Rakshasa spell immunity -- clarification needed

[Xarlen]

First of all, Prot. From Arrows only works on non-magical arrows. Magic Weaponed or GMWed arrows are bypassed.

Second, creatures with Spell Resistance can cast spells on themselves. Else how could Demons and Devils have spell-like abilities that allow them to teleport, and thus thus?

 

[DM_Matt]

Raks and fighting Raks are all about information and intelligence. The rks love illusions and misdirections, try not to make their identities known, and closely guard there main weakness.

When push comes to shove, a couple first level spells in conjunction (Magic Weapon and True Strike) will kill the Rak if you can figure this out and find him. But finding out how to kill it, finding it, and cornering it to be slaughtered is where the challenge lies.

 

[hong]

I'm not so much confused as I am a bit overwhelmed how easy it will be to rule the world with a Rakshasa until somebody comes along with a blessed corssbow bolt, or a 9th level spell.

Clarifications? Advice?
Or just nod your head if you're a silent type but agree with my assessment. Anybody else who have used Rakshasas in their games please comment.

It's a good bet that the more outlandish and illogical a feature is, the more likely it is to be grounded in real-life myth, legend or folklore. Just look at the hopping vampire's curse in OA, which requires you to hop up and down on a bed of sticky rice to avoid turning into a vampire.

Folk tales don't have to worry about pragmatic-minded characters coming along with encyclopedic knowledge of all the supposedly mysterious demons and ogres they're fighting, and making a hash of the story. In a game, you have a problem.

I would treat this metaphorically, as a hidden weakness that allows even the weakest hero to slay a terrifying demon, if he has the backing of the gods. Ie, substitute any other insta-kill weakness for the blessed crossbow bolt, and make the party work to find out what it is. For best results, you could even have the weakness vary by individual, so one rakshasa may be vulnerable to blessed crossbow bolts, another may be vulnerable to seeing its own reflection, a third may be vulnerable to running water, etc.

 

[HeavyG]

First of all, Prot. From Arrows only works on non-magical arrows. Magic Weaponed or GMWed arrows are bypassed.

Second, creatures with Spell Resistance can cast spells on themselves. Else how could Demons and Devils have spell-like abilities that allow them to teleport, and thus thus?

First of all, at 7th caster level, protection from arrows will grant 10/+2 DR against missiles. It would protect against magic weaponed bolts at least, but not GMW'ed ones. I'm not sure it would protect against the blessed bolt's death effect, though.

Second, they don't have spell resistance or it would be pretty easy to adjudicate. They have spell immunity. I know I searched long for explanations about spell immunity a few months ago (I wanted to find a way for a wizard to teleport his golem) and I never found it. Can anybody find where in the rules it's explained ?

 

[Varius]

Its in the description of the monster. The spell immunity works as if it had passed the spell resistance of the spell.

My DM couldn't find it either, until I told him to flip the page.....