Overview
The ability to avoid some or all of the damage or effects of various Schools of Magic.
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← Fire |
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← Nature |
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← Arcane |
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← Frost |
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← Shadow |
Resistance Scores
Both player and NPC resistance scores determine how much damage you take from a given element type and also affect your chance to completely resist an effect of a spell from that element.
Specifically:
- resistance is independent of whether the spell "hits", which depends only on relative levels as modified by "to hit" bonuses
- if a spell "hits", the end result depends on the caster's level, not the target
- effect spells are either resisted or not; damage spells are resisted in such a manner that the average damage is reduced by the resistance effect
- basic resistance is given by Average Resistance = (Target's Resistance / (Caster's Level * 5)) * 0.75
- regardless of resistance level, the resistance effect caps out at 75%
The effect of the last two points is that you need resistance of 5x caster's level to get maximum (75%) protection. (Details are here if you wish to learn the details.) In other words, there is never a need for more than 315 resistance (corresponding to a lvl 63, or boss, encounter).
Stacking
Resistances are generally very limited in how they stack. The following five sources of resistance are all independent, but whether they stack within each category depends on the category:
- Equipped items and enchants all stack
- Potions, auras, totems, and buffs all overlap - the maximum will apply
- Flask of Chromatic Resistance
- Racial bonus (Dwarves have +10 Frost Resistance, Gnomes have +10 Arcane, Night Elves and Tauren have +10 Nature, Undead and Draenei have +10 Shadow, Blood Elves have +5 everything).
For example: A hunter Aspect of the Wild with +60 NR will make any other potions or buffs useless (unless the hunter dies). It will however fully stack with equipment bonuses as well as a racial bonus (Night Elf and Tauren in the case of NR) and a flask.
Ok, the above is wrong, I'm working on it. --Sabelaide 17:22, 3 September 2006
NOTE: Magic Resistance Potion seems to stack with buffs such as Mark of the Wild, but not paladin resistance auras.
See Also / Links
- Armor resist guide
- Blizzard Resistances Page
- Characters page at Worldof War.net
Notes
There is some anecdotal evidence that increasing your resistance higher or lower than the exact mob lvl value x5 may actually lower the effect of the resistances. Thus 320, would be exactly the same as 310 would vs a lvl 63 mob (Ragnaros), and 365 would mean you actually have only an effective resistance of 265.
Schools of Resistance
Arcane
Arcane is primarily used by Mages and Druids. It is the least used resistance type currently. Gnomes, having an affinity for arcane energies, benefit from a permanent +10 Arcane Resistance as a Racial Trait.
Resistable Spells
- Druid: Moonfire, Starfire
- Hunter: Arcane Shot, Concussive Shot, Flare, Hunter's Mark, Volley
- Mage: Arcane Missiles, Arcane Explosion, Counterspell, Detect Magic, Polymorph
- Priest: Starshards
Example Items with Arcane Resistance
Fire
Fire resistance is the most useful resistance in Molten Core and some is useful in Blackwing Lair. Its also useful when fighting Mages or Warlocks.
Resistable Spells
- Hunter: Explosive Trap, Immolation Trap
- Mage: Blast Wave, Fire Blast, Fireball, Flamestrike, Pyroblast
- Warlock: Immolation, Searing Pain, Rain of Fire, Hellfire, Soul Fire, Conflagrate
Example Items with Fire Resistance
- Cloth
- Wizardweave collection
- Flarecore collection
- Leather
- Volcanic Armor Set
- Corehound collection
- Molten collection
- Lava belt
- Mail
- Black Dragon Mail set
- Fiery Chain cllection
- Plate
- Dark Iron collection
- Runic Plate collection
A good cloak for Fire Resistance is the Onyxia Scale Cloak (+16 FR) if you add a Greater Fire Resistance Enchant you get +31 FR (16 + 15 from enchant).
Frost
Frost resistance is mostly only useful in Naxxramas and PvP and vs. some undead mobs that have frost powers. Its also useful when fighting frost/ice Mages.
Resistable Spells
- Hunter: Freezing Trap, Frost Trap
- Mage: Blizzard, Cone of Cold, Frost Nova, Frostbolt
- Shaman: Frost Shock
Example Items with Frost Resistance
The in patch 1.11 implemented Argent Dawn Frost Resistance items are a bit hard to obtain but are quite useful in frost based encounters (e.g. Naxxramas)
- Cloth: Glacial Cloth item collection.
- Leather: Polar Leather item collection.
- Mail: Icy Scale Mail item collection.
- Plate: Icebane Plate item collection.
Nature
Nature resistance is the most useful resistance in Ahn'Qiraj, and also for anyone tanking Venoxis in Zul'Gurub. Its also useful when fighting Hunters, Rogues, Druids or Shamans.
Resistable Spells
- Hunter: Serpent Sting, Viper Sting, Wyvern Sting
- Shaman: Chain Lightning, Earth Shock, Lightning Bolt, Lightning Shield
- Druid: Wrath, Hurricane, Thorns, Entangling Roots
- Rogue: All poisons (Deadly, Instant, Crippling, Blind, Mind-Numbing and Wound poisons)
Example Items with Nature Resistance
- Cloth: Sylvan item collection.
- Leather: Bramblewood item collection.
- Mail: Spitfire and Sandstalker item collections.
- Plate: Ironvine item collection.
Shadow
Shadow resistance is the most useful resistance in Scholomance and Stratholme, and for the tanks on Ebonroc in Blackwing Lair. It is essential for Warlock Tanks in the Twin Emperors encounter of Temple of Ahn'Qiraj. It is also useful when fighting Shadow Priests and Warlocks.
Resistable Spells
- Priest: Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Blast, Mind Flay, Devouring Plague
- Warlock: Shadow Bolt, Corruption, Shadow Burn, Curse of Doom
Example Items with Shadow Resistance
Please add examples here. The Darkrune Set (craftable by Armorsmiths) is an excellent set of armor for tanks and paladins. Darkrune set includes: The Darkrune Helm (+25 Shadow Resistance) The Darkrune Gauntlets (+20 Shadow Resistance) The Darkrune Breastplate (+25 Shadow Resistance)
Runed Stygian Set (Tailoring) is an excellent set of stam/SR armor for mages, priests, and warlocks.
Runed Stygian Belt (+25 Shadow Resist) Runed Stygian Gloves (+20 Shadow Resist) Runed Stygian Boots (+20 Shadow Resist)
These items require Dark Runes to craft, so bank 'em early!
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