A question about a cleric's turn undead [Archive] - Wizards Community

A question about a cleric's turn undead [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arlia
11-15-04, 02:34 AM In PHB, it states that clerics can turn undead as a supernatural ability. Is a supernatural ability an innate ability? Is that the same as the drow's ability to cast darkness? Can the drow still cast darkness in a silenced area or an area affected by an anti-magic field?

The PHB also states that a supernatural ability can not be disrupted. Does this mean it can't be interrupted? Does it mean that you can do it anytime, anywhere, any place for whatever reason?

What is the PHB's definition for "disrupted"?

Thanks.
jsaving
11-15-04, 09:16 AM Supernatural abilities, spell-like abilities, and extraordinary abilities can all be "innate" abilities. They share several features: you never need to memorize them, enemies cannot counterspell them, and you don't need material components to activate them. Extraordinary abilities are the strongest of the three because they automatically bypass enemy SR and they work inside antimagic fields. Spell-like abilities don't have either of these features and are the weakest of the three. Supernatural abilities are the intermediate category -- they automatically bypass SR but don't work inside antimagic fields.

"Disruption" occurs when you cause an enemy's spell to fizzle by inflicting damage on him (and he fails his concentration check). Supernatural and extraordinary abilities can't be disrupted, but spell-like abilities can be.
Arlia
11-15-04, 10:07 AM Supernatural abilities, spell-like abilities, and extraordinary abilities can all be "innate" abilities. They share several features: you never need to memorize them, enemies cannot counterspell them, and you don't need material components to activate them. Extraordinary abilities are the strongest of the three because they automatically bypass enemy SR and they work inside antimagic fields. Spell-like abilities don't have either of these features and are the weakest of the three. Supernatural abilities are the intermediate category -- they automatically bypass SR but don't work inside antimagic fields.

"Disruption" occurs when you cause an enemy's spell to fizzle by inflicting damage on him (and he fails his concentration check). Supernatural and extraordinary abilities can't be disrupted, but spell-like abilities can be.

IMO that seems a moot point because I don't ever recall a turn undead attempt to fizzle. You don't need to roll for the target(s) and there is no DC to turning. How would combat casting apply to turning undead since turning has no levels?

So then could a cleric turn undead in a silenced area? In an anti-magic field?
What are the limitations of turn undead? What if the turning had a verbal component?
jsaving
11-15-04, 10:45 AM Turning is a supernatural ability, as you said in the first post. As a supernatural ability, it can't be disrupted (hence no need for combat casting), has no verbal component (hence can be used in a silenced area), and fails where magic doesn't work (such as an antimagic field).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arlia 11-15-04, 02:34 AM	In PHB, it states that clerics can turn undead as a supernatural ability. Is a supernatural ability an innate ability? Is that the same as the drow's ability to cast darkness? Can the drow still cast darkness in a silenced area or an area affected by an anti-magic field? The PHB also states that a supernatural ability can not be disrupted. Does this mean it can't be interrupted? Does it mean that you can do it anytime, anywhere, any place for whatever reason? What is the PHB's definition for "disrupted"? Thanks.
jsaving 11-15-04, 09:16 AM	Supernatural abilities, spell-like abilities, and extraordinary abilities can all be "innate" abilities. They share several features: you never need to memorize them, enemies cannot counterspell them, and you don't need material components to activate them. Extraordinary abilities are the strongest of the three because they automatically bypass enemy SR and they work inside antimagic fields. Spell-like abilities don't have either of these features and are the weakest of the three. Supernatural abilities are the intermediate category -- they automatically bypass SR but don't work inside antimagic fields. "Disruption" occurs when you cause an enemy's spell to fizzle by inflicting damage on him (and he fails his concentration check). Supernatural and extraordinary abilities can't be disrupted, but spell-like abilities can be.
Arlia 11-15-04, 10:07 AM	Supernatural abilities, spell-like abilities, and extraordinary abilities can all be "innate" abilities. They share several features: you never need to memorize them, enemies cannot counterspell them, and you don't need material components to activate them. Extraordinary abilities are the strongest of the three because they automatically bypass enemy SR and they work inside antimagic fields. Spell-like abilities don't have either of these features and are the weakest of the three. Supernatural abilities are the intermediate category -- they automatically bypass SR but don't work inside antimagic fields. "Disruption" occurs when you cause an enemy's spell to fizzle by inflicting damage on him (and he fails his concentration check). Supernatural and extraordinary abilities can't be disrupted, but spell-like abilities can be. IMO that seems a moot point because I don't ever recall a turn undead attempt to fizzle. You don't need to roll for the target(s) and there is no DC to turning. How would combat casting apply to turning undead since turning has no levels? So then could a cleric turn undead in a silenced area? In an anti-magic field? What are the limitations of turn undead? What if the turning had a verbal component?
jsaving 11-15-04, 10:45 AM	Turning is a supernatural ability, as you said in the first post. As a supernatural ability, it can't be disrupted (hence no need for combat casting), has no verbal component (hence can be used in a silenced area), and fails where magic doesn't work (such as an antimagic field).