Energy resistance and energy weapons

[Blake Duffey]

I've looked through older posts but often wondered about this particular situation (which is something of a classical situation).

Character A wears a minor ring of energy resistance (fire)
Character B attacks character A with a flaming sword (d8 + d6 fire damage)

Does the ring provide Character A any protection from the fire damage? If not - why not? (it is fire damage, after all)

Thanks and happy gaming

[Jeraa]

Yes, energy resistance applies. Energy damage would only bypass resistance if it specifically says so.

[CampinCarl9127]

The physical damage from the sword (d8 + any normal modifiers) applies normally. The extra d6 fire damage is subject to fire resistance. You treat them as different damage sources when calculating damage through a ring of energy resistance.

[kinevon]

CampinCarl9127 wrote:

The physical damage from the sword (d8 + any normal modifiers) applies normally. The extra d6 fire damage is subject to fire resistance. You treat them as different damage sources when calculating damage through a ring of energy resistance.

The same as attacking a monster with energy resistance.

Attacking a Tiefling with a flaming sword is going to be about the same as attacking that same Tiefling with a non-flaming sword, with a rare single point of fire damage getting through.

Never use a Frost sword on a skeleton. Immune to cold, and DR 5/B, so even the sword damage gets reduced.