Balor vs Solar Q

[Cheiromancer]

Ok. A balor lobs off a solar's head with his vorpal sword. The sword is not epic, so it doesn't do lethal damage; the solar's regeneration 15 applies. Does the solar die? Actually, does the head even come off?

Here's what the Regeneration entry says:

Attack forms that don’t deal hit point damage ignore regeneration.

An attack that can cause instant death only threatens the creature with death if it is delivered by weapons that deal it lethal damage.

The first line suggests that the vorpal effect totally ignores regeneration: the solar's head does come off. The second line says this won't kill the solar.

Am I right?

 

[Stalker0]

It saying that the attacks like ray of enfeeblement ignore regneration because they do no damage. But the 2nd line clinches it for vorpal, you can't cut off someones head with nonlethal damage.

 

[irdeggman]

Unless the Solar's entry states it dies when its head is cut off then it follows the regeneration rules and regenerates severed body parts.


The rules for vorpal weapons apply and the Solar's head can be cut off, but the other rules for regeneration are still followed.


In this case the Solar does not die, but how well it functions with its head cut off is an interesting question.

 

[Abisashi]

This happens in cartoons sometimes, usually with robots. Doesn't this happen in Star Wars, too?

Head: No, he's to the left! The left!
Body: [attacks to the left]
Head: No, not that far left, that's our friend!

 

[Cheiromancer]

The legend of Saint Denis (or Saint Dionysius) says that when his executioners decapitated him, he picked up his head and walked away. There is a similar legend regarding the Green Knight. I don't see why a Solar couldn't do the same thing.

And by the rules it doesn't look like decapitating a golem or elemental or anything disables the creature in any way.

Hmmm. Can you drown or suffocate a solar? It's an outsider, and the SRD says outsiders breathe.

 

[kirinke]

lol. That's what necklace of adaptation is for doncha know. And I'd think that any self respecting Solar or angel would have one handy for just such an occurance.

*Scritches head.
But by the RAW, it does look like you could drown or suffocate one. It'd just be mighty durned hard to do so I'd think.

 

[Sejs]

Vorpal's headlopping is negated by the fact that the sword isn't dealing lethal damage to the Solar.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Vorpal's headlopping is negated by the fact that the sword isn't dealing lethal damage to the Solar

You mean the head wouldn't come off? Why not? It just wouldn't kill the solar, that's all.

 

[Delta]

Clearly he doesn't die. I'd rule that the head comes with little effect, but that's very much a DM call.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

The head is lopped off, and regrows during the next 3d6 minutes. During which time it has serious trouble fighting since it has no vision, hearing, smell, and is blind and deafened

Blinded

The character cannot see. He takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class, loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), moves at half speed, and takes a -4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) to the blinded character. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.

Deafened

A deafened character cannot hear. She takes a -4 penalty on initiative checks, automatically fails Listen checks, and has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components. Characters who remain deafened for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.