(Ex) or (Su)?

[Rath the Brown]

In the Monster Manual, the glossary lists some of the terms as being either extraordinary or supernatural. How can you tell which is which if the creature's description does not tell you? For instance, Paralysis is listed as being either. In the ghoul's description, it lists its paralysis as (Ex). Well and good. However, Damage Reduction is also listed as either extraordinary or supernatural, yet I am unable to find a single instance where a creature's description lists which one it is. How am I supposed to tell which creatures have Damage Reduction (Ex) and which ones have Damage Reduction (Su)?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

As a rule of thumb, the following DRs are supernatural:

DR #/silver.
DR #/cold iron.
DR #/magic.
DR #/alignment.

Any combination involving any of these DRs (so DR 15/magic and bludgeoning is treated as supernatural).

The rest are (usually) extraordinary.

 

[Rath the Brown]

Interesting. Could you point me to a source where you got those? Also, why would silver and cold iron be supernatural, but adamantine would not be?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

The source is my head ... it can't come from anywhere else It just makes sense to me.

The creatures with DR x/silver or cold iron seem to have the "super-regenerate" type of DR (eg vampires, outsiders, lycanthropes), whereas adamantine is just able to cut through pseudo-hardness.