Variable Resistance

[MortalPlague]

How does this power work, exactly?

Variable Resistance * Encounter
Trigger: The demon takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage.
Effect (Free Action): The demon gains resist 10 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter.

It triggers as a 'free action'. Does that mean the resistance applies to the attack that triggers it or does it kick in afterwards?

I'll be running some demons in my upcoming campaign, so I want to give them their due.

 

[Nikosandros]

I remember a statement to the effect that free actions that happen on trigger are reactions unless that would prevent them from being possibly triggered. I can't remember the source, however. Perhaps it was a Rule-of-Three article?

In that case, the variable resistance would go in effect after the triggering damage, but I don't quite like it and I rule that the resistance applies as an interrupt.

 

[Nikosandros]

Double post.

 

[Doctor Proctor]

How does this power work, exactly?

Variable Resistance * Encounter
Trigger: The demon takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage.
Effect (Free Action): The demon gains resist 10 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter.

It triggers as a 'free action'. Does that mean the resistance applies to the attack that triggers it or does it kick in afterwards?

I'll be running some demons in my upcoming campaign, so I want to give them their due.

From my understanding, they would gain the resistance after taking that damage for the first time. A free action is not an interrupt, and the trigger is taking the damage, which I would interpret as taking it fully without resistance.

This way, the first attack will be at full power, but the Demon is learning and adapting to your power usage and won't be caught off-guard so easily on future attacks.

 

[the Jester]

I'm pretty sure it's supposed to trigger as an interrupt, but this is one of those things that has never been clarified to the best of my knowledge.

Sure would simplify things to call some free actions "free interrupts" and some "free reactions" and some just plain "free actions" (those that aren't responses).

 

[Spatula]

I believe that there are demon minions with this ability, from which one could infer that it triggers before the damage. Otherwise, the minion would never get to use it. But that's hardly ironclad proof of how the timing should work.

 

[Nikosandros]

I believe that there are demon minions with this ability, from which one could infer that it triggers before the damage. Otherwise, the minion would never get to use it. But that's hardly ironclad proof of how the timing should work.

Good catch. I was able to find in the Compendium three minions that have variable resistance: Mane, Arachnid Clockwork Horror and Mezzodemon Sycophant.

 

[DracoSuave]

A free action can take place at any time, even in the middle of other actions. It can't rewind time unless it says so. It is neither interrupt nor reaction.

A demon can, for example, be hit by a fire power, switch resistance to fire, then resist the fire.

 

[Mirtek]

I agree with the others. By the ruling given for free actions it would be a reaction, howeve we play it as an interrupt because it makes more sense

I believe that there are demon minions with this ability, from which one could infer that it triggers before the damage. Otherwise, the minion would never get to use it. But that's hardly ironclad proof of how the timing should work.

Not the first time designers published something while missunderstanding the game mechanics and that something technically did nothing by RAW

 

[MortalPlague]

Hmm, I was hoping there was a hard and fast ruling on this one by now. Our group has also run it as a reaction, but the minion conundrum has me considering it as an interrupt. I think I'll pose the question to my group on Tuesday and see if they have a strong opinion.