Vulnerability + Resist Energy / Protection from Energy

[Tvarog]

So, say you have a creature that has a specific vulnerability (clockwork construct, vulnerable to electricity), and it's working for a caster that is: A, intelligent enough to know it's vulnerable; B, capable of casting Resist Energy and/or Protection from Energy; and C, aware that his opponent will be trying to take advantage of the known vulnerability. How do these interact?

Option 1: they don't. Vulnerability is vulnerability, the resist/protection spells don't stick at all.

Option 2: vulnerability first. Lightning Bolt damage is rolled, then multiplied by 1.5, then the protection/resist spells reduce that amount of damage.

Option 3: resistance first. Damage is rolled, reduced by the appropriate amount from protection/resist, then the remainder is multiplied by 1.5 before being applied.

Option 4: something else?

Keep in mind I'm looking for a general rule, so whether this caster is a PC or BBEG is irrelevant.

Thanks :)

[Rocky Williams 530]

I don't have any real rules to back this up but, I'd have to go with Option 3. Definitely not option 1, there's no reason why the spells wouldn't work somehow. I choose option 3 because it seems to me it's more like the spell has to make it through the protection before it affects the creature, and is subject to the increase. That's just my way though, unless someone has an official answer.

[Weirdo]

I concur with the above opinion in an opinionated way.

[fictionfan]

I say option 3. The magic seem to be on the outside and the vulnerability is on the inside.

[cwslyclgh]

vulnerability only affects damage that you take, damage that is resisted or blocked by protection is not affected.

[Bruno Kristensen]

Option 3 for the reasons stated above

[Aratrok]

Option 3 for the above reasons. But note that some constructs are immune to magic, and thus immune to Resist Energy and other similar effects. :)

[Tvarog]

Without any sort of rules explicitly covering this, I was leaning toward #3 myself, just wanted to get some other perspectives before the players get all outraged over the the weak point they expect not being so weak after all :)

[cwslyclgh]

Interestingly enough my group fought an adult red dragon last week, and they didn't even try any cold based spells upon it, assuming (correctly in this case) that it would be resisted/protected against them.