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May 19, 2013 -- 9:18AM, Sir_Chaz wrote:

#61 If a single attack includes 2 or more separable types of damage, Resistance is applied separately to each.

I know this seems apalling to many of you but it is the stated meaning of the rules. 

Consider this example: you are hit by an attack that deals 5 fire and 2 lightning damage. You have 5 lightning resist and 5 fire resist,

Do you get to reduce the lightnoing damage?

PHB SAYS! Resistance means you take less damage from a specific damage type.

So yes, obviously. But can you reduce the fire damage too? 

PHB SAYS!.If you have resist 5 fire, then any time you take fire damage, you reduce that damage

ANY TIME, with no limit on how many separate resistances count towards one attack. Reduce THAT Damage. 
 as in the fire damage, NOT "reduce the overall damage of the attack by an  amount granted by the highest single resist, ignoring all others"

The rules limit resist against Combined Damage Types, but the case of a single attack with separate amounts of different damage is not further discussed because it follows the General Rule: Resist works vs Damage Type. Any time you take the damage reduce the damage.

This goes against assumptions many hold dear, but I have yet to see a direct quote from a rulebook contradicting this definition of resistance even after hours of searching. If you wish to rebuttal with less than such a quote, please link to a new thread because explaiining this in terms a resistant mind will accept will be a lengthy process.

Short version:  The rules do not cover situations with damage of multiple types encountering resistances of multiple types.  Make up a rule, and stick to it.

Longer version:  No, really, this isn't covered.  Damage that contains multiple types, sure.  Multiple resistances to a single damage type (even a single multi-type damage), yes.  One damage souyrce doing damage of two types, with two resistances?  Not covered.

May 21, 2013 -- 1:13AM, Sir_Chaz wrote:

It is not covered as an exception, because it follows the Rule of Resistance works every time. Combined damage is listed as an exception, because multiple resistances working against 1 attack is the rule. If you want, you can ask the PHB - "do  i really really get to resist the damage Any Time it is taken?" and the PHB says ANY TIME.

Except you've missed the point:  You can resist each instance of damage, but you can't apply more than one resistance to a single damage instance.

Imagine a dragon who breathes fire on you, and gets a critical hit for 60 Fire Damage.  You have Black Iron Tarrasque Plate, a Stone Band, and a Dragonslayer Weapon.

This gives you a total of:
Resist 15 Fire
Resist 5 All
Resist 10 Critical Hits
Resist 30 Dragon Breath

How much damage do you take?  30, because you apply the biggest Resistance but you only apply one Resistance.

If four different attacks did 15 Fire damage, 5 untyped damage, a crit for 10 damage, and dragon breath for 30 damage, respectively, you'd take 0, total.

But the question of what happens if single damage instance does "5 fire, 5 cold, 5 untyped, 5 radiant, and 5 necrotic" to someone who has Resist 10 Fire, resist 5 Necrotic, and Resist 2 All?  Is not covered by the rules.