How to overcome DR in a world w/out magic weapons?

[DungeonmasterCal]

I'm designing a new, low magic-high action campaign homebrew, but I don't want the players to have to rely on magic weapons or weapons made of special materials to overcome the DR of some foes. Is there an alternate method for resolving this?

Thanks!

 

[hong]

Yes. Ditch DR, or lower the values drastically.

 

[Nifft]

Give the foes DR x/-- where x is 2/5 its original magic DR. If the original DR is something really tricky, give two DRs -- original one without magic, and DR x/-- (for a lesser value).

For example, a Grick might have DR 4/-- instead of 10/magic. Arrows are mostly useless, and most weapons won't have much effect without Power Attack.

A really tricky beast like a Rakshasa might have DR 15/piercing and DR 5/--. Piercing weapons are necessary, but even they aren't totally effective.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

Lower DR a whole lot, or only give it to a select few encounters at later levels. In a low magic game I ran, the final encounter was against a Marilith. I toned the DR down to DR 5/Good because there was a paladin in the party, but not a chance they would have a cold iron weapon. (The paladin had access to bless weapon and align weapon)

So, if you need to run a monster with DR, there are two things you can do - Remove/massively reduce it's DR to something they could handle. (the magic weapon spell will be the first thing a mage picks up in a setting without magic weapons) OR drop hints to the nature of the creature's weakness long, long before they even encounter it. Example: The old Werewolf-mystery adventure - perhaps at the location of one of the werewolf's attacks the party finds a bloody silver utensil, but the blood isn't from the victim (not that the party can figure that out, but it is a strange clue); it was from the werewolf, who was jabbed by the poor sap who had nothing on hand but a (silver) fork. The party will think the fork to be just a red-herring; a minor random detail. But if they ask what it is made of, then they probably will figure it out.
Random example, I know. In a lower magic campaign, the party has to fight smarter than their monsterous foes, because they can't possibly stand toe-to-toe with them.

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

Dr

I would just change the means of bypassing it, like cold iron (fey), silver, etc.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Thank, everyone!

 

[Old One]

If you use an action point mechanic, this is a great use. In Grim Tales, for instance, use of an AP allows you to "strike true" against a critter with DR or that can only be hurt by magical weapons.

~ OO

 

[Flame_Excess]

Have a system around masterwork weapons.
They cost the same price as magical weapons but instead, they reduce de DR of a foe. For each magical bonus point, you reduce by 5 the DR.

Or, you could simply have the foes have more HPs. Something like x times the DR is added to the total amount of HP of the foe where x is the magic level that is needed to affect such a creature times two. For exemple, 10/+2 would increase the HP by 10x2x2 so 40. 15/+3 = 90
In this case, if you happen to have that +3 weapon, you "pierce" through the foe's "shield" and it doesn't add him those HPs.

 

[phindar]

You could also have certain weapons count as "magic" for the purpose of overcoming DR. (A friend of mine uses something similiar for "named" weapons. Weapons don't have to have a +1 to be special. This all got started as a way to reward players who were creative with how their weapons were forged or the materials used. A weapon quenched in red dragon's blood for example might have a special effect against cold creatures.)

 

[Aus_Snow]

Power Attack?

Maybe called shots. Well, that's how I have things set up for when I'm using AC-as-DR. Oh, and armour-piercing values for certain weapons (very low values, mind you). And I have expensive, piecemeal armour by default. And poor 0-level PCs, generally. And so on. Well, anyway. . .

Without knowing how else you'll be changing the system (e.g., in terms of classes, magic and/or (Su)/(Sp) abilities) I can't really comment on what would be a good or bad idea for overcoming x/magic type opponents, and the like. Sorry. :\