Outsider resistances

[jasin]

Why do the various demons, devils and celestials have the energy
resistances they do?

OK, devils are immune to fire because... fires of Hell and all that.

But why are demons immune to electricity? Why do devils have no
resistance to electricity at all? Why are angels immune to acid and
cold?

Any reason for that outside of designer fiat?

 

[jasin]

Posted by mistake and deleted.

 

[Shades of Green]

A possible explanation would be to say that they are not wholly material beings, and thus resistant to many material-world attacks. Another possibility is to say that their powerful psychic/mystical powers give them resistance to these effects. yet another explanation is that the designers wanted to make these creatures tough and then gave them various resistances.

 

[Land Outcast]

But why are demons immune to electricity?

Rubber Souls

Why do devils have no resistance to electricity at all?

Good Conductors

Why are angels immune to acid?

Acquired after standing eternities of caustic comments from mortals and fiends

and cold?

When did you hear about an angel catching a cold?

 

[Nifft]

Otherwise, direct-damage spellcasters would win. This way, direct-damage has its shining moment (5th-10th level or so) and then other tactics become optimal.

-- N

 

[jasin]

Otherwise, direct-damage spellcasters would win.

Ah, sure, but that wasn't my question.

I realize the need for resistances on boss monsters, but why those specific resistances? Devils are immune to fire because they live in Hell, storm giants are immune to electricity because they're storm giants... but why are demons immune to electricity, of all things? Why are angels immune to acid, of all things?

 

[Shade]

I realize the need for resistances on boss monsters, but why those specific resistances? Devils are immune to fire because they live in Hell, storm giants are immune to electricity because they're storm giants... but why are demons immune to electricity, of all things? Why are angels immune to acid, of all things?

I'd say it was mostly a game mechanics thing, kinda like spell resistance.

Angels probably are immune to acid since burning someone with acid is usually considered a vile act.

Slaadi are immune to sonic since Limbo is a wild place of colors and sounds.

Demons and electricity? That's the million dollar question.

I suppose you could make the case that electricity often moves in chaotic, destructive patterns, and since demons embody chaos and destruction, they are one with it.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

When did you hear about an angel catching a cold?

Also, saying "(God) bless you" derived from the belief that invoking divinity would stave off colds (which were thought to be brought by demons).

Of course, by that logic, demons and/or devils should either have a weakness to cold or else be plague ridden.

On a serious note, I've often wondered the same thing myself. Especially about the electricity bit.

 

[blargney the second]

If celestials live in the sky, they'd be likely to use electricity as an attack. *shrug*

 

[Aaron L]

They were given these immunities in 1st Edition (pretty much arbitrarily), and they just kept them and updated the mechanics. The same way that demons were vulnerable to iron weapons and devils to silver weapons.

It's just to make them tougher opponents. I doubt there was much reasoning behind which ones which type got other than the obvious ones (devils and fire, etc)