Magical Supernatural and Psionic Supernatural [3.5]

[Temotei]

A supernatural ability under "standard" rules (with magic, but no psionics) is suppressed by antimagic field.

A supernatural ability under psionics is suppressed by null psionics field.

So, if a creature has both magical and psionic abilities, how do you tell which supernatural to use? Do both antimagic field and null psionics field suppress the supernatural ability? Do you just guess?

I know there aren't many (if any) creatures with both magic and psionics, but I have to ask. Is there a RAW ruling on this?

[Endarire]

Normally, magic-psionic transparency is in effect, meaning Supernatural abilities are negated by antimagic and null psionics.

[Snake-Aes]

Psionic-Magic transparency is strongly recommended in all psi books. In this form, "psionic magic" is just another derivative, like "divine magic" and "arcane magic". If you're using transparency, there is zero difference between spells with psionic analogs like mind blank and null psionics/antimagic

[Temotei]

Normally, magic-psionic transparency is in effect, meaning Supernatural abilities are negated by antimagic and null psionics.


Psionic-Magic transparency is strongly recommended in all psi books. In this form, "psionic magic" is just another derivative, like "divine magic" and "arcane magic". If you're using transparency, there is zero difference between spells with psionic analogs like mind blank and null psionics/antimagic

Excellent. Thanks much. :smallcool:

[Zhalath]

This gives me a question: how does that work if there is no psionic-magic transparency?

[Zaydos]

This gives me a question: how does that work if there is no psionic-magic transparency?

Supernatural powers are neither. And suppressed by both.

[Jack_Simth]

I know there aren't many (if any) creatures with both magic and psionicsBetween applying the Half-Fiendish (or Half-Celestial, or ...) template to critter with Psi-like abilities, or applying the Phrenic template to critter with Spell-Like abilities, it's not hard to get a critter with both, if you're the DM.

[KillianHawkeye]

I'm afraid I don't really understand your question. Supernatural abilities are suppressed by both antimagic zones and null-psionics fields. Why does it matter which is which if they're both the same? :smallconfused:

[Temotei]

I'm afraid I don't really understand your question. Supernatural abilities are suppressed by both antimagic zones and null-psionics fields. Why does it matter which is which if they're both the same? :smallconfused:

It's been answered, but here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#supernaturalAbilities) and here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicPowersOverview.htm#supernaturalAbilities).

The relevant texts:
Supernatural abilities are magical and go away in an antimagic field but are not subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or to being dispelled by dispel magic.


Some creatures have psionic abilities that are considered supernatural...Supernatural abilities are not subject to power resistance and cannot be negated or dispelled; however, they do not function in areas where psionics is suppressed.

Neither one says anything about the other, which made me think about whether they're actually the same or if they're actually different.

Technically, they are different, but since most books suggest a magic-psionics transparency, that difference doesn't matter.

[Devils_Advocate]

What are different, and what are they different from? Are you saying that supernatural abilities are different from supernatural abilities? :smallconfused: A supernatural ability is a supernatural ability. A is A. A rose is a rose is a rose.

Supernatural abilities are magical and thus suppressed in areas in which magic is suppressed, such as an antimagic field. Supernatural abilities also do not function in areas where psionics is suppressed, such as a null psionics field. (We may therefore infer that supernatural abilities are psionic as well as magical.) All of this is true whether psionics-magic transparency is used or not.

[Snake-Aes]

Technically, they are different, but since most books suggest a magic-psionics transparency, that difference doesn't matter.

psi-like abilities are not supernatural, they're psi-like the same way spell-like abilities are spell-like and not supernatural :p

The only mentions to dead magic = dead psionic is in the transparency setup, so you are free to have psi working where magic normally wouldn't if you don't use such transparency rules.

[Prime32]

Supernatural abilities are raw energy, which is the same regardless of who's using it.

Magic and psionics are different ways of shaping that energy into a pattern to create a desired effect. Spell Resistance unshapes that pattern.