Sun Blade/Negative Energy Plane Creatures

[Particle_Man]

The Sun Blade allows double damage vs. Undead and Negative Energy Creatures, and a x3 crit instead of a x2 (which bastard swords normally get).

1) Are there such things as Negative Energy Plane creatures that are not undead? What pages/books are they found in?

2) Is a sun blade one of the few weapons capable of critical hits on the undead, which are normally immune to critical hits?

 

[magnas_veritas]

The Sun Blade allows double damage vs. Undead and Negative Energy Creatures, and a x3 crit instead of a x2 (which bastard swords normally get).

1) Are there such things as Negative Energy Plane creatures that are not undead? What pages/books are they found in?

The xeg-yi (MotP, pp. 168-169, the negative energon) is the only one out there right now that I know of. I think there used to be more in 2e/Planescape, but I could be mistaken.

2) Is a sun blade one of the few weapons capable of critical hits on the undead, which are normally immune to critical hits?

Per the Sage Advice in Dragon # 308, no. If you look at the description in the 3.5 DMG, it mentions doing double damage to Negative Energy Plane creatures and undead, and then, in parentheses, x3 damage on a crit. Since it doesn't specifically mention it can crit undead, it doesn't. Sadly.

Brad

 

[kreynolds]

2) Is a sun blade one of the few weapons capable of critical hits on the undead, which are normally immune to critical hits?

IIRC, this was clarified by Andy on the WotC boards. If I'm not mistaken, it does indeed crit on undead. I can't say that with 100% certainty though. Actually, I can't even say that with 70% certainty, but there it is.

 

[kreynolds]

Nevermind folks. I forgot. Andy doesn't need to clarify this in the first place. The new DMG already does. Basically, any special function that kicks off on a critical hit, like flaming burst, still functions against creatures than are immune to critical hits. You roll anyway to see if you can confirm the crit. You just don't _actually_ get a critical hit.

3.5 DMG, page 222.

Now, if you're talkin' 'about 3.0, then I think Skips ruling nerfed the hell out of it, like magnas_veritas said.

 

[Zentermi]

Doesn't this sword automatically score *Double* damage with each strike to the afore-mentioned critters? The x3 would only be for critters affected by crits.

Seems to me, it's just plain greedy to want to be able to x3 crit damage that is already always doubled(which would be better than x2 in this case, since it's a twinning of damage<eg: (10+10)*3=60 rather than a multiplier, which has to scale<x2+x3=x5, meaning 10x5=50>). Did I explain that right?

Damn I must be bored.

I'm prolly wrong, but I'll be right some other day.