Can incorporeal creatures be disintegrated?

[hammymchamham]

Sorry, but I don't see how this is possible. As the spells says, it effects objects made of matter. Since undead are basically objects already, an inconporeal undead is not made of matter (It has no physical body, and is not made of matter).

Just as the spell SAYS it affects objects made of matter, it also SAYS it affects spells (such as the example of a Wall of Force). But a Wall of Force is not an object. Its not really treated as one, but its treat as a spell. Undead, on the other hand, are often treated as objects. A vampire is made of matter. A skeleton is made of matter. A wraith is not.

 

[Merlion]

I just re read the spell...it says "object or creature". anyway thats the first real statement in the spell discpretion. so like I said by the printed rules, you can disintegrate a wraith. and I can see it working...their saying disintegrate completely disrupts things of a cohesive nature...even including supernatural and magical energies and forces. And beings that essentialy consist of supernatural or spiritual energies such as incorporeal undead. However like I said before its perfectly reasonble to say it only works on actual matter. however...and I am not saying you should do this...but if I went with that interpretation of the spell I'd remove the ability to affect a wall of force etc. but thats purely me and my view and my obsession with consistency

 

[hammymchamham]

The spell does say "up to 10 cubic feet of non-living mater" is affected. Wraiths are not only not matter, they're non-living.

 

[RigaMortus]

Matter:

1) Something that occupies space and can be perceived by one or more senses; a physical body, a physical substance, or the universe as a whole.

2) Physics. Something that has mass and exists as a solid, liquid, gas, or plasma.

Like ectoplasma? Hehe

Of course I am applying a Real World definition to a fantasy game, so take it with a grain of salt and call me in the morning. Or something like that.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The spell does say "up to 10 cubic feet of non-living mater" is affected. Wraiths are not only not matter, they're non-living.

What about an ogre? Ogres aren't made of non-living matter.

And yet the spell affects them... because the spell affects creatures as well.

Undead are not treated as objects for the purposes of spells with Fort saves. They are affected by spells with Fort saves which also affect objects. There's a big, big difference.

-Hyp.

 

[AuraSeer]

If you try to base this argument on physical principles, you'll all just keep going around in circles. Magic is not physics.

By the rules, disintegrate can affect undead creatures. A wraith (or spectre, or whatever) is an undead creature. Being incorporeal does not give it any special protections against magic, other than the 50% miss chance for corporeal effects. Therefore, as long as you make that 50% roll, disintegrate works the same way on a wraith as on a zombie.

Unless someone can quote a rule that states otherwise, that's how it works. "I don't like the way that works" is not a rule. A quote from Ghostbusters is not a rule. A real-world physical argument is also not a rule, because magic is not physics.

 

[shilsen]

Waves "What Auraseer said" flag.

 

[Wormwood]

Waves "Game definitions trump flavor text" flag.

Bye bye, Wraith.

 

[Eldorian]

Bye bye, Wraith.

Hello Wraith Dust Industries!

Eldorian Antar

 

[DizzyKungFu]

I hate to throw another wrench into the works, but the DMG and MM definitions of incorporeal creatures say that they have a 50% chance to ignore DAMAGE from a corporeal source. I assume that when you are disintegrated, you aren't damaged, you're just turned to dust (unless the creature makes its Fort save, then the 50% chance could be used to avoid the 5d6 damage). Am I correct in this intrepretation?