Evolved Undead Template

[Graysire]

I know that the Evolved Undead Template gives Fast Healing 3, but does this add together?

If a Vampire is evolved three times, does he have
A: Fast Healing 5
B: Fast Healing 8
C: Fast Healing 14

[KillianHawkeye]

It doesn't add together. The ability doesn't say so. You just get another copy of the "Fast Healing 3" ability, which does nothing because having the same ability twice is always useless in D&D unless specifically noted.

For a similar example, look at Feats. Getting a Feat more than once generally doesn't do anything extra, unless the feat says you can stack it's effects or it's something you can get again if you make a different choice (like picking a different weapon for Weapon Focus). But you can't just take Weapon Focus a bunch of times for the same weapon to get a higher and higher attack bonus. You have to take Greater Weapon Focus. And then that's it, unless there's an even higher level version of Weapon Focus that I'm forgetting about.

For another example, look at spells. Having a spell effect on you more than once generally doesn't do anything extra, either. It usually either makes the original casting irrelevant or simply restarts the duration. There are a few spells that might let you make a different choice, like resist energy, so you might be able to have multiple copies of those spells at once because they're doing different things. But you can't cast a bunch of copies of lesser vigor to have a ton of fast healing.

[Remuko]

It doesn't add together. The ability doesn't say so. You just get another copy of the "Fast Healing 3" ability, which does nothing because having the same ability twice is always useless in D&D unless specifically noted.

For a similar example, look at Feats. Getting a Feat more than once generally doesn't do anything extra, unless the feat says you can stack it's effects or it's something you can get again if you make a different choice (like picking a different weapon for Weapon Focus). But you can't just take Weapon Focus a bunch of times for the same weapon to get a higher and higher attack bonus. You have to take Greater Weapon Focus. And then that's it, unless there's an even higher level version of Weapon Focus that I'm forgetting about.

For another example, look at spells. Having a spell effect on you more than once generally doesn't do anything extra, either. It usually either makes the original casting irrelevant or simply restarts the duration. There are a few spells that might let you make a different choice, like resist energy, so you might be able to have multiple copies of those spells at once because they're doing different things. But you can't cast a bunch of copies of lesser vigor to have a ton of fast healing.

I just did some searching and the evidence I found would lead me to believe that RAI it definitely stacks. RAW is a bit more wishy washy but it says in the templates description that undead can gain the template multiple times and continue to benefit, I don't see any reason fast healing should be assumed to not be part of that.

[ViperMagnum357]

Usually each instance of fast healing is separate: however, the template gives fast healing 3, the same ability each time it is gained, so it should stack with itself similar to the epic fast healing feat-but not with any other fast healing gained or already possessed. That seems to be RAI as well, because there is a Vampire NPC in one of the published adventures with this template 5 times, and consequently possesses fast healing 5 and fast healing 15. Someone more familiar with the modules can probably dig up the description.

[Necroticplague]

Technically, they don't stack. Fast healing 3+ fast healing 3 is just two instances of fast healing 3, not fast healing six.
However, the way this plays out is, for most purposes that matter, the same as stacking. You'd heal some from one of your fast healings, then the other fast healing would heal you, then the other, ect.

So an thricefold-Evolved Vampire would have Fast Healing 5,Fast Healing 3,Fast Healing 3,Fast Healing 3. As a result of all of these abilities triggering at the start of their turn, they'd heal 4 different instances of damage. Under normal conditions, this would total 14 HP. However, any effects that could increase or reduce the healing provided by Fast Healing would effect this differently than if they stacked in the normal sense. And it means you'd need to be Ability Ripped several times to get rid of all of your healing.