Fear immunity

[brehobit]

Hi folks,
There is a 2008 thread that touched on this and I could swear there was a formal answer from WoTC at some point but I couldn't find it.

What happens if you use a power with the fear keyword on a monster immune to fear? The consensus in that thread seemed to be that that immunity rendered the creature immune to the effects of the power, but not the damage. Is that accurate?

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Fear is an effect type, not a damage type, so I believe you are correct.

Immune
A creature that is immune to a damage type (such as cold or fire), a condition (such as dazed or petrified), or another specific effect (such as disease or forced movement) is not affected by it. A creature that is immune to charm, fear, illusion, poison, or sleep is not affected by the nondamaging effects of a power that has that keyword. A creature that is immune to gaze is not affected by powers that have that keyword.

 

[Aulirophile]

It is only immune to the non-damaging effects of the power. Poison is the only keyword that is both damage and effects (which causes confusion depending on the power).

Also Immune to Intimidate now.

 

[brehobit]

It is only immune to the non-damaging effects of the power. Poison is the only keyword that is both damage and effects (which causes confusion depending on the power).

Also Immune to Intimidate now.

Cool, the intimidate thing makes sense, but I'd never seen it.

Out of curiosity, do people actually remember to do this? So many weird feats have the fear keyword (a number of the Ardent powers for example) that I imagine folks forget a lot.

 

[Aulirophile]

Cool, the intimidate thing makes sense, but I'd never seen it.

Out of curiosity, do people actually remember to do this? So many weird feats have the fear keyword (a number of the Ardent powers for example) that I imagine folks forget a lot.

RC change.

Well... I remember. Whether monsters have certain immunities is a big part of encounter design.

 

[Aegeri]

I find it pretty straightforward in general. Fear, charm etc are for non-damage types of a power. Cold, fire and such are the stuff that isn't. The only complicated thing at times is realizing that a PCs power will have say, the fear keyword and that a monster may ignore that.