Large creatures slamming through DR

[Tamara]

Greetings
My high level (20+), magic heavy (anyone here who can't fly?) group came up against some shadow giants and I made an on-the-spot ruling that the shadow giants and their weapons counted as +3 weapons in order to penetrate the groups' DR.
I did this because I had a vague memory of having read somewhere years ago of how large monsters in themselves and with the weapons they wield count as + weapons.
Now I tried to google DR and large creatures, large creatures and penetrating DR, but nothing came up, at least nothing to answer my question.
So maybe someone here can help me out, perhaps even with a link please.
Since a ruling of this kind makes sense to me, I will keep it as a house rule even if my memory is wrong but would some kind of size modifier be fair or can someone suggest something better.
Thanks
Tamara

 

[Shin Okada]

As you have mentioned about DR/+X, I guess you are using 3.0e rules, not 3.5e.

Well, AFAIK there is no rule, at least generic one, to automatically make weapons of larger creatures as +X magic weapons.

Even how big the creature is, a non-magic weapon it carries is a non-magic chunk of steel. But it may inflict enough damage so that PCs' DR cannot stop all of them.

 

[frankthedm]

I did this because I had a vague memory of having read somewhere years ago of how large monsters in themselves and with the weapons they wield count as + weapons.
Now I tried to google DR and large creatures, large creatures and penetrating DR, but nothing came up, at least nothing to answer my question.

2nd edition. IIRC it started at 4+1 HD, allowing Ogres to punch Gargoyles in the face successfully for 1d10 damage.

What was the groups DR? in 3.5 there is only DR/Magic rather than DR/+1, DR/+3... etc.

 

[Nebten]

In 3.0, if a creature had DR/+3, its natural weapons could act as a +3 weapon to bypass DR/silver, +1,+2 and +3.

That is the closest thing I could think of to help you.

 

[NewJeffCT]

2nd edition. IIRC it started at 4+1 HD, allowing Ogres to punch Gargoyles in the face successfully for 1d10 damage.

What was the groups DR? in 3.5 there is only DR/Magic rather than DR/+1, DR/+3... etc.

I would go by something along those lines when it comes to monsters - 4HD to 7.9HD is equivalent to a +1 weapon, then 8-11.9HD is +2; 12-15.9 is +3, etc.

 

[Starbuck_II]

Greetings
My high level (20+), magic heavy (anyone here who can't fly?) group came up against some shadow giants and I made an on-the-spot ruling that the shadow giants and their weapons counted as +3 weapons in order to penetrate the groups' DR.
I did this because I had a vague memory of having read somewhere years ago of how large monsters in themselves and with the weapons they wield count as + weapons.
Now I tried to google DR and large creatures, large creatures and penetrating DR, but nothing came up, at least nothing to answer my question.

Basically you goofed.
2nd had some rules I think though. But I doubt +3 fists for the Giants even in 2nd.
In 3.5, you don't. Giants have high Str to bypass DR (damage only blocked so much) as DR is lower in 3.5.

 

[green slime]

That wasn't 2e. Those rules were included in the 1e DMG, probably carried over into 2e, and then dropped in 3e.

In 3e, a massive monster is more likely to deal massive damage (penetrating DR purely on basis of the amount), and Power Attack.