Holy Water

[AriLance]

I'm running an evil campaign, and I have some questions on holy water. If my evil PCs touch or consume holy water, will that harm them? I know the rules for holy water say it harms or drives away "evil outsiders," but does this include evil PCs? Or is this just a judgement call on my part?

[Âmesang]

Holy water damages undead creatures and evil outsiders almost as if it were acid
Unless they're one of those types they should be okay. Maybe get an upset tummy?

[AriLance]

So are evil PCs considered evil outsiders? That's mainly what I'm asking.

[MesiDoomstalker]

So are evil PCs considered evil outsiders? That's mainly what I'm asking.

Outsiders is a type of creature. Unless your PC's are from the outerplanes, or a high level Monk, it is safe to say they are not Outsiders, Evil or otherwise.

[Draconium]

Outsider is a creature type. Your PCs would have to play an Outsider race, like Tiefling (they are Native Outsiders) or something, to be considered as such. Most of the more classic races, however, are Humanoid, so they shouldn't have to worry.

[Âmesang]

The average PC could be puppy-kicking evil, but undead and outsiders are physically made of evil. Like, fiends having evil atoms in their make-up. :smalltongue: Do microscopes exit in D&D? 'Cause now I want to dissect one… for SCIENCE!!

[AriLance]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! Unfortunately for my PCs, two of them are tieflings and so this holy water surprise I'm springing on them might prove to be fatal!

[MesiDoomstalker]

Unlikely... 1d6 splash weapon is pretty pathetic. Unless you have a trap that submerges them in Holy Water (which would do the same as full submersion in Acid for Undead and Evil Outsiders). Then it be fairly effective, depending on levels.

[Aleolus]

Ah, but an evil outsider or undead who drinks one would have a different effect. I would treat it as a poison that bypasses their normal immunity to poison and determine effects from it

[Jowgen]

BoED has an "affliction" (read: supermagical evil-only disease ) that seems to be tied to holy water, as per its Sacred Vessel "Relic".

From what I recall, holy water's effect on evil things is equated to acid. Surely there is something similar to drinking Acid found somewhere in the books?

[noob]

Maybe they did not through that devils and undead would start drinking holy water.

[manyslayer]

Ah, but an evil outsider or undead who drinks one would have a different effect.

Yeah, if you slip the succubus a holy water mickey in her drink she will not be happy with you (but it is great fun).

[Inevitability]

Yeah, if you slip the succubus a holy water mickey in her drink she will not be happy with you (but it is great fun).

I actually prefer to use holy water for detecting fiends. Sure, a well-prepared fiend might be protected against thought reading, scrying, true seeing, mundane disguise-piercing and sense motive checks, but how often do they take precautions against blessed liquids?

[DoctorJello]

Only burns if undead or an evil outsider :)

[Aleolus]

Here's a question though. Would a Protection from Good spell stop Holy Water from working?

[Inevitability]

Here's a question though. Would a Protection from Good spell stop Holy Water from working?

No. The spell has three effects, and none of those is 'prevents holy water from damaging the subject'.

[Chronos]

There is some possible leeway, though, in the definition of "evil outsider": Does that mean "outsider whose alignment happens to be evil" (in which case your tieflings would be affected), or does it mean "outsider with the [evil] subtype" (which does not include tieflings)?

[Inevitability]

There is some possible leeway, though, in the definition of "evil outsider": Does that mean "outsider whose alignment happens to be evil" (in which case your tieflings would be affected), or does it mean "outsider with the [evil] subtype" (which does not include tieflings)?

RAW: The first.
RAI: Probably the second.

It's not like WOTC hadn't anticipated for evil outsiders without the Evil subtype, though. Even disregarding non-outer plane outsiders, there's still cases like the Death Slaad.

[Jeraa]

There is some possible leeway, though, in the definition of "evil outsider": Does that mean "outsider whose alignment happens to be evil" (in which case your tieflings would be affected), or does it mean "outsider with the [evil] subtype" (which does not include tieflings)?

Both, unless it specifies otherwise. The [Evil] subtype just means the creature is always affected as if evil alignment, regardless of what its actual alignment is. So a lawful good succubus paladin wouldstill beaffectedby holy water, because of her [Evil] subtype. She is also affected by things as if a lawful and good creature (because of her alignment) and a chaotic creature (because of her subtype).