Resurgence and timing

[Majoru Oakheart]

You cannot use resurgence against sunburst because the duration of sunburst is instantaneous. It's not ongoing.

So the whole argument is moot, although I do agree with Infinti2000 about your DM's motives.

Yep, I understand that now, however, what about the other situation where you get affected by, say, multiple charm persons by the same person in one round. You fail the first one, but they are strange enough to charm you a second time.

You get a resurgence and make the first save again. Does that mean that you have to go back and make the second save if you don't remember the result? What if you are charmed 20 times in one round? The big thing I'm wondering about is that the idea is that you never have to remember exactly what happened to you the previous round except what effects are currently on you.

So, you know that you are charmed, the Resurgence takes away the charm, no need to figure out the order things happened last round. I will point out to our group that it wouldn't have worked in this specific case.

 

[reveal]

Yep, I understand that now, however, what about the other situation where you get affected by, say, multiple charm persons by the same person in one round. You fail the first one, but they are strange enough to charm you a second time.

You get a resurgence and make the first save again. Does that mean that you have to go back and make the second save if you don't remember the result? What if you are charmed 20 times in one round? The big thing I'm wondering about is that the idea is that you never have to remember exactly what happened to you the previous round except what effects are currently on you.

So, you know that you are charmed, the Resurgence takes away the charm, no need to figure out the order things happened last round. I will point out to our group that it wouldn't have worked in this specific case.

You can't be charmed multiple times. Once you're charmed, you're charmed. It's an ongoing effect. Now, when the charm wears off, then you can be charmed again but you don't charm someone and, once they're charmed, charm them again because it won't matter. It's effects don't stack.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Charmed is a really bad example. Specifically, because casting the second charm will automatically break the first. But, let's assume you were targeted consecutively (by readied actions of two opposing wizards) by rays of enfeeblement. They did this in case on or the other rolled poorly. However, both succeeded. The resurgence would help you eliminate the stronger one (because it is currently 'functioning') while the second one is rendered ineffective.

But, I want to stress that you absolutely MUST make both saves initially. You can't just not bother making the save. If there's ever a case where you just don't bother making the save, then you should likewise totally ignore those spells, as in they aren't even in effect.

 

[reveal]

Charmed is a really bad example. Specifically, because casting the second charm will automatically break the first. But, let's assume you were targeted consecutively (by readied actions of two opposing wizards) by rays of enfeeblement. They did this in case on or the other rolled poorly. However, both succeeded. The resurgence would help you eliminate the stronger one (because it is currently 'functioning') while the second one is rendered ineffective.

Ray of enfeeblement is a poor example as well. There is no save involved as it's a ranged touch attack.

Actually, I don't think there's any spell that would be a good example because, once your under an effect, another spell that effects you in the same way doesn't "stack." You're either effected or you're not.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Ray of enfeeblement is a poor example as well. There is no save involved as it's a ranged touch attack.

LOL! Silly me. Okay, then, instead of ray of enfeeblment, insert [appropriate magical effect requiring a save].

 

[Jack Simth]

... once your under an effect, another spell that effects you in the same way doesn't "stack." You're either effected or you're not.

That's not entirely true:

Spells or magical effects usually work as described, no matter how many other spells or magical effects happen to be operating in the same area or on the same recipient. Except in special cases, a spell does not affect the way another spell operates. Whenever a spell has a specific effect on other spells, the spell description explains that effect. Several other general rules apply when spells or magical effects operate in the same place:

Stacking Effects: Spells that provide bonuses or penalties on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and other attributes usually do not stack with themselves.

More generally, two bonuses of the same type don’t stack even if they come from different spells (or from effects other than spells; see Bonus Types, above).

Different Bonus Names: The bonuses or penalties from two different spells stack if the modifiers are of different types.

A bonus that isn’t named stacks with any bonus.

Same Effect More than Once in Different Strengths: In cases when two or more identical spells are operating in the same area or on the same target, but at different strengths, only the best one applies.

Same Effect with Differing Results: The same spell can sometimes produce varying effects if applied to the same recipient more than once. Usually the last spell in the series trumps the others. None of the previous spells are actually removed or dispelled, but their effects become irrelevant while the final spell in the series lasts.

One Effect Makes Another Irrelevant: Sometimes, one spell can render a later spell irrelevant. Both spells are still active, but one has rendered the other useless in some fashion.

Multiple Mental Control Effects: Sometimes magical effects that establish mental control render each other irrelevant, such as a spell that removes the subjects ability to act. Mental controls that don’t remove the recipient’s ability to act usually do not interfere with each other. If a creature is under the mental control of two or more creatures, it tends to obey each to the best of its ability, and to the extent of the control each effect allows. If the controlled creature receives conflicting orders simultaneously, the competing controllers must make opposed Charisma checks to determine which one the creature obeys.

Spells with Opposite Effects: Spells with opposite effects apply normally, with all bonuses, penalties, or changes accruing in the order that they apply. Some spells negate or counter each other. This is a special effect that is noted in a spell’s description.

Instantaneous Effects: Two or more spells with instantaneous durations work cumulatively when they affect the same target.

(emphasis added)

They don't usually "stack" per se, but they are all still there.

If you cast ten permanent Blindness spells (Fort save, duration permanent rather than instant) on one character, all are present - it's just that only one is active. In order to restore the character's sight, you have to either use a spell that eliminates all the blindness effects on the target at once (such as Heal), get rid of them individually (such as with the "Dispel" option on Remove Blindness), beat every caster level of each of the 10 Blindness spells in effect with a (Greater) Dispel Magic, or use some other method (which will either treat each of the 10 blindness spells individually, as a group, or will deal with some number of them). However, all 10 blindess spells are still present (nothing in the SRD description of the Blindness spell requires that the critter targetted actually be able to see, so all 10 copies apply normally; for the sake of argument on the physics of this point, let's just stick with the SRD version) and must be resolved individually.