Morrowind:Fire Shield

	Fire Shield
School	Alteration
Type	Defensive
Base Cost	3.0
Availability (Click on any item for details)
Spells Built-In Potions Scrolls

Fire Shield M points for D seconds

This effect does two different things. First, it provides M% Resist Fire, thus reducing Fire Damage by M%. Secondly, enemies next to the casting character will be damaged at 1 point elemental damage per 10 points spell strength each time they successfully hit the caster with melee attacks.

Formula

According to the OpenMW code, the formula is quite a bit complex and includes a spell resistance check and attacker elemental resistance. The damage is further modified by the difficulty scaling, unlike other spells.

MagicResistance = (AttackerDestruction + (AttackerWillpower / 5) + (AttackerLuck / 10)) * 1.25 *  AttackerCurrentFatigue / AttackerMaximumFatigue - RNG0-99
TotalResistance = AttackerElementalResistance + MagicResistance
FireShieldDamage = 0.01 * SpellMagnitude * (1 - (TotalResistance / 100))

The Attacker's Magic Resistance test checks attacker's own skill of destruction, together with Willpower and Luck, against a random roll. It cannot go below 0. This value is then added to attacker's own elemental resistance. The Total Resistance is capped between 0 and 100, i.e. shield damage cannot heal or exceed the 1 point damage per 10 points magnitude.

The DifficultyModifier modifier is always in disadvantage of the player.

With the default value of fElementalShieldMult being 0.01, we get back to the above value of 1 point of elemental damage per 10 points magnitude, but with attacker's own destruction skill and elemental resistance helping reduce the damage.

Notes

• While the color of the icon for this effect is red, implying that it is a Destruction spell, it is indeed Alteration.
• Unlike in Oblivion, elemental shield spells in Morrowind will not increase a character's armor rating. By using magic, increasing armor rating is achieved with either the Shield or Bound Armor spell. You may also fortify a character's armor skill through Restoration.

Related Effects

• Fire Damage, Resist Fire, Weakness to Fire
• Shield, Frost Shield, Lightning Shield

Alchemy Ingredients

The following alchemy ingredients can be used to make a potion of Fire Shield.

• Comberry
• Fire Salts
• Raw Glass
• Sload Soap