Magic Missile on Constructs

[douga]

Do most of you allow Magic Missile to work on constructs or only "living" creatures? I have seen it handled different by different DMs.

Thanks,

Doug

 

[MerakSpielman]

Nowhere does it say that constructs are immune to magic missiles.

Though golems are immune to all magic, excepting specific spells that affect particular types of golem.

 

[Caliban]

Do most of you allow Magic Missile to work on constructs or only "living" creatures? I have seen it handled different by different DMs.

Thanks,

Doug

Since most constructs have a hardness of 5 or more, they are effectively immune to magic missiles anyway.

 

[MerakSpielman]

well, that's if you apply the DR to each missile out of the several you get to cast. We always just total it up - roll 3d4+3, then subtract the DR from the total damage.

 

[Tiberius]

Re: Re: Magic Missile on Constructs

Since most constructs have a hardness of 5 or more, they are effectively immune to magic missiles anyway.

Constructs get hardness? I thought that was a property of animated objects alone. Could you cite a page number? Thanks!

-Tiberius

 

[MerakSpielman]

I think he's referring to their DR.

Hardness is essentially DR for objects.

 

[Oni]

however DR doesn't stop magic

 

[Caliban]

Re: Re: Re: Magic Missile on Constructs

Constructs get hardness? I thought that was a property of animated objects alone. Could you cite a page number? Thanks!

-Tiberius

No, I can't. I was thinking of Animated Objects, which are a type of Construct.

 

[MerakSpielman]

however DR doesn't stop magic

Well.... It SHOULD!

 

[TrizzlWizzl]

DR is different than hardness. The only constructs with a hardness are animated objects (at least in the DMG), using slightly different rules than DR.

Magical attacks ignore DR but not hardness. Having said that I'd have to partially agree with Merak... a magic missle spell is an instantaneous effect, so I'd say that the object's hardness would be subtracted from the total damage done by such a spell.

You wouldn't roll a serperate caster level check to defeat SR when using magic missle vs. one creature, so the same mechanic should apply here IMO.