This article is about damage reduction. For the wizard spell, see resistance (power).
Resistance reduces damage of a specified type by a specified amount, to a minimum of 0 damage.[PH:276][RC:224]
For example, a 1st-level tiefling has "resist fire 5" as a racial trait. If the tiefling gets caught in a wizard ally's scorching burst, and the wizard rolls 8 for damage, the tiefling takes only 3 damage. Other creatures caught in the same burst without resistance would take full damage.
Multiple damage types favor the attacker, and make resistance more difficult. If an effect deals damage of multiple types, a creature must have resistance to each of those types in order to resist the damage, and the smallest amount of resistance to those types is used.
Multiple resistances against the same damage type are not cumulative. Only the highest resistance applies.
If a creature has both resistance and vulnerability to the same type of damage, they both apply.
Notes[]
- Updates to D&D have included combined damage types. As such, the PHB was updated with errata to describe that only the weakest of damage types applies.
- The rules don't specifically define what happens with split damage types, such as an attack that does 5 lightning damage, and 5 extra radiant damage (e.g. Arc lightning increased by Divine Passion). Note that extra damage would normally be the same as the original damage type, unless specified otherwise (as in this combination).
- Consensus appears to be that you can only resist total damage up to the maximum amount of one type, but they can all be applied.
- Some DMs may rule that it is handled in the same way as combined damage types, as such, one should consult with the DM to ensure an understanding at how it is played in their campaign.