Magic missile and SR?

Tav_Behemoth · Sep 16, 2005

Do you roll spell resistance separately for each magic missile launched by a single casting of the spell? For example, a level 8 caster shoots 4 missiles. 4 SR checks or one?

Percivellian · Sep 16, 2005

Since additional missles can be directed to multiple targets, I'd say SR for each missle. Just a knee-jerk interpretation, though.

Truth Seeker · Sep 16, 2005

Tav_Behemoth said:
Do you roll spell resistance separately for each magic missile launched by a single casting of the spell? For example, a level 8 caster shoots 4 missiles. 4 SR checks or one?

hmmm, I would say, just roll one time, cause, all the magic missiles are flying and hitting at the same speed. Unless stated otherwise.

Or, if the mage stated specifically, that each MM appears by a delay release, like a two to six micro or nano second burst behind each other, when casted. Then each will have to be rolled seperately, because of the time delay factor involved.

This pertain to a single target conscript...the latter idea gives a peppering type effect, on the SR protection.

Taloras · Sep 16, 2005

I would roll spell resistance once for each TARGET. Either the spell affects said target, or it doesnt. If you have 2 drow, 4 missiles, 2 missiles to each drow, you would roll for SR once for each drow. If you have 1 drow, 4 missiles, 4 missiles to the one drow, roll once only. If you dont make the SR for the spell, none of them work. If you do, all of them work.

Truth Seeker · Sep 16, 2005

Percivellian said:
Since additional missles can be directed to multiple targets, I'd say SR for each missle. Just a knee-jerk interpretation, though.

Different targets, yes...single target...no.

But see my other theory, on the single target as well.

Steve Jung · Sep 16, 2005

I would also check once for each target, not for each missile.

DMG said:
Spell Resistance
When Spell Resistance Applies
Targeted Spells: Spell resistance applies if the spell is targeted at the creature. Some individually targeted spells, such as magic missile when cast by a 3rd-level caster, can be directed at several creatures simultaneously. In such cases, a creature's spell resistance applies only to the portion of the spell actually targeted at that creature. If several different resistant creatures are subjected to such a spell, each checks its spell resistance separately.

xen_xheng · Sep 16, 2005

When deling with spells that affect multiple targets (magic misslite, fireball, chain lightning) either because they are in the spell's area or because there are multiple targets, you can either roll SR for each affected creature or roll once for all.

Since the check is performed by the caster, and NOT by the affected creatures, we ended using the second option, as rolling SR for each target slowed the game too much and people got bored watching the evoker roll a d20 10-20 times per round.

Rolling once is not a bad option, as it just means the spell is cast with a given strenght (d20+caster level); then just compare this result to all the affected creatures SR and you know which ones are affected and which ones are not.

Although the DMG states "If several different resistant creatures are subjected to such a spell, each checks its spell resistance separately", this check is NOT made by the affected creatures; it's made by the caster (it's a caster level check).

Likewise, we only roll damage once for the spell; it simplifies rolls, and speeds up playgame.

Plane Sailing · Sep 16, 2005

xen_xheng said:
Since the check is performed by the caster, and NOT by the affected creatures...

Good catch!

I would have said once per target, but upon reading Xen's comment I'd go for a single caster level check to be compared against all applicable SR. A group of drow with the same SR are all got or all missed. If it is a group of mixed levels with varying SR there is a possibility of affecting the low SR targets and not affecting the high SR targets.

Cheers

Steve Jung · Sep 17, 2005

Plane Sailing said:
Good catch!

I would have said once per target, but upon reading Xen's comment I'd go for a single caster level check to be compared against all applicable SR. A group of drow with the same SR are all got or all missed. If it is a group of mixed levels with varying SR there is a possibility of affecting the low SR targets and not affecting the high SR targets.

Cheers

As a bonus, it takes care of the check per missile question. If it's just a single check, then all the missiles on one target are affected by SR or they are not.