make, so a remainder in the thread is useful.