multiple shield other on the same target

[jumpydady]

if for example a cleric and a paladin both cast shield other on the same fighter, how does the damage distribution works?

[DeathlessOne]

Provided the fighter isn't wearing any rings except the two needed for each spell and the cleric and paladin wear one each, you can expect the fighter to take half damage and the cleric and paladin to take a quarter. Bonuses to AC and saves do not stack on the fighter.

[jumpydady]

DeathlessOne wrote:

Provided the fighter isn't wearing any rings except the two needed for each spell and the cleric and paladin wear one each, you can expect the fighter to take half damage and the cleric and paladin to take a quarter. Bonuses to AC and saves do not stack on the fighter.

oh i wasnt asking about the bonus armor, yeah the dmg part? wasthing would the damage be divided in 3

[DeathlessOne]

If the fighter got hit for 8, then he'd take 4 and the cleric and paladin would take 2 each.

[Java Man]

Some clarifications: Deathless seems to imply that the rings serving as the focus for the spell would occupy item slots, this is not supported by the rules. I can also find no rule reason for the half quarter quarter scheme described. My personal ruling would be that only the subject only suffers half damage and the the paladin and cleric each take half, just the literal, direct reading of the spell rules.

[Taja the Barbarian]

I'd rule this falls into either:

• The last spell cast overwrites any earlier versions, or
• The version with the highest caster level overwrites any other version.

I believe this is covered in Combining Magic Effects but AoN seems to be having issues right now and I can't actually view the entry...

[Java Man]

Good catch, the relevant quote is:

"Same Effect More than Once in Different Strengths: In cases when two or more identical spells are operating in the same area or on the same target, but at different strengths, only the one with the highest strength applies."

[jumpydady]

sucha pity and here i was imgining a final booss being a zealous priest with a minion army of clerics all casting shield other on the boss kinda like the "shield hero anime"

[Azothath]

[PFS legal] Shield Other:A2
Combining Magic Effects - Stacking Effects, on d20pfsrd (as aon seems lost)

jumpydady wrote:

sucha pity and here I was imagining ...

Commentary

lol... you're just not clever enough.
Go ahead and cast both using two foci. When the first caster complains take off their ring (ending that spell) and share your damage with the other caster. While I agree that it's just a focus and doesn't fill a MIBS, using more than two rings is likely to cause problems as you slide into "intent" and you are clearly abusing the system at that point and Game Balance is a thing.

Always buy 2 platinum "poison pill" rings with 100gp gems so you cover Shield Other and Magic Jar cost 145gp(=25+20+100) each.

[DeathlessOne]

Java Man wrote:

Some clarifications: Deathless seems to imply that the rings serving as the focus for the spell would occupy item slots, this is not supported by the rules. I can also find no rule reason for the half quarter quarter scheme described. My personal ruling would be that only the subject only suffers half damage and the the paladin and cleric each take half, just the literal, direct reading of the spell rules.

You are correct that my interpretation is not explicitly supported by the rules, though the focus rings must be worn by both parties for the spell to function. Elevating the rings to functionally occupy the ring slots of the target is loosely supported because there is no point in identifying what is being worn on the character except when those things occupy magical item slots.

In the spirit of simply not allowing such interactions to function, dividing damage seems a proper result of denying the magic item slots to the characters in question. It neither rewards nor penalizes them for making the attempt.

However, allowing them overlap based on which ring is being used is also an acceptable outcome.

What is good for the PCs is also good for their enemies.

[Pizza Lord]

As I see it, both spells are functioning identically on the target (from separate sources). They don't reduce the damage more than half to the target, and each caster would take an amount of damage equal to that not received by the target. Making this (in all but a very specific case) not a desirable outcome.

There is not a 'stacking' or 'priority' effect like Magic the Gathering. An attack that deals 10 damage would be received as 5 damage by the target and both casters would take the 5 that wasn't received by the target.

The best choice would be to make a daisy chain with the target shielded by the caster with the most hit points, and that caster shielded by the other with the lowest hit points of the three, which would result in the target taking 5, the primary shielder would receive the remainder (5) that wasn't taken, but will take half (2.5, rounded down to 2), and the final caster would receive the damage that wasn't taken (3, not half rounded down).

I also do not count the focus rings as being 'magic rings' of the sort that occupy a magical item slot.

You could have a select group of minions (who would likely avoid combat, or at least hang back to heal or use ranged) set up as a chain to soak damage along the entire chain (which would make AoE healing more effective, say if one was Channeling positive energy). But they'd have to avoid being in AoE blast damage (purely to save you from having to do math from all of them taking damage simultaneously)