Damage Reduction and Subdual Damage

[Chriskaballa]

I have a question regarding how DR works when dealing with subdual damage.

Can I please get rulings on the

Situation 1: Fred the Fighter smacks a Random Evil Creature (tm) with DR 10/+1. Since Bob is striking with his bare fists, this is subdual damage. Does the creature shrug off the damage, or take the subdual?

Situation 2: Mark the Monk smacks the same Random Evil Creature (DR 10/+1) with his fists, choosing to deal subdual damage. However, since Mark is so good as a monk, he is high level and has Ki Strike +1. What happens now?

This subdual damage vs. DR issue came up in a game of mine a few months ago, and I was totally clueless about how to deal with it. (For lack of a better idea, I halved the subdual damage.) Any answers?

~~Chris

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

Subdual damage is normal, albeit non-lethal damage. In Situation 1, even if his momma said to knock it out, Fred won't be able to defeat the Random Evil Creature (tm). In situation 2, the monk could beat the Random Evil creature (tm) til its black and blue and eventually knock it out.

If Fred the fighter had a +1 sword, but still didn't want to kill the creature outright, he could use it (with a -4 penalty) to knock it out. The creature would suffer full (subdual) damage on every hit.

Hope this helps.

Maitre D

 

[Ranger REG]

I have a question regarding how DR works when dealing with subdual damage.

Can I please get rulings on the

Situation 1: Fred the Fighter smacks a Random Evil Creature (tm) with DR 10/+1. Since Bob is striking with his bare fists, this is subdual damage. Does the creature shrug off the damage, or take the subdual?

Depends on how much subdual damage he inflicts. If he does 10 point or less subdual damage, then REC shrugs the damage. AFAIC, DR applies to both normal and subdual damage.

Situation 2: Mark the Monk smacks the same Random Evil Creature (DR 10/+1) with his fists, choosing to deal subdual damage. However, since Mark is so good as a monk, he is high level and has Ki Strike +1. What happens now?

Since he meet the "+1," the hit ignores DR. The REC receives subdual damage normally.