Now from reading this it gives the impression that undead can be crited with this weapon when they normally are immune them. Does the Shard grant the extra ability to crit undead or is the X3 crit mod only apply to negative plane creatures?
In the shard of light entry in KoD it states that the blade deals double damage against negative plane & undead creatures. It also states that it does x3 damage on a crit instead of x2.
Now from reading this it gives the impression that undead can be crited with this weapon when they normally are immune them. Does the Shard grant the extra ability to crit undead or is the X3 crit mod only apply to negative plane creatures?
I would say that you can get criticals against the undead using the Shard of Light due to the positive energy the blade is infused with. I am not sure, since my module is not with me, but wasn't it made due to a prayer to Paladine ?
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In the shard of light entry in KoD it states that the blade deals double damage against negative plane & undead creatures. It also states that it does x3 damage on a crit instead of x2.
Now from reading this it gives the impression that undead can be crited with this weapon when they normally are immune them. Does the Shard grant the extra ability to crit undead or is the X3 crit mod only apply to negative plane creatures?
I don't know how others are handling this, or even if I'm using it properly, but the way I'm playing it is, it does allow for crititical hits on negative plane/undead, and when it happens, does x3 damage. Against anything else (non undead/ non negative plane), it's normal damage, and critical hits only do x2 damage as most weapons do.
I don't know how others are handling this, or even if I'm using it properly, but the way I'm playing it is, it does allow for crititical hits on negative plane/undead, and when it happens, does x3 damage. Against anything else (non undead/ non negative plane), it's normal damage, and critical hits only do x2 damage as most weapons do.
Somehow your post seem so much more informative than my own. *shrugs*
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The reason I ask is wouldn't or shouldn't the discription of the shard pointedly state that one of the sword's abilities is to crit undead instead of sneaking it in? It makes me second guess that the x3 crit to undead was a typo.
I would say that if it was an error it would have been in the official KoD errata.
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I would say that if it was an error it would have been in the official KoD errata.
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Good point, but its possible it may have been over looked.
The reason I ask is wouldn't or shouldn't the discription of the shard pointedly state that one of the sword's abilities is to crit undead instead of sneaking it in? It makes me second guess that the x3 crit to undead was a typo.
I'm guessing it's kinda a flavor added effect. I think of it as something like if a character swings the weapon at an undead / negative plane monster and hits, that maybe the weapon has a momentary flash or pulse of light / positive energy that inflicts extra damage (ie the special critical that affects only monsters with the correct subtype). This would make sense, given the shard's origin, as well as use in the adventure. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it. :P I guess until Chris, Jamie, or someone else from SP spells it out implicitly, it's open to interpretation. This is just my spin on it though.
Sorta sounds like me and LOI have a pretty similar take on it. How are you interpreting it Sysane (or are you just looking for clarification)? Just curious- this may warrant a little more thought after all.
Somehow your post seem so much more informative than my own. *shrugs*
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*companionable slap on the back* Thanks for the compliment LOI, sounds like we're thinking along the same lines here, so that's all that matters.
I know this is not the same, but burst weapons (flaming, frost, shocking...and so forth) do their extra burst damage against undead (and constructs and other non-crittable creatures) when they confirm a critical threat.
Oooo, that's notta bad idea for a take on it either. Instead of x3 on a critical, maybe just having a burst effect on the weapon, whereas it does extra damage in the form of positive energy on what would normally be construed as a critical hit on an undead / negative plane monster. Plus it makes more sense since it only affects undead / negative plane critters. I think I like that a little better...
Sorta sounds like me and LOI have a pretty similar take on it. How are you interpreting it Sysane (or are you just looking for clarification)? Just curious- this may warrant a little more thought after all.
I wouldn't mind hearing from Cam or Jamie on this one. I'd just like to have some clarifaction.
The shard of light is essentially a variant sun blade (see p228 of the Dungeon Master's Guide) and works almost exactly the same way. Negative Energy Plane creatures that aren't also undead are fairly rare, however - the xeg-yi is one such creature, but Krynnish characters are unlikely to ever encounter one of them.
Cheers,
Cam
Ah I see. When you confirm a hit with the shard it does x3 damage and is not considered a critical hit against undead. Gotcha! Thanks :D
No, when you attack an undead with the shard it deals double damage. If the creature you strike with the shard is vulnerable to critical hits AND is a Negative Energy Plane or undead creature, it would deal x3 damage (because adding x2 for the critical hit to the existing x2 damage makes x3, just as a critical hit with a mounted lance increases the multiplier to x3) but there aren't very many situations where this is possible.
So, what normally happens is you'd deal 1d6+2 (plus Str modifier) damage with the shard against non-evil, non-Negative Energy Plane and non-undead creatures. Against evil creatures, the damage increases to 1d6+4 (plus Strength modifier). Against undead or Negative Energy Plane creatures, the damage is doubled to 2d6+8 (plus double Strength modifier). Against an evil Negative Energy Plane creature that is vulnerable to critical hits (such as an outsider or magical beast), the damage is tripled to 3d6+12 (plus triple Strength modifier).
Undead are, in other words, never going to be affected by the x3 multiplier mentioned in the item text. That's only there in the (very unlikely) event that the target is affected by critical hits.
Cheers,
Cam