Resistances question

[Desicardo]

If a character has an item with for example a 10/- fire resistance on it and casts protection from elements which is another 30/- elemental resistance up to 40 pts from a single elemental type, in which order is the damage resistance applied?  Hypothetical situation:  a mage tosses a fireball for 40 pts of damage.  If the item resistance comes first, 10pts are deducted from the damage so only 30pts is applied toward the 40pt total.  If the spell comes first, all 40 pts are taken by the spell with the spillover beyond the 30/- going to the item for another 10/-.  In the first case, the spell would still have 10pts remaining, in the second, the spell would collapse after the first hit.  Just curious as to whether a higher item resistance will help extend the capabilities of the spell by knocking some of the damage off what the spell needs to absorb.

[Blackguy]

First off, the spell wouldnt collapse on a single hit, since its only 30/- . The remaining 10 damage would be dealt to you instead, if you had no fire resistance otherwise.
 
 But to answer your other question, yes Fire resistance on items and more, comes first when determining the remaining damage that goes to your protection from elements. Also if you have a damage absorber as a spell, that comes before your normal spells, but still after your item resistance.
 
 I hope that wasnt to cloudy written.

[s0ulz]

Okay, I'll clear something up first.

This is a key rule of resistances: damage resistance from spells does not stack with any other kind of resistance.

So in the example you brought, your 30/- from the spell would kill off the first 40 points of damage and after that, the item resistance would kick in.

Item based resistances only stack with feat based resistances like [LORE]Resist Energy[/LORE] and [LORE]Epic Energy Resistance[/LORE].

If it would stack however, theoretically, damage resistance kicks in before reduction.

[miltonyorkcastle]

Right. Since the resistances don't stack, you get the benefit of the highest resistance, which in your case is 30/-. After the wizard casts a 40 point fireball at you, then, you character will take 10 points of fire damage, your spell having absorbed 30 points of it. Your spell will still be able to absorb up to ten more points of elemental damage though, but no more, so that means your character no longer has 30/- vs elements, but 10/-. Still, the game will use up your spell before using the item, so assuming another 40 point fireball is tossed at you, and you fail your reflex save, your character will take 30 points of damage, and your spell will have worn off, soaking up all the damage that it could. Now, finally, your item with damage resistance will kick in. A third fireball will have ten of its points absorbed. In short, with the item, you will always be able to absorb at least 10 points of fire damage. With the spell you can absorb more at one, at least initially, but the item and the spell do not stack, because damage resistance does not stack.

See [LORE]Damage Resistance[/LORE] and [LORE]Protection from Elements[/LORE]

[Desicardo]

Ok.. that answers my question.  Thanks all!