Fire Resistance + Fire Resistance = ?

[Killer Cyborg]

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to this one, but I just wanted to make sure. If a creature--let's say a godling--already has fire resistance and uses an ability--let's say psionic pyrokinesis--to gain fire resistance, do the two stack effectively giving the creature 3/4 resistance to fire? Or do the two merely overlap, giving the creature no special benefit? I am fairly certain it is the latter, but I wanted to double check.

Overlap.

[Nekira Sudacne]

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to this one, but I just wanted to make sure. If a creature--let's say a godling--already has fire resistance and uses an ability--let's say psionic pyrokinesis--to gain fire resistance, do the two stack effectively giving the creature 3/4 resistance to fire? Or do the two merely overlap, giving the creature no special benefit? I am fairly certain it is the latter, but I wanted to double check.

Overlap.

Damage is halfed and halfed again for 3/4 resistance.

[Killer Cyborg]

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to this one, but I just wanted to make sure. If a creature--let's say a godling--already has fire resistance and uses an ability--let's say psionic pyrokinesis--to gain fire resistance, do the two stack effectively giving the creature 3/4 resistance to fire? Or do the two merely overlap, giving the creature no special benefit? I am fairly certain it is the latter, but I wanted to double check.

Overlap.

Damage is halfed and halfed again for 3/4 resistance.

That would be stacking.

[Nekira Sudacne]

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to this one, but I just wanted to make sure. If a creature--let's say a godling--already has fire resistance and uses an ability--let's say psionic pyrokinesis--to gain fire resistance, do the two stack effectively giving the creature 3/4 resistance to fire? Or do the two merely overlap, giving the creature no special benefit? I am fairly certain it is the latter, but I wanted to double check.

Overlap.

Damage is halfed and halfed again for 3/4 resistance.

That would be stacking.

Synonyms

[Prysus]

Greetings and Salutations. Well, in the case of the natural ability, I would say they could stack. Though I think you can only have one enhancement (from an outside source). So spells, psionics, magical item, etc. would overlap with each other. So if you had the ability from a Rune Sword, then cast Spell, then used a Psionic, it would still be just 1/2 (overlap). However, with a natural ability, I view it a bit different. That person's body just works differently. Now, granted, if you said the resistance was because of a magical nature you could still have a good point (to overlap), but I feel it could just as easily be some type of physical component, like natural insulation, skin/hide is made of naturally resistant materials, etc. There are real life fire resistant items for instance. Because this is "natural" it can still be enhanced by a spell, psionic, etc. Therefore, in the case of a "natural" resistance, when amplified by an enhancement it would stack, reducing it to 1/4 damage. I know that would complicate the rule a bit, but that's how I personally would rule it. It's what makes sense to me at least, others are free to disagree. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys to all.



P.S. I used the example of fire given, but for the record I would follow the rule in general. Natural + Enhancement = Stack, Enhancement + Enhancement = Overlap.

[Prysus]

The way I see it, most creatures with resistance to fire (or any other energy) gain it through some sort of supernatural or magical means. If one were to assume that it comes from tough hides, why would the creature not resist all energy types?

Greetings and Salutations. Odd, because I'd have closer to the opposite mentality. I'd sooner believe a "magical" resistance should encompassing. In real life we have materials that are "fire resistant." I wouldn't suggest shooting them with a laser beam though because that fire resistant material protects against all energy now. Granted, my knowledge of science is weaker than most other subjects, but fairly sure real life "fire resistant" does not mean "resistant against any and all energy." I could be wrong, but I don't think so. So when deciding something will work differently than real life, I'd expect it to be magical or supernatural (not the other way around). That's just my opinion on things, and I could be wrong (wouldn't be the first time). Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys to all.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Well in most cases in Rifts, when a creature has fire resistance, it is also a supernatural and/or magical creature. The whole reason I am asking this question is because I am running a campaign where all the characters are godlings of Atlantean descent, and one of the players chose pyrokinesis as one of his psionic abilities. Atlanteans aren't resistant to fire (right?) so I would have to assume that a godling is resistant to fire because of some supernatural protection. Does pyrokinesis: fire resistance make a godling even more fire resistant? I wouldn't think so, but I thought to ask here anyway.

This brings up the question of whether godlings descended from creatures that ARE fire resistant should become even more resistant to fire as well. If you are going to rule that a creature with a fire resistant hide can benefit from pyrokinesis: fire resistance, shouldn't such a creature also benefit from improved fire resistance if it ascended to godling-hood? That seems the logical path, but I don't necessarily think that is what the authors intended. Suppose a cat's eye dragon ascends to become a godling (and don't tell me dragons can't be godlings--anything can be a godling), chooses the psionic power allowing it to use pyrokinesis: fire resistance, then casts the magic spell resist fire. We're talking about 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2. Of course the dragon is foolish not to simply select impervious to fire as one of his minor psionic powers if he is THAT worried about fire, but let's say he didn't. He would be taking 1/16th fire damage. Really?

Yes. All resistances make you more and more resistant however many sources.

[Nekira Sudacne]

So would a character who repeatedly casts resist fire on another character imbue that character with greater resistance with each casting? That seems against the spirit of the rules.

No, but only because the rules say You can't cast the same spell on the same person multiple times for greater effect.

These are nonidentical sources so they stack perfectly.

But geesh, why not just cast Impervious to fire? it costs 5 PPE and negates ALL damage.

[Nekira Sudacne]

So would a character who repeatedly casts resist fire on another character imbue that character with greater resistance with each casting? That seems against the spirit of the rules.

No, but only because the rules say You can't cast the same spell on the same person multiple times for greater effect.

These are nonidentical sources so they stack perfectly.

But geesh, why not just cast Impervious to fire? it costs 5 PPE and negates ALL damage.

Range: self. That's why. You can't use it to help your comrades.

Actually Impervious to Fire has a range of Self or others up to 60'...

[Nekira Sudacne]

Hmm, true that. I neglected to look up the actual spell description and was going off the spell list which only includes self. However resist fire can affect two individuals with one casting. Impervious to fire seems to be limited to only one.

Still, I agree with you that Impervious to Fire is far more practical.

Meh. I've just gotten to the point where I like to cast Invunerability at the start of each fight.