Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Marendithas_the_Necro 05-04-06, 06:38 PM	Vorpal: This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes. Upon a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the weapon severs the opponent’s head (if it has one) from its body. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off. A vorpal weapon must be a slashing weapon. (If you roll this property randomly for an inappropriate weapon, reroll.) Strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, circle of death, keen edge; Price +5 bonus. Can the warforged can lose their head and die? Maybe but with the improved fortification grant you 100% immunity to critical hits and sneak attacks no? So no vorpal strike...
Pandaemoni 05-04-06, 06:43 PM	I think the answer is, as with golems, "yes their heads can be severed." The real question is whether severing their head kills them. Since, unlike golems, warforged are subject to sneak attacks and critical hits like any other humanoid, I'd say "yes, it does kill them." I'd follow the same rules as for any other race on that point.
Balseraph 05-04-06, 06:55 PM	It specifically says that golems and non-vampire undead are unaffected by the loss of their heads, it does not say that they are therefore immune to the vorpal effect. It appears that even those immune to critical effects can still lose their head from a vorpal blade; it's just that some of those creatures aren't particularly bothered by said loss. Therefore I must assume that even with Heavy Fortification, a vorpal blade can still lop off your head, as it doesn't make any mention that immunity to critical strikes conveys any such immunity to vorpal strikes.
Pyritefoolsgold 05-04-06, 08:19 PM	So the real question is how important a warforged's head is to him.
stargate525 05-04-06, 09:23 PM	So the real question is how important a warforged's head is to him. well considering he would no longer be able to see or hear anything, even if it doesn't kill him, without those senses in combat it would only be a matter of time would it not?
Balseraph 05-05-06, 12:33 AM	I'm going with the "without their heads, they're powerless!" option too :P Given that nothing says anything contrary to this, they die without their heads. Putting their head back on in preparation to bringing them back to life is probably a simpler (and certainly a cleaner) matter than it is with something organic :D
Cifer 05-05-06, 02:59 AM	100% immunity to crits means the special ability will never come up. I would interpret this ability one of the following ways: Either the warforged has modified himself so that he has several redundant components - sensory organs of head destroyed? Lucky warforged has spare ones in his chest. Or he has improved his armor to indeed cover his whole body (the warforged drawings always feature a mix of plate and bare underlying wood) and the only way to kill him is to absolutely demolish him and his armor since finding weak points is not possible anymore.
ressurrector 05-05-06, 03:56 AM	I'm going with the "without their heads, they're powerless!" option too :P Given that nothing says anything contrary to this, they die without their heads. Putting their head back on in preparation to bringing them back to life is probably a simpler (and certainly a cleaner) matter than it is with something organic :D Warforged don't die anyway, they simply go inactive untill repaired/restored.
allenchan 05-05-06, 05:48 AM	Warforged don't die anyway, they simply go inactive untill repaired/restored. They still die at -10. They're inert from 0 to -10.
FriendlyBiscuit 05-05-06, 08:17 AM	What's the Repair check DC to reattach their head? Do we just assume they're right at 0, -1, or -10 without their head? Or merely "inert", but with the appropriate damage from whatever hits they've taken? Or maybe just deaf 'n blind? In the spirit of "I substitute my reality for yours" that Valiingrade's got goin on in another thread, I think it'd be fun if warforged intellegences/souls were not necessarily tied to their heads, and they could act while headless, though blind, deaf, and speechless. Reattaching the head would require a mondo Repair check, like DC 30 maybe even. The party debates whether to make the warforged fighter keep going, using blindsight/blindsense spells/powers/items (are there any?), or go back to town for some d'Cannith-style lovin!
Illion the Red 05-05-06, 08:50 AM	OK, let's examine this, starting with a look at the actual rules... Vorpal: This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes. Upon a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the weapon severs the opponent’s head (if it has one) from its body. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off. A vorpal weapon must be a slashing weapon. (If you roll this property randomly for an inappropriate weapon, reroll.) Strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, circle of death, keen edge; Price +5 bonus. Fortification: This suit of armor or shield produces a magical force that protects vital areas of the wearer more effectively. When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on the wearer, there is a chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and damage is instead rolled normally. Fortification Type Chance for Normal Damage Base Price Modifier Light 25% +1 bonus Moderate 75% +3 bonus Heavy 100% +5 bonus Strong abjuration; CL 13th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, limited wish or miracle; Price varies (see above). The vorpal effect is not an effect that triggers on a critical hit, it is an effect that triggers on a roll of a natural 20 followed up by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit. The real problem is that the heavy fortification does not provide immunity to critical hits, it provides a 100% chance that the critical hit is negated and damage is rolled normally. Vorpal is not a damage-roll effect, so there is some grey area there. If heavy fortification was meant to mean the same thing as immunity to critical hits, one has to wonder why it does not state so with precise language. In the end, this is not something that is covered in the FAQ, so it is clearly open to interpretation. Therefore the default answer is "ask your DM" but my ruling would be to go with the perceived spirit of the heavy fortification and grant protection from the vorpal effect.