Channel Positive Energy

[sdjohnso]

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to figure out the best way to Channel Positive Energy in fantasy grounds.

Anyone know if it's already in a spell list that I can download?

If not, can anyone tell me how to create a macro that will damage the selected undead or heal the selected living in the area?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

To Your Success,
Scott Johnson

[Willot]

create a spell class called Channels
enter how many channels you get a day in the lvl 1 slot
create two lvl 1 spells called Channel heal and Channel Damage undead.
Right click on Channel Heal, Add Spell Action-> Heal, and enter the applicable heal you get for your level
Right Click on Channel Damage Undead, Add Spell Action->Add Cast, (cause undead get a chance to resist your channel)
Right Click on Channel Damage Undead, Add Spell Action->Add Damage, and enter the applicable Damage you get for your level

6168

[Nickademus]

I've considered adding 'force' to the damage type on this due to channel energy dealing full damage to incorporeal creatures. Anyone see a downside to this?

[Bidmaron]

Nickademus, as Willot entered this, you could cast the damage undead on absolutely anything and it would work, or am I missing something?

[JohnD]

I'd think you would still need to select targets to apply it to.

[Nickademus]

Creatures with the incorporeal condition take no damage from weapons without the 'magic' damage type and half damage from all weapons and spells unless they have the 'force' damage type.

The Pathfinder Bestiary's entry for incorporeality says this:
Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, it takes only half damage from a corporeal source. Although it is not a magical attack, holy water can affect incorporeal undead. Corporeal spells and effects that do not cause damage only have a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal creature (except for channel energy). Force spells and effects, such as from a magic missile, affect an incorporeal creature normally.

This confuses me since the effect of channel energy to undead is damage yet the sentence it is in talks about effects that do not deal damage. If channel energy is supposed to deal full damage to incorporeal creatures, then it would need the 'force' damage type. If not, I don't know what the paranthetical is referring to.

[Trenloe]

This confuses me since the effect of channel energy to undead is damage yet the sentence it is in talks about effects that do not deal damage.
https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/feats.html#_turn-undead Maybe?? :/

[Nickademus]

Turn Undead is so passe. :P

So I was right, channeled energy damage is still halved in PF. This came up in a game. I guess we really should have TPK'd. (Don't tell our GM...)

[Trenloe]

So I was right, channeled energy damage is still halved in PF. This came up in a game. I guess we really should have TPK'd. (Don't tell our GM...)
I wouldn't say that... the quote you provide above says "Corporeal spells and effects that do not cause damage only have a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal creature" this is 50% chance of "affecting" - so, kinda like concealment (50% miss chance).

It looks like the source you quoted is a little out of date. Here is a paragraph from the Universal Monster Rules on the Paizo PRD:


Incorporeal (Ex) An incorporeal creature has no physical body. It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons, and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, it takes only half damage from a corporeal source (except for channel energy). Although it is not a magical attack, holy water can affect incorporeal undead. Corporeal spells and effects that do not cause damage only have a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal creature. Force spells and effects, such as from a magic missile, affect an incorporeal creature normally.
This is specifically referring to "damage" (not affect) and so it shows that channel energy will do 100% damage against undead incorporeal targets.

[Bidmaron]

Nickademus, I didn't realize FG was protecting incorporeals when you attack them now (haven't tried it). I guess that means PFRPG (or 3.5) is smart enough as it stands to recognize that 'incorporeal' reduces damage.

[Trenloe]

Nickademus, I didn't realize FG was protecting incorporeals when you attack them now (haven't tried it). I guess that means PFRPG (or 3.5) is smart enough as it stands to recognize that 'incorporeal' reduces damage.
Yep - when a creature with the Incorporeal quality is added to the combat tracker FG will add the "Incorporeal" condition - which for FG means it will resist all weapon damage from non magical weapons, half from magic weapons (weapon damage type contains "magic"), half damage from spells, unless they have the force damage type. Pretty much covers the damage options automatically.

One thing I have noticed - it "Spell damage" check box in spell damage effects - it is reversed. i.e. If it is checked it does NOT apply spell damage, but if it is not checked then the damage is of TYPE:spell - confusing!

[Nickademus]

Incorporeal is indeed nicely automated.

Thank you Trenloe. I'll need to check the version update on my Bestiary. Didn't realize it was first printing. And I'm glad the entry was changed to be more clear.

So then, 'positive, force' damage for the channel damage entry to fully affect incorporeal creatures. Any other problems this might cause?

[Trenloe]

So then, 'positive, force' damage for the channel damage entry to fully affect incorporeal creatures. Any other problems this might cause?
I can only think of the rare occasion where some "thing" in the area of a channel is either not undead (that's a given that the GM adjudicates that) or the "thing" is vulnerable or resistant to "force" damage (is there such a thing?)

I think it's pretty safe, probably... :)

[Nickademus]

Good to know, thanks.

[Willot]

Nickademus, as Willot entered this, you could cast the damage undead on absolutely anything and it would work, or am I missing something?

I'd think you would still need to select targets to apply it to.
Yes, Sorry with this method you would still manually select your targets, and yes you could select living targets with Damage undead. Im just assuming you wouldnt.
Having the computer automatically select the targets for you I dont think is possible. I wouldnt think having the computer select target for you would be a good idea as there is ALWAYS! an exception to the rule.

Perhaps you are under a curse causing your damage undead to damage the living. Who knows. NEVER EVER allow a computer to make decisions for you (I wish corporation like Microsoft would learn this!)

Reminds me of an old joke "A customer walks into a store to find another customer yelling and screaming pointing to an item on a shelf behind the store clerk. The store clerk upon consulting his COMPUTER says "Its no good pointing at it sir, the computer says we dont have any!"

[Bidmaron]

Well, it would be nice for the computer to make a guess that the GM could override.

[Willot]

Well, it would be nice for the computer to make a guess that the GM could override.

NO! This is how it starts! Might I just suggest sir.... and before you know it they are now our machine overlords!!! IT'S THE COMMING OF SKYNET PEOPLE!!!!!!

.......



Its ok Ive had my medication now...I feel better....

[Bidmaron]

Now that's friggin' funny!

[sdjohnso]

Yes, Sorry with this method you would still manually select your targets, and yes you could select living targets with Damage undead. Im just assuming you wouldnt.

That makes perfect sense.

Our GM plays by pretty strict rules, so we may not always know, prior to casting, whether an enemy is undead (unless we pass an appropriate knowledge check).

So let's say I target every enemy in my Channel's AOE and cast the spell, without knowing that one is not undead due to a failed knowledge check. Can my GM negate the spell for that creature while still having the spell affect the rest of them, or is it best to target each specifically prior to casting?

Thank you everyone for all of your replies, I'm learning a lot!

To Your Success,
Scott Johnson

[Nickademus]

Our GM plays by pretty strict rules, so we may not always know, prior to casting, whether an enemy is undead (unless we pass an appropriate knowledge check).

So let's say I target every enemy in my Channel's AOE and cast the spell, without knowing that one is not undead due to a failed knowledge check. Can my GM negate the spell for that creature while still having the spell affect the rest of them, or is it best to target each specifically prior to casting?

I'm working on something (or at least I should be instead of trolling forums) that will take care of this. It will be a few days though, maybe more depending on the difficulties I run into.

[Trenloe]

Until Nickademus gets you something, the GM will either have to remove the targets before you trigger the cast for the will save or the roll for damage. Or, the GM can magically heal the ones who wouldn't be affected afterwards.

[Nickademus]

Or give them a hidden effect that makes them IMMUNE: to positive damage.

[Nickademus]

Our GM plays by pretty strict rules, so we may not always know, prior to casting, whether an enemy is undead (unless we pass an appropriate knowledge check).

So let's say I target every enemy in my Channel's AOE and cast the spell, without knowing that one is not undead due to a failed knowledge check. Can my GM negate the spell for that creature while still having the spell affect the rest of them, or is it best to target each specifically prior to casting?

Got you right here (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?20547-EXT-Expanded-Effect-Tags). Just add 'undead' to the damage type of the channel damage action. If any of your targets are not undead, it will say "[NOT AFFECTED]" and apply no damage. An example of channel exists in the image in the post.

[sdjohnso]

Willot, is there any way you could show a pic of the spell details?

New to creating a spell and am a bit confused by it. Not a lot of info in the user manual from what I saw.

If you have any other resources I should review, please let me know!

Thanks!

[Willot]

Here ya go6252

[Nickademus]

Looking in the common_data.lua of both PF and 3.5e it does not seem like 'divine' is a damage type. You would need to use 'positive' for it to register as something other than untyped. Also, you should throw in 'force' for the reasons I stated earlier in the thread. (And of course 'undead' if the GM is using the EET extension.)

[Willot]

Yep proberily didnt know positive was a damage type when I wrote it

[Nickademus]

Now that I think about it, divine is a damage type in PF and 3.5e (flame strike for instance) and might need to be added. I don't remember if anything grants resistance to divine damage as a special ability, maybe one of the anti-diety archetypes or prestige classes. If not it will be fine being treated as 'untyped'.