3.5 BoVD Mortalbane

[herrhauptmann]

I've got a question about the feat Mortalbane (BoVD 49)

Add it to a spell like ability adn that ability does an extra 2d6 damage against living nonoutsiders. (Half damage against outsiders and nonliving)

It only works 5 times per day. Under special: It says "Can be taken multiple times. Each time taken, creature can apply it to each of its spell-like abilities five additional times."

Listed example is a Gelugon with Cone of Cold (at will), that adds mortalbane to it 5 times a day. But since the Gelugon has several damaging SLA's, does that mean that it can make each one a mortalbane 5 times a day by taking the feat once?


Also, how would that work with Warlock? Good at low levels, average to poor at high levels?

[Mnemnosyne]

Mortalbane can be applied to each spell-like ability 5 times per day, which means taking the feat once allows it to apply to an infinite number of different SLA's.

For a warlock, it can apply to each damaging spell-like ability five times per day. I believe eldritch essences are considered to be a separate spell-like ability than eldritch blast, which means for each essence a warlock has, they can apply mortalbane to it 5 times per day, in addition to 5 times for the base eldritch blast, and 5 more times for any other damage-dealing invocation.

[Twilightwyrm]

Mortalbane can be applied to each spell-like ability 5 times per day, which means taking the feat once allows it to apply to an infinite number of different SLA's.

For a warlock, it can apply to each damaging spell-like ability five times per day. I believe eldritch essences are considered to be a separate spell-like ability than eldritch blast, which means for each essence a warlock has, they can apply mortalbane to it 5 times per day, in addition to 5 times for the base eldritch blast, and 5 more times for any other damage-dealing invocation.

Oh really? I wasn't aware it behaved like that. So with the base blast, plus an eldritch essence, you're getting 4d6 extra damage? Can this also be applied to a shape, or are those not SLAs?

[Slipperychicken]

Could this add to ability damage? If so, I could see a Factotum combining it with Cunning Insight to throw down [1d4+ 2d6 1 + INT] intelligence damage with on a Ray of Stupidity, or a 5d6+Int Shivering Touch.

[Mnemnosyne]

Oh really? I wasn't aware it behaved like that. So with the base blast, plus an eldritch essence, you're getting 4d6 extra damage? Can this also be applied to a shape, or are those not SLAs?
No, when you apply the essence to an eldritch blast, you're no longer firing 'Eldritch Blast', you're firing 'Hellrime Blast', for instance. So you get to apply Mortalbane's 2d6 to 'Hellrime Blast' 5 times/day. Now if you've used it all 5 times that day and want to apply it again, you have to switch to using say, brimstone blast. Then you get to apply Mortalbane's 2d6 to 'Brimstone Blast' 5 times/day. If you still need to apply it more, you drop down to your base 'Eldritch Blast' and apply it another 5 times that day.

As far as applying ability damage...as far as I can tell it would in fact work. The wording of the feat only says 'a damaging spell-like ability' and 'additional damage'. It goes on to note that the additional damage is the same type as the original ability, using the example of a gelugon using cone of cold and noting the additional 2d6 is still cold damage. I can find nothing in the description that suggests it would work differently for ability damage, at least by RAW.

[Fyermind]

Extra damage to ability damage works differently. I know it's negative energy when you add extra damage of the same time to a spell with sneak attack. For example an unseen seer with 3d6 sneak attack casting shivering touch on a flat footed opponent deals 3d6 dex + 3d6 negative energy. No idea what that means for SLAs though.