This is how it is worded in the Elemental Evil Guide
The spell captures some of the incoming energy, lessening its effect on you and storing it for your next melee attack. You have resistance to the triggering damage type until the start of your next turn. Also, the first time you hit with a melee attack on your next turn, the target takes an extra 1d6 damage of the triggering type, and the spell ends.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the extra damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.
Do you have resistance from the triggering attack because a reaction comes before an action is complete?
Hypothetically if a Red Dragon breathes on you .... do you gain resistance to the fire and half the damage? and then get 1d6 fire damage on your next hit (which wouldn't matter because its immune to fire) ... or do you take the full damage and then gain fire resistance to additional flame attacks.
I personally treat it the same as the Shield spell - so you have resistance to the breath weapon, as per your example, as well as any further fire damage until the start of your next turn.
However, I agree that it isn't particularly clearly written.
The former, and what Generic_Poster said. Reactions happen after the trigger unless explicitly mentioned otherwise, such as the case here. Remember that there is no distinction of "flavor text" that has no impact on ruling, so the phrase "captures some of the incoming energy, lessening its effect on you" is pretty straightforward.
The DMG section on thisstates that, in general the reaction happens after the triggering action. The classic example being an attack of opportunity. "I attack the first kobold that comes through the door." requires the kobold to first come through the door.
In exception, (and there are always exceptions) the DMG calls out that if the text of the spell/action makes it clear that the reaction comes before the triggering action it goes off first. The classic example being the casting of the Shield spell.
The case of Absorb Elements works exactly as Onyx says. Unless someone else is the DM and they rule it differently at their table :)
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This is how it is worded in the Elemental Evil Guide
Do you have resistance from the triggering attack because a reaction comes before an action is complete?
Hypothetically if a Red Dragon breathes on you .... do you gain resistance to the fire and half the damage? and then get 1d6 fire damage on your next hit (which wouldn't matter because its immune to fire) ... or do you take the full damage and then gain fire resistance to additional flame attacks.
The spell lessens the effect of the triggering attack, so you have resistance to the red dragon's breath attack (as I read it, anyway).
I personally treat it the same as the Shield spell - so you have resistance to the breath weapon, as per your example, as well as any further fire damage until the start of your next turn.
However, I agree that it isn't particularly clearly written.
The former, and what Generic_Poster said. Reactions happen after the trigger unless explicitly mentioned otherwise, such as the case here. Remember that there is no distinction of "flavor text" that has no impact on ruling, so the phrase "captures some of the incoming energy, lessening its effect on you" is pretty straightforward.
The DMG section on thisstates that, in general the reaction happens after the triggering action. The classic example being an attack of opportunity. "I attack the first kobold that comes through the door." requires the kobold to first come through the door.
In exception, (and there are always exceptions) the DMG calls out that if the text of the spell/action makes it clear that the reaction comes before the triggering action it goes off first. The classic example being the casting of the Shield spell.
The case of Absorb Elements works exactly as Onyx says. Unless someone else is the DM and they rule it differently at their table :)