Immunities

This power gives the priest an automatically-successful saving throw against certain types of damage, attacks, or broad classes of spells. Examples of appropriate categories for immunity: Certain types of priests might have automatically successful saves against all Evocation spells. This is a very powerful ability; it means the priest will automatically take half damage from most damaging spells. (Those spells which don't allow a saving throw are not stopped or affected by this immunity.) Others might have automatic success against all Enchantment/Charm spells. This is equally powerful; it means that the priest will be completely unaffected by most spells of this sort, as well as other powers such as the vampire's hypnotic gaze.

Immunities may be taken against any one wizardly School of Magic, against any one priestly Sphere of Influence, or against all poisons, as a High Power. There are other, lesser, immunities, discussed below. Immunities can work against a character, though. Immunity to all priestly Necromantic spells means that the character does not benefit as much from Healing spells. He automatically makes his saving throw against them, whether he wishes to or not, and so gets only half the healing value of the spell. The Immunity must be appropriate to the attributes of the god being served. Hospitalars might have an Immunity to all poisons, while the priest of the god of love might have an Immunity to Enchantment/Charm spells. The most important thing to remember about Immunity is that it isn't complete protection. It merely gives the character an automatically-successful Saving Throw. In most cases, this means that he will still take half damage from the attack or spell. There is no limit on the number of times per day a character can use this ability; whenever he is struck with the appropriate attack, his Immunity helps protect him.

As a Low Power, Immunity can act in one of two ways. A granted Immunity can give the priest an automatically-successful saving throw against one specific type of poison or magic spell. For example, a priest could automatically save against cobra venom, or against the fireball spell. Alternatively, such an Immunity could give the priest a +2 bonus to Saving Throws against a narrow category of spells; a narrow category of special powers; or a narrow category of poisons. These are the same categories the Medium Power immunities are broken down into; the difference here is that the Low Power immunity only grants a +2 bonus to saves vs. those attacks, instead of providing an automatically successful saving throw. Therefore, a Low Power immunity could give a priest automatic success against the charm spell; a different one could give the priest automatic success against the paralysis brought on by the ghoul's touch; a different one could provide a +2 bonus to all saving throws vs. all enchantment spells; another one would provide a +2 bonus to all saving throws vs. any sort of paralysis ability or spell.

You read about Immunities above, under "High Powers." The Medium Powers immunities are not so strong. A single immunity will give a priest an automatically-successful saving throw against: A narrow category of spells (for example, all Fire spells of the Evocation school A narrow category of special powers (all Paralysis, including Hold spells and ghoulish paralysis; or all Energy Drains; or all dragon-breath powers or A narrow category of poisons (all snake venoms, for example). Again, each type of Immunity is appropriate to a different type of priest. Priests of the god of Fire could be immune to Fire spells. Priests of the god of Earth, whose symbol is often the snake, could be immune to all snake venoms. And, again, Immunity isn't complete protection; it just gives the character an automatically-successful Saving Throw.