Phantasmal Killer does death ward save you? PF/3.5

[Griffin]

Hello, we have a doubt regarding Phantasmal killer effect vs Death ward property in the MIC (Magic Item Compendium) does the death ward property protects you against the Phantasmal killer effect?

[deuxhero]

Doesn't that property refer to a core spell?

[Tulya]

It blocks death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and negative energy effects, exactly as the spell Death Ward. Phantasmal Killer isn't a [death] spell, nor does it have any line in the spell effect to indicate similar. It should function normally. I imagine it's intended to be a non-magical side effect of the overwhelming magical [Fear], rather than a direct effect of the spell itself.

[TuggyNE]

It blocks death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and negative energy effects, exactly as the spell Death Ward. Phantasmal Killer isn't a [death] spell, nor does it have any line in the spell effect to indicate similar. It should function normally. I imagine it's intended to be a non-magical side effect of the overwhelming magical [Fear], rather than a direct effect of the spell itself.

Here I was all set to casually answer "of course it does! PK is a [death] effect!" ... but it isn't. :confused:

Why is phantasmal killer not a death effect, anyway?

[Zaq]

Here I was all set to casually answer "of course it does! PK is a [death] effect!" ... but it isn't. :confused:

Why is phantasmal killer not a death effect, anyway?

Cut it some slack. It's not like that spell doesn't have enough points of failure already. You want to give it ANOTHER way it can be easily shut down?

I confess, though, I'm surprised as well. I thought for sure it had the [Death] tag.

[Ernir]

The [death] descriptor and negative energy were really close at first in 3E. I guess that since Phantasmal Killer clearly doesn't have anything to do with negative energy, they skipped adding the descriptor...

[Amoren]

Here I was all set to casually answer "of course it does! PK is a [death] effect!" ... but it isn't. :confused:

Why is phantasmal killer not a death effect, anyway?

Isn't that made up for by the fact that it comes a spell level earlier than any other death saving throw?

[Zaq]

Isn't that made up for by the fact that it comes a spell level earlier than any other death saving throw?

This is 3.5. Tags are bad. The more brackets you have on a spell, the worse it is, because every tag is another chance for your enemies to be immune to what you're trying to do.

[Acanous]

Nope, Death Ward doesn't block PK. It's not tagged as [Death] because it's an illusion. An illusion which tricks you into dying.
Anything that grants immunity to fear makes you immune to PK, and True Seeing or anything else that clues you in that it's an illusion grants you a bonus on the save.

[Jack_Simth]

Isn't that made up for by the fact that it comes a spell level earlier than any other death saving throw?It is the lowest level save-or-die.

Of course, it's save-or-save-or-die (two chances to beat it), there's a 1st level spell that gives you a +4 save bonus vs. it, and being both mind-affecting and fear based, there's a lot of ways to be outright immune already.

[Bahamut Omega]

Nope, Death Ward doesn't block PK. It's not tagged as [Death] because it's an illusion. An illusion which tricks you into dying.
Anything that grants immunity to fear makes you immune to PK, and True Seeing or anything else that clues you in that it's an illusion grants you a bonus on the save.

True Seeing has no effect on PK. It's a phantasm effect which occurs in your mind. This is notably different from a figment type of illusion which true seeing sees right through.

It's been said and I concur, anything which makes you immune to fear or grants a bonus against fear applies for PK, though.