Magic Resistance II: The Pit Fiend

The Pit Fiend, as seen in Pathfinder 1e

Sorting out the entire issue of magic resistance is an interesting exercise in comparing different games. I wanted to focus on one monster, the iconic pit fiend, and compare different games with it.

Flat Rate Rames

So let's start out with flat rate magic resistance games, starting with AD&D where this concept started. These are games where it does not matter what level you are, all your spells, divine powers, spell-like abilities, holy smites, and other magic have a flat chance to fail:

• AD&D: 65%
• AD&D 2e: 50%
• Swords & Wizardry (Balor): 75%
• OSRIC: 65%
• Castles & Crusades: 15 of 20 or 75%

So AD&D and OSRIC come down the middle, Swords & Wizardry and Castles & Crusades are on the high end, and AD&D 2e seems on the low side. Maybe this is when casters started complaining.

Level Scaled

Post AD&D 2e, you start to see a desire to change magic resistance from a flat rate to a level-based scaling system. If I am higher level, then that should count for something. This feels like the second generation of thinking regarding magic resistance where if you were a Gandalf, you should be able to blast that pit fiend right off the stone bridge.

• Adventures Dark & Deep: 70% at level 10, 45% at level 15, 20% at level 20
• D&D 3.5: 32, 45% at level 20
• PF 1e: 31, 50% at level 20

Adventures Dark & Deep is the only OSR game (I have read, yet) that does scaling magic resistance, and it seems it can be burned way down the higher level you get. With 3.5 and Pathfinder 1e, the max supported level is 20 so we will stick with those numbers - and there are also feats, items, and other bonuses that help with SR rolls (which many caster power builders say are must-take feats).

That is one problem I had with Pathfinder 1e, you get a community that says, "It would be cool if we had a feat that...!" And later on in the books, the company gives the fans what they want. And I can guarantee you, that same exact feat that everyone wanted gets complained about being a "must-have" and "a feat tax." It was too good when they wanted it, and it is too good not to always have.

Saving Throws

Aside over, finally, we come to the end of the road for spell and magic resistance, and we are just doing saving throws for magic these days:

• Labyrinth Lord: Save as Fighter 13
• Pathfinder 2e: Saving Throw (though these work way different in this game)
• D&D 5E: Saving Throw with Advantage
• Old School Essentials: No demons, though I suspect magic save bonus.

Putting Labyrinth Lord on this list feels strange, but it is a B/X style game with a pit fiend. I do find removing magic resistance and going with straight saves (even high ones), is still going to let the monster take some damage, and feels like a huge benefit to casters. These games tend to balance this in the other direction by increasing martial DPS, so the scaling damage arms race begins.

Casters Hate MR

I have seen a lot of hate for magic resistance on a few forums, especially from casters, "I hit! But oh no! My spell fizzled! That sucks! Stupid rule! I hate that rule! I hope they get rid of it!" And I sit here as a game master and say, "Well, no, spell resistance is just like "magic AC" and you missed."

"But that was my most powerful spell! This game sucks!"

But you knew this monster had magic resistance and cast it anyways. This is why you take fighters along. Why don't you wake them up? Or wait, you all aren't magic classes, are you?

My table stares at me in stunned silence.

"But these are the best classes in the game!"

Caster entitlement is a real thing.

But seriously, as a mechanic, I like magic resistance. I can see why Gygax added it as a feature in AD&D as a way to deal with the incredible powers of spellcasters at a high level. It is a bit of a hammer solution and I can see why casters hate this, but it works. Casters need monsters to fear. There has to be a time for martial DPS classes to shine. This isn't a "super magic shooter blaster" video game, and party balance should be a thing.

Rarity Sets the Problem Up

Part of the problem is that monsters with magic resistance are relatively rare (and higher level), so casters get trained to blow through everything until - oops - that one monster with magic resistance shows up. And it feels cheap and like a gotcha.

I can see why people say Pathfinder 2 nerfed a lot of the spells, and casters can't solo mid-level encounters anymore. They solved this issue by rolling back spell power and getting rid of MR.

The Most AD&D Game?

To me, the most AD&D feeling game of this group (that isn't AD&D) is OSRIC. Also, Adventures Dark and Deep deserves a special mention for trying to solve the magic resistance problem through brute force. The chart is based on levels is a cool idea. At low levels, magic resistance works almost completely and shuts low-level casters out of any spell landing. As you earn levels, you start burning that resistance down to nothing, and you feel more powerful than those monsters.

A very elegant and cool solution to the problem, and it shows the game was designed by someone very familiar with the magic resistance issue in AD&D and provided a cool solution to solve it, while still recognizing the merits of the system Gygax added.