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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 7293134" data-attributes="member: 58172">SPELL IMMUNITY2nd-level (Abjuration)Casting Time. 1 reaction, which you can take when you are in the effect of a spell or hit by a spell attack.Range. Self.Components. V.Duration. Instantaneous.Under threat from a spell, a void in the fabric of magic rips around you. The magical resonance partially nullifies. Make an ability check using your highest spell casting ability versus the spell. Its DC is 10 + the spell’s level. On a success, you and any items on your possession prove immune to the effect of the spell. For example, a Fireball explodes around you, but the fiery energies that seer and char the nearby unattended objects, leave you unscathed._____My spell, Spell Immunity, probably balances. Arguably it is somewhere between spell 2 and spell 3, but probably leans toward being an excellent spell 2. It is a selfish version of spell 3, Counterspell, and in that sense more limited. The caster of Spell Immunity is unaffected, but the rest of the team remains vulnerable to the spell effect, and so on. It models standard mechanics from Counterspell, Dispel Magic, and Antimagic Field. So, it is probably solid.Now creatures that are innately immune to spells can simply use ‘Spell Immunity’ and regain the ability to use it again after each short rest or long rest. In the D&D tradition, Fey, Celestial, and Infernal creatures typically exhibit magic resistance. The idea seems to be, these creatures are made out of magic, thus innately able to adapt to magical effects. Sorta like a fish cant drown in water. Translating this tradition into 5e in a balanced way is a challenge, but this Spell Immunity seems to do that.That said, this class of antimagic spells raises issues.I insist on transparency between a spell effect and a psionic effect in my campaigns. So I dislike the technical language that keeps on referring to ‘spells’ and ‘spell levels’. Whether a Wizard is casting a Fireball or a Psion is manifesting a Fireball (heh, please dont call it a Pyrokinetic Detonation), it is the same thing and Spell Immunity should interact with it in the same way. The difficulty is the standard mechanics: ‘10 + spell level’. Suppose, the future Psion Fireball uses ‘psionic points’. Even tho spell 3 Fireball equals 5 points, technically, the antimagic spell wouldnt apply to these psionic points or spell points. Essentially, adding on diverse mechanical calculations, all to do the same simple task, is cumbersome and conflictive. Personally, I wish all spell descriptions referred to class levels, instead of spell levels. So a Fireball would be a Wizard level 5 spell. Much simpler in my mind. And reference to ‘levels’ would interact with other game mechanics elsewhere. For example, a +1 sword might be considered a ‘level 1 magic item’, a +2 sword a ‘level 9 magic item’, a +3 sword a ‘level 17 magic item’, or whatever. Anyway, we already have the cumbersome mechanical distinction between ‘class level’, ‘character level’, and ‘spell level’, as part of the D&D tradition. It is what it is.One virtue of referring to the spell slot level versus the d20 + the casting ability modifier, is the simplicity removes all possible bonuses and modifications, that could accumulate into brokenness at some point in the future of the game. There might be merit in converting all psionic and similar magic effects into their equivalent spell slot.In any case, I want the spell description of Spell Immunity to easily and obviously refer to psionic and other magical effects as well.An other issue with the antimagic spell type is they raise up all kinds of Schroedingers Cat paradoxes. Lets talk about the spell 8 Antimagic Field because this is an official spell that finds use often enough among those who reach the highest tiers. Difficulties with this spell happen in the game.No magic can exist within the 10-foot radius nonmagical field around the caster. Explicitly, the Fireball explodes all around but is negated (or suppressed) within the circle. So the question is, can the caster even see the Fireball if its effect is unable to enter? If the caster can see it, then light can enter the field, so does that mean it is possible to attack a hostile caster with radiant energy? I assume no. Does that mean I can attack the caster by magically making an object emit nonmagical light, then blinding or burning the caster with a laser beam? I assume yes? If I cast a Fireball, the fielder is immune to it but what if he is standing on something combustible, like a pool of oil, that catches fire, does that Fireball effect burn the fielder? I assume yes? Does an Earthquake spell and it collapsing walls affect the antimagic fielder? I assume yes? Casting Fog Cloud blinds the fielder? I assume yes? Does Darkness? Maybe not? And so on. There are even more situations that get more convoluted and weirder. It reminds me of some of the weird scenarios that require adjudication when casting an objective illusion or a subjective phantasm.It is worth noting. Introducing old school magic resistance into 5e means: these kinds of quasi-paradox adjudications become a normal part of the gaming experience, even at the lowest levels. As of now, these issues are mostly part of the flavor of illusion and phantasm spells. Or at the highest levels with an Antimagic Field. But with old school magic resistance, such adjudication becomes a normal part of the gaming experience for all magic in the game.Maybe such continual DM adjudication helps magic ‘feel’ more magic. It requires subjective visualization and imagination. But it is an issue.[Edit.] It is possible to update the spell description of Spell Immunity to allow the use of the reaction *after* any damage is determined.‘Casting Time. 1 reaction, which you can take when you are in the effect of a spell or hit by a spell attack, and after the potential effect including any damage is determined.’This makes the decision about whether to use the reaction significantly better. As such, it might be worth a spell 3. If so, I will keep Spell Immunity as is, to ensure it stays appropriate for spell level 2, thereby suitable as a trait of certain player character races.</blockquote>

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