Burrowing Arrow vs Fast Healing

[MustacheFart]

So, I came across the Burrowing arrow today which says it prevents natural healing. Well the SRD say:


Fast Healing

A creature with fast healing has the extraordinary ability to regain hit points at an exceptional rate. Except for what is noted here, fast healing is like natural healing.

At the beginning of each of the creature’s turns, it heals a certain number of hit points (defined in its description).

Unlike regeneration, fast healing does not allow a creature to regrow or reattach lost body parts. Unless otherwise stated, it does not allow lost body parts to be reattached.

A creature that has taken both nonlethal and lethal damage heals the nonlethal damage first.

Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation.

Fast healing does not increase the number of hit points regained when a creature polymorphs.

Does this mean a burrowing arrow will interrupt Fast Healing?

[Eldonauran]

:smalleek:

I would have to say, yes. Yes, it does prevent fast healing.

I don't like it. :smallbiggrin:

[Callin]

I would say no because its an Ex Ability that acts "like" natural healing. If it didnt have the word "like" right there before Natural Healing I would probably allow it. Probably...


edit: and then ONLY for the damage of the Arrow. Not any additional

[Eldonauran]

When used in that way, 'like natural healing' means it functions just like natural healing, except for the following ways.

Functionally, it is merely very quick natural healing.

I still don't like it, as I said before and I would take similar steps as you to limit its effectiveness. However, look at it like this;

The arrow is embedded into the flesh, prevents the wound it caused from healing. The body is still attempting to repair itself but can't close over the wound, for whatever reason. The body is still going to be attempting to heal that wound because that is what it does, it doesn't have any kind of intelligent force directing its attention.

At the very least, I would have the HP damaged inflicted by the arrow remain unhealable until it is removed and half the effective fast healing of the creature for other wounds it might suffer, to a minimum of 0 (get enough arrows in you and you aren't going to be able to heal).

[Callin]

Word interpretation at its finest lol. I see it as "Like" as same as is not "Like" as "Is". So by that interpretation that it would not work at all. But if the player came up with such an eloquent rebuttal i would allow for the damage of the arrow to not heal but all other damage would. Even multiple arrows would slowly lower his OVERALL health pool but would not stop his actual fast healing.

Now mechanics are a pain sometimes because you would think that the body would strain and we would come to the conclusion that you did about multiple arrows eventually reducing his fast healing. But thats where mechanics and real life fail.

[Eldonauran]

I'm confident my 'interpretation' is correct but lack the motivation to argue it further. Its not just what the word means, but also the context in which it is used. :smallwink:

This is definitely an area where you will want to check with your DM, since a relatively cheap arrow that can negate a powerful Ex ability is something that needs to be reviewed.

[MustacheFart]

Keep in mind that the arrows can be pulled out. So it's a temporary interruption to fast healing at best. Also they say they're automatically pushed out by magical healing but fast healing isn't magical.

[Vaz]

I thought healing was done Naturally, and anything it wasn't natural was defined as Ex/SLA/Su, and with Fast Healing being Ex it wasn't natural.