The Fortification property vs the world

[martixy]

So this recently came up and I haven't been able to find a definitive answer.

What does Fortification protect against?
..specifically.

Burst weapon properties? Damage? Secondary effects?
Mindfeeder property?
Swashbuckler's class features(Weakening/Wounding Critical)?
Spellthief's class features?
Rogue's Penetrating Strike? Does it even proc?
Razing Strike?
Paralyzing fists?
Staggering Critical? Devastating Critical?
Vorpal?
Roundabout Kick/Lightning Mace?
Blood in the Water?

Anything else I missed...?


I mean it specifically says it negates the critical, but then goes on speaking about damage.
Then there's the sage who says it doesn't stop vorpal: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20070725a
Then there's the little table that only makes provisions for the extra damage.
I know there's the Primary Sources rule(text-over-table and that jazz), but it still raises questions as to the intent, regardless of the presence of a conflict resolution strategy.

It's... a frickin mess.

[Flickerdart]

I would say it makes you immune to anything that explicitly procs on a critical hit, but not anything that procs on a specific die toll (such as Vorpal, which specifically required a 20).

[Chronos]

I'm certain I've seen a rule somewhere that if a burst weapon hits a creature immune to crits, you still roll to see if you get the extra burst damage. I can't for the life of me find it now, though.

[DrMotives]

I'm certain I've seen a rule somewhere that if a burst weapon hits a creature immune to crits, you still roll to see if you get the extra burst damage. I can't for the life of me find it now, though.

If that's not official, it's certainly a houserule that makes a lot of sense.