Damage Reduction

[Olaf the Stout]

Ok, I haven't really paid much attention to Damage Reduction but it has come up a few times in our game recently.

I understand DR 5/+1 and DR 5/Good for example but I am a little unsure about how some of the others like DR 5/Magic or DR 5/Slashing works.

For example if someone has DR 5/Magic and you hit them with a +1 Longsword do you not apply the DR since the sword is magical or does DR 5/Magic mean that you can only avoid the DR if you hit them with a Magic Missile or a Fireball or something like that.

If someone has DR 5/Slashing is the DR only avoided if you use a slashing weapon? What if you used a magical dagger? Does the fact that the dagger is magical mean that it can ignore the DR? Or does the +X just mean that you will do more damage so that some still might get past the DR.

What types of DR are there? Is there a list somewhere. If there is I couldn't seem to find it in the SRD.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Len]

The rules for damage reduction are here and in the MM (near the back).

DR applies to weapon damage, not elemental or purely magical damage. So, no DR on magic missile or alchemist's fire. A flaming longsword gets its 1d6 of fire damage, even if the 1d8 of sword damage is reduced. DR 5/magic means "damage is reduced by 5 unless the weapon is magic".

I don't know of a complete list of DR types. Not necessary, because they all work the same way: When the creature is hit by a weapon, the damage is reduced unless the weapon is [whatever].

 

[Beckett]

The word after the slash is what you need to use to get through the damage reduction. DR 5/Magic means you need a magic weapon to get through (damage reduction never applies to spells unless the description specificly makes mention- energy resistances and spell resistance are what counter spells).

So, Lycanthropes with DR X/Silver take full damage only from silver weapons. Skeletons have DR 5/Bludgeoning, so you need a bludgeoning weapon to do full damage. DR X/ Magic and Silver (like a Vampire) requires a magic silver weapon (so a +1 Silver Long Sword would do the trick).

DR X/+1 and such are a relic of 3.0. Those are all covered now by DR X/Magic, or by a specific material type. Due to how common magic weapons are in later levels, I've house ruled this so that a magic weapon penetrates 5 points of DR per plus: so, a +1 weapon vs. DR 10/magic would have 5 points subtracted from its damage due to the DR. A +2 weapon or better would completely ignore the DR 10/Magic.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

The rules for damage reduction are here and in the MM (near the back).

DR applies to weapon damage, not elemental or purely magical damage. So, no DR on magic missile or alchemist's fire. A flaming longsword gets its 1d6 of fire damage, even if the 1d8 of sword damage is reduced. DR 5/magic means "damage is reduced by 5 unless the weapon is magic".

I don't know of a complete list of DR types. Not necessary, because they all work the same way: When the creature is hit by a weapon, the damage is reduced unless the weapon is [whatever].

Ok that makes sense. I found that exact text that you linked to but it didn't seem to make as much sense as how you explained it there. I also get why elemental resistance such as Electricity Resistance X is separate to damage reduction too.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Olaf the Stout]

The word after the slash is what you need to use to get through the damage reduction. DR 5/Magic means you need a magic weapon to get through (damage reduction never applies to spells unless the description specificly makes mention- energy resistances and spell resistance are what counter spells).

So, Lycanthropes with DR X/Silver take full damage only from silver weapons. Skeletons have DR 5/Bludgeoning, so you need a bludgeoning weapon to do full damage. DR X/ Magic and Silver (like a Vampire) requires a magic silver weapon (so a +1 Silver Long Sword would do the trick).

DR X/+1 and such are a relic of 3.0. Those are all covered now by DR X/Magic, or by a specific material type. Due to how common magic weapons are in later levels, I've house ruled this so that a magic weapon penetrates 5 points of DR per plus: so, a +1 weapon vs. DR 10/magic would have 5 points subtracted from its damage due to the DR. A +2 weapon or better would completely ignore the DR 10/Magic.

And that answers my question about magic and what happens when someone has DR/Magic and Silver (or some other combination).

Thanks,

Olaf the Stout