Spell Level Equivalent of Supernatural Abilities

[Roman]

Sometimes you need to know the spell level equivalent of supernatural abilities - is there any way to calculate it?

More specifically: In a campaign I play in, every character has a unique powerful special ability (or more than one) of some sort. My character's special ability is that the wounds he causes with bare hands cannot be healed by any means. Well, that is not strictly true - spells above 6th level can heal the wounds, but apart from that nothing can. We have encountered creatures with fast healing and that failed to heal their wounds. Now, just out of interest, although we have not encountered any yet, I am wondering whether creatures with regeneration would heal their wounds - hence I am wondering what level of spells would regeneration be equivalent to. I would ask the DM (and eventually will), but the thought only occured to me now just after we finished a session and the next one is not due for another week...

Personally, I suspect regeneration is equivalent to a higher than 6th level spell and thus would heal the wounds, but that is just a hunch - I have nothing to base it on.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Now, just out of interest, although we have not encountered any yet, I am wondering whether creatures with regeneration would heal their wounds...

Creatures with regeneration don't actually take wounds (except against certain attacks). In most cases, against your bare hands, they'd only take non-lethal damage, which would be regenerated normally.

If they had Regeneration 5/Good, for example, and you had the Good subtype, you'd deal actual wounds which they couldn't regenerate anyway. If you don't have holy hands, though, you don't wound them... you'd just deal non-lethal damage.

I suspect as a DM, I'd rule that that's outside the scope of your special ability.

-Hyp.

 

[Roman]

Creatures with regeneration don't actually take wounds (except against certain attacks). In most cases, against your bare hands, they'd only take non-lethal damage, which would be regenerated normally.

Good point!

If they had Regeneration 5/Good, for example, and you had the Good subtype, you'd deal actual wounds which they couldn't regenerate anyway. If you don't have holy hands, though, you don't wound them... you'd just deal non-lethal damage.

No I do not have holy, or magical, or adamantium, or whatever hands (though I am a monk so some of those will come eventually).

I suspect as a DM, I'd rule that that's outside the scope of your special ability.

I agree - I would probably rule the same. That said, what is the spell level equivalent of regeneration anyway. Is there a system to calculate the spell level equivalent of supernatural abilities? The example of my character illustrates that it could occassionally be useful to make such calculations (even though in this particular case it might not actually be applicable as you point out).

This could (though might not) be relevant to our campaign, since each character has some powerful special/unique ability or abilities - though for the most part I do not know what they are. I only know those of one other character who can advance as a Gestalt Cleric/Wizard (needs more XP to level though - I think he needs double or perhaps 1.5 times the normal XP) until he reaches requirements for Mystic Theurge (this will enable them to be met faster of course) and his offensive spells automatically ignore Spell Resistance.

Even if it turns out not to be relevant to our campaign - it is interesting and could be relevant in other circumstances.

 

[Greatwyrm]

As a side note, isn't regeneration an Exceptional ability, not Spell-like or Supernatural? Does that matter for your power?

 

[moritheil]

Good grief, Hypersmurf. I almost called you on this before I read your text and realized that you didn't get anything mixed up.

I normally see this denoted as "Regeneration 5. Good weapons deal normal damage," or something akin to that. Is it widely accepted to put /Good just as you would for damage reduction?

Creatures with regeneration don't actually take wounds (except against certain attacks). In most cases, against your bare hands, they'd only take non-lethal damage, which would be regenerated normally.

If they had Regeneration 5/Good, for example, and you had the Good subtype, you'd deal actual wounds which they couldn't regenerate anyway. If you don't have holy hands, though, you don't wound them... you'd just deal non-lethal damage.

I suspect as a DM, I'd rule that that's outside the scope of your special ability.

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Is it widely accepted to put /Good just as you would for damage reduction?

It's not official stat block format, but it's used in discussion... hmm, if not necessarily 'widely', at least not uncommonly.

It's much easier to type than the standard form, after all, and the slash represents exactly what it does in the official DR notation: "but this ability can be bypassed by".

The meaning was clear to you once you took a moment to consider it, right?

-Hyp.