Some weird questions

[Geiger Counter]

If you give a PC with a belt that grants immunity to critical hits and their head gets lopped off by a vorpal sword, because the head is no longer attached to the body would the belt loose it's effect on the creature's head causing it to die instantly? Or would the head remain alive? Is there anyway to reattach the head?

Say there is a wight and it's head gets chopped off, Does the head still do the seeing and talking or does it see and speak from where it's head was? Is there anyway for an undead to reattach, regrow or replace lost bodyparts?

Has anyone ever used a weapon with a Vicious enchantment? Are magic item dealers even willing to buy these from you if you found one? Has anyone ever modified the Vicious enchantment?

[Strategos]

Vorpal
This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes. Upon a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the weapon severs the opponent’s head (if it has one) from its body. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off. A vorpal weapon must be a slashing weapon. (If you roll this property randomly for an inappropriate weapon, reroll.)

So, it seems that the PC with the Belt of Crit Immunity would get his head snicker-snacked, and Wights, not being Vampires, benefit from the blanket undead immunity. **edit though they do lose their head with no ill effect /edit ***

I'm away from books at the moment, but is the Vicious enhancement from the MiC?

[panaikhan]

1. Decapitation is not necessarily a critical hit.
The FAQ from WotC covers this, specifically about vorpal weapons. It's not the fact that the blow is a critical, it's the fact that it's a natural 20.

2. I'm not sure how undead handle dismemberment....

3. I have had a character construct a vicious weapon - namely a Merciful Vicious Greatsword for a Warforged character.

[Geiger Counter]

I'm away from books at the moment, but is the Vicious enhancement from the MiC?

DMG I think.

[Strategos]

Duh! It's right above Vorpal in the SRD, I totally failed my spot check there :smallredface:

I've never put any into my games, rolled any up randomly or had a PC ask for one, but it is untyped damage and thus is hard to get around so I can see where it might be useful, especially if one had Fast Healing to get around the damage. ***edit So magic item dealers might buy them but they'd have a very specific customer base in mind so might buy for less. /edit***

[KillianHawkeye]

Say there is a wight and it's head gets chopped off, Does the head still do the seeing and talking or does it see and speak from where it's head was? Is there anyway for an undead to reattach, regrow or replace lost bodyparts?

I'd probably rule that the wight loses the ability to speak (as well as his ability to see and hear) since it lacks the proper appendage to do so.

[Douglas]

If you give a PC with a belt that grants immunity to critical hits and their head gets lopped off by a vorpal sword, because the head is no longer attached to the body would the belt loose it's effect on the creature's head causing it to die instantly? Or would the head remain alive? Is there anyway to reattach the head?
The head would not get lopped off in the first place. Vorpal requires both a natural 20 and confirming the critical hit in order to work, and the belt-granted immunity prevents that second step from happening.

[Geiger Counter]

The head would not get lopped off in the first place. Vorpal requires both a natural 20 and confirming the critical hit in order to work, and the belt-granted immunity prevents that second step from happening.

If you were waring a belt of total fortification what would happen if someone lopped off your head while you slept?

[KillianHawkeye]

If you were waring a belt of total fortification what would happen if someone lopped off your head while you slept?

Do you wear belts while you're sleeping? :smallconfused:

[marjan]

The head would not get lopped off in the first place. Vorpal requires both a natural 20 and confirming the critical hit in order to work, and the belt-granted immunity prevents that second step from happening.

Not exactly. The critical still happens, you just don't take extra damage from it.

[Killer Angel]

The head would not get lopped off in the first place. Vorpal requires both a natural 20 and confirming the critical hit in order to work, and the belt-granted immunity prevents that second step from happening.

And still, in the same description of the Vorpal weapon, it seems that you can cut the head of a golem or a undead. "Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads."

[awa]

but their are ways to crit undead and probably constructs to

[Killer Angel]

but their are ways to crit undead and probably constructs to

Yes, but the Vorpal description is in the DMG, and those ways to crit undead, came only after with subsequent splatbooks, so cannot affect the reading of the previous Vorpal's ability.

[Sinfire Titan]

About the Vicious question: My PCs love using it, and it's an excellent enhancement for a Crusader. And Totemists, for some odd reason.

[Lysander]

Here's the ultimate weird question: What happens if a sword has both the vorpal and merciful enchantments? Would it cause non-lethal beheadings? :smallwink:

[arguskos]

Here's the ultimate weird question: What happens if a sword has both the vorpal and merciful enchantments? Would it cause non-lethal beheadings? :smallwink:
Vorpal isn't damage, so, no. They're still beheaded, lethally. :smalltongue:

[Guilliaume]

I got my rogue to sneak attack undead using core. My source: Sunblade

In normal combat, the glowing golden blade of the weapon is equal to a +2 bastard sword. Against evil creatures, its enhancement bonus is +4. Against Negative Energy Plane creatures or undead creatures, the sword deals double damage (and ×3 on a critical hit instead of the usual ×2).

[Person_Man]

I would say that in most cases it's a mistake to use a Vorpal weapon against the PC. If an enemy rolls a natural 20, a PC dies. Instant PC death - without the protections and drama of hit points or a Saving Throw - isn't fun for anyone (except maybe a sadistic DM). Also, there's no way of knowing that it's a Vorpal weapon until AFTER someone's head has been chopped off. So there's nothing a PC could reasonably do to counter or defend against it short of killing all of his enemies in the first round - there is no failed decision or even a failed roll. It's just sudden brutal death. So as a DM, I would not choose to use it in one of my encounters.

[Sliver]

I would say that in most cases it's a mistake to use a Vorpal weapon against the PC. If an enemy rolls a natural 20, a PC dies. Instant PC death - without the protections and drama of hit points or a Saving Throw - isn't fun for anyone (except maybe a sadistic DM). Also, there's no way of knowing that it's a Vorpal weapon until AFTER someone's head has been chopped off. So there's nothing a PC could reasonably do to counter or defend against it short of killing all of his enemies in the first round - there is no failed decision or even a failed roll. It's just sudden brutal death. So as a DM, I would not choose to use it in one of my encounters.

Just think about it.. Somewhere, there exists a world where all commoners have an entire set of Vorpal tools. Random things that can be used as weapons, but they just use it everyday.. Like a fork. But these special common Vorpal forks and whatnot turn into acid in the hands of PCs or their followers, or anyone that at the time acts to forward the PCs goal. This world probably exists.

[Abd al-Azrad]

About the Vicious question: My PCs love using it, and it's an excellent enhancement for a Crusader. And Totemists, for some odd reason.

I also love Vicious, as do many of my comrades. It's not technically rational, but I always find that when I'm hitting an enemy for some ungodly amount of damage, the little 3-4 point pings don't bother me in the slightest.

Although yes, I suppose it's better used in a combo with something that actually benefits from/ignores piddling amounts of damage.