This spell wards the subject and creates a mystic connection between you and the subject so that some of its wounds are transferred to you. The subject gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC and a +1 resistance bonus on saves. Additionally, the subject takes only half damage from all wounds and attacks (including those dealt by special abilities) that deal hit point damage. The amount of damage not taken by the warded creature is taken by you. Forms of harm that do not involve hit points, such as charm effects, temporary ability damage, level draining, and death effects, are not affected. If the subject suffers a reduction of hit points from a lowered Constitution score, the reduction is not split with you because it is not hit point damage. When the spell ends, subsequent damage is no longer divided between the subject and you, but damage already split is not reassigned to the subject.
If you and the subject of the spell move out of range of each other, the spell ends.
Caster #1 (let's say Bob) casts Shield Other on Alice. Alice gets +1 def. bonus to AC and +1 resistance bonus to saves. If Alice takes damage, Bob takes half and Alice takes half. That much is easy.
Now, Caster #2, Carl, casts Shield Other on Alice. As stated, the bonuses don't stack since their the same types of bonuses. I'd say that if Alice takes damage, half goes to Bob (caster #1, the first caster) and half goes to Alice. Then, the second spell comes in and halves it again so that Carl then takes half of what Alice just took and Alice takes half again, effectively meaning that Bob takes half of the overall damage and Alice and Carl take 1/4 each (dividing the remaining half between them.)
I missed your second question about dying. I'd say that if one of the participants dies then they effectively move out of range. They are no longer "there" effectively.
I've generally seen it run as each caster takes 1/4th damage, while the target takes 1/2.
You seem to have misunderstood me.
Lets say Alice is a wizard. John and Bob, two clerics, both cast shield other on Alice. Alice is then attacked for 40 points of damage.
Alice takes 20 points, John takes 10 points, and Bob takes 10 points.
To expand it, lets say that John, Bob, Mike, and Jim all cast shield other on Alice, and she takes 80 points of damage from an attack.
Alice takes 40 points of damage, while John, Bob, Mike, and Jim each take 10 points.
Does that make more sense?
Ahh, I understand now.
Well, hm. That would definitely change the incentive structure! Alice now doesn't care how many people cast on her, but Bob and Carl want to bring as many friends along as possible...
Doug M.
Right. I appreciate that it gives lower level beings (be they PCs or NPCs) a way to help out someone more powerful without getting utterly creamed. I like the idea of ritual magic in which a mighty paladin gets seven or eight clerics to share some of the burden before a fight.
[CAST=Greater Thread Resurrection]
Has there been an official resolution to this?
My group has three 4th level clerics that would all like to cast shield other on the tank for the upcoming dungeon boss they hope to defeat.
Don't forget the platinum rings that have to be wore by both parties in order for the spell to work. You've only got so many fingers and, depending on his you rule, so many magic ring slots to be occupied.
That sounds plausible. Can you give a cite?
Doug M.
Here's the closest text I could find on a quick search under Combining Magic Effects.
Same Effect with Differing Results
The same spell can sometimes produce varying effects if applied to the same recipient more than once. Usually the last spell in the series trumps the others. None of the previous spells are actually removed or dispelled, but their effects become irrelevant while the final spell in the series lasts.
This is probably answer enough to the question.
Thank you, both.
If you plan to be a devoted healer, you should grab the reach spell feat to help with this and for delivering heals at range.
Hi, Kayerloth.
Yes, the range requirements are an issue, at 4th level, and will apparently remain so. We'll try to remember to keep them in mind.
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Hi, Melkiador,
Yes, the three clerics in question are pretty much dedicated healers. Our group averages somewhere between 8 and 10 characters at a time. This allows the three clerics to focus more on support than they'd be able to in a smaller group.
Thank you for the reach spell feat suggestion. I'll present it as a suggestion.
I prefer the less favorable interpretation, based on a very literal reading of the spell.
If multiple casters place a Shield Other spell on a target, when the target takes damage, the damage is reduced by half. Every caster then suffers the damage that the target didn't take.
So if three clerics cast Shield Other on a Target, and the target is struck for twenty damage, the target takes ten damage, and each of the clerics also take ten damage.
At higher levels, you will also want to use the imbue with spell ability spell, so your tanks can cast shield other on your healers.
If you have a bunch of of clerics shielding a boss, they can use channel to heal each other while taking much more damage from the boss.
As to rings, 10-fingers, 10-toes, 2-ears, 1-nose, .... More if you allow more than one ring per finger. As these are tokens and not magic items, they don't use slots.
/cevah
You can only chain them.
Ted casts shield other on Alice. Carroll casts shield other on Ted. Bob casts shield other on Carroll. If an attack does 20 to Alice, she takes 10, Ted takes 5, Carrol takes 3 or 2, and Bob takes 3 or 2.
You need a special ruling on half hit points. I know you cannot take a half hit point of damage.
You always round down in Pathfinder.
Additionally, the subject takes only half damage from all wounds and attacks (including those dealt by special abilities) that deal hit point damage. The amount of damage not taken by the warded creature is taken by you.
So, if 7 damage is dealt to the target then he takes half rounded down which would be 3, leaving 4 as “the amount not taken”, meaning the caster takes 4.