Magic Resistance

[Kdansky]

How do you do Magic Resistance? As there is about any power possible by magic means, you'd have to buy:

- ED (resistant probably)
- PD (resistant probably)
- Flash Defense
- Power Defense
- Ego Defense

Seems quite costly to me, even with a -2 limiation. Magic does not occur as every 3rd attack in our game, and -2 is 66% discount (if you don't have any other disads). I don't want to spend half my points on this rather fluffy effect, as there will probably never be a villain using a magical flash or a magical Mind Control on me at all. Is there a way to do it the Suppress/Damage shield way?

[Farkling]

Dispel and Damage Shield? ...no...that would be full effect from anything overloading your defenses.

I don't know....ramped defenses against a whole special effect SHOULD be expensive....

Hmmm....you could cheat...seriously! If the GM allows it, check the sidebar on pg 95 "Magic Resistance"

30 pts 50% Magical Damage Reduction (affects Resistant Energy/Physical/Mental)

Damage Reduction purchased in that manner would give 50% Reduction versus ANY Magical Attack in the Physical, Energy, Mental categories...you'll still need to shop for your Flash and Power defense though.

So, if the GM says NO....

10pts 50% Resistant Physical Damage Reduction (Magic Only, -2) (30 AP)
10pts 50% Resistant Energy Damage Reduction (Magic Only, -2) (30 AP)
10pts 50% Resistant Mental Damagel Reduction (Magic Only, -2) (30 AP) **Mental Reduction must be bought resistant.
(same cost because of the -2, if a lower limitation, it will , of course, be more expensive...and more useful) :)

Now, according to the fine print, Resistant Damage Reduction applies to AVLD, NND, STUN/BODY Drains, and any other powers the GM allows. Magic affects you, but you take half damage after your normal defenses are applied. You are magic resistant, and take half damage from magical attacks... Except for Flash and Power Effects, so

5 pts Flash Defense (Sight): 15 (vs Magical Attacks only)
10 pts Power Defense: 30 (vs. Magical Attacks Only)

45 pts for magic resistance....though this has some holes...you can still have your hearing/smell/touch messed with. You are very difficult to magically blind and almost a dead zone to power affects...which should be a nifty effect for a magic proof character...possibly the blood of a god? A gypsy curse granting you an extra soul? :D

<shrugs> and remember the comic adage..."Invulnerable" only means "ain't been injured by nothin' yet"

[zornwil]

For magic resistance, I actually have another derived characteristic, SD, Supernatural Defense. INT/5. I used INT because it seemed to me that in the comics those super-brainy types (Reed Richards, Batman) resisted magic unusually well. I figured their lack of belief or facile minds or whatever fit with INT.

[OddHat]

The Damage Reduction rule works well.

Also, Desolidification: Only to Protect Against Magic is perfectly legal, and it's the GM's option whether or not you have to pay for Affects Solid World on your powers.

Finally, Magic Reistance probably is best represented by generally high defences in most fantasy worlds. An AD&D demon may be specifically resistant to magic, but that's mostly a gamism that made its way back into fantasy fiction. A traditional demon / dragon / monster from any culture was generally just plain tough to hurt.

[OddHat]

Originally posted by zornwil
For magic resistance, I actually have another derived characteristic, SD, Supernatural Defense. INT/5. I used INT because it seemed to me that in the comics those super-brainy types (Reed Richards, Batman) resisted magic unusually well. I figured their lack of belief or facile minds or whatever fit with INT.

I tend to use a high ego and mental defense to achieve the same effect. I wouldn't mind seeing EGO/5 added to power defense as well.

[Jeff]

You could go with Suppress, no range, AE - 1 hex (accurate), personal immunity (if necessary), probably IPE, 0 END, persistent, self only (no attacking with it; it's a purely passive defense directed against incoming magic powers), versus all magic effects at once. Let's see -

3d6 Suppress, AE - 1 hex accurate (+1/2), personal immunity (+1/4), IPE (visible only to magical senses) (+3/4), 0 END (+1/2), persistent (+1/2), versus all magic at once (+2) - 82 active points
No range (-1/2), self only (-1/2) - 41 real points.

It'll shave on average 10-11 active points off incoming magic of any stripe. That's before any other defenses, so 10-11 points off will often make the difference between an effective attack and an ineffective one. If you'd like a cheaper variant, you could buy it as against any magic one effect at a time (+1/4), two at a time (+1/2), or four at a time (+1). This'd be a magic resistance that can get "overwhelmed" by great varieties of magic coming in at once, but it should be enough in the large majority of cases.

[Fireg0lem]

Originally posted by Jeff
3d6 Suppress, AE - 1 hex accurate (+1/2), personal immunity (+1/4), IPE (visible only to magical senses) (+3/4), 0 END (+1/2), persistent (+1/2), versus all magic at once (+2) - 82 active points
No range (-1/2), self only (-1/2) - 41 real points.


I think throwing in Inherent and Always On would be a good idea as well, depending on SFX. Always On might be a good idea for the magical DR idea as well, again SFX-depending.

[Mr. Negative]

I'm not sure if you want to recreate D&D Magic Resistance or some other sort, and, if D&D, whether you want to create 2nd edition or 3rd edition magic resistance.

For "old school" magic resistance, I would purchase (as suggested above)

Desolidification (only to protect against limited type of attack), O END, Persistent, Inherent
linked to:
Mental Defense and Flash Defense (also only to protect against limited
type of attack)
and then apply an Activation Roll to the whole thing (as in D&D, Magic Resistance was rated as a percentage roll).

Personally, I don't like this type of Magic Resistance, because it's waaaay too "Rules Oriented" to me, and not nearly "Story Oriented" enough.

I like my supernatural beasties to have specific vulnerabilities/invulnerabilities based on their own nature, which PCs can logic out. Thus, a Hellhound might have a great deal of resistance to flame, but no resistance to other spells, while other creatures might be very mentally protected, or whatever. Giving them a blanket "magic resistance" seems to discourage the players of wizards and the like, and encourage a bit more hacking and slashing than I want (and that's saying something, as someone with fond memories of AD&D).

[Vondy]

What about defining magically powers with a Limitation (-0) does not affect characters with "power/defense x" or "defense x stacks with other defenses" and say its just the sfx of the fact that its magical.

The ideal defense for this would be power defense. To simulate Dee-In-Dee Magic Resistance you can give it some sort of required roll (activation, whatnot). Maybe the roll would be reduced by spells with high APs.

[Kdansky]

I don't know if what I search for is like D&D, never played that. I'd like it so magic just hurts the character less, fireballs don't do their full dmg, transformation spells don't really work, teleport other spells just fizzle, magical items somehow seem normal, telepathy just won't work on him. He can't control it, he can't deactivate it, hence the idea with Damage shield (which is uncontrolled anyway). It's not clearly visible (perhaps with magical detection or identify spells or something like that) too.

[OddHat]

Originally posted by Kdansky
I don't know if what I search for is like D&D, never played that. I'd like it so magic just hurts the character less, fireballs don't do their full dmg, transformation spells don't really work, teleport other spells just fizzle, magical items somehow seem normal, telepathy just won't work on him. He can't control it, he can't deactivate it, hence the idea with Damage shield (which is uncontrolled anyway). It's not clearly visible (perhaps with magical detection or identify spells or something like that) too.

You're talking the Damage Reduction: Magic option. Clear it with you GM and it should work fine.

[Farkling]

I'm not so sure...if he's actually looking at the magical weapons being rendered inert in his hands, or non-damaging attack spells being disabled...it is a Suppression field as was mentioned before...I think it requies additional GM permission for Suppression to affect attacks hurled from outside the Suppression area...of course one level of MegaScale might cope with any concievable area beyond GM's fiat...

4d6 Suppress, One Hex area (+1/2), Megascale (+1/4), 0 END (+1/2), persistent (+1/2), versus all magic at once (+2) - 95 active points
No range (-1/2), Always On (-1/2), Only applies to magical effects on character (-1) - 32 real points.

It just doesn't DO much for the cost does it? It will gradually reduce a persistant power to nothing...<shrugs> and since the reduction only applies to the character HIMSELF, (ie, full power still affects others and the surroundings...the Green Lanterns and yellow come to mind...), then most people will have been in the area long enough to have been thoroughly affected before they even meet him. I don't think I'd let someone use this construct in my game...it is very powerful since Suppress is cumulative. If suppress is non-cumulative, then it is to weak for the cost...the Damage Reduct would be more appropriate.

For the normal cumulative Suppress...you could use 1d6, for a cost of...8 pts. Your GM is likely NOT to allow it though.


You could just go with::
14 pts +21 CON (vs. Magic Only)
14 pts +21 REC (vs. Magic Only)

Or even an AId::

[Jeff]

You know, Luck with a limitation "only to avoid magical unpleasantry" might do the trick too.

[Fur Face]

I believe it was on the last boards, but some folks talked about creating a 100% damage reduction, with the costs scaled like normal damage reduction. Example, if 75% is 40 points, hardened 60 points, then 100% would be 60 & 80, respectively. Not legitimate rules wise, but neither is trying to build something that has 100% anything. ;)


IMMO, YMMV

[Tasha]

If you want Magic Res D&D style then Supress and Damage Reduction doesn't cut it. In D&D it is an all or nothing sort of thing. So IF I were going to right up MR then I would do it this way.

8d6 Dispel Magic
0 End
Persistant
Continuous
0 Range,
Self Only

It's kind of expensive, but it does give the feel of D&D style all or nothing MR. I kept the dice down to make it less of a sure thing against 30pt effects. If your campaign has higher power levels or your critter has higher MR then up the Dispel dice accordingly.

Tasha :)

[Col. Orange]

Something else to think about...

A mage, knowing about your magical defenses uses magic to transmute air into high velocity plasma.
The plasma isn't magical, only the manner in which it was created was.

see also: magically calls down natural lightning
see also: throws sharp things at you with telekinesis
see also: ...

Have fun mage-slayer :D

[hybris]

Originally posted by Col. Orange
Something else to think about...

A mage, knowing about your magical defenses uses magic to transmute air into high velocity plasma.
The plasma isn't magical, only the manner in which it was created was.

see also: magically calls down natural lightning
see also: throws sharp things at you with telekinesis
see also: ...

Have fun mage-slayer :D Reminds me... D&D 3.5 even does this to some extent. That is, many damage-dealing Conjuration spells don't allow spell resistance any more.