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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Daedrova" data-source="post: 1876220" data-attributes="member: 11835">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 examplePg 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.</blockquote>

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