Does my Flaming Bow hurt the gargoyle?

[Nareau]

I shoot a gargoyle (DR 15/+1). My shot does 8 points of damage. My sneak attack damage does an additional 6. This 14 points of damage does not penetrate its damage reduction. Do I do any fire damage to it?

1) Yes. Full fire damage, since energy damage ignores DR.
2) No. Since I couldn't penetrate its DR with my normal shot, the fire (counting as a "secondary effect" of the attack) doesn't hurt the beastie at all.

As a follow-up, what does count as a "secondary effect"? I know that a Slaying Arrow won't kill someone who takes no damage from it. But what about a poisoned arrow?

 

[CRGreathouse]

Yes, full fire damage.

As a follow-up, what does count as a "secondary effect"? I know that a Slaying Arrow won't kill someone who takes no damage from it. But what about a poisoned arrow?

No slaying arrow, no poison, no stunning attack.

 

[slave269]

All secondary effects are ignored if the initial attack does nt break DR. Secondary effects are anything other than the base dam of the weapon ie. any special qualities

 

[gnfnrf]

All secondary effects are ignored if the initial attack does nt break DR. Secondary effects are anything other than the base dam of the weapon ie. any special qualities

Do you have a reference for that? Looking at the SRD, it really appears to be the other way around.

Take part of the entry for flaming:

Flaming weapons deal +1d6 points of bonus fire damage on a successful hit.

and an excerpt from the basic attack action...

If the modified attack roll is equal to or greater than the AC of the target, the attack is successful. The attack may also be a Threat. See Critical Hits and Dealing Damage, below, for more details.

The referenced section says nothing about special damage types other than to note how they interact with critical hits.

I think the rules quite clearly say that the bonus damage does happen even if the weapon does 0 points of physical damage. Do you have a reference supporting an opposing view?

--
gnfnrf

 

[Hypersmurf]

Injury-type poison, injury-type disease, and stunning attacks, for example, are negated. Contact poison, energy drains, and energy damage (like your fire damage) are not.

DMG p74.

 

[BryonD]

Injury-type poison, injury-type disease, and stunning attacks, for example, are negated. Contact poison, energy drains, and energy damage (like your fire damage) are not.

DMG p74.

I think the fire damage applies.

But I don't think your quote is relevant.
DR does not prevent fire damage, which is what your quote states.

But the question is: does the fire damage from the arrow even happen in the first place if no real damage is inflicted by the arrow?

If you hit a gargoyle with a torch you could do fire damage. I would think the flaming arrow would do the same.

 

[Crothian]

I think the fire damage applies.

But I don't think your quote is relevant.
DR does not prevent fire damage, which is what your quote states.

But the question is: does the fire damage from the arrow even happen in the first place if no real damage is inflicted by the arrow?

If you hit a gargoyle with a torch you could do fire damage. I would think the flaming arrow would do the same.

So, at least you get to do 1d6 flame damage ever hit. And you might get through the DR with a critical.

 

[Hegols]

In this sitsuation, the fire damage does effect the gargoyle reguardless. The reason, your bow will beat the DR. You stated it was 15/+1, your Flaming Bow has to be a +1 Weapon.

A weapon with a special ability must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus.

I got that from the SRD but it is in the DMG as well, just don't have a page number for you.

 

[Vanye]

But the question is: does the fire damage from the arrow even happen in the first place if no real damage is inflicted by the arrow?

Yup. Since, as you say, DR doesn't block fire (or other energy types), just the physical attack, it damages the gargoyle.

 

[CRGreathouse]

In this sitsuation, the fire damage does effect the gargoyle reguardless. The reason, your bow will beat the DR. You stated it was 15/+1, your Flaming Bow has to be a +1 Weapon.

A weapon with a special ability must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus.

Yes, but that's irrelevant - the arrow isn't a +1 arrow. Magical bows don't help their proejctiles bypass DR - and that, my friend, is in the DMG.