Could assassin death attack affect undead?

[ayvango]

Death attack is keyed to sneak attack by RAW. And there are plenty of options to deliver sneak attack to undead: class feature, feat, spell, magic items. So, would an undead be affected by death attack? Does it count as death effect to witch undead has immunity?

[Twurps]

Warning: Strict RAW ahead. not necessarily my opinion on the matter.

Long version:
Undead are immune to sneak attack damage, but that doesn't prevent you from making a sneak attack against them. So that hurdle is taken.
Then from the assassin class: "If an assassin ... then makes a sneak attack .... that successfully deals damage". The type of damage is not specified. So normal damage counts. this hurdle is taken as well. You can sneak attack them, and you can deal damage.

However: From the SRD sneak attack: "Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks."
And from the assassin's death attack: "the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target"
So the killing is a side effect of the sneak attack. undead are not vulnerable to sneak attacks, ergo this side effect cannot harm them.

The above means that anything that does make undead vulnerable to sneak attack, makes them vulnerable to the assassin's death attack. So that hurdle can be taken with some spells/feats/ACF's etc.

The final 'hurdle': from the srd on undead again: "Immunity to ..... death effects".
The assassins 'death attack' however, is not stated as a death effect. It's called a 'kill effect' instead. No doubt killing someone makes them dead, but a death effect it is not.

Short version:
Yes an undead is affected by 'death attack' IF you have made them vulnerable to sneak attack damage.

[ayvango]

I have noticed just now: death attack require Fort save and undead would automatically pass it, unless the same power works on objects, and death attack does not

[Crake]

I have noticed just now: death attack require Fort save and undead would automatically pass it, unless the same power works on objects, and death attack does not

Some of the methods used to enable an undead to be sneak attacked also removes their immunity to fort saves, namely, spark of life. There are of course some methods that don't, for example the gravestrike spell, or the augment crystal of undead slaying or whatever it's called.

[Venger]

Some of the methods used to enable an undead to be sneak attacked also removes their immunity to fort saves, namely, spark of life. There are of course some methods that don't, for example the gravestrike spell, or the augment crystal of undead slaying or whatever it's called.

truedeath crystal.

you can also take penetrating strike.