[Tom H.]

I have some disagreements with assertions here regarding Magic Resistance itself.

I've been researching this carefully, but let me know if something is amiss.

I see Magic Resistance as having two distinct applications.

1. Any spell a caster casts on you has a success roll penalized by your Magic Resistance level.

Furthermore, I do not believe that you can willingly relinquish this effect.

2. If a spell is resistible, you may opt to resist it and apply your Magic Resistance as a bonus when making a resistance roll.

I believe, you can choose to relinquish this ability.

Area effect spells get more complicated.

I do not believe that a caster's success roll upon an area is penalized by Magic Resistance (especially for the reason that it would be difficult to know which subject's Magic Resistance to use if there are several subjects enveloped.)

However, the rules do indicate that if an area effect spell is also resistible, then each subject may make a resistance roll with a bonus of double his Magic Resistance level.

I presume this double bonus is to compensate for the fact that the caster never received the symmetrical Magic Resistance penalty because it was an area.