Best Spells Against an Enemy with High SR


Advice

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Last night we fought a dragon with SR 27. Three or four spells (half with the benefit of Spell Penetration) bounced off the Spell Resistance before a hasted full attack from a smiting Paladin (me) brought it down.

Are there good spells to use in this situation that bypass SR? Items other than the Ioun Stone that increases caster level that would be handy? Is the best thing to do to just buff the hell out of anyone with armor and a decent BAB until the bad guy is dead and the casters can stop cowering?

Black Tentacles is one I know of. It of obviously limited use against a huge Dragon, though. We asked later and I don't recall the exact number but its CMD was approximately through the frakking roof.

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Sleet Storm, Stinking Cloud, Shout, Enervation, Enlarge Person.


ACID ARROW !!!!

although my 15th level wizard didn't have much trouble with SR
spell pen and greater spell pen and robe of archmagi

= d20 + 15 +2 +2 +2 = +21

vs SR27 , yeah I'ma gonna get ya !


Yar!

The best spells to use against an enemy with a high SR are spells that do not allow SR. Dragons are supposed to be tough fights and often require 'out-of-the-box' thinking to overcome.

Why bash through a wall when you can simply walk around it. If it's SR is unbeatable and you want to use spells, use spells that don't have to beat it's SR. Indirect spells that effect the area around it, conjurations that create something that hits it, spells that use ranged touch attacks instead of AoE, and buffs for your allies instead, etc.

It will take me hours to go through just the PF Core spells and APG spells, let alone if you're allowing 3.x material as well, so I'll leave it at that. (though, here is a LINK to a document that lists pathfinder spells... just look for ones that say 'no' under the spell resistance column).

There are LOTS of spells that do not allow for SR (great to know when your fighting Golems as well)... generally they are conjuration spells, spells that do not directly target a creature, and spells that rely on a ranged touch attack instead of a save.

Happy Hunting!

~P


Glitterdust. Not quite as amazing as it was in 3.5, but still way more useful than 90% of level 2 spells out there


and can't believe it wasen't my first suggestion

SUMMON MONSTER :)

this is by far the best get around SR spell in existance ;)


YuenglingDragon wrote:

Last night we fought a dragon with SR 27. Three or four spells (half with the benefit of Spell Penetration) bounced off the Spell Resistance before a hasted full attack from a smiting Paladin (me) brought it down.

Sounds like you had one already. Haste, and other buffs, don't care about SR. It's not "fear my arcane might and turn to ASH!" but they will win fights.

Others in the thread have pointed out some good ones for if you do want to reach out and touch someone.

Shadow Lodge

Summon Martial Classes, aka, Summon Rest of Party


TRUE STRIKE CALLED SHOT TO THE EYEBALL!


TriOmegaZero wrote:
Sleet Storm, Stinking Cloud, Shout, Enervation, Enlarge Person.

Enervation isn't especially good against SR. Maybe substitute Pyrotechnics instead.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
hogarth wrote:
TriOmegaZero wrote:
Sleet Storm, Stinking Cloud, Shout, Enervation, Enlarge Person.
Enervation isn't especially good against SR. Maybe substitute Pyrotechnics instead.

I think the risk of missing SR is worth the 1-4 penalty to everything.

Shadow Lodge

hogarth wrote:
TriOmegaZero wrote:
Sleet Storm, Stinking Cloud, Shout, Enervation, Enlarge Person.
Enervation isn't especially good against SR. Maybe substitute Pyrotechnics instead.

No but it doesn't have the saving throw to add the insult to injury with the spell resistance.

Sovereign Court

I'd recommend casting some buffs on the other members of the party and assist them in dealing with the high SR dragon.

Boosting their saving throws, AC, to hit bonuses and damage rolls would be a better use of time then tossing spells uselessly against it's SR if it's too far above your wizard's reach.


Haste. Then let your friends take it DOWN.


The conjuration school mostly. Have a look there, lots of spells that bypass SR. Pick your favorites.


That new Arcane Blast feat from the APG...

Let's you dump spells or slots in exchange for a ray dealing 2d6+1d6/level of the spell/slot.

Ranged Touch, no SR, no save, untyped damage...

Bang!

Ditch a lvl 5/6/7 spell each round and deal 7d6/8d6/9d6 automatically (a mere touch attack will even work against a dragon at that level)

Otherwise, dip into your favorite 3.5 splat book, such as Spell Compendium and go for the gruesome 'Assay Spell Resistance' and watch the dragon die :-)


There are lots of ways to raise your roll to overcome spell resistance:
Feat: Spell Penetration +2
Feat: Greater Spell Penetration +2
Item: Orange Prism Ioun Stone +1 (higher caster level)
Item: Robe of the Archmagi +2
Item: Piercing Metamagic Rod +5
Consumable: Dweomer's Essence +5


Greater dispel magic to reduce the target's defenses and make it easier for the martial characters to kill. A dragon likely has a lot of buffs and removing those will be a good contribution to the fight. Or just ready [greater] dispel magic to counterspell over and over and force it to use physical attacks itself.


Agree with greater dispel magic being a great place to start. Most high-level dragons have a lot of buff spells. Counter-buffing your party is a very good plan.

You have to be careful with summoned creatures against dragons. Unless you time, place,and select them just right, it costs the dragon nothing to wipe the out with its breath weapon while including the rest of the party inthe blast as well. At the very least try to pick something immune to the dragon's energy type.

Wall spells can be very handy in restricting the dragon's movement and helping against its breath weapon.


The Broken Spell

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