SR Question

[ZSutherland]

I was reading a thread over on the general board where someone mentioned the old percentile magic resistance mechanic and the way that drow used that to great effect, and it got me thinking. If you can take the feat Spell Penetration, which makes it easier to bypass SR, then it indicates that there's a trick to it, a skill that can be learned. If it's not a reflex action, then can you choose to fail your caster check for SR? For example, if 4 drow fighters engage the party in melee while 2 drow wizards stand back and lob fireballs into the fray, can the drow casters simply choose to forgo their caster checks, automatically failing them, so that they don't hurt their allies because they know the PCs probably aren't spell resistant?

If so, this could do wonders for reviving the dread that drow once inspired in PCs.

Z

 

[kreynolds]

For example, if 4 drow fighters engage the party in melee while 2 drow wizards stand back and lob fireballs into the fray, can the drow casters simply choose to forgo their caster checks, automatically failing them, so that they don't hurt their allies because they know the PCs probably aren't spell resistant?

Nope. The caster check to bypass SR is not a consious effort on the part of the caster. In fact, once the spell is cast, it has nothing to do with the caster and everything to do with the spell itself. The spell level and caster level are set. The check is to see if the spell has a chance to beat SR, but the actual caster has no control over it.

 

[Caliban]

You can choose to lower the caster level of the spell (down to the minimum need to cast a spell of that level) when you cast it, so that it is less likely to penetrate the SR, but in most cases this will reduce the damage you do as well.

 

[andargor]

You can choose to lower the caster level of the spell (down to the minimum need to cast a spell of that level) when you cast it, so that it is less likely to penetrate the SR, but in most cases this will reduce the damage you do as well.

Maybe you are thinking DC? The roll to beat SR is d20 + caster level.

Andargor

 

[Hypersmurf]

Maybe you are thinking DC? The roll to beat SR is d20 + caster level.

Uh, that was his point... by voluntarily reducing the caster level, your bonus to your penetration check is reduced as well...

DC is unaffected by caster level.

-Hyp.

 

[andargor]

Uh, that was his point... by voluntarily reducing the caster level, your bonus to your penetration check is reduced as well...

DC is unaffected by caster level.

-Hyp.

*Grumble*

I knew that extra beer was a bad idea. Mixed up concepts of Heighten Spell in there.

Now, where are my smart pills again?

Andargor

 

[Rudar Dimble]

Re: Re: SR Question

Nope. The caster check to bypass SR is not a consious effort on the part of the caster. In fact, once the spell is cast, it has nothing to do with the caster and everything to do with the spell itself. The spell level and caster level are set. The check is to see if the spell has a chance to beat SR, but the actual caster has no control over it.

Then why do you roll 1d20+caster level to penetrate SR? This implies that it HAS something to do with the caster...

 

[kreynolds]

Re: Re: Re: SR Question

Then why do you roll 1d20+caster level to penetrate SR?

Because you're trying to bypass SR.

This implies that it HAS something to do with the caster...

Reading over my post again, I think I could have been more clear. I didn't say the spell's caster level has nothing to do with the caster level check (I said quite the opposite). I said the caster's caster level has nothing to do with the caster level check. Once you set all the variables of a spell, such as target and caster level, and then cast it, that's it. You can't change anything once it's cast.

 

[Kevin O'Reilly]

Surely SR can be lowered.

Ask any drow cleric...

 

[Hypersmurf]

Surely SR can be lowered.

Yes, but that's the opposite of what's being talked about here.

They're not talking about the target voluntarily lowering his SR, they're talking about the caster voluntarily failing his penetration checks, so that his allies (who have SR) are unaffected by his spells, but his enemies (who don't have SR) are affected.

The debate is as to whether someone can elect to fail their caster level check to penetrate SR.

-Hyp.