Corporeal Source

[darkfnord]

Can anyone point me to a clarification about whether spells count as a "corporeal source" for the purposes of the 50% miss chance when attacking incorporeal beings?


Matt

 

[Xarlen]

Page 77 of the DMG. It says that Incorperal creatures can only be harmed by other incorpreal effects, +1 or greater weapons, Spells, Spell-Like abilities, etc.

 

[darkfnord]

That's not my question. The question is, do you roll a miss chance for spells cast by corporeal characters, the way you do for magic weapons?

Matt

 

[hong]

I would rule that spells that cause physical damage (including from energy effects, like fireball) would be subject to the miss chance. Other spells and abilities wouldn't (charm, hold, turn undead, dispel magic, etc). An incorporeal creature is still present, it just doesn't have physical form.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Can anyone point me to a clarification about whether spells count as a "corporeal source" for the purposes of the 50% miss chance when attacking incorporeal beings?


Matt

It's not the spell, but the source of the spell that makes it corporeal. So if the spell came from an adventuring wizard, then it is a corporeal source and suffers the 50% chance to be ignored, unless it is also a force effect, like the Magic Missile spell. But if the spell came from a Spectre or a wizard in Ghost Form, then it is not a corporeal source and there would be no 50% chance to ignore the spell.

 

[hong]

Re: Re: Corporeal Source

It's not the spell, but the source of the spell that makes it corporeal. So if the spell came from an adventuring wizard, then it is a corporeal source and suffers the 50% chance to be ignored, unless it is also a force effect, like the Magic Missile spell. But if the spell came from a Spectre or a wizard in Ghost Form, then it is not a corporeal source and there would be no 50% chance to ignore the spell.

So would you require a cleric to roll a 50% miss chance on their turn undead attempt against a spectre or ghost?

 

[Macbrea]

An incorpreal being is both on the Ethereal plane and the Prime material plane at the same time. That is the reason for the 50% miss chance. It should be noted that any spell which crosses the boundries should effect an incorpreal creature without a problem.



Quote of Etherealness from SRD

Force effects are a special exception. A force effect extends onto the Ethereal Plane. Gaze effects and abjurations also extend from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane. None of these effects extend from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane.

Which means that all abjuration spells should effect an incorpreal creature just as if it was corpreal. With the exception of Antimagic field which will cause them to wink out. Because, manifest is normally a supernatural ability.


All other spells without the [Force] indicator should have a 50% miss chance on incorpreal creatures.

 

[Macbrea]

Re: Re: Re: Corporeal Source

So would you require a cleric to roll a 50% miss chance on their turn undead attempt against a spectre or ghost?

I would treat turn undead as a Gaze effect and therefor not have to worry about the 50% miss chance.

 

[0-hr]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Corporeal Source

I would treat turn undead as a Gaze effect and therefor not have to worry about the 50% miss chance.

So the spectre can avert his eyes to avoid being turned?

 

[Macbrea]

No, your probably right. I would just probably rule the supernatural effect crosses the Ethereal boundry and just call it a day.

Turning is clearly mean to work on all undead within the area. I wouldn't think a ghost would be safe unmanifested in the ethreal plane standing in the same square as the Cleric when he turned undead.