Magic resistance and Missile Spells

[Kromm]

Yeah, ice spells inflict 100% of their damage through physical trauma, bashing the target with big ice balls, spearing him with icicles, or shredding him with tiny ice crystals. Cold spells might damage through freezing, but there are very few spells like that . . . off hand, Frostbite.

As for DR vs. spells that bypass armor, I would say that specific countermeasures always trump general statements. DR (Limited, Magic, -20%) very specifically does work against any magical damage, including Deathtouch.

[blacksmith]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Yeah, ice spells inflict 100% of their damage through physical trauma, bashing the target with big ice balls, spearing him with icicles, or shredding him with tiny ice crystals. Cold spells might damage through freezing, but there are very few spells like that . . . off hand, Frostbite.

As for DR vs. spells that bypass armor, I would say that specific countermeasures always trump general statements. DR (Limited, Magic, -20%) very specifically does work against any magical damage, including Deathtouch.

Would it count agenst say Innate attack Crushing Dammage (malediction+200%, Magic-10%)?

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by blacksmith

Would it count agenst say Innate attack Crushing Dammage (malediction+200%, Magic-10%)?

Sure, DR (Limited, Magic, -20%) would also help against that magical sword or enchanted arrow.

[blacksmith]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

Sure, DR (Limited, Magic, -20%) would also help against that magical sword or enchanted arrow.

It is not an arrow or sword but a magical curse. Malidiction means it ignores DR normaly, does limiting the dr to magic make it work agnest the malidiction?

This is making someones chest explode from the inside, not a sword or arrow.

[Gudiomen]

Originally Posted by blacksmith

It is not an arrow or sword but a magical curse. Malidiction means it ignores DR normaly, does limiting the dr to magic make it work agnest the malidiction?

This is making someones chest explode from the inside, not a sword or arrow.

Kromm already answered this. Limiting DR to magic will affect any magical damage you take. Doesn't matter where it comes from. Because this DR is an inherent resistance to magicaly damaging effect, it's not a barrier, but an essence, if you please. So if the malediction is (Magic, -10%) it'll be affected by magical countermeasures, such as Magic DR, Static, and so on...

However, the enchanted arrow or sword is a bit tricky. If you enchant a sword to do +2 damage, you're not converting it's full damage to magical. Are you? Well, it would depend on the campaign. But generaly Magic DR should protect only against those points of damage. Thoughts?

[kpram]

Kromm said that DR (-20% magic) works against Deathtouch; I've never seen Deathtouch written up cannonically as malediction.


It seems odd that limited DR does more than not-limited DR (namely, stopping an attack with the malediction advantage).

Innate Attack, malediction (+200%) magic (-10%) affected by
DR, magic only (-20%)

but you wouldn't claim that
Innate Attack, malediction (+200%) is affected by
DR (no mods)
would you?

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by kpram

It seems odd that limited DR does more than not-limited DR (namely, stopping an attack with the malediction advantage).

Ah, but that's what that -10% magic limitation does to the malediction, it makes it specifically blockable by things which affect magic.

Just the same way you can have a Psionic malediction which blows through normal armor be stopped by DR which stops (Psionics only).

You give up most of the usefulness of DR when you restric it to a small group like that, but you do pick up specific case advantage for the DR by focusing it as well.
By the process of taking the limitation (Magic) any such attack can now be defended by DR (Magic Only).

Originally Posted by Gudiomen

However, the enchanted arrow or sword is a bit tricky. If you enchant a sword to do +2 damage, you're not converting it's full damage to magical. Are you? Well, it would depend on the campaign. But generaly Magic DR should protect only against those points of damage. Thoughts?

In the same way that an enchanted blade or a silver coated blade would injure a create which is vulnerable to such, it only makes sense if the DR (Magic Only) stops all damage from such a weapon regardless of which part of the damage is due to the enchantment.

In the same way if the enchantment is a "Seeker" arrow or a "Penetrating" sword, they are still magical weapons therefore the DR would protect fully even if there is no magical damage bonus to the weapon/missile.
By the process of becoming enchanted they can now be defended by DR (Magic Only).

[Brandy]

Originally Posted by Gudiomen

However, the enchanted arrow or sword is a bit tricky. If you enchant a sword to do +2 damage, you're not converting it's full damage to magical. Are you? Well, it would depend on the campaign. But generaly Magic DR should protect only against those points of damage. Thoughts?

That kind of complex accounting should never be in the rules as written, I think, but it's a fine interpretation for a GM to make if it's what feels right.

On some level, it comes down to game world assumptions about what Magic is and how it works, what DR (magic only) represents, and how enchanted weapons deliver their extra damage.

[blacksmith]

Originally Posted by Gudiomen

Kromm already answered this. Limiting DR to magic will affect any magical damage you take. Doesn't matter where it comes from. Because this DR is an inherent resistance to magicaly damaging effect, it's not a barrier, but an essence, if you please. So if the malediction is (Magic, -10%) it'll be affected by magical countermeasures, such as Magic DR, Static, and so on...

However, the enchanted arrow or sword is a bit tricky. If you enchant a sword to do +2 damage, you're not converting it's full damage to magical. Are you? Well, it would depend on the campaign. But generaly Magic DR should protect only against those points of damage. Thoughts?

Wrong. He adressed spells, not magical powers. I don't remember seeing anything about how say DR(only vs evil) will include what is effectively a cosmic enhancement to count agenst cosmic effects that bypass armor or maledictions. IF that is intended it should damn well have been mentioned in powers.

[Brandy]

Originally Posted by blacksmith

IF that is intended it should damn well have been mentioned in powers.

Settle down, blacksmith. If you don't want to do it that way in your games then don't do it that way.

Simple enough?