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Hunter Noventa
2007-04-25, 03:04 PM
THis came up in my game last night. The enemy had an Unholy weapon, so it would do extra damage to good figures. Now the DM said this only applies to 'planar' alignment, such as that exuded by a cleric, paladin, or outsider. But nothing in the Unholy, Holy, Axiomatic or what have you descriptions says anything to this effect.

So how is this meant to be interpreted. Do Unholy weapons deal extra damage to every good adventurer? Or just the clerics, paladins and angels?

Khoran
2007-04-25, 03:12 PM
From the SRD.

Unholy
An unholy weapon is imbued with unholy power. This power makes the weapon evil-aligned and thus bypasses the corresponding damage reduction. It deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against all of good alignment. It bestows one negative level on any good creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the unholy power upon their ammunition.
Moderate evocation [evil]; CL 7th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, unholy blight, creator must be evil; Price +2 bonus.

It dosn't mention anything about Planar creatures. The part I underlined actually implies it's all good creatures it hits.

Hunter Noventa
2007-04-25, 03:28 PM
Yeah that's what I read too. This time the DM ruled it in our favor, I'm not even sure the concept of Planar Aligntment exists in 3.5.

Khoran
2007-04-25, 03:31 PM
Yeah that's what I read too. This time the DM ruled it in our favor, I'm not even sure the concept of Planar Aligntment exists in 3.5.

I'm not entirly sure what you mean by Planar Alignment (Probobly since I started somewhere inbetween 3 and 3.5). However, there are Outsiders with a Subtype regarding Alignment, if that's what you mean.

Human Paragon 3
2007-04-25, 03:36 PM
This is a bit peripheral to what you're talking about, but my playgroup has thrown out Alignment all together. It just seemed counter-intuitive to us, that everyone could be put into 9 catagories etc.

This is mostly a fluff thing, but it does have an effect on alignment based weapons and spells like Protection from Evil.

In our current campaign, a Protection from Evil spell or similar will only function against demonstratably evil opponents, like evil outsiders and undead. A guy who just like murdering people will not be effected by the ward, since really he's just a crazy man.

Jasdoif
2007-04-25, 03:41 PM
Yeah that's what I read too. This time the DM ruled it in our favor, I'm not even sure the concept of Planar Aligntment exists in 3.5.Well, there are alignment subtypes, but those generally only exist on outsiders. They certainly aren't features of the cleric and paladin, your DM might be getting it confused with their aura of good/evil/law/chaos.

To sum up, a creature with the Good subtype will always be harmed by things that harm good creatures, even if the creature's alignment isn't good. It will also suffer according to its actual alignment, though. So an evil angel, for instance, will take extra damage from holy and unholy weapons; holy from its evil alignment and unholy from its Good subtype. (There's the mechanical reason why angels are said to be always good; they get little benefit from being nongood but retain all the penalties).

Jade_Tarem
2007-04-25, 03:43 PM
This is a bit peripheral to what you're talking about, but my playgroup has thrown out Alignment all together. It just seemed counter-intuitive to us, that everyone could be put into 9 catagories etc.

This is mostly a fluff thing, but it does have an effect on alignment based weapons and spells like Protection from Evil.

In our current campaign, a Protection from Evil spell or similar will only function against demonstratably evil opponents, like evil outsiders and undead. A guy who just like murdering people will not be effected by the ward, since really he's just a crazy man.

So protection from evil would work on my 12th grade english teacher, but not Hannibal Lecter? Fun...

SpiderBrigade
2007-04-25, 07:16 PM
...your 12th grade english teacher was an evil outsider? Or undead? Yikes!

Jack Mann
2007-04-25, 07:17 PM
Aren't they all?

Tor the Fallen
2007-04-25, 07:43 PM
There are weapons of bane that would hurt a specific group of outsider (good) or outsider (native). Or am I just thinking of the ranger's favorite enemies?

Jasdoif
2007-04-25, 07:55 PM
There are weapons of bane that would hurt a specific group of outsider (good) or outsider (native). Or am I just thinking of the ranger's favorite enemies?Yes. :smalltongue: Seriously, they both use the same groupings, so yes to each.