Paladin > Phantasmal Killer?

[Ditch]

In a past game my paladin was targetted with a PK. Our DM looked at me funny after declaring me as the target and goes, "Nevermind, that guy just wasted his turn." I didn't have to roll any saves at all. I understand that it is a [Fear, Mind Affecting] spell and my paladin was immune to the "fear"... but:

1) Being immune to fear prevents you from death by PK? What about the 3d6 damage?

2) Even as a paladin shouldn't I get a save to disbelieve? What if I were wearing a Helm of Telepathy?

3) Phantasmal Killer isn't labeled as a [Death] spell, so would the Death Ward (Clr 4) spell have any effect on it?

Thanks

 

[Wolfwood2]

In a past game my paladin was targetted with a PK. Our DM looked at me funny after declaring me as the target and goes, "Nevermind, that guy just wasted his turn." I didn't have to roll any saves at all. I understand that it is a [Fear, Mind Affecting] spell and my paladin was immune to the "fear"... but:

1) Being immune to fear prevents you from death by PK? What about the 3d6 damage?

2) Even as a paladin shouldn't I get a save to disbelieve? What if I were wearing a Helm of Telepathy?

3) Phantasmal Killer isn't labeled as a [Death] spell, so would the Death Ward (Clr 4) spell have any effect on it?

Thanks

1. You take no damage. As it is a fear effect, paladins are immune.

2. If you are immune, what's the point of a save to disbelieve?

3. Death Ward would have no effect.

 

[Ditch]

If you are wearing a Helm of Telepathy and you make your will save to disbelieve then you can turn the phantasm back on it's caster. By your ruling, paladins wouldn't even get this option?

 

[frankthedm]

If you are wearing a Helm of Telepathy and you make your will save to disbelieve then you can turn the phantasm back on it's caster. By your ruling, paladins wouldn't even get this option?

The way the rules work, because the spell has the fear descriptor, the paladin is completly immune to the effect. He never gets the chance to disbelieve it.


Phantasmal Killer
Illusion (Phantasm) [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with), then Fortitude partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

You create a phantasmal image of the most fearsome creature imaginable to the subject simply by forming the fears of the subject’s subconscious mind into something that its conscious mind can visualize: this most horrible beast. Only the spell’s subject can see the phantasmal killer. You see only a vague shape. The target first gets a Will save to recognize the image as unreal. If that save fails, the phantasm touches the subject, and the subject must succeed on a Fortitude save or die from fear. Even if the Fortitude save is successful, the subject takes 3d6 points of damage.

If the subject of a phantasmal killer attack succeeds in disbelieving and is wearing a helm of telepathy, the beast can be turned upon you. You must then disbelieve it or become subject to its deadly fear attack.

IF the spell was worded like this, the paladin would have the chance to send it back

Phantasmal Killer
Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting, see below]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (if interacted with), then Fortitude partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

You create a phantasmal image of the most fearsome creature imaginable to the subject formed from the subject’s subconscious mind into something that its conscious mind can visualize: this most horrible beast. Only the spell’s subject can see the phantasmal killer. You see only a vague shape. The target first gets a Will save to recognize the image as unreal. If that save fails, the phantasm touches the subject, and the subject must succeed on a Fortitude save or die from fear [This is a fear effect]. Even if the Fortitude save is successful, the subject takes 3d6 points of damage[This is a fear effect].

If the subject of a phantasmal killer attack succeeds in disbelieving and is wearing a helm of telepathy, the beast can be turned upon you. You must then disbelieve it or become subject to its deadly fear attack.

 

[Ditch]

Talked with a fellow DM today about the same issue and he said that he'd rule in favor of a will save just to see if the illusion were believed. Having thought about it some more and after reading Frank's post, I think I agree with Frank... Paladins are just plain immune.

Thanks for the help guys.