Spell resistance question not covered by rules

[Liolel]

I have a lot of hypothetical questions about spell resistance. If I'm wrong and they are answered in the rules can you please provide a quote from the srd or the page number.

1. If you are attacking a drow war-band and cast a fireball on them do you roll separately against each of their spell resistance's or do you make one check and apply the results to all the drow even if they have different sr.

2. Could the drow spell-caster in that war-band drop a flamestrike on the melee and choose the fail at the spell resistance check so the drow are not effected.

3. Could the drow spell-caster drop a fire ball at her feet and attempt to fail to bypass her own spell resistance. I think theirs a rule that you automatically bypass your own spell resistance but I'm not sure.

4. If you role spell resistance checks separately for different creatures in the same spell can you selectively choose automatically fail to some but not all of those checks?

5. And last thing last which may explain these questions better, what is the rules about choosing to fail a check. Is is only for saving throws, or can you choose to automatically fail any check against a difficulty class.

Hope I don't waste to much time.

 

[Voadam]

1 As a time saving device making one roll and using that to determine whether it affects individual ones, but generally everyone gets a separate roll.

2 targets get spell resistance, not casters.

3 I think so. I think the rule is you can always voluntarily drop your spell resistance to allow a spell to affect you.

4 see 2 above, you cannot suppress a spell you cast against someone with SR.

5 look up in the magic section of the srd. www.opengamingfoundation.org has a link

 

[jgsugden]

1.) This is covered by the rules. Each creature with SR is entitled to a SR check (unless they have lowered their SR), just like each creature gets a saving throw. I suggest rolling two dice at a time - a save and a SR check. This is the main rule in the 3.5 DMG pg 298.

2.) No. The choice of whether to force a SR check is in the hands of the target. Lowering their SR is a standard action that does not provoke an AoO. It lasts until the beginning of their next round. This is the main rule in the 3.5 DMG pg 298.

3.) The rule specifies that a caster's SR *never* interferes with its own spells, items or abilities. This is the main rule in the 3.5 DMG pg 298.

4.) The targets make the choice. The caster does not. Each target may choose for themself. Once a creature decides to lower SR, it is down until the creature's next turn. Lowering SR is a standard action that does not provoke an AoO. This is the main rule in the 3.5 DMG pg 298.

5.) The saving throw rule in the 3.5 PHB pg 177 says that a creature with special resistances to magic can suppress this quality and willingly accept a spell's effect. This seems to negate the need to lower SR as the target can just suppress the spell resistance.

The rules are slightly contradictory. It is unclear whether the DMG or PHB rules are dominant, so you're on your own.

SR is a powerful ability. I tend to select the more limiting interpretations of rules regarding powerful abilities when a conflict occurs. In this case, I'd lean towards requiring the SR to be lowered with a standard action.

I have a lot of hypothetical questions about spell resistance. If I'm wrong and they are answered in the rules can you please provide a quote from the srd or the page number.

1. If you are attacking a drow war-band and cast a fireball on them do you roll separately against each of their spell resistance's or do you make one check and apply the results to all the drow even if they have different sr.

2. Could the drow spell-caster in that war-band drop a flamestrike on the melee and choose the fail at the spell resistance check so the drow are not effected.

3. Could the drow spell-caster drop a fire ball at her feet and attempt to fail to bypass her own spell resistance. I think theirs a rule that you automatically bypass your own spell resistance but I'm not sure.

4. If you role spell resistance checks separately for different creatures in the same spell can you selectively choose automatically fail to some but not all of those checks?

5. And last thing last which may explain these questions better, what is the rules about choosing to fail a check. Is is only for saving throws, or can you choose to automatically fail any check against a difficulty class.

Hope I don't waste to much time.

 

[melkoriii]

1. One roll per affected foe.

2. No once the spell is cast the caster must make a SR check unless the target has lowered there SR for that round.

3. Your own spells always affect you.

4. Spell casters can not choose to fail there SR check.

5. Saves, Skills checks and Attack rolls. IIRC