What is Magic Resistance?

Magic resistance? For some of you this concept may be new, but yes, some races of Omen and even some Player Characters, due to an above average constitution, have the ability to lessen the damage taken from a spell or prayer cast at them. As stated before, magic resistance is based upon the Constitution score of the individual, be it a player or an NPC. You may wonder if you have magic resistance. To find out, look under the Stat Tables and Explanations section of the PHB, then look up your Constitution score and see if it has any resistance to magic (which will be represented by a % sign if your score is high enough.

For example, if you, after adjustments have a Constitution score of 21, you would have 25% magic resistance.) Magic resistance is easily used. When your character is struck by a magical attack or prayer, you would simply use the resistance % to find out what percentage of the\line spell/prayer damage is negated. For example, if your character has a magical resistance of 25%, then 25% of the total damage dealt out is cancelled and your character only takes 75% of the total damage delivered by a spell or prayer. Magic resistance can be figured the same way as Soak when using the dice. Also, if a spell or prayer does not do specific damage (such as sleep, hold, charm, area effect, etc.) then magic resistance is used this way. A d100 is rolled, with your magic resistance stated. If you roll equal to or below your resistance, these type of spells or prayers are negated for yourself.

An example is this: Bob the Fighter has a 30% Magic resistance and a sleep spell is cast on him, he rolls a d100 and gets 22. He resists the spell because the rolled below his magic resistance. Now having magic resistance can be a burden at times as well, because say you have 50% resistance and a cleric in the party casts a healing prayer on you, your resistance would cut into that, allowing you only to receive 1/2 of the healing. Don't worry, there is a way around this. You can in cases such as these, voluntarily negate your magic resistance to receive the full benefit of these type of spells or prayers.

There is a catch, however. You must state that you are negating your magic resistance to take advantage of healing or other spells/prayers (bard songs are included in this as well) that will benefit your character. If you do not state this, then your magic resistance will cut away from the spell or prayer and give you he reduced effect. Remember to keep an eye out for this if you have magic resistance, for a host surely will and may either remind you or if reminders have continuously been given to the player, simply treat the result as resisted, thereby lessening the beneficial effect. Remember, this is your responsibility to keep track of.

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