Elan Resilience VS. Magical effects

[Cole10000]

In a recent D&D game with some friends of mine a point of argument came up around whether or not the Elan's Resilience, the ability to reduce damage taken via spending power points.

The reason this became an issue is because of wording of the power in a book we go by, with it saying that the Elan's ability can only reduce physical damage taken with the ability.

The question I pose to the forum is what would you feel defines physical damage, is it damage deal by a sword or mace or anything that affects the physical body directly via burning freezing electrocution, stabbing, slashing, etc, even if the source of the damage are magical in origin.

Example: A blue dragon's lightning breath weapon

Tl;Dr
Does the Elan's Resilience apply to any damage affecting the body or only to physical weapons such as a sword or mace.

[Moak]

As I see on the description on the ability (Link to the Elan description (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicRaces.htm#elans) ) there is nothing stating anything about the source of the damage in the Resiliance ability.

On which book have you red that limitation?

[Psyren]

It affects all HP damage by RAW. Slashing, piercing, burning, freezing, acid, force, even divine/untyped - you name it.

[Cole10000]

Yes that's the point of concern here in all honesty, the thing is the book isn't mine and when my friend first got it it was already apparently somewhat damaged with the name illegible which is unfortunate but it's still usable so it usually isn't much of a problem. I don't have the book with me but from what I remember the only difference between what you linked and the book's definition is

When an elan takes physical damage, she can spend power points to reduce its severity. As an immediate action, she can reduce the damage she is about to take by 2 hit points for every 1 power point she spends.

with the only difference that I know of being the word physical.

[tyckspoon]

Physical damage would typically be anything associated with one of the basic damage types- Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing. That would be done by most weapons, natural weapons, and certain spells that specifically call out that they do this kind of damage.


That said.. what the posters above me said. The Expanded Psionics Handbook, which is the official source for Elans, does not contain a clause about 'physical' damage- it just says damage.

[Than]

The only books that I know have the Elan printed in them are the 3.0 Psionics Handbook, the 3.5 Expanded Psionics Handbook, and the 3rd party Pathfinder Psionics Unleashed.

Also I am certain the second and third there do not specify the damage types. Complete Psionic has a feat that increases the ratio to 4:1.