damage reduction, useful?

[ChefOrc]

Do you feel that having DR 1 / -, DR 2 / -, or DR 3 / -, such as provided by an adamantine armor or the class ability of a barbarian, is a powerful ability? In other words, do you feel it really makes a difference in the average combat, compare to, say, a better AC or some defensive magic? If you were playing a combat-type PC, would you go out of your way to get DR?

I am asking because no one I know ever wants to pay the extra 15 000gp for an adamantine full plate, which tells me that they think DR is really overrated. If you agree, how would you price adamantine to be appealing?

 

[Artoomis]

Do you feel that having DR 1 / -, DR 2 / -, or DR 3 / -, such as provided by an adamantine armor or the class ability of a barbarian, is a powerful ability? In other words, do you feel it really makes a difference in the average combat, compare to, say, a better AC or some defensive magic? If you were playing a combat-type PC, would you go out of your way to get DR?

I am asking because no one I know ever wants to pay the extra 15 000gp for an adamantine full plate, which tells me that they think DR is really overrated. If you agree, how would you price adamantine to be appealing?

We have a Warforged in my current group who has this. Hugely valuable.

My much lower hit-point Bard wishes he could have DR like this!!

 

[irdeggman]

Well any DR has a pretty devastating effect on most missile weapons in the first place.

So it depends on the level they are gained and the type of setting they are used in.

But yeah I think they are "worth" it. Material type is not a magical enhancement so the armor can still be enchanted to its max extent. Usually Ifind myself worrying about weight though so since adamantine doesn't lessen the weight an item - it doesn't come up that often.

It is real useful for weapons though - the ability to bypass hardness is handy.

 

[Deset Gled]

Mathematically, I believe 1 point of AC is more valuable than 1 point of DR in most cases. When only a low roll is needed to hit, 1 point of AC is more valuable than DR (especially when Power Attack is taken into account), but DR starts to become more valuable as a higher roll is needed (and is statistically better once the AC is so high that an attack only hits on a 20). There was a thread awhile back that had a full breakdown of the number crunching. Maybe someone with the search function could find it?

That being said, having DR is just plain cool.

 

[AuraSeer]

DR is at its best against weak, numerous opponents. When a horde of kobolds are hammering on you for 1d4 damage apiece, DR 3 makes a huge difference. But adventurers who can afford adamantine armor usually don't have to face that kind of opponent, because the party wizard can end the whole encounter with one fireball or cloudkill.

When you start facing more powerful monsters, especially the big bruisers that do thirty or forty points per hit, shaving off a few damage points becomes less significant. Your money is better spent on increasing your AC, so you can avoid the hit entirely.

I would lower the price just a bit-- perhaps to 3k per armor step instead of 5k. If you made it too cheap, it would be too affordable at low levels, when the ability is most powerful.

 

[The Forsaken One]

it ownz

 

[Warehouse23]

From the "Every little bit helps" school of thought, I'm a fan of DR, even at low amounts. What makes many powerful monsters dangerous is not the power of their individual attacks, but the fact that they make multiple attacks (bite, claw, claw, wing, wing, tail...that kind of thing). A solid DR: 3/- shaves enough off such an onslaught to matter sometimes.

 

[atomn]

While it was a low level campaign, the armored greatcoat (DR 5/bludgeoning) that my character had in an Iron Kingdoms game did wonders in keeping him in the fight when everyone else was taken out.

 

[werk]

We have a Warforged in my current group who has this. Hugely valuable.

I think it's more valuable when you can't afford it.

A warforged starting with DR is a huge benefit, but a 16th level barbarian won't get as much from his DR4. As level increases, so should damage dealt.


Slipping a suit of adamantine armor into a loot drop would be greatly appreciated at low levels.

 

[Stalker0]

I did an analysis I while back and I found out DR is worth about 1.6 points of AC at low levels (around 1-5)...but it drops after that because damage per shot gets a lot higher. At mid to high levels if you have a choice between AC +1 and DR +1, go AC.

But the nice thing about adamantine fullplate is you can have both. And when you can have both, why limit yourself?