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For resistances in Dragon Age II, see Resistances (Dragon Age II).

A Resistance is a character's ability to withstand or reduce the effects of an opponent's attack. There is a type of resistance for each type of damage in the game: Mental, Physical, Spell, and Elemental. The last is further divided into five types: Fire, Cold, Electric, Nature, and Spirit. Each point of resistance reduces the damage received from the corresponding type of attack by 1%. In some cases a target offsets some of the effects of an attack if it passes a check for that type of attack. Some abilities, skills, and items give bonuses or penalties to resistances.

Resistance types[]

Elemental resistance[]

Elemental damage is subject to resistances, which certain enemies possess innately and characters gain through spells, talents, skills, or items. If a character has 10% resistance to fire, all the fire damage they take is reduced by 10%. Conversely, characters can become vulnerable to the elements, in which case they suffer increased elemental damage. The minimum possible elemental resistance is -100% (attainable with hexes).

Some creatures are completely immune to a certain type of damage. When one of those creatures is attacked by that type of damage the label “Immune!” may appear over their heads, colored using the same scheme as damage text. This label is only displayed when the damage of that type exceeds a certain threshold —if you would have only inflicted a couple of points of fire damage anyway, the game doesn’t announce the resistance, in order to concentrate on communicating more vital information.

Spell resistance[]

Spell resistance is the chance to completely resist a hostile spell. Friendly fire spell effects are applied normally. Spell resistance only works against spells that can be casted by controllable characters (e.g. although Aura of Weakness and Miasma are technically the same spell/talent, only the latter may be resisted).

Physical resistance[]

For physical effects like being knocked to the ground or rooted in place, the game compares one of the attacker’s relevant attribute modifiers —strength for most talents and magic for most spells, although rogue-specific talents usually use cunning— to the defender’s physical resistance score. If the physical resistance score is higher, the status effect does not apply, or, in some cases, it's replaced by a less severe effect. Physical resistance is half of the total of the character’s strength, dexterity, and constitution modifiers.

Mental resistance[]

For mental effects like being put to sleep or stunned, the game compares one of the attacker’s relevant attribute modifiers —cunning for most talents and magic for most spells— to the defender’s mental resistance score. If the mental resistance score is higher, the status effect does not apply, or, in some cases, it's replaced by a less severe effect. Mental resistance is half of the total of the character’s willpower, magic, and cunning modifiers.

Summary table[]

The table below lists each type of resistance, the types of attack it counters, the formula used to calculate it, the maximum possible score, and some examples of the attacks it counters.

Type Type of attack countered Formula Maximum score Examples
Mental Bard songs and mind-control spells. (Willpower+Magic+Cunning-30)/2

rounded up

100 (150 in Awakening)

Captivating Song, Blood Control, Horror.
Physical Direct attacks on the body. (Strength+Dexterity+Constitution-30)/2

rounded up

100 (150 in Awakening)

Knockdown, Earthquake, Paralyze.
Spell Hostile magical spell attacks. 100% Aura of Weakness, Miasma.
Elemental

Attacks based on one of the five elements.

75% (85% in Awakening) Fireball, Cone of Cold.

Resistance checks[]

See also: Combat mechanics § Resistance Checks

The following table includes a list of Talents and Spells and the relevant resistance check.

Tree Threat Type Resistance
Arcane Repulsion Field Spell Physical
Battlemage Hand of Winter Spell Physical
Blood Mage Blood Wound Spell Physical
Creation Glyph of Paralysis Spell Physical
Creation Glyph of Repulsion Spell Physical
Creation Grease Spell Physical
Entropy Mass Paralysis Spell Physical
Entropy Miasma Spell Physical
Entropy Paralyze Spell Physical
Entropy Weakness Spell Physical
Keeper Nature's Vengeance Spell Physical
Keeper Thornblades Spell Physical
Primal Blizzard Spell Physical
Primal Cone of Cold Spell Physical
Primal Earthquake Spell Physical
Primal Fireball Spell Physical
Primal Petrify Spell Physical
Archery Pinning Shot Talent Physical
Champion War Cry upgraded with Superiority Talent Physical
Dog Charge Talent Physical
Dual Weapon Cripple Talent Physical
Dual Weapon Riposte Talent Physical
Dual Weapon Punisher Talent Physical
Duelist Upset Balance Talent Physical
Guardian Aura of the Stalwart Defender Talent Physical
Ranger Slam (Summoned Bear) Talent Physical
Rogue Below the Belt Talent Physical
Shale Earthen Grasp Talent Physical
Shale Hurl Rock Talent Physical
Shale Quake Talent Physical
Shale Regenerating Burst Talent Physical
Shale Rock Barrage Talent Physical
Shapeshifter Slam (Bear Shape) Talent Physical
Templar Holy Smite Talent Physical (non-spellcasting targets)
Two-Handed Mighty Blow Talent Physical
Two-Handed Pommel Strike Talent Physical
Two-Handed Sunder Armor Talent Physical
Two-Handed Sunder Arms Talent Physical
Two-Handed Two-Handed Sweep Talent Physical
Two-Handed Sweeping Strike Talent Physical
Power of Blood Blood Fury Talent Physical
Weapon and Shield Overpower Talent Physical
Weapon and Shield Shield Bash Talent Physical
Weapon and Shield Shield Pummel Talent Physical
Blood Mage Blood Control Spell Mental
Entropy Horror Spell Mental
Entropy Sleep Spell Mental
Entropy Waking Nightmare Spell Mental
Bard Distraction Talent Mental
Bard Captivating Song Talent Mental
Reaver Frightening Appearance Talent Mental
Templar Holy Smite Talent Mental (spellcasting targets)
Dog Growl Talent Mental
Dog Dread Howl Talent Mental
Ranger Howl (Summoned Wolf) Talent Mental
Shale Bellow Talent Mental

Enemy resistances/weaknesses reference sheet[]

General types[]

Type Fire Cold Nature Spirit Electricity Base
Demon +50% 0% 0% +5% 0% 0%
Darkspawn -15% 0% +25% 0% 0% 0%
High Dragon and Flemeth +75% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Undead -25% +75% Immune 0% 0% 0%

Bosses and subtypes[]

Type Fire Cold Nature Spirit Electricity Base
Abomination 0% 0% Immune 0% +25% 0%
Arcane Horror 0% Immune Immune 0% 0% +20% spell
Archdemon +60% +75% +25% +75% +75% 0%
Broodmother 0% 0% +75% 0% 0% +75 mental
Genlock 0% 0% 0% +5% 0% +3 mental
Hurlock 0% +5% 0% +5% 0% +1% dodge
Ogre 0% +20% 0% +15% 0% +10% spell
Revenant 0% Immune Immune 0% 0% +75 mental
Steel Golem 0% +50% Immune 0% +50% +50 physical
Stone golem +50% +50% Immune 0% 0% +50 physical
Wild Sylvan -50% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Shapeshifter forms[]

Type Fire Cold Nature Spirit Electricity Base
Bear

(monster and Shapeshifter form)

0% 0% +50% 0% 0% 0%
Flying Swarm

(Shapeshifter form)

-75% 0% 0% 0% 0% +100% missile deflection

+40% dodge

Spider

(monster and Shapeshifter form)

-10% 0% +75% 0% 0% 0%

Enemy resistances and immunities analysis[]

  • An obvious conclusion one can draw from this reference sheet and the immunity list is electricity and spirit are most rarely resisted types of elemental damage, with no enemies immune to them. Consider also the stamina draining effect from electrical damage and the fact the most damaging spells and spell combinations in the game are spirit-based (Mana Drain, Entropic Death, Virulent Walking Bomb, Blood Control).
  • Nature is (a) most commonly resisted, (b) an unparalleled number of creatures are immune to it, and (c) not a single enemy in the game has a nature damage weakness.[1]
  • Fire damage is quite frequently resisted, but this is offset by the fact both Darkspawn and Undead type enemies have weaknesses to fire.
  • Cold damage is also commonly resisted, but since cold-based spells also have the ability to Freeze and Slow targets, this is less of a problem (see Cone of Cold for more information).
  • It is also noteworthy that spell resistance is extremely rare, and even when present, its value is quite low, so certain spells/spell combinations (Paralysis Explosion, for example) are almost guaranteed to work under any conditions.
  • On Casual difficulty, spell resistance is reduced by 10% (to a minimum of 0%) and on Nightmare it is increased by 5%. Additionally, on Hard and Nightmare difficulties all enemies gain 5% elemental resistance.
  1. The Archdemon at the end of Origins is a notable exception to the general rule. While it does not have a "weakness" to nature damage as such, its resistances to all other forms of elemental damage are much higher (60% to fire and 75% to the others) than its nature resistance, which is only 25%. However this does not in itself justify altering character build strategies, as there are other ways to inflict nature damage that can be used for this one major fight.

Global and specific resistances[]

Global resistances apply to their subtypes; however, bosses do not inherit resistances. An example is a genlock inheriting darkspawn global resistances, yet neither Archdemon nor Broodmother inherit darkspawn global resistances. The Archdemon does not inherit High Dragon resistances either.

Items providing spell resistance[]

See also: Item properties § Resistance
Name Enhancements Acquisition
Templar Armor
Requires: 27 strength
+3 willpower
+20% spell resistance
+5 mental resistance
Restriction: Templar
Knight Commander's Plate
Requires: 39 strength
+5 willpower
+40% spell resistance
+10 mental resistance
Sold by Faryn in Frostback Mountain Pass for 27Gold 42Silver 0Bronze.

Restriction: Templar
Armor of the Divine Will
Requires: 38 strength
+20% spell resistance
-5 magic
Sold by Ruck in Ortan Thaig.

Restriction: Templar
The Spellward +5 willpower
+8 health regeneration while exploring
+30% spell resistance
+10% chance to dodge attacks
+6 defense against missiles
Origins: Sold by Bodahn Feddic at the Party Camp
Leliana's Song: Dropped by Weapon Master in the Noble's Estate (2nd time)
Witch Hunt: Sold by Sandal in the Apprentice Quarters
Key to the City +2 to all attributes
+4% spell resistance
+10% to healing effects received
Found in the Assembly Cache in the Chamber of the Assembly, Orzammar Diamond Quarter after completing The Key to the City side quest.
Athras's Pendant 4% spell resistance Obtained from Athras in the Dalish Camp as a reward for completing the side quest Lost to the Curse.
Mark of Vigilance +6 defense
+2% spell resistance
+5 mental resistance
Requires the Mark of Vigilance DLC.
Spellweaver
Requires: 27 strength/magic
+5 magic
+1 or +2 mana regeneration in combat
+10% spell resistance
+3 electricity damage
Dropped by the Arcane Warrior Cultist Overseer in the Mountainside Caverns, during The Urn of Sacred Ashes main quest.

Restriction: Arcane Warrior
Antivan Leather Boots
Requires: 18 strength
+4% spell resistance They come from Antivan Leather Boots (gift) in Origins, and purchased from the Bartender and looted from the Smuggler Leader and Crow Assassin in Awakening.
Blackblade Boots
Requires: 24 strength
+4 dexterity
+4 willpower
+4 cunning
+8% spell resistance
Cannot be acquired via normal means.

Restriction: Rogue
Havard's Aegis
Requires: 22 strength
+4 spell resistance
Chance to avoid missile attacks
Looted from the Ogre at the top of the Tower of Ishal.
Reaper's Vestments +6 constitution
+20% fire resistance
+16% spell resistance
+10% chance to dodge attacks
+12 armor
Sold by the Tranquil Proprietor at the Wonders of Thedas

Restriction: Mage
Ancient Elven Gloves
Requires: 22 strength
+2 armor
+4% spell resistance
Found in the Ruined Temple.
Cinch of Skillful Maneuvering +1 to all attributes
+10% spell resistance
+10% chance to dodge attacks
Reward for the A Time of Wood and Stone achievement during Witch Hunt

Other

Notes[]

  • Dwarves have in-game an extra 10% spell resistance, because they have developed a natural resistance to magic due to living close to lyrium.
  • Note that some abilities (e.g. Dirty Fighting) are absent from the above list and are not subject to a physical resistance check. They are subject to immunities (i.e. stun, knockdown, etc.) however. This can be misleading because even if a creature/player is immune to a given effect, "Resisted" will still appear above the character when an immunity protects that player from a physical effect such as stun and knockdown.
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