Had a very interesting question come up in play last night. We're playing at a pretty high level, and one of the bad guys had a vorpal sword. He swung on a PC, rolled a nat20, which should mean an instant kill, right? Wrong: the player was wearing the PoWC. I ruled in favor of the player for the time being, allowing them to stabilize, but I feel like that cheapens the power of a legendary magic item. Is there any precedent or hidden rule somewhere that explains what would happen if unstoppable force meets immovable object?
Also to give context, we don't have decapitations or beheadings in our game due to party consent.
For reference, here are the rules for both items:
Vorpal Sword (Legacy): When you attack a creature that has at least one head with this weapon and roll a 20 on the attack roll, you cut off one of the creature's heads. The creature dies if it can't survive without the lost head. A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to slashing damage, doesn't have or need a head, has legendary actions, or the GM decides that the creature is too big for its head to be cut off with this weapon. Such a creature instead takes an extra 6d8 slashing damage from the hit.
Periapt of Wound Closure (Legacy): While you wear this pendant, you stabilize whenever you are dying at the start of your turn. In addition, whenever you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, double the number of hit points it restores.
In this case, the sword wins. The periapt’s power kicks in on the player’s turn when they would normally make a death save while unconscious they don’t have to make the save. In this case, the character would already be dead, not dying, so the periapt would not come into effect.
In this case, the sword wins. The periapt’s power kicks in on the player’s turn when they would normally make a death save while unconscious they don’t have to make the save. In this case, the character would already be dead, not dying, so the periapt would not come into effect.
Yeah, that would be my ruling too
If I were being really nice, I might let the Periapt work and keep the PC alive (stable and unconscious)... but then break and become non-magical
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Had a very interesting question come up in play last night. We're playing at a pretty high level, and one of the bad guys had a vorpal sword. He swung on a PC, rolled a nat20, which should mean an instant kill, right? Wrong: the player was wearing the PoWC. I ruled in favor of the player for the time being, allowing them to stabilize, but I feel like that cheapens the power of a legendary magic item. Is there any precedent or hidden rule somewhere that explains what would happen if unstoppable force meets immovable object?
Also to give context, we don't have decapitations or beheadings in our game due to party consent.
For reference, here are the rules for both items:
Vorpal Sword (Legacy): When you attack a creature that has at least one head with this weapon and roll a 20 on the attack roll, you cut off one of the creature's heads. The creature dies if it can't survive without the lost head. A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to slashing damage, doesn't have or need a head, has legendary actions, or the GM decides that the creature is too big for its head to be cut off with this weapon. Such a creature instead takes an extra 6d8 slashing damage from the hit.
Periapt of Wound Closure (Legacy): While you wear this pendant, you stabilize whenever you are dying at the start of your turn. In addition, whenever you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, double the number of hit points it restores.
Thanks for your help!
So I think I would rule especially if it was high level that this part would kick in. But in the case you presented I would rule the same what you did in favor of the players with maybe talk on how that might interact in the future as to not have that issue again. Im usually more in favor of giving the players things then to take them away though.
A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to slashing damage, doesn't have or need a head, has legendary actions, or the GM decides that the creature is too big for its head to be cut off with this weapon. Such a creature instead takes an extra 6d8 slashing damage from the hit
Yeah, "dead" and "dying" are two very different things in D&D. "The creature dies" means the creature dies, not that the creature is reduced to 0 HP and has to start rolling death saves.
Plus, being able to block instant-kill effects would be a bit much for an uncommon-level magic item.
If one of the bad guys has a vorpal sword, wasn't the intent to kill a player?
I ask the question, because if the DM choose to equip the bad guys with that weapon, surely the DM needed to consider what happens if rolling a 20. If the DM rolls a 20 then why are they back tracking, as the intent and the result are not matching.
In addition, I assume the DM knows about the POWC, and would have a plan concerning that. Plan would be to either know the result or avoid that PC or fudge a 20 roll so it is a 19, etc.
Reading the two descriptions, it is pretty clear as mentioned by several people above that the POWC is not able to counter the vorpal sword.
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Had a very interesting question come up in play last night. We're playing at a pretty high level, and one of the bad guys had a vorpal sword. He swung on a PC, rolled a nat20, which should mean an instant kill, right? Wrong: the player was wearing the PoWC. I ruled in favor of the player for the time being, allowing them to stabilize, but I feel like that cheapens the power of a legendary magic item. Is there any precedent or hidden rule somewhere that explains what would happen if unstoppable force meets immovable object?
Also to give context, we don't have decapitations or beheadings in our game due to party consent.
For reference, here are the rules for both items:
Vorpal Sword (Legacy):
When you attack a creature that has at least one head with this weapon and roll a 20 on the attack roll, you cut off one of the creature's heads. The creature dies if it can't survive without the lost head. A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to slashing damage, doesn't have or need a head, has legendary actions, or the GM decides that the creature is too big for its head to be cut off with this weapon. Such a creature instead takes an extra 6d8 slashing damage from the hit.
Periapt of Wound Closure (Legacy):
While you wear this pendant, you stabilize whenever you are dying at the start of your turn. In addition, whenever you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, double the number of hit points it restores.
Thanks for your help!
In this case, the sword wins. The periapt’s power kicks in on the player’s turn when they would normally make a death save while unconscious they don’t have to make the save. In this case, the character would already be dead, not dying, so the periapt would not come into effect.
Yeah, that would be my ruling too
If I were being really nice, I might let the Periapt work and keep the PC alive (stable and unconscious)... but then break and become non-magical
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
So I think I would rule especially if it was high level that this part would kick in. But in the case you presented I would rule the same what you did in favor of the players with maybe talk on how that might interact in the future as to not have that issue again. Im usually more in favor of giving the players things then to take them away though.
A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to slashing damage, doesn't have or need a head, has legendary actions, or the GM decides that the creature is too big for its head to be cut off with this weapon. Such a creature instead takes an extra 6d8 slashing damage from the hit
Yeah, "dead" and "dying" are two very different things in D&D. "The creature dies" means the creature dies, not that the creature is reduced to 0 HP and has to start rolling death saves.
Plus, being able to block instant-kill effects would be a bit much for an uncommon-level magic item.
pronouns: he/she/they
At least the magic seals the wounds shut so you're a corpse but at least there isn't a lot of clean-up.
If you are looking for a counter for a Vorpal Sword, you probably want the Death Ward cleric spell.
If one of the bad guys has a vorpal sword, wasn't the intent to kill a player?
I ask the question, because if the DM choose to equip the bad guys with that weapon, surely the DM needed to consider what happens if rolling a 20. If the DM rolls a 20 then why are they back tracking, as the intent and the result are not matching.
In addition, I assume the DM knows about the POWC, and would have a plan concerning that. Plan would be to either know the result or avoid that PC or fudge a 20 roll so it is a 19, etc.
Reading the two descriptions, it is pretty clear as mentioned by several people above that the POWC is not able to counter the vorpal sword.