Does a Death Ward Protect against Phantasmal Killer?

[IceBear]

Re: Re

It could be construed either way if one goes by the wording. Such is the ambiguity of the answer, but nonetheless, the first words he uses is death effect.

Nowhere in the answer does he in anyway indicate that just because fear is the cause of death that it is not a death effect. I see no reason why the sage would not have indicated that the fear component was different from a death effect.

As I said before, such answers are open to interpretation because they are poorly written. Oh well. We will just go by group consensus until an official revision is made.

But what I'm trying to get across is Death Ward protects against *magical* death effects. The magical portion of Phantasmal Killer is the illusion of your worst fear. The rest of it - the part where your body dies - is natural; it's the body failing to endure the trauma that the fear creates. Remove the *magical* illusion, and there is no fear and thus no death.

IceBear

 

[Antikinesis]

Originally posted by Pielorinho
3) "Effect," as a noun, means "result." "Affect," as a noun, means "the conscious subjective aspect of an emotion considered apart from bodily changes." (You'll almost never correctly use "affect" as a noun -- stick with "effect.")

It's pronounced differently, too.

Noun: AF-fect. Verb: af-FECT

Dan's right. If you ain't talkin' psychology, "affect" is a verb.

Just to confuse the issue... "effect" can be a verb, too. E.g., "to effect a change...".

Soooo... The effects of your attempts to effect the proper use of "effect" and "affect" affects our affects.

My head hurts.

-AK

 

[Pielorinho]

Soooo... The effects of your attempts to effect the proper use of "effect" and "affect" affects our affects.
-AK

Bad AK! No cookie for you!

Daniel

 

[Antikinesis]

Bad AK! No cookie for you!

Aww, man. I gave myself a headache and I lost my cookie.

It's a cruel world.

 

[Elaer]

I've just read a three page arguement with boils down to a)the meaning of the word "death" in a fantasy role-playing game, b) the nature of the construction of "magical death effects" when used in a sentance, and c) whether or not philosophers should be allowed to interact with normal society.

Wittgenstein anyone?

 

[drnuncheon]

Re: Re

On Page 4 of the Monsters FAQ on the Wizards website, the Sage is asked if Phantasmal Killer will kill a troll.

The Sage replied "that regneration does not protect against death effects or other special effects that cause death such as massive damage, drowning, starvation, or having one's constitution score lessened to zero."

His answer might be construed as meaning he views Phantasmal Killer as a death effect. Nowhere does he state that the spell falls into the second category of "other special effects that cause death".

Nowhere does he indicate that death caused by fear is not a death effect, but a "special effect that causes death".

Well, yes, but nowhere does he state or even imply that phantasmal killer and 'death by fear' are magical death effects, either - so his reply is not really evidence for anything except the fact that PK can kill a regenerating creature.

To me, a 'magical death effect' would have to be just death, not 'death by' something, whether that 'something' is drowning, starvation, fire damage, being turned into dust...or fear.

J

 

[FlimFlam]

Still wondering if you think death by a summoned creature is death effect.

 

[AuraSeer]

Still wondering if you think death by a summoned creature is death effect.

It's not, and I don't think anyone has indicated that they believe otherwise.

 

[Artoomis]

From the Glossary:

"Death: A spell domain composed of nine divine spells
and a granted power themed around the concept of
death. Also a spell descriptor denoting spells and
effects that slay living creatures. Creatures slain by a
death effect cannot be raised by raise dead. Either resurrection or true resurrection is required to revivify
such a corpse. See also dead."

It would appear that a "death effect" is a technical term for being killed by a spell with a "death" descriptor.

While PK has a "fear" descriptor (which right away tells you the best defense is to be immune to fear effects, not death effects), it does not have a "death" descriptor.

It seems that Death Ward is intended to protect you from getting killed by a method that would prevent you from being raised.

End of story.

 

[IceBear]

End of story.

Oh, how I wish it was

IceBear