Do two different Resist Energies Stack?

[chriton227]

This came up in our regular game this week. I play a Duskblade with Resist Energy as one of his 1st level spells. When we were talking though our daily preparations, the GM mentioned that I couldn't put two Resist Energies of different types on the same target. I had never thought about it, since one would give Resist Acid 30 and the other would give Resist Electricity 30, and since resist acid and resist electricity are two different things, there wouldn't be a stacking issue. I didn't argue (I don't have enought 1st level spells to put two resists on everyone in the party anyhow), but I was confused for a moment.

I did a little digging in the SRD, and this was all I could find:

Same Effect with Differing Results
The same spell can sometimes produce varying effects if applied to the same recipient more than once. Usually the last spell in the series trumps the others. None of the previous spells are actually removed or dispelled, but their effects become irrelevant while the final spell in the series lasts.

This supports the DM, as well as covering Chill Shield/Fire Shield, multiple Protection from Energies, but also means that you cannot put two Glyph of Wardings on the same item/area, use Imbue with Spell Ability on the same target multiple times, or have multiple Spell Immunities. That also means that you could counter a Suggestion spell with another Suggestion spell to "act normally for the next fortnight".

How do others play this in their game?

 

[calypso15]

Note that it says "Usually". Wide open to DM interpretation. In this particular case, I think your DM is wrong, but that's just my opinion.

I'd allow different types of energy resistance from the same spell to both apply.

Calypso

 

[Slaved]

Giving someone resistance to acid certainly does not make the resistance to electricity you just gave them irrelevant!

I think that they do both work to full effect at the same time. The varying effect looks more like false life and its random amount of temporary hit points that it gives rather than varying in that you made different choices in what the final effect is.

They use polymorph as an example of two effects by the same source. I think that most people could agree that using polymorph to change a person into a creature and then another polymorph to change them into a different creature definately makes the first polymorph irrelevant. I do not see resistance to energy falling under that umbrella though.

 

[mikebr99]

He's the DM... but I would allow you to have both resistances (acid & electricity) up and effective.

Mike

 

[Caliban]

I'd say that Resist Energy: Fire is not the same effect as Resist Energy: Cold.

One certainly does not make the other irrelevant!

 

[Corsair]

Stack is the wrong word. Stack implies that they combine, such as two resist fire spells.

But I would say that yes you can have both resist fire and resist acid or whatnot going at the same time.

 

[Caliban]

Stack is the wrong word. Stack implies that they combine, such as two resist fire spells.

I believe the term you are looking for is "overlap".

 

[chriton227]

So far the opinions are that most people would allow them to both be in effect, which is how I would rule if I was running.

Although that does raise the question of how people would handle other spells with multiple versions. Would you allow someone to have both the warm and cold versions of Fire Shield up at the same time, meaning that an attacker would take 1d6+CL cold and 1d6+CL fire on every hit? How about two bestow curses on the BBEG, one the -4 to most rolls, the other the 50% chance to act? Under the RAW, they all fall under the same umbrella, as spells that can have different effect with different castings (either caster's choice or random).

Another similar area would be spells like Mark of Doom (CDiv, target takes 1d6 damage every time they take a hostile action or make an attack). Could a cleric cast multiple Marks of Doom on a target so that they take 3d6 or more damage with every hostile act? How about different casters all casting at the same target? How about multiple Acid Arrows? If a L12 caster tags a target with three acid arrows in three consecutive rounds, does the target take 6d4 damage on round 4?

 

[irdeggman]

I believe the term you are looking for is "overlap".

I'm not sure that is the correct word either. Overlap implies that they layer over each other as in the greatest one is in effect and the other one is overridden.

What I think is actually happening is two separate spell effects in place at the same time.

 

[Caliban]

I'm not sure that is the correct word either. Overlap implies that they layer over each other as in the greatest one is in effect and the other one is overridden.

What I think is actually happening is two separate spell effects in place at the same time.

Maybe to you, but that's not the only thing the term implies to me. It also covers your second statement.