Why is Spell Resistance only a Divine spell?

[KarinsDad]

It's so that the cleric can out abjurer the abjurer. BTW clerics already get the coolest arcane defensive spell anyway, check the domains. Stoneskin anyone? No problem Strength domain.

Not all Clerics have access to the same domains or even necessarily the exact combination of domains that the player wants (unless the DM is a pushover) and even then, the Cleric cannot get every arcane abjuration that she wants.

Just like not all Specialized Wizards have access to the same schools of magic. Does that mean that sorcerers and general wizards are somehow broken because they can get spells that specialized wizards cannot?

Btw, Stoneskin is 250 GP a shot and lasts for 10 minutes a level. For a Cleric who can only get it once per day unless she puts it into higher level domain slots, a simple way to overcome it is to have encounters more than once per day and spread 3+ hours apart. Even then, she will be popping 250 GP of diamond dust every time. That's pricey over the long run. Plus, Stoneskin doesn't do anything against spells, breath weapons, gaze weapons, etc.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

And clerics taking it wouldn't make magic less effective?

I guess what I should have written is "...a whole lot less effective against other wizards."

In a cleric vs. cleric fight, with both protected by spell resistance, the clerics can fall back on their martial skills. In a wiz vs. wiz fight under the same conditions, what are they going to do? Whack away at each other with their staves? Maybe, but it's a heck of a lot less impressive than the clerics going at it.

That's my take on it anyways.

 

[iwatt]

It's so that the cleric can out abjurer the abjurer. BTW clerics already get the coolest arcane defensive spell anyway, check the domains. Stoneskin anyone? No problem Strength domain.

2 level slots higher doesn't count as practical in my book. And the high component cost makes stoneskin an expensive proposition most of the time, even for a wizard.

 

[Saeviomagy]

In a cleric vs. cleric fight, with both protected by spell resistance, the clerics can fall back on their martial skills. In a wiz vs. wiz fight under the same conditions, what are they going to do? Whack away at each other with their staves? Maybe, but it's a heck of a lot less impressive than the clerics going at it.

Use their wits? Spend 5 seconds perusing their spell list before they realise that there are plenty of spells which do not allow SR? I dunno, I guess you're right, they're totally out of options.

 

[Al'Kelhar]

This is not a grouse, more just a head-scratcher. I would think that Spell Resistance would be an Arcane spell as well. Your thoughts?

It's arbitrary. Same reason as freedom of movement isn't an arcane spell. Anyone who tries to tell you that the authors of D&D 3E have some consistent, immutable, underlying principles of divine magic and arcane magic is trying to sell you something.

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[Al'Kelhar]

... In a wiz vs. wiz fight under the same conditions, what are they going to do? Whack away at each other with their staves? Maybe, but it's a heck of a lot less impressive than the clerics going at it.

That's why the wizards polymorph into annises and rend the intestines out of each other...

 

[ThirdWizard]

Clerics and Wizards both get protective spells. I don't see either as really overbearing on the other. Clerics get Spell Resistance as their pinacle and Wizards get Spell Turning (yes at 2 levels higher).

 

[Joker]

They also get the globe of invulnerability spells and other useful abjuration.