Barbarian Damage Reduction ability

[Kae'Yoss]

Hee hee hee. For some, it would be an improvement!

 

[ruleslawyer]

From the SRD...



It's still DR. The only differences between a barbarian's DR and standard DR is that a barbarian's DR can't be overcome by a weapon's enhancement bonus, and a barbarian's DR does not grant him the ability to bypass another creature's DR, not even another barbarian's DR.

This is just misleading, kreynolds. The issue is not nearly so cut-and-dried.

Check the books. We have the following:

DMG, p.73:

Some magic creatures have the supernatural ability to instantly heal damage from weapons or to ignore blows altogether...

PHB, p.25:

Starting at 11th level, the barbarian gains the extraordinary ability to shrug off some amount of injury from each blow or attack.

DMG, p.74:

Magical attacks and energy attacks (even mundane fire) ignore damage reduction.

PHB, p.277:

Damage reduction: A special defense that allows a creature to ignore a set amount of damage from most weapons, but not from energy attacks, spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Barbarians have damage reduction as a class feature, but theirs is a special type that negates set amount from any source.

IMHO, it's clear that barb DR is not the same as monster DR. The former is extraordinary, the latter supernatural. The latter states simply that it is bypassed by magical attacks and energy attacks, the former has a detailed, specific glossary entry indicating that it is unusual in that it specifically blocks damage from any source.

Thus, I'd say that barb DR blocks damage from any and all attacks.

 

[RigaMortus]

Thus, I'd say that barb DR blocks damage from any and all attacks.

Once the DR is overcome by one attack, will it protect against another attack in the same round? If I am not mistaken, DR against a spell blocks X amount of damage per round, not per attack.

Ex:
A Fire resistance of 5, will block the first 5 points of damage against a fire source. But if the person is hit by another fire source attack within the same round, you do not reduce the damage by 5 again. Effectively, the 5 fire resistance is soaked up until the next round.

So, does Barbarian DR work the same way?

 

[ruleslawyer]

That's not DR, that's an elemental resistance. Big difference. Barb type may be a "special type [of DR] that negates a set amount [of damage] from any source," but elemental resistance it ain't. SO yes, barb DR would negate a set amount of damage from EACH attack (weapon, spell, or otherwise) that was successful against the barb in the round.

 

[kreynolds]

This is just misleading, kreynolds.

Well, you know, that's my goal...keep all the right answers to myself and lead all the lemmings down into the Pit of Broken Rules.

IMHO, it's clear that barb DR is not the same as monster DR.

I agree, which is why I never said it was in the first place.

The former is extraordinary, the latter supernatural. The latter states simply that it is bypassed by magical attacks and energy attacks, the former has a detailed, specific glossary entry indicating that it is unusual in that it specifically blocks damage from any source.

Interesting, but odd. I'll have to look into this. Thanks for pointing out the glossary.