Planetouched Mechanatrix

[VGLordR2]

Hey, guys. I have a few of questions about the Mechanatrix from Fiend Folio. They all revolve around the Mechanatrix's ability to heal 1/3 of any electricity damage that would otherwise be dealt to them. My first question is: are there any ways to take constant electricity damage, for a Mechanatrix to continually heal itself? Like a ring that constantly deals 1d6 damage per round, or something like that?
My second question is: how does this interact with the Conductivity feat from UA, which deals damage to an opponent equal to half of the electricity damage that you take?
Thirdly: How does rounding work for this ability? If the Mechanatrix were to take 7 damage, that divides to 2 and 1/3 damage healed. Does this round down to 2? And if it were 8 damage, would it round up to three? And finally, would a 1 or a 2 heal a minimum of 1 damage?
I would really appreciate help. Thanks a lot. :smallsmile:

EDIT: Also, if you have anything else that would be useful or flavorful for a Mechanatrix, please let me know.

[Mithril Leaf]

Alright, here's a few things that should be helpful for you.

1st: Taking Shape Soulmeld: Lightning Gauntlets gives you a continual electric attack.
2nd: I'm no expert, but I think that you wouldn't be able to use it at all, because you never actually take electric damage.
3rd: As a rule of thumb, round down for all numbers, even those greater than 1/2. Not quite sure about this specific case though.

Another good thing to note is that you can make a Lesser Mechanatrix, using the PGtF rules on lesser planetouched. Here's the best Planetouched Handbook around for various other stuff: Written by the awesome Mad Linguist no less (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6992.0).

[herrhauptmann]

1)There's a first level spell in spell compendium, thunderhead.
Zaps your noggin for 1 point of damage every round.
Get it persisted. 1 point of damagehealing, every round, for the entire day.

2)Don't think so. Is the feat listed in the SRD somewhere? My books are packed away.

3)Round fractions down. Always. (It's been stated) Should still be at a minimum of 1 though.
If doing the persisted thunderhead, don't be surprised if the DM says it only heals a point of damage every 3 rounds. That's still over 4000 points of healing in a day.

[Andezzar]

3)Round fractions down. Always. (It's been stated) Should still be at a minimum of 1 though.
If doing the persisted thunderhead, don't be surprised if the DM says it only heals a point of damage every 3 rounds. That's still over 4000 points of healing in a day.Where do you get that? The mimimum 1 only applies to damage dealt. In case of the mechanatrix, the electricity spells don't do damage, they heal.

[Feytalist]

Where do you get that? The mimimum 1 only applies to damage dealt. In case of the mechanatrix, the electricity spells don't do damage, they heal.

It's in the basics (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/theBasics.htm):


Rounding Fractions
In general, if you wind up with a fraction, round down, even if the fraction is one-half or larger.

Exception: Certain rolls, such as damage and hit points, have a minimum of 1.

Some very few specific cases overwrite that (there's some sort of healing soulmeld I think?); but the general rule of D&D is: round down fractions.

[Andezzar]

But the hit points you get from this healing are not rolled. They are merely calculated from the damage normally dealt.

[Feytalist]

Rolling has nothing to do with it. If you wind up with a fraction, however you come by it, unless specifically told not to, you round down.

Otherwise, what are you going to do with that third of a point of healing? Put it into your piggy bank?

[Andezzar]

I do not dispute the rounding down. I say there is no minimum of 1 when transforming electrical damage to healing, because the hit points the mechanatrix receives are not rolled. As you quoted you need an explicit exception to the rule of rounding down to get the minimum of 1. So no matter how often the mechanatrix gets hit with 1 or 2 points of electrical damage, he will never get healed because 1/3 or 2/3 is rounded down to 0.

[Feytalist]

Oh, I see. Yeah, I agree with you on that, actually.

Otherwise he could just get zapped for 1 damage every time, and receive 1-for-1 healing. What's that electricity-damage cantrip? I forget.

Unless it specifically states that the healing received has a minimum of 1? I don't have Fiend Folio with me.

[Andezzar]

Fiend Folio indeed does not. If however a party member would be able to deal of 3 or more points of electricity damage (*cough DFA *cough) at will you could still get infinite ridiculously large amounts of healing.

[Humble Master]

Here is the ability from Fiend Folio:
"Any electrical attack directed at it cures 1 point of damage for each 3 points of damage it would otherwise deal."
So it looks like you are going to need at least 3 points of damage to get healing.

edit: Swordsaged'