Resist Energy / Protection From Energy interaction

[Ravingdork]

"Protection from energy overlaps (and does not stack with) resist energy. If a character is warded by protection from energy and resist energy, the protection spell absorbs damage until its power is exhausted."

But what order does it come into play?

Does PfE simply absorb until it is gone, and then RE kicks in? Or does RE absorb some of it, and then the rest goes to bringing down PfE?

Technically, both interpretations abide by the above text.

[Maezer]

They don't stack.

If you have resist fire 20 and resist fire 10 you can't choose which one works and which one doesn't. You end up with resist fire 20.

In the same way if you have immunity to fire (as in protection from energy) and resist fire 10 (energy resistance). You are immune to fire.

And that is a long way of stating all the energy damage of whatever type you select is tracked on the protection from energy until it expires you can't apply your resistances (natural or otherwise) to reduce the damage absorbed.

[trogwolf]

so what exactly does immune to fire do? in the resist energy description it says, "Resist energy absorbs only damage. The subject could still suffer unfortunate side effects." What sort of side effects does resist energy make you immune to? For instance, in the case of Air/electricity (are those two different energies?) does protection keep you from being lifted up and dropped?

[burkoJames]

Ravingdork wrote:

Or does RE absorb some of it, and then the rest goes to bringing down PfE?

That is them stacking. They don't stack. Protect goes first then resist.

[Jeraa]

trogwolf wrote:

so what exactly does immune to fire do? in the resist energy description it says, "Resist energy absorbs only damage. The subject could still suffer unfortunate side effects." What sort of side effects does resist energy make you immune to? For instance, in the case of Air/electricity (are those two different energies?) does protection keep you from being lifted up and dropped?

Energy immunity only prevents you from taking hit point damage from that energy type. Nothing else.

Fire immunity (or high resistance) will prevent you from taking the fire damage from lava. It won't help you breathe when you are drowning in lava.

Likewise, acid immunity/resistance will stop acid damage. It won't help when drowning in a pit of acid.

Also, there is no "air" energy. Energy types are Fire, Cold, Acid, Electricity, and Sonic. (Technically, there are more like positive and negative energy, but those aren't covered by the regular energy damage rules.)

[Splendor]

Quote:

Protection from energy overlaps (and does not stack with) resist energy. If a character is warded by protection from energy and resist energy, the protection spell absorbs damage until its power is exhausted. - Link

Other effects that can still affect you?

If you have immunity to fire, you could still drown in lava.

[Dark Immortal]

The last line of Protection From Energy implies that you waste the protection first. Also, since the 'higher bonus' is what is applied first in cases of overlaps, immunity is effectively a higher bonus than any amount of resistance. As such, there is precedent suggesting that you waste your immunity before you apply resistance.

Normally, a player gets to choose the order of simultaneous effects but in this case you do not.

Other effects typically are part of what is causing the energy damage. If lava is causing fire damage, you may be immune or resistant to fire, but walking on it or swimming through it is still difficult terrain. You're at half movement. During a hurricane, you may be immune to the lightning but not the fortitude saves to retain your hearing or not the reduced visibility caused by the wind. If you have resistance or immunity to acid but swimming in the pool causes blindness or inhaling the fumes inflicts poison, you are not immune or resistant to those effects through these spells. Finally, dying four years ago does not make you immune to necromancy, even if you are resistant to the unthread.

;)