Lycanthropes - As tough as it gets (a rant against 3.5 DR).

[Brown Jenkin]

DR is one of the biggest things keeping me from even grudgingly accepting 3.5. Other changes to 3.0 can more readily be house ruled back and forth, but DR is so interwoven throughout that changing this back requires just too much work. It is easier to start with 3.0 and add from 3.5 in the few places that need it.

In my personal view of fantasy magic always trumps materials. There are also some magics more powerful than others. Some people may like the concept of only silver hurting things like were-creatures but I can't help but to believe a powerful magic weapon would hurt such creatures. Fortuntely I tend to favor spellcasters so this has not been as big an issue to be, but were I too play a fighter given the relative low cost of special material weapons even by mid-levels I would have a golfbag. The new DR by mid to high levels is just as easy to bypass as the old system making it just as functionaly useless. As it also goes against by belief that magic trumps materials I therefore reject it. I've had this arguement before so I am just stating my opinion, there is no need to try to convince me otherwise.

 

[Voadam]

We've used 3.5 DR and I like it.

It has much more of a flavorful impact on the game with the lower numbers and more esoteric bypass requirements whereas before it was all or nothing and usually not a factor at all because PCs had sufficiently potent magic weapons.

When you get to the high end ones though it does lose that flavor and become all or nothing again with tougher requirements.

 

[Henrix]

I'll throw in another vote for 3.5 DR, it is a lot more colorful!

But, perhaps your DM should have informed you how it works in 3.5! Or perhaps not.

I almost think Silversheen is cheating!

 

[DMScott]

I got to thinking... with 3.5's DR rules you could have a +5 Vorpal Holy Lawful (etc, etc) Uber Sword and as long as it didn't have a bit of silver in it the Werewolf's DR would always lower the damage.

Indeed - that's kind of the point. However, by the time you're using a weapon like that DR is at best an annoyance. Even under 3.5, DR is mostly an issue at lower levels, at higher levels you do enough damage that you can expect something to get through, DR just makes the fight take a little longer.

At lower levels, the idea is that critters with DR should be something a little special, ideally requiring some planning to beat. I think the 3.5 system works pretty well for that.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

3.5 makes anything with "and" DR incredibly powerful, like the greater fiends. For these encounters, no mere golf bag will do; no fiscally responsible adventurer keeps enchanting up an adamantine sword, a silver sword and a cold iron sword - especially when the latter costs extra to enchant. I've actually seen a party of 15th-level PCs defeat a pit fiend without the benefit of DR-piercing weapons, but that included multiple 100+ damage crits and smite/sneak attacks.

Anyway, lycanthropes generally have a low enough AC that you can power attack or crit through their DR, and as stated before silver weapons aren't exactly going to break the bank. And unlike in "The Monster Squad," a stick of dynamite (or its core D&D equivalent, fireball) will kill a werewolf.

 

[Hjorimir]

What's the point of having DR if the players are supposed to always be able to bypass it?

In one of my two games, the players are tip-toeing around both a group of vampires and werewolves with a total of 3 vials of silversheen (which happens to be the only magic items they have at 6th level).

 

[Arnwyn]

I use both 3.0 and 3.5 DRs, actually.

I use mostly 3.5 except for "magic", in which I've changed back to +x weapons.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I favour the 'Aaar! More power!' approach to busting thru damage reduction myself - power attack with a 2-handed weapon. Golf bag? I don't need no steenkin' golf bag.

Incidentally, for me DR is the #1 reason why PA 2-handers are better than dual weapon wielders.

 

[BryonD]

3.5 DR is essentially the house rule I've been using since 1985 or so (I've never had an "adamantine" category and mithril works as silver). In the intervening ~20 years, I've never once seen "golf bag syndrome". IME, it's a boogeyman constructed as a knee-jerk reaction by people scared of a little change. Oh, and prior to 3E, DR was absolute -- in my system, a +400 vorpal holy avenger would do no damage to a werewolf unless it was silver. If golf-bagging doesn't happen in conditions like that, it ain't an issue.

I agree with your assessment.
I've yet to see the slightest hint of "golf-bagging".

I have seen some change in tactics and heavy use of power attack.

 

[BryonD]

I use both 3.0 and 3.5 DRs, actually.

I use mostly 3.5 except for "magic", in which I've changed back to +x weapons.

I could go for that. I never really understood why they ditched that one part.