Healing Vile Damage

Cheiromancer · May 19, 2003

Unlike regular damage, vile damage can only be healed by magic cast within the area of a consecrate or hallow spell... only in a holy place can healing magic repair the damage." (BoVD p. 34)

I read this as saying that vile damage can only be healed by magic, and furthermore the magical healing must take place in a holy place. So no natural healing, no fast healing, no regeneration- only magical healing, and only in a holy place.

Undead or fiends who receive vile damage are unlikely to be able to go to a holy place to receive healing- thus they bear the damage permanently.

Is that right? Can a vile weapon permanently kill a vampire?

Or does vile damage only interfere with magical healing; i.e. magical healing is ineffective against vile damage unless it takes place in a holy place, but natural healing still works.

Or does vile damage affect fiends and undead differently than it does normal folk?

Kae'Yoss · May 19, 2003

If he has regeneration, he probably won't get normal damage at all, but only subdual - so he'll regenerate as usual.

Grazzt · May 19, 2003

Cheiromancer said:
I read this as saying that vile damage can only be healed by magic, and furthermore the magical healing must take place in a holy place. So no natural healing, no fast healing, no regeneration- only magical healing, and only in a holy place.

Undead or fiends who receive vile damage are unlikely to be able to go to a holy place to receive healing- thus they bear the damage permanently.

The consecrate spell, for example, does not explicitly say that undead cannot enter the area. They suffer minor disruption (-1 penalty to attacks, damage, and saves). Other than that, they should be able to enter the area and heal without a problem. Fiends are not affected by the consecrate spell (at least according to its descript....it mentions nothing about fiends at all).

Course the easiest thing might be to just rule that since vile damage "represents such an evil violation to a character's body or soul..." that particularly evil creatures, such as fiends and undead, are immune to the "vile" effects (meaning they can just heal it like any other damage).

Is that right? Can a vile weapon permanently kill a vampire?

Nope. A vampire could enter a consecrated area, it would just suffer the penalties above (to attacks, damage, and saves).

Or does vile damage only interfere with magical healing; i.e. magical healing is ineffective against vile damage unless it takes place in a holy place, but natural healing still works.

Nope- natural healing doesnt work. Check page 34 in the BoVD..."Unlike regular damage, vile damage can only be healed by magic..."

Or does vile damage affect fiends and undead differently than it does normal folk?

Nope- not that I know of or it would say so in the descript of vile damage. As far as I know, vile damage can be healed on fiends and undead within a consecrated area (again, the consecrate spell does not preclude undead from entering the area and says nothing at all about fiends).

Cheiromancer · May 20, 2003

KaeYoss said:
If he has regeneration, he probably won't get normal damage at all, but only subdual - so he'll regenerate as usual.

Can subdual damage be vile? If so, would (normal) vile damage converted to subdual damage by regeneration also be vile?

Regeneration aside, am I the only one who is bothered by the idea that demons and devils would have to have access to holy places in order to heal any vile damage that may have been inflicted on them?

Is there a little chapel to Pelor in the depths of Orcus's palace where his undead lieutenants go to repair vile damage? Is there a shrine to Hieroneous in the bowels of Nessus?

Though I suppose it doesn't need to be a chapel; you could consecrate any area, in a pinch. But who would cast the spell? Is there a black market for scrolls of consecrate in the lower planes?

Grazzt · May 20, 2003

Cheiromancer said:
Can subdual damage be vile? If so, would (normal) vile damage converted to subdual damage by regeneration also be vile?

I would venture to say that vile damage is converted into normal subdual damage and is thus healed as such (for those with regen).

Regeneration aside, am I the only one who is bothered by the idea that demons and devils would have to have access to holy places in order to heal any vile damage that may have been inflicted on them?

Does seem kinda weird, which is why should I ever decide to use the BoVD in my campaign (I wasnt impressed that much with the book and havent really found much use for it IMC yet), I'll probably just rule that evil creatures (such as demons and devils) are immune to the effects of vile damage (i.e., they heal it like they do any other amount of damage). Since vile damage represents "extreme" evil (and so do demons and devils), it just affects them normally.

Is there a little chapel to Pelor in the depths of Orcus's palace where his undead lieutenants go to repair vile damage? Is there a shrine to Hieroneous in the bowels of Nessus?

Not in my campaign, since the standard D&D gods do not exist.

But, either way, nope- no shrines to good dudes in the evil palaces of demon lords and arch-devils.

Kae'Yoss · May 20, 2003

Cheiromancer said:
Though I suppose it doesn't need to be a chapel; you could consecrate any area, in a pinch. But who would cast the spell?

Ever wondered where all the priests go the devils and demons steal from the temples? They're forced to consecrate secret places where fiends can heal their vile damage for a hefty sum. It's just like a spa for them.

Grazzt · May 20, 2003

KaeYoss said:
Ever wondered where all the priests go the devils and demons steal from the temples? They're forced to consecrate secret places where fiends can heal their vile damage for a hefty sum. It's just like a spa for them.

That is definitely one way of looking at it.

rkanodia · May 21, 2003

Personally, I would rule that undead and fiends suffer vile damage normally, and can only be healed of it while in the area of an unhallow or desecrate spell, but I admit that the author's intent is not terribly clear.

Cheiromancer · May 21, 2003

rkanodia said:
... the author's intent is not terribly clear.

Now why didn't I think of that? Monte has his own boards....

Here it is. Question 66

http://pub58.ezboard.com/fokayyourturnfrm4.showMessageRange?topicID=229.topic&start=61&stop=68

Faebinder said:
66) Vile Damage is supposed to violate the person's body and soul and can only be healed on consecrated or hallow spell area. Does that also apply to evil creatures hit by vile damage? From this, it would seem reasonable to say that evil creatures/pcs are not so violated by vile damage?

To which Monte replies

[Originally posted by Monte Cook [/i]
66. No, vile damage is not dependant upon alignment.

So it appears that it is just the way Monte intended. Vile damage can only be healed by magic, and only on holy ground. Doesn't matter if you are undead or a fiend.

Go figure.

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