Since most circumstances where PCs are forced to make saving throws are during combat, having it as a non-combat protection makes it practically useless
It's not that rare to have situations where you know that attempting to perform a specific action or move through a specific area will trigger a save... but usually your first preference is to figure out a way to not need to make the save at all.
“Attempting to perform a specific action or move through a specific area” sounds more like a situation for a skill check than a saving throw. Therefore, Guidance not Resistance.
“Attempting to perform a specific action or move through a specific area” sounds more like a situation for a skill check than a saving throw. Therefore, Guidance not Resistance.
If try and enter an area protected by, say, hallow, you need to make a save. There are other spells like that.
I suspect he is basing it on the fact that Resistance requires an action to cast and is a concentration spell that lasts up to a minute with the only benefit of giving one character a one time benefit of adding d4 to one saving throw. You could perhaps use it to help a character making death saving throws giving them a slightly better chance of success but in that case either healing word or spare the dying would both be infinitely better options.
In addition, Bless costs a first level spell slot but gives 3 characters resistance that is ongoing, 3 characters a d4 on to hit rolls, and is also a spell requiring 1 action to cast and concentration. Basically, if you are in combat, when you don't know which characters are going to be targeted with saves, you are far better off using an action to cast Bless than Resistance.
The only benefit of Resistance is free, repeated casting which is far more relevant outside of combat than in so I think it is reasonable to say that Resistance is primarily a spell with out of combat uses.
In practical terms, using Resistance out of combat is also pretty limited but comes up when the characters have some sort of situation requiring a save that can't be avoided. e.g. Perhaps a dex or strength save to avoid being knocked off your feet crossing a fast moving river. Resistance could be cast before each character makes their crossing attempt. Or perhaps the characters have to pass through a glowing magical curtain, not knowing what it does, the characters cast Resistance before each character passes through to mitigate the chances of failing a save if one is required.
So there are a few scenarios where Resistance is useful outside of combat and almost none inside of combat that wouldn't be better addressed with Bless.
“Attempting to perform a specific action or move through a specific area” sounds more like a situation for a skill check than a saving throw. Therefore, Guidance not Resistance.
Started playing 1e in the late 70s and stopped in the mid-80s. Started immersing myself into 5e in the last year.
If try and enter an area protected by, say, hallow, you need to make a save. There are other spells like that.
I suspect he is basing it on the fact that Resistance requires an action to cast and is a concentration spell that lasts up to a minute with the only benefit of giving one character a one time benefit of adding d4 to one saving throw. You could perhaps use it to help a character making death saving throws giving them a slightly better chance of success but in that case either healing word or spare the dying would both be infinitely better options.
In addition, Bless costs a first level spell slot but gives 3 characters resistance that is ongoing, 3 characters a d4 on to hit rolls, and is also a spell requiring 1 action to cast and concentration. Basically, if you are in combat, when you don't know which characters are going to be targeted with saves, you are far better off using an action to cast Bless than Resistance.
The only benefit of Resistance is free, repeated casting which is far more relevant outside of combat than in so I think it is reasonable to say that Resistance is primarily a spell with out of combat uses.
In practical terms, using Resistance out of combat is also pretty limited but comes up when the characters have some sort of situation requiring a save that can't be avoided. e.g. Perhaps a dex or strength save to avoid being knocked off your feet crossing a fast moving river. Resistance could be cast before each character makes their crossing attempt. Or perhaps the characters have to pass through a glowing magical curtain, not knowing what it does, the characters cast Resistance before each character passes through to mitigate the chances of failing a save if one is required.
So there are a few scenarios where Resistance is useful outside of combat and almost none inside of combat that wouldn't be better addressed with Bless.
Resistance is a useful spell if you think you're going into combat soon and you don't have anything else you want to bother using Concentration on.
It's situational, but it's also a super-low investment and it isn't restricted to near uselessness like Blade Ward or True Strike.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.