Does DR protect against a Shadow's Str damage?

[Hypersmurf]

This is being far too literal. The strength of a creature can't be reduced below 1 as a result of this spell.

If they'd written that, it would have perhaps made more sense.

... but they didn't.

Out of curiosity, what would you consider to be the effects of this hypothetical spell?

Rary's Ray
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

A coruscating ray springs from your hand. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack to strike a target. The subject’s Strength score cannot drop below 1.

-Hyp.

 

[Caliban]

If they'd written that, it would have perhaps made more sense.

... but they didn't.

Out of curiosity, what would you consider to be the effects of this hypothetical spell?

Rary's Ray
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

A coruscating ray springs from your hand. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack to strike a target. The subject’s Strength score cannot drop below 1.

-Hyp.

You know, the "take only the most literal possible interpretation" gag get's old after awhile.

Taken in context with the rest of the spell, it's obvious that "Ray of Enfeeblement" is not intended to be a buffer against additional strength loss. That sentence is just a limitation on the spell.

As for your proposed spell, since that sentence is the only effect of the spell (and not a limitation on the primary effect), it would prevent your strength score from being dropped below 1.

However, I don't think that would be a legitimate 1st level arcan spell, since the only other spell that protects against ability damage is the 4th level cleric spell "Death Ward" .

So, if you take into the account the context of the spell, and look at the effect in relation to the rest of the spells in the PHB, it's pretty obvious that the most literal interpetation of that single sentence (when taken out of context) is not the correct one.

 

[Tarril Wolfeye]

Well, this spell gives a penalty, which is not a drain or ability damage.
I would apply this penalty last, so if ability drain/damage gets your Strength below 1, it's already 0 and it doesn't need to drop below 1 anymore.
On the other hand, this penalty obviously doesn't help the caster to drop you below 1, even with some ability drain/damage, because as it's applied last, you can't drop below 1.

 

[Staffan]

What the subject says. If a shadow attacks and strikes a creature with, for example, DR 10/magic, will the DR prevent it from causing Str damage. I'm guessing "No". Am I correct?

You are correct. That's because DR doesn't protect against touch attacks. If you instead use a 3.5e Sword of Wounding and DR 10/chaos (or something else that doesn't get through), it would protect against the Con damage as long as the whole normal damage was blocked.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Well, this spell gives a penalty, which is not a drain or ability damage.
I would apply this penalty last, so if ability drain/damage gets your Strength below 1, it's already 0 and it doesn't need to drop below 1 anymore.
On the other hand, this penalty obviously doesn't help the caster to drop you below 1, even with some ability drain/damage, because as it's applied last, you can't drop below 1.

Tarril makes sense.

Example:

Round 1: Bob gets hit by a shadow. His takes 6 damage to his Str, leaving him at 4 Str.
Round 2: Bob gets hit by a Ray of Enfeeblement. He takes a penalty of -6 to his strength score. His strength score is 4 with a -6 penalty, which would normally result in a Strength score of -2. But the penalty can't drop his Strength below 1, so he has an effective Strength of 1.
Round 3: Bob is hit by a shadow again. He takes 2 damage to his Str. He now has a Str of 2, plus a -6 penalty to Str. His effective Str is 1.
Round 4: Bob is hit by a shadow yet again. He takes 3 damage to Str. His Str score is now 0 and he dies.

At least, that's what it looks like to me. Here's the SRD text:
"Some spells or abilities impose an effective ability score reduction, which is different from ability score loss. Any such reduction disappears at the end of the spell’s or ability’s duration, and the ability score immediately returns to its former value."

I think the key is "effective reduction" vs. "loss". Ability score penalties are not actually reductions in the ability score; a 13 Str Fighter hit with a Ray of Enfeeblement for a -2 Str penalty could still use the Power Attack feat since his Str score is "13 with a -2 penalty" as opposed to "11".

-z

 

[Zaruthustran]

double post