Caster check vs Spell Resistance

[Veritas]

I really haven't been able to find anything to answer this question definitively... could someone please help me out? thanks.

When a wizard casts a spell vs multiple opponents with spell resistance, does the wizard simply roll once for the spell and that roll applies to all opponents, or does he have to roll individually to overcome each of his opponents' resistance?

 

[shoof]

He rolls one Caster lvl check for the spell, then applies that result against each oppents SR

 

[Veritas]

sorry to press, but do you have a specific book and page reference for that, since I'm getting conflicting calls on that rule.

 

[Veritas]

Actually, after discussing it with some others, I think you're right, shoof.

The rules seem to imply that it's a seperate roll for each opponent, with its use of singular possessive in the text ("creature's" rather than "creatures'"), but it makes more sense that a caster puts a certain amount of "effort" into the spell and that "effort" applies to all creatures in the area of effect, rather than it varying from creature to creature.

 

[Thanee]

I think the rules imply that you make a seperate check for every target with spell resistance.

If your spell is being resisted by a creature with spell resistance, you must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) at least equal to the creature’s spell resistance for the spell to affect that creature.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Li Shenron]

3.0 PHB specified to roll separately for each SR creature, but I don't know the 3.5 PHB.

 

[Aaron2]

When a wizard casts a spell vs multiple opponents with spell resistance, does the wizard simply roll once for the spell and that roll applies to all opponents, or does he have to roll individually to overcome each of his opponents' resistance?

I've always had a similar question about area effect spells. If you do a 4d6 fireball to 4 orcs, do you roll 4d6 once and apply the same damage to all of them or roll 4d6 for each one individually?


Aaron

 

[shoof]

The wording is of course misleading, but you can equate it the dmg dice for an an area spell, regardless of whats in that area you roll your dmg once and apply it to all creatures in the area, caster level check is the same thing it represents the casting of that particular spell and should be applied against all creatures in that area.

The caster lvl check basically represents how well you cast that particular spell.

 

[Daedrova]

There a just a couple places showing the answer to this.
pg. 177 of the PH (second column)
"Spell resistance is a special defensive ability. If your spell is being resisted by a creature with spell resistance, you must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) at least equal to the creature's spell resistance for the spell to affect that creature. The defender's spell resistance is like an Armor Class against magical attacks…”

Pg. 299 of the DMG (first column)
“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 third level caster, can be directed at several creatures simultaneously. In such cases, a creature’s spell resistance applies only to the portions 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.”

I was actually surprised that it wasn’t so easy to find where it tells us to roll damage once, but there is an example

Pg 169 of the PH (starting with the last sentence, continuing onto pg. 170)
“…A cone of magical flame shoots out 14 feet., catching the three centipedes in its area. Mialee’s player rolls 1d4 to see how much damage each centipede takes and gets a result of 3. The DM makes a Reflex save (DC 13 for one of Mialee’s 1st level spells ) for each centipede, and only one succeeds. Two centipedes take 3 points of damage each and drop. The lucky one takes half damage (1 point) and survives.”

This is just an example, but does indeed show that you roll damage only once for a spell, no matter how many targets. I am not sure if I missed the another section specifying this fact in the rules. Secondly, it would simply be ridiculous to require a caster to roll 10d6, add it up the damage for one creature, and then do the same for the next 30 creatures in the area.

There is no reason to belief that SR or damage from a spell has anything to do with some extra “effort” that a caster puts into a spell. Why would a caster not put his full effort when casting? Why is there no reference or hint to this “effort” anywhere in any of the books? The only effort somewhat referred to is a Concentration skill check to avoid Spell Casting failure.

The reason you roll for damage once for a spell (rather than each creature) is the same reason you roll weapon damage. For the mechanical purpose, and that it shows the effectiveness of the spell that was cast. Not because the wizard tightened his sphincter any more.

The reason you roll SR checks separately for each creature is because each creature to resists the spell individually (as indicated above). It is more of a relation between the power of the caster (level) and that particular creature’s (“anti-spell”) power.

 

[Thanee]

Pg. 299 of the DMG (first column)

Ah, that's even more clear than the PHB quote (same I had quoted above).

Bye
Thanee