Does spell resistance interfere with magic items?

[Piratecat]

I was just pondering the nature of spell resistance - and the fact that unless a high-lvl monk takes a standard action to lower it, he has a good chance of not being affected by healing and buff spells cast by his allies.

Then I wondered about items such as Boots of Speed, or healing potions. These effectively cast the spell on you; does anyone know if they need to get through spell resistance first?

Thanks!

 

[rhammer2]

SR never interferes with either your own spells or your items, both are already inside your SR field.

I was just pondering the nature of spell resistance - and the fact that unless a high-lvl monk takes a standard action to lower it, he has a good chance of not being affected by healing and buff spells cast by his allies.

Then I wondered about items such as Boots of Speed, or healing potions. These effectively cast the spell on you; does anyone know if they need to get through spell resistance first?

Thanks!

 

[Piratecat]

I figured, but I'm being especially careful after a few rules gaffes recently. Thanks!

 

[dcollins]

Then I wondered about items such as Boots of Speed, or healing potions. These effectively cast the spell on you...

This might be academic, but I don't find support for the idea that permanent items are effectively casting spells. Spell-storage items, clearly yes (potions, scrolls, wands), but other items no (armor, weapons, boots, etc.)

There's nothing in the rules that says permanent items are casting spells, and I resist the interpretation that someone using an item winds up with the spell cast on them. It looks to me like permanent magic items are doing something mechanically different.

In response to the original examples, I'd have to apply SR to potions but not to boots.

Edit: DMG p. 81 specifically excuses enhancement bonuses, then p. 82 says "A creature's spell resistance never interferes with its own spells, items, or abilities." Seems like there's a gray area for spells-cast-on-self (i.e., via potions, wands), but that makes it plenty legitimate to allow those.

I guess that was pretty academic.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Does spell resistance interfere with magic items?

In response to the original examples, I'd have to apply SR to potions but not to boots.

Out of curiosity - how would you handle someone acting under Boots of Speed ("acts as though hasted") if a Slow spell is cast on him?

If you don't consider the Boots to actually cast Haste on you, in theory the Slow wouldn't counter the effect - they would both work simultaneously. His normal Standard Action would be restricted to a Partial Action, but he'd get an extra Partial Action each round from the Boots?

Or the Slow and the Boots would supress each other while both were in effect?

Or the Boots would burn a 'charge' (ie, a round) to dispel the Slow?

-Hyp.

 

[dcollins]

Re: Re: Re: Does spell resistance interfere with magic items?

Or the Slow and the Boots would supress each other while both were in effect?

Good question. To keep things simple, I'd personally apply this -- I'd actually interpret this as "negate but not counter" per the language on PHB p. 154 under "Spells with Opposite Effects". I suppose an alternative argument could be made that slow shouldn't affect someone with active boots at all, per "does not otherwise affect magically speeded or slowed creatures" on PHB p. 253.

Definitely not the last option.