Hey folks. I apologize if this has already been asked and answered previously, or if it seems to be such an especially basic question that I shouldn't even need to be here asking. LOL
I'm creating a high level sorcerer (an ogre mage with levels in sorcerer, actually, who has become a lich) as a boss villain, but even though I've been playing fantasy RPGs of various sorts for years, I've never actually played a primary role spell caster before. This brings me to my question.
Is there anything in the RAW stating that a magic user would be immune to damage from his own spells? For example, a standard fireball spell has a 20ft radius. So if my sorcerer were to cast a fireball at a target that was only 15ft away, she'd be caught in her own blast.
Would she still take damage, or does the damage bypass him because it's her own spell?
If somebody can provide me with an answer, that'd be great, but if I could get a book and page number with the answers I'm looking for, that would be even better.
you'd take damage. nothing says you're immune to your own stuff so you're not. the bloodrager has a bonus to saves from his own spells.
You take damage from your own spells. Spell Resistance doesn't protect you as you never need to roll against SR when one of your spells is affectinf you.
Cool thanks. That's as I expected, but I just wanted to make sure that I hadn't overlooked something obvious where it DOES say that you're immune to your own stuff, but if not, then not. Thanks again.
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Nope, but you might try illusion/shadow magic. Typically, you are immune to your own illusions (open to some interpretation) but since you are also undead and immune to mind affecting spells...
Undead Traits (Ex) Undead are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, phantasms, and patterns), paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Undead are not subject to ability drain, energy drain, or nonlethal damage. Undead are immune to damage or penalties to their physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. Undead are not at risk of death from massive damage.
Also lich's are inherently immune to cold and electricity. So if you have ways to change the fireball elemental damage to one of those you are golden.
"Also lich's are inherently immune to cold and electricity. So if you have ways to change the fireball elemental damage to one of those you are golden."
Good point. The Ogre Mage has Regeneration (fire and acid) so that's basically what I was trying to figure out, if she were to cast either a fire or an acid spell and get caught within her own area of effect, would she mess up her own regeneration. The Sorcerers Draconic Bloodline gives her Resist 10 Acid (as a Black Dragon), but 10 points of resistance does not immunity make.
Maybe I'll just avoid the issue altogether, as you said, and stick to the elements that she's immune to, at least when casting area of effect spells.
As per the Pathfinder Bestiary:
No Constitution score. Undead use their Charisma score in place of
their Constitution score when calculating hit points, Fortitude
saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution (such as
when calculating a breath weapon’s DC).
The part about "and any special ability that relies on Constitution" should logically include regeneration. And whether it does or not, I'm the GM so that's the way I choose to interpret it. LOL
By the way, isn't there a Feat that would allow her to change the fireball elemental damage as you mentioned earlier? I'm pretty sure I remember running across something to that effect, but now I can't find it because I can't think of the name of what I'm looking for.
Classic Fireball spell used to always fill a volume of 33,000 square feet, or 33 10'x10' squares, in the now current 5' squares would be 264. Plus have enough force to burst some barriers, and hot enough to melt precious metals.
Countless magic-users have died from their own Fireballs, unknowable numbers have burned themselves.
My favorites were the 100' hallway and the invisible barrier 20'-30' in front of the magic-user.
Second favorite were the re-bounding Lightning Bolts, always 110' long.
You can see that there is a rich history of casters being damaged by their own spells.
NOT BEING damaged by one's own spells is something relatively new, and only in certain circumstances.