Is insubstantial a 'resist'?

[Kzach]

I used Essence Prism on an enemy today and the DM ruled it wasn't a resist even though it is listed in the 'resist' portion of a creature's stats. He technically used a magical item to get the insubstantial but should that circumvent the rule?

So is insubstantial a resist that can be countered by Essence Prism or not?

 

[Dice4Hire]

I am not sure of the rules for it, but

Looking at PHB277, it is separated from the Resit/vulnerability section by the condition section, so I would say the rules would say no.

I would rule no in my games.

 

[Tale]

It is not a resist, it is just listed in the resist section of monster stat blocks.

 

[Camelot]

Maybe if it's natural for a monster, it's a resist, but if you got it from a magic item, it's not? This also poses the question about swarms resisting melee and ranged attacks. Could you counter that?

Sorry about being unsure, but this is a good question.

 

[keterys]

Eh, I'd let it work on insubstantial and swarm creatures. The power 'chaos distorts the creature’s nature' to 'lose all resistances'. Sounds pretty straightforward.

 

[MarkB]

Eh, I'd let it work on insubstantial and swarm creatures. The power 'chaos distorts the creature’s nature' to 'lose all resistances'. Sounds pretty straightforward.

Well, yeah, it does. It sounds like if the creature had "Resist [damage type] n", now it doesn't.

Insubstantial is made deliberately very difficult to circumvent in the rules. I wouldn't assume that a power could do so unless it specifically calls it out in its description.

 

[DreamChaser]

It is not a resist, it is just listed in the resist section of monster stat blocks.

and this is for the single reason that all effects that reduce damage at the time that it is taken are listed together.

Perception is listed under senses but that doesn't make it a sense or low-light vision a skill.

DC

 

[DracoSuave]

Eh, I'd let it work on insubstantial and swarm creatures. The power 'chaos distorts the creature’s nature' to 'lose all resistances'. Sounds pretty straightforward.

Well, swarms -have- resistance, so of course that works.

Insubstantial is not resistance. Also, walking is not shifting, and artificer powers are not wizard powers.

Unrelated things that may have similiar effects are still unrelated things.

 

[Jhaelen]

I used Essence Prism on an enemy today and the DM ruled it wasn't a resist even though it is listed in the 'resist' portion of a creature's stats. He technically used a magical item to get the insubstantial but should that circumvent the rule?

Yes.

So is insubstantial a resist that can be countered by Essence Prism or not?

No, therefore Essence Prism cannot counter it.

 

[jester_gl]

I would direct you to the sorcerer level 10 utility power, invert resistance where the resistance become a vulnerability. What would happen IF insubstantial would be a resist? Double damage?

Since I'm pretty sure they would have thought of that little thing in a core book, combined with the fact that nowhere in the insubstantial description does it says that it is a resist, I am pretty sure that insubstantial is NOT a resist.