Damage reduction and poison on weapons

[RangerWickett]

If I stab a barbarian with a poisoned dagger, and the dagger doesn't deal enough damage to bypass the guy's damage reduction, did I waste my poison, or is it potent until I successfully injure him?

The DMG says the poison remains potent until it scores a hit, and it also says that if damage reduction makes a weapon deal no damage, the poison has no effect. But it doesn't exactly say that the poison is wasted.

Any ideas?

 

[Antoine]

I'd say no damage, no wound, then poison not wasted. Same as a miss : poison doesn't evaporate from cutting through mid-air.

 

[Malimar]

Scored a hit

Sounds to me like a hit was scored... just no damage was dealt.

Say the DR comes from really thick skin. The poisoned weapon crashes on the skin... leaving its poison... but doesn't dig deep enough to wound the creature with DR.

 

[dogoftheunderworld]

Not wasted

I'm going with not wasted. Otherwise, you have to figure out if each attack "hit" a creatures natural armor, leather or padded armor, or other protective surface that poison might rub off on.