D&D (2024) Damage Threshold, the new "need a magic weapon"?

[Lanefan]

It makes sense that if I'm going to fight a being that is much larger than I, say an ogre or giant, I would want a big weapon that hits hard. A spadroon isn't going to to cut it - literally.

And what goes around comes around: 1e had variable weapon damage - big weapons did more damage vs large then they did vs small-medium; small weapons were the opposite.

 

[Upper_Krust]

I'm using Damage Threshold = 1/2 Monster's Hit Dice in my new 5E immortal's book (GOD RULES: Player's Guide).

That seems to work well; although I have a rule (necessary for epic play IMO otherwise the caster vs. warrior gap becomes too great) where each magical '+' adds damage equal to the base weapon's damage. So a +1 Longsword would deal 2d8 damage rather than 1d8+1.

 

[Morrus]

It's certainly interesting that the rule now says "creature or object", but I think the main thing which makes this theory less likely is that the adult green dragon we've seen has no reference to a damage threshold in its stat block. Not that that's proof of anything, or means that no other creature has it, but it makes me lean towards guessing at it not being a thing in the new Monster Manual.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

That is not how minions work. Minions die if they take ANY damage from an attack or a failed save. 1hp damage from an attack kills a minion always.

The only times the hit points come into play is if they take damage from something that is not an attack or a failed save (where it works like you said) or if you do more than the hit point maximum to one minion and then extra damage spills over and kills another minion in reach (and a third if you do more than that).

Ok, I checked, you are correct, my memory is failing cannot really tell what I what I was remembering.

 

[jasper]

I think the OP is blowing smoke. Some large cr monsters have fell into the public item and they don't have damage threshold. I think it still going to be used for ships or large heavy objects.

 

[Ancalagon]

It's certainly interesting that the rule now says "creature or object", but I think the main thing which makes this theory less likely is that the adult green dragon we've seen has no reference to a damage threshold in its stat block. Not that that's proof of anything, or means that no other creature has it, but it makes me lean towards guessing at it not being a thing in the new Monster Manual.

That is a very useful observation Morrus, thank you.

Based on this, I speculate that this will be a "niche" power for a small section of monsters (it really fits for constructs) and not a general mechanie.

 

[Ancalagon]

I think the OP is blowing smoke. Some large cr monsters have fell into the public item and they don't have damage threshold. I think it still going to be used for ships or large heavy objects.

When I said "creature or object", that was a direct quote from the rules. I did not invent this.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

I think this is snothr dea they borrowed from third party, I think Kaiju monsters in yuko's Guide to Spirit Realms (or whatever the book from youtuber DnD Shorts is called, forgot proper name) had similiar mechanic.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

I'm using Damage Threshold = 1/2 Monster's Hit Dice in my new 5E immortal's book (GOD RULES: Player's Guide).

That seems to work well; although I have a rule (necessary for epic play IMO otherwise the caster vs. warrior gap becomes too great) where each magical '+' adds damage equal to the base weapon's damage. So a +1 Longsword would deal 2d8 damage rather than 1d8+1.

So does a +1 great sword do 4d6?

A +5GS does 10d6?

You know, I kind of like that. Do you double the dice for crits or does it just do max damage?

Another question.

Say I have a +2 flame tongue (+2d6 fire)great sword, what kind of damage does it do? Is the flame damage dice also multiplied?

 

[Krachek]

I don’t care about 100 guards vs 1 dragon.
The game is not meant for that.
Adding rules to comfort war game simulation balance is an unnecessary burden.