Displacer Beast vs Channel Divinity: Destructive Wrath (Special)

[Tawmis]

Displacer Beast has: Avoidance. If the displacer beast is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.

and

Channel Divinity: Destructive Wrath (Special)
You can use Channel Divinity to deal maximum damage instead of rolling for lightning or thunder damage
===========================

So if the Cleric does THUNDERWAVE which has a CON Save - does that mean that the Displacer Beast's abilities override the Channel Divinity - Destructive Wrath ability? That it wouldn't take maximum damage, and it could do a savings throw and only take half damage - even if it fails?

[Rukelnikov]

Channel divinity does not negate the chance for a save. Any enemy can still make a save for half damage.

[Tawmis]

Channel divinity does not negate the chance for a save. Any enemy can still make a save for half damage.

That's what I had thought also. Just wasn't clear since the Channel Divinity seems to be phrased that it does max damage, regardless. Perfect!

[Unoriginal]

Indeed, since the Channel Divinity doesn't change anything except the amount of damage.

Other people would still make a saving throw, too.

[Man_Over_Game]

Displacer Beast has: Avoidance. If the displacer beast is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.

and

Channel Divinity: Destructive Wrath (Special)
You can use Channel Divinity to deal maximum damage instead of rolling for lightning or thunder damage
===========================

So if the Cleric does THUNDERWAVE which has a CON Save - does that mean that the Displacer Beast's abilities override the Channel Divinity - Destructive Wrath ability? That it wouldn't take maximum damage, and it could do a savings throw and only take half damage - even if it fails?

Yes. The way I'd interpret that is that Avoidance first checks to see if the effect would allow it to take half damage on a Save. If Yes, then the rest of Avoidance stays true.

On the flipside, something that doesn't halve on a save (Disintegrate) would not be impacted by Avoidance.

[Edit]Ninja'd

[ShikomeKidoMi]

That's what I had thought also. Just wasn't clear since the Channel Divinity seems to be phrased that it does max damage, regardless. Perfect!

I believe that in the case of people making their saves, it's the maximum of half damage. That is, an 8d6 effect would do 48 if they fail their save and 24 if they make it against a normal foe or 24 if they fail their save and 0 if they make it against a Displacer Beast.