[BoVD] Undead & Corrupt Spells

[Hand of Vecna]

I'm sure this has probably been asked/answered before, but I've yet to find a thread on it.

Corrupt spells from the Book of Vile Darkness cause temporary ability damage, or in some cases permanent ability drain. Undead, however, are generally immune to ability drain/damage. Are Undead immune to the ability drain cost of a Corrupt spell? Would a Lich casting Consume Likeness suffer 2d6 points of permanent Wisdom drain?

 

[the Jester]

That's a very good question... I'll have to hit my BoVD to look and see if it says anything about it...

It doesn't seem to say anything. Are any of the Corrupt spells ones with an ability cost and an undead component? If so, then I'd say undead suffer from it as a special case. Otherwise I don't really know...

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

It seems appropriate for balance (I say that undead are), but not really supported by the rules. Undead are immune to ability damage, period.

 

[Hand of Vecna]

It doesn't seem to say anything. Are any of the Corrupt spells ones with an ability cost and an undead component? If so, then I'd say undead suffer from it as a special case. Otherwise I don't really know...

I just looked through my book, and no, no Corrupt spell has an Undead component.

 

[hong]

Note that undead are immune to ability _drain_ (permanent), but can still be affected by ability _damage_ (temporary) to mental stats.

 

[James McMurray]

They're also immune to ability damage to their physical stats.

IIRC this question was posed a while back on the boards at Monte Cook's site and his answer was to have them take the damage, or to disallow casting of the spells by creatures without the appropriate stat (undead without con, incorporeal critters without strength, etc.)

I could very well be misremembering though. I personally would tend to shunt that damage the undead's mental stats: Charisma for Con, Intelligence for Dexterity, and Wisdom for Strength.