Do you announce Damage Reduction immediately?
- Thread starter carborundum
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James Jacobs
Adventurer
Withholding information about damage reduction seems to me to be a mean trick on the DM's part. The DM is the information bottleneck of the game; if he witholds information from the PCs, there's no way for them to realize what's going on in the game. Now, I'm not advocating telling the PCs flat-out "Your slashing damage is being reduced," but if the DM doesn't tell the PCs that their attacks are, in some way, being reduced or negated, the PCs don't really have an idea that's going on in the first place. To them, they just assume that their blows are landing as solidly as they might against any foe, and that this particular foe just happens to have a lot of hit points. A PC who's told, after hacking away at a foe for 10 rounds to apparently no avail, that his attacks "aren't hurting the monster as much as he might think" has been decieved—his CHARACTER would have and should have noticed the lessened effect of the attacks from the first.
It's best, I think, to describe a blow that is reduced by damage reduction as just that: "Your attack hits the monster, but doesn't seem to hurt it as much as you thoght it would," or something to that effect. You don't need to tell the PC what part of his attack didn't work; leave it to him and his Knowledge checks to determine if he needs a different material, a different magical augmentation, a different type of damage, or whatever to get through the monster's DR. But if you don't tell him, he won't know. That's the DM's responsibility; to let the player know what his character knows and experiences.
It's best, I think, to describe a blow that is reduced by damage reduction as just that: "Your attack hits the monster, but doesn't seem to hurt it as much as you thoght it would," or something to that effect. You don't need to tell the PC what part of his attack didn't work; leave it to him and his Knowledge checks to determine if he needs a different material, a different magical augmentation, a different type of damage, or whatever to get through the monster's DR. But if you don't tell him, he won't know. That's the DM's responsibility; to let the player know what his character knows and experiences.
I tell the characters how much damage their blows do, but not what is reducing their effect - so, they wouldn't know if the monster had DR 5, DR 10 or whatever until they do enough damage to penetrate it. Knowledge checks will give the type and amount of DR, of course.
Cheers!
Cheers!
carborundum
Adventurer
Thanks James!
I see what you mean. In retrospect, "it doesn't seem bothered" is rather more ambiguous than I intended. Even if I meant that "the character had expected it to be more bothered by such a blow", I told him something which could be interpreted as 'lots of hitpoints'.
And lots of hitpoints is fine in an opponent, but DR is special, especially when they figure out how to bypass it.
The many suggestions along the line of "less than you expected" have marked out my future course.
I see what you mean. In retrospect, "it doesn't seem bothered" is rather more ambiguous than I intended. Even if I meant that "the character had expected it to be more bothered by such a blow", I told him something which could be interpreted as 'lots of hitpoints'.
And lots of hitpoints is fine in an opponent, but DR is special, especially when they figure out how to bypass it.
The many suggestions along the line of "less than you expected" have marked out my future course.
werk
First Post
I play it pretty much like the OP...the CHARACTER doesn't know what's going on yet, so I provide information as is available to that character. In this case, that his hit landed but didn't seem to have an effect. Later on, or if he makes a know:religion check, he can learn a little more about this foe.
BUT I'd say it is subjective to the group's style. If you are always talking in third person, maybe saying 'Your character notices that his damage is reduced' may be appropriate...probably not one correct answer to this one.
BUT I'd say it is subjective to the group's style. If you are always talking in third person, maybe saying 'Your character notices that his damage is reduced' may be appropriate...probably not one correct answer to this one.
Kmart Kommando
First Post
Our group says "not all of your damage seems to have gone through" everyone knows a creature has DR, but no one knows how much or what kind. Usually, only the guy using 2 weapons switches which weapons he's favoring if one looks like it's getting through the DR. The DM eventually tells us the amount after hitting it a few times, and everyone just subtracts it from their damage to speed up the combat.
William drake
First Post
No.
Llike any other fun thing, the players have to find out. Sometimes it takes the long hard way.
Llike any other fun thing, the players have to find out. Sometimes it takes the long hard way.
ShadowChemosh
First Post
Damage Reduction
"A creature with this special quality ignores damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack was ineffective)."
In the very first sentance of DR it says that any opponent knows the attack was ineffective. As the DM you are the eyes, ears, and senses of each player. To hide something as obvious a creature not taking damage is a uncalled for method of tricking players. No one is saying to give out the EXACT DR type, but information that the wounds they just caused closed back up or didn't appear to do any damage should be told to the players as an character would notice this fact.
"A creature with this special quality ignores damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack was ineffective)."
In the very first sentance of DR it says that any opponent knows the attack was ineffective. As the DM you are the eyes, ears, and senses of each player. To hide something as obvious a creature not taking damage is a uncalled for method of tricking players. No one is saying to give out the EXACT DR type, but information that the wounds they just caused closed back up or didn't appear to do any damage should be told to the players as an character would notice this fact.
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