OK, at first I always thought that energy resistance only ignored the value it is listed at, so that if a target who has energy resist (lets say acid) of 5 would just ignore the first 5 points of damage.
However, at my table it seemed that the consensus that it is different when the character makes a saving throw. Is this correct or was there some misunderstanding at my group's table.
This was in regard to the resistances of the Aasimar race.
OK, at first I always thought that energy resistance only ignored the value it is listed at, so that if a target who has energy resist (lets say acid) of 5 would just ignore the first 5 points of damage.
However, at my table it seemed that the consensus that it is different when the character makes a saving throw. Is this correct or was there some misunderstanding at my group's table.
This was in regard to the resistances of the Aasimar race.
Only difference would be that the saving throw is rolled before the damage is applied. So if an acid spell does 20 damage and the target saves for half, it is 10 damage before applied to resistances.
Different in what way?
Well, for example our group was being attacked by forest drakes who were using their acid breath weapons. My character was an Aasimar who was often making his saving throws. When ever I took something like 13 damage I was informed that I would only take 3 points of damage.
I always thought though that energy resistance just worked like damage reduction but with energy instead. An Aasimar's energy resistance to Acid, Cold, and Electricity is 5 for all three. So I always thought, that first I make my saving throw, which reduces the damage by half and then apply the energy resistance type by 5. So in the case I mentioned before, I thought I should have been taking 8 points of acid damage. I am incorrect or does something else happens when you make your saving throw?
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Different in what way?Well, for example our group was being attacked by forest drakes who were using their acid breath weapons. My character was an Aasimar who was often making his saving throws. When ever I took something like 13 damage I was informed that I would only take 3 points of damage.
I always thought though that energy resistance just worked like damage reduction but with energy instead. An Aasimar's energy resistance to Acid, Cold, and Electricity is 5 for all three. So I always thought, that first I make my saving throw, which reduces the damage by half and then apply the energy resistance type by 5. So in the case I mentioned before, I thought I should have been taking 8 points of acid damage. I am incorrect or does something else happens when you make your saving throw?
13 damage, halved to 6, acid resistance 5 = 1 point of damage gets through.
It might run more smoothly if your GM didn't try to work all this out, but just gave you the damage that his monster did on a successful or failed save and let you keep track of your character abilities, but that's more a question of style.
However, at my table it seemed that the consensus that it is different when the character makes a saving throw. Is this correct or was there some misunderstanding at my group's table.Yeah - different in what way?
EDIT:
Maybe it wasn't "like 13 damage;" maybe it was 16, save for half, so you'd take 8, but then your energy resistance kicks in, which reduces that to 3?
No, one of the attacks was 13 damage after my saving throw and I was told I took only 3 damage.
OK, there was no spell on my character. My GM asked who made their saving throws and those who did save only took 13 points of damage so the damage was already halved. I announced that my Aasimar had the acid energy resistance when I was working out the reduction Aasimar energy resistances are only have values of 5 so I thought I should have taken 8 points of acid damage. One of the other players butted in and said I would only take 3 points of damage and had made it sound like something changed because I made my saving throw. My GM didn't seem to protest and the player who said that has always been pretty good at math so I said OK and moved on.
When I checked up on the rules I couldn't find anything about energy resistance changing when a character makes a saving throw.
No...or all intents & purposes you should have taken the 8 damage, it is plausible the player who caused you to take less damage may have assumed you had a 10 Energy Resistance for some reason (I think there may be a feat to increase base resistances) but there is no rule that increases your resistance based on a saving throw.
OK, I thought I had suddenly dropped several points of intelligence or something. It is conceivable that player thought I had a 10 resist to acid and that makes sense.
From your description of the situation, you were correct.
Acid breath - 26 damage, 13 on a save
Aasimar would take 21 or 8 on a save.
(Unless your DM gave you a free upgrade to Energy Resistance 10)
I wasn't there, but my suspicion is that your friend heard that you had "Acid Resistance" and assumed you meant you had the SPELL "Resist Energy" cast on you at the time. Resist Energy would give you Resist Acid 10 (depending on caster level). That or he just assumed that the Aasimar's inherent acid resistance was the same as the spell, which it is not. That's just my feeble attempt to interpret second hand accounts of events which I was not witness to though.