Energy Substitution (Sonic)

[MoonZar]

Depending on how you read certain passages

Or shall we do another What the...?! from the 3.5 Main FAQ?

Yeah, why not?

p31:
Hardness applies to acid and sonic attacks. These attacks deal
normal damage both to creatures and to objects, and thus would
deal normal damage to an animated object (less the effect of the
hardness). You would subtract 5 points for hardness from
whatever damage a Melf's acid arrow spell deals to the
animated table in your example.

p41:
Acid, sonic, and force attacks ignore hardness. Hardness
applies to cold, electricity, and fire attacks.

... what the...!?

-Hyp.

hahaha are you serious about this ? Man they should correct this...

 

[Jdvn1]

Depending on how you read certain passages

Or shall we do another What the...?! from the 3.5 Main FAQ?

Yeah, why not?

I remember that one when they came out with it too. I still think you should start a thread with all the What the...?!'s from the 3.5 Main FAQ.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I remember that one when they came out with it too.

I can easily see support for both interpretations in what's written in the PHB, though I'm personally inclined to favour "Hardness applies".

I read "deal damage normally" as "don't divide by anything". Then you follow the rules for objects, that state hardness is subtracted from all damage.

The other energy types specifically mention hardness, because they need to state whether hardness applies before or after you divide the damage by 2 or 4.

-Hyp.

 

[Celebrim]

I'm glad to see that sonic is no longer a valid energy type.

I would allow energy substitution (sonic) if the damage from the spell was reduced to the next smaller die (d8's become d6's, d6's become d4's, etc.). I think that would make it fair.

 

[Jdvn1]

I can easily see support for both interpretations in what's written in the PHB, though I'm personally inclined to favour "Hardness applies".

I always pictured sound as being able to bypass hardness -- that's why it's used in spells like Shatter. Which doesn't apply to all objects, but the general rule has to go in one way or another.

 

[Jdvn1]

I'm glad to see that sonic is no longer a valid energy type.

I would allow energy substitution (sonic) if the damage from the spell was reduced to the next smaller die (d8's become d6's, d6's become d4's, etc.). I think that would make it fair.

I'd allow that too.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Sonic is more powerful simply because i dont know many monster who are immune or have sonic resistance according to me.

Slaadi are the only ones that come to mind, although I guess Anarchic creatures could also have this kind of resistance.

 

[MoonZar]

Slaadi are the only ones that come to mind, although I guess Anarchic creatures could also have this kind of resistance.

Yeah slaad kick ass but this still very rare, this weird in 10 years of dming i never used slaad heheheh

 

[HeavyG]

I'm starting to use Slaadi more and more. They're very violent AND they are not particularly impressed with the Holy weapons everyone and their little brothers seem to have these days.

 

[Funkthis]

Slaadi...bring em on!!

I wish the DM in one campaign would use them more....then my monk and his lawful fists would rock!!!! Otherwise it is by far the most useless ability given to Monks. Yeah...like they were so powerful to begin with.