D&D 5E Detecting Monster's Resistance to Fire

[FitzTheRuke]

I tend to use the example of a monk in a sealed room the same shape and radius as a fireball who gets hit by a fireball and manages to 'avoid' ALL the damage. Logic has only a shaky position at the D&D table sometimes.

I think there is a grey area in this example too, and skill rolls are a good way to deal with grey areas in some cases.

Sure. Good example.

I would figure that while a fireball *effectively* fills the entire space, it doesn't *literally* fill the entire space (swirls and eddies and the like). A monk does something amazing where time seems to slow down and as the fire rolls out in all directions from a point the monk twists, rolls, and contorts down into the smallest shape he can (perhaps into a corner or flat on the ground).

And/or he glows with inner anti-fire chi, while making some twisty finger gestures and the fireball literally bends around him.

I could go on. There's always a story. Some are "better" than others. (Quotes being that some people like some versions better. Usually game style differences).

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[iserith]

When a wizard throws a fire spell at a monster with fire resistance, does the wizard automatically know that the spell was not as effective as normal? Or does the wizard have to make a arcana, investigation or perception check?

I narrate the results of the adventurer's actions, erring on the side of making it apparent it wasn't as effective as it could have been.

More importantly, I do try to telegraph a creature's resistances, immunities, and other important traits when describing the environment. This gives observant players a chance to notice certain clues that will inform their choices. If the fire resistant monster, for example, confidently walks across some hot coals to get at the PCs, a wizard that is paying attention may then decide fire isn't the best tool to use against it. Or might still use fire - depends on the player. But at least I've given a chance for the player to make an informed choice rather than learn about the resistance after the fact.

Thinking about how I might telegraph such things also forces me to consider what elements of the environment are necessary to incorporate, which makes the battlefield much richer and more interesting in my view.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

I tell my players the damage they did, so they will notice instantly. But even if they didn't it, I usually narrate "The spell doesn't seem to be very effective".

 

[Imaculata]

My players recently fought a huge Stone Golem, which was immune to magic. So when one of the players cast a spell on it, I told him:

"You see the magic fizzle across its body and then disappearing, as if hitting a lightning rod. It does not seem to have any effect what so ever."

 

[futrtrubl]

I'll do what everyone has said and say something to the effect of "it's less effective than expected" _unless_ the creature is intelligent or especially willful in which case it may try to trick the characters into thinking that the fireball was more damaging that it was or that the acid was inconsequential. Deception and insight rolls ensue. Of course if the players tend to metagame, their rolls will be done by me.

 

[Ancalagon]

Aah... but *can you really * tell the difference?

Example. The party mage launches a fireball at the evil warrior and his pet demon. Both fail their saves, and the damage rolled is 20.

The demon pet is pretty weak, only having 15 hp to start with . Although it resists the fire attack, he only has 5 hp left, ie he lost 2/3 of his hp.

Meanwhile the evil warrior has no fire resistance whatsoever... but she is a champion of evil, and has 200hp! She laughs at the attack.

Sooooo ... could the party mage tell? I don't think so!

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[iserith]

Sooooo ... could the party mage tell?[/URL]

Yes, because DM said so.

I consider it fair play to tell the party these sorts of things regardless of any concerns about "realism" or whatever. Of course, I do try to telegraph this sort of information up front anyway so there are no surprises (or at least no "gotchas").

 

[Reynard]

The important question to ask is, I think, "Is there any benefit to withholding the information from the player?" Almost universally I would answer that question, "No." I also allow PCs to make skill checks (Arcana or whatever) to determine if they know something about such creatures and base what information they have on the results of the check. I sometimes consider making that check in secret and giving bad info if it goes poorly, but in the end I never do because (again) the benefit to the game for such a tactic seems small.

 

[iserith]

I sometimes consider making that check in secret and giving bad info if it goes poorly, but in the end I never do because (again) the benefit to the game for such a tactic seems small.

Good call. For many reasons.