AD&D Stoneskin Spell, What does it really block?
Every wizard loves protection. But Stoneskin? Stoneskin is the spell that turns a glass cannon into a walking tank. If you're playing AD&D and you throw this on a party member, you just gave them virtual immunity to anything with claws, swords, arrows, clubs, spears, or teeth.
Let that sink in.
Even a sword of sharpness won't do squat. Giants can hurl boulders all day, and your wizard walks out without a scratch. It's not even concentration. Cast it once, and it just stays on until that character gets hit enough times.
But here’s where things get spicy...
What counts as an "attack sequence"?
That line causes arguments at tables across the world. If a fighter with two attacks per round hits twice, is that one sequence or two? If a creature bites and claws... is that all one attack? What about a monk throwing five strikes in a single flurry?
Rules lawyers start to sweat. DMs flip through Unearthed Arcana with dread. Some say it's per creature, per round. Others say every single attack eats a layer of the spell. Either way, it causes friction and lots of “DM says so.”
Now let’s get weird...
Does Stoneskin protect you from falling off a cliff? What if a spiked pit opens beneath your feet? Is the impact considered a blow? Or is it just physics? The book says “cut, blow, projectile”... not “sudden gravity slam.”
If a wizard tumbles fifty feet and hits a wagon wheel, does the Stoneskin crack or does the spine?
Up to you, DM. But you better decide fast.
You also can’t stack it. No using a wish to double your skin count. That’s just greed.
So here’s the move...
If you’re a player, love it, but don’t abuse it. If you’re a DM, lay out the rules up front. Define “attack sequence” before someone throws a tantrum in the middle of initiative order.
And if you want chaos... throw a Stoneskin on the villain. Let the players burn every attack while he laughs and monologues.
Want to make Stoneskin more interesting in your game? Maybe creatures with enchanted weapons bypass it. Maybe certain monsters instinctively avoid anyone shimmering with protective dust. Maybe Stoneskin makes you slower, heavier, or obvious in the dark.
In other words... tweak it, bend it, make it yours.
That’s the magic of AD&D.
