Necklace of Fireballs + Fire Resistance

[Yogibear41]

If I have necklace of Fireballs (any of the various types) and I am hit with a fire spell causing the necklace to detonate and set off the remaining spheres, does any fire resistance my character may have apply once to the entirety of the damage dealt, or is it applied to each sphere's individual detonation damage.

I know in the case of spells like scorching ray it applies once to each ray that strikes the character, so I am curious if a similar situation would result.

[MesiDoomstalker]

First, the Necklace will only detonate if you fail a saving throw against a magical fire effect. Non-magical fire effects or magical fire effects without a saving throw (Like Scorching Ray) will never trigger the Necklace prematurely.

That being said, each individual pearl will be its own sepearate detonation, so each one will have Fire Resistance applied to it. Even Fire Resistance 10 will give more than 50% protection against all but the strongest types of Necklace of Fireballs.

[Jeff the Green]

If I have necklace of Fireballs (any of the various types) and I am hit with a fire spell causing the necklace to detonate and set off the remaining spheres, does any fire resistance my character may have apply once to the entirety of the damage dealt, or is it applied to each sphere's individual detonation damage.

I know in the case of spells like scorching ray it applies once to each ray that strikes the character, so I am curious if a similar situation would result.

Neither. Energy resistance isn't like DR. It applies over a round. So if you're hit by three fire attacks, each doing 7 damage, fire resistance 10 would still leave you taking 11 damage.

Whoever wrote the resist energy spell didn't realize this and incorrectly described what the spell does.

[Necroticplague]

Neither. Energy resistance isn't like DR. It applies over a round. So if you're hit by three fire attacks, each doing 7 damage, fire resistance 10 would still leave you taking 11 damage.

Whoever wrote the resist energy spell didn't realize this and incorrectly described what the spell does.

The glossary entry seems to directly contradict this interpretation.

A creature with this special quality (extraordinary) ignores some damage of the indicated type each time it takes damage of that kind (commonly acid, cold, fire, or electricity). The entry indicates the amount and type of damage ignored. For example, a witchknife has resistance to fire 5, so it ignores the first 5 points of fire damage dealt to it anytime it takes fire damage.

[Jeff the Green]

The glossary entry seems to directly contradict this interpretation.

Unless the glossary is errata, it's wrong (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#resistanceToEnergy).


A creature with resistance to energy has the ability (usually extraordinary) to ignore some damage of a certain type each round, but it does not have total immunity.

Each resistance ability is defined by what energy type it resists and how many points of damage are resisted. It doesn’t matter whether the damage has a mundane or magical source.

When resistance completely negates the damage from an energy attack, the attack does not disrupt a spell. This resistance does not stack with the resistance that a spell might provide.

[Zanos]

PHB contains both definitions, but monster manual is considered the primary source for Ex, Su, and Spell Like abilities. I believe the monster manual only contains the "each time you take damage" version, and therefore "each time you take damage" is correct.

[Khedrac]

Neither. Energy resistance isn't like DR. It applies over a round. So if you're hit by three fire attacks, each doing 7 damage, fire resistance 10 would still leave you taking 11 damage.

Whoever wrote the resist energy spell didn't realize this and incorrectly described what the spell does.

That was actually the 3.0 definition of Energy Resistance, 3.5 changed it.

The SRD definition is confusing as it does not state that the Energy Resistance amount is the "some damage" ignored each round - which leaves it unclear.
The PHB and DMG take precedence over the SRD and they supply the glossary definition. The 3.5 definition (outside of the SRD) is clear that the amount is subtracted per attack not per round.

(I assume the Resistance entry in the SRD got missed in the 3.0 to 3.5 updates.)

[IcarusWulfe]

Aww, I thought this was going to be a "I cast Fireball centered on myself" type scenario.:smallbiggrin: