Silence and Spell Resistance

[Scharlata]

Hi!

I'd like to know if I, as the DM, ruled correctly that a Silence, cast on the floor (a grid intersection) of a cave, would not be affected by the Spell Resistance of a character standing in the affected area at the time of casting the Silence?

The Rules of the Game: Spell Description article mentions something like that:
"If the spell entry is „yes,“ the spell usually goes to work directly on the recipient’s mind or body and the caster must make a level check to overcome spell resistance before the spell can affect the creature."

The PHB (p. 177) states: "In many cases, spell resistance applies only when a resistant creature is targeted by the spell, not when a resistant creature encounters a spell that is already in place."

The DMG (p. 299) states: "Area Spells: Spell resistance applies if the resistant creature is within the spell's area. It protects the resistant creature without affecting the spell itself."

Silence (PHB, p. 279 [Area]) states: "An unwilling creature can attempt a Will save to negate the spell and can use spell resistance, if any."

As such, Silence is an area spell that does not go directly the the mind of a creature and can be fixed to a point in space (as opposed to "centered on a creature").

According the the DMG, the creature benefits from SR. [obviously]
According to the Rules of the Game, the creature does not benefit from SR. [doubtful]
According to the PHB, the creature doen not benefit from SR. [doubtful]
According to Silence, the creature does not benefit from SR. [obviously]

What do you think?

Kind regards

 

[Thanee]

If targeted on a creature, there's a Will save and SR check, if the spell fails to affect the creature, the spell fails completely.

If targeted on a point in space, every creature inside the area is affected automatically.

The sentence about the Will save and SR only refers to targeting a creature with the spell.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nifelhein]

Thanee ruled out the problem as it should be done.

 

[Scharlata]

Thanee ruled out the problem as it should be done.

Thanx to both of you. We had quite an argument at the table.

 

[Liquidsabre]

The DMG (p. 299) states: "Area Spells: Spell resistance applies if the resistant creature is within the spell's area. It protects the resistant creature without affecting the spell itself."

This is it. A creature with SR that is present or enters the area that the silence spell is active would roll SR as normal to see if they are subject to the effects of the spell or ignore them. I don't really think silence works any different than say a blade barrier or wall of fire spell would. If the creature is present in the area of effect, they get a SR vs. the spell if the spell entry states SR: Yes.

Or is the SR ability suppose to only function as: "If the the spell entry has SR: Yes, the character/creature is only allowed to use SR if they are allowed a save."?

 

[Nifelhein]

The creature is not even touched by the spell, it simply does not affect her, it falls upon the area making sounds not propagate. So you can say that while the creature could roll a save she will not because she is not affected by the spell.

If the target was her, though, she would make a save to resist being the bearer fo the center of the effect. Fireball is an area effect that allows SR, Silence and Darkness are not.

 

[Scharlata]

[...]Or is the SR ability suppose to only function as: "If the the spell entry has SR: Yes, the character/creature is only allowed to use SR if they are allowed a save."?

That's the question: The text in the spell description is (IMO) a little confusing because a direct attack with the silence spell at a creature allows a Will save and a spell resistance check. As an area attack at a point in space it does allow neither of both. The text addresses the case of affecting a creature specifically. That's why I ask. Furthermore, as silence is an illusion, the text on page 299 (DMG) states, that illusions almost never get checked by SR.

On one hand it's clear that silence is an area spell that should be checked by SR.
On the other hand the spell description and other information make it doutful that silence, cast on a point in space, is checked by a creature's SR - regardless of whether the creature was in the area affected at the point of casting the silence or whether the creature enters the affected area later.

Kind regards

 

[Scharlata]

The creature is not even touched by the spell, it simply does not affect her,[...]

Aha!

Here it goes; just checked the Main FAQ 2005 03 25 for "silence" (that I checked the first time only for "spell resistance")...

The silence spell provides a better example of how a golem’s magic immunity (and spell resistance in general) works. You can cast silence on a creature, and when you do so, spell resistance applies (see the spell description). A silence spell automatically fails if you try to cast it on a golem. Once a silence spell is operating, silence reigns throughout the emanation the spell creates. If a golem moves into the emanation, the golem still cannot hear or make any noise.

That's my answer, for now. Thanx anyway!

 

[Nifelhein]

Or like I said, it works like darkness, one entering an area in darkness won't make a save, having SR simply won't make the surrounding any clearer.