Is Melf's acid arrow magical?

[monocules]

One of my players is attacking a grick with a acid arrow. The 15/1 damage reduction, and the spell text doesn't explain this possibility.

Is regular acid affected by damage reduction? Is the spell's acid magical?

I am inclined to think the spell magically creates normal acid, and the 2d4 damage is going to be ignored.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Good question... What about Anti Magic Field then ? Is it magical acid or created magically and therefore not affected by the Anti Magic Field ?

 

[Geoff Watson]

The acid IS magical.

DR doesn't work against ANY acid, even non-magical ones.
It doesn't apply against any energy type (acid, cold, lightning, fire, sonic) or spell effect.

Geoff.

 

[Christian]

And to answer Rashak's question: yes, an anti-magic field would protect you from MAA. It's a spell with acid energy damage, just like a fireball is fire energy damage, and is therefore subject to anti-magic, spell resistance, etc.

 

[kreynolds]

Is the spell's acid magical?

No. Melf's acid arrows is powered by marshmellows and sheer force of will.

!?!?!?! Yes! It's magical! It's a frickin' spell! LOL

 

[gfunk]

I am inclined to think the spell magically creates normal acid

No offense, but you are opening up a whole can of worms with this reasoning. One could always argue that Fireball simply "creates normal fire" or that Meteor Swarm "summons a normal meteor from outer space and puts it under your control." In 3E magic is magic and should be treated as such.

 

[Christian]

In defense of Monocules and Rashak, I'd like to point out that the school and subtype listed for Melf's Acid Arrow is Conjuration (Creation). It's not an unreasonable inference from that descriptor to the conclusion that the spell creates normal acid, which is then no longer subject to anti-magic or spell resistance effects. It's an incorrect inference, but not an unreasonable one.

 

[kreynolds]

but not an unreasonable one.

Not only is it unreasonable, but it's just plain stupid.

 

[Crothian]

In defense of Monocules and Rashak, I'd like to point out that the school and subtype listed for Melf's Acid Arrow is Conjuration (Creation). It's not an unreasonable inference from that descriptor to the conclusion that the spell creates normal acid, which is then no longer subject to anti-magic or spell resistance effects. It's an incorrect inference, but not an unreasonable one.

Then what happens to the acid? It disappears, one might say as if by magic. You spill acid on you it does not disappear after a few rounds. You have to neutralize it (and possible scream).

 

[LotusPanda]

Re: Re: Is Melf's acid arrow magical?

No offense, but you are opening up a whole can of worms with this reasoning. One could always argue that Fireball simply "creates normal fire" or that Meteor Swarm "summons a normal meteor from outer space and puts it under your control." In 3E magic is magic and should be treated as such.

Except that It -isn't- creating non-magical fire in the case of Fireball. You have to look at the laws of physics that the spell is stomping on in it's descriptor. It specifically dictates how the fire occurs and behaves.

And it's Evocation. If it were real fire, it'd be Conjuration (Creation) as mentioned in a previous post.

In Second Edition, the fire was real. Nowadays, it's just hot and bright.