Physical Immunity to Fire

[ways and means]

Does physical immunity to fire count against all types of fire, does it help against soul fire, hellfire, spirit fire, shade fire (burning darkness) etc. I assumed it dosen't because physical immunity vs magic only applies to mortal magic.

[Sanctaphrax]

Physical Immunity counts against whatever it says it counts against.

So the answer depends on exactly what the catch is.

Which in turn depends on what you decide to make it.

So it's up to you.

If it were me, I'd make it apply to all of the above, as long as the magic is expressed in a "fiery" way. So it would work against Harry's hellfire-boosted Feugo, but not his giant fist of Soulfire.

[Tsunami]

Something like Soulfire is not called Fire because it is hot.
It is called fire because it consumes part of the soul to power whatever effect it's used to produce. Like a fire that consumes fuel.

Hellfire is similar yet different, the external energy source can be used to enhance Force spells as much as Fire spells or mental effects.
It does not necessarily burn. Though it leaves brimstone smell behind.

I don't know what the others are supposed to be like exactly.

But in general i'd say that anything that is Heat/Burning/Flame is stopped by the immunity, no matter what the source of said fire is originally.
However, something that is not, as Sancta already said, "fiery" would not be stopped even if the driving force behind it is some kind of mystical-fire-powersource.

[Silverblaze]

Does physical immunity to fire count against all types of fire, does it help against soul fire, hellfire, spirit fire, shade fire (burning darkness) etc. I assumed it dosen't because physical immunity vs magic only applies to mortal magic.

GM gets to choose/debate with players on a game by game basis.

[JayTee]

Tough call, especially with Soulfire's ability to downgrade the toughness level. Would Physical Immunity become Mythic Toughness? I am inclined to say yes simply because its a formidably powerful and ANGELIC tool.

Ultimately I would say its in the "whatever works best as a story device" area of things.

[Becq]

I'll submit my vote for 'no'.  I think that soulfire is not 'fire' any more than gunfire or a fire opal is.  Sure, it shares some of the same letters, but it's a convenient conceptualization of something incomprehensible.  If you power a fire evocation with soulfire, then I think the immunity to fire would apply (since it's a buffed fire attack, but a fire attack nonetheless).  But if you cast a pure soulfire spell or power any other type of non-fire spell with soulfire, then it's not really a 'fire' attack.  In fact, the text (YS292) implies without outright stating that it is 'holy' damage.

I'd classify hellfire similarly, by the way (though as 'unholy' rather than 'holy', of course).

(My opinion, for what it's worth.)

[InFerrumVeritas]

I'll throw my chip in with the "if you're supercharging a fire evocation with it, then yes.  If not, then no" for all of the listed in the OP.

[Becq]

By the way, I think a physical immunity to holy damage *would* work against a pure soulfire attack (though not against a fire-based attack that was supercharged by soulfire).  However, I think I'd probably require a very VERY good reason why the character should have such a physical immunity, since holy sources of damage often tend to be the trump card of damage types (examples include soulfire and swords of the cross).

[InFerrumVeritas]

By the way, I think a physical immunity to holy damage *would* work against a pure soulfire attack (though not against a fire-based attack that was supercharged by soulfire).  However, I think I'd probably require a very VERY good reason why the character should have such a physical immunity, since holy sources of damage often tend to be the trump card of damage types (examples include soulfire and swords of the cross).

I'd say Soulfire would reduce this to Mythic Toughness/Recovery against holy (and then treat pure Soulfire as holy for the purpose of beating the Mythic Toughness unless it was supercharging something).  The Sword of the Cross would require a Fate Point to beat it.  Sacred Guardian would require mental stress, etc.  It would just mean that the Sword wouldn't automatically satisfy it.

[toturi]

I'd say Soulfire would reduce this to Mythic Toughness/Recovery against holy (and then treat pure Soulfire as holy for the purpose of beating the Mythic Toughness unless it was supercharging something).  The Sword of the Cross would require a Fate Point to beat it.  Sacred Guardian would require mental stress, etc.  It would just mean that the Sword wouldn't automatically satisfy it.

I'd say that Soulfire doesn't break Physical Immunity down to Mythic Toughness/Recovery. I think that Mythic Toughness and Mythic Recovery are the pinnacle of Toughness and Recovery powers, and Physical Immunity is a seperate power set from those two.

[Becq]

I'd say that Soulfire doesn't break Physical Immunity down to Mythic Toughness/Recovery. I think that Mythic Toughness and Mythic Recovery are the pinnacle of Toughness and Recovery powers, and Physical Immunity is a seperate power set from those two.

Interestingly enough, the Recovery powers and Physical Immunity are all listed under the Supernatural Powers (Toughness) section.  Which means that InFerrumVeritas has some room to argue that a power that "downgrades the Toughness ability of any supernatural creature" would have that affect against all of the Toughness powers...

[Sanctaphrax]

I wouldn't run it that way. I think it cheapens Physical Immunity.

[Becq]

I don't disagree.  I'm just saying there's an argument there.

[BumblingBear]

I don't think it's possible to have physical immunity against soulfire.

That's like having a physical immunity against a sword of the cross.  Shenanigans.

-my .02

[Becq]

(See my comments above regarding approving such a power...  )