Monte Cook's Solution to the 'Golf Bag' Syndrome

[Allanon]

On Monte Cook's site he's posted an interesting article under the DMs Only topic. A variant/house rule he uses to combat the 'Golf Bag' syndrome 3.5 introduced with the new DR rules. I was wondering if anyone here has tried this rule or a variation on it in his/her game and how their players responded to it? I'll place a short synopsis of the article for those in a hurry

The idea is that while special weapon properties such as silver, bludgeoning or holy work as described in 3.5 for overcoming DR, really powerful magic weapons also possess the ability to deal damage to the otherwise resistant creatures. (This fix puts the "umph" back in magic, at least to a small degree.)

So, if an evil outsider has DR 10/holy, he can be affected by a holy weapon or a +4 or +5 weapon. An iron golem could be affected by a +3, +4 or +5 weapon as well as an adamantine one.

But, what if a weapon fulfils both criteria? What if a weapon is both adamantine and has a powerful enhancement bonus? Or is both holy and +4? If the weapon is both of the right material or alignment and has an enhancement bonus equal to the "exception" level on the chart above (in other words, the perfect weapon for the job), it inflicts an additional +2 damage bonus to the creature.
What damage reduction type is "trumped" by what enhancement bonus is provided in this table:

DR Type                                      |Enhancement Bonus Exception
------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
/silver                                      |+2 
/bludgeoning, /piercing or /slashing         |+2 
/adamantine or /cold iron                    |+3 
/[alignment-based]                           |+4 
/magic                                       |N/A

 

[Gez]

There's another fix to the golf bag syndrom: power attack.

Given that there are no longer unsurpassably high DR like 50/something, bypassing DR is less of an obligation to down creatures.

 

[Iuz]

On Monte Cook's site he's posted an interesting article under the DMs Only topic. A variant/house rule he uses to combat the 'Golf Bag' syndrome 3.5 introduced with the new DR rules. I was wondering if anyone here has tried this rule or a variation on it in his/her game and how their players responded to it? I'll place a short synopsis of the article for those in a hurry

Although it seems like an interesting way to deal with this "problem", my group has never fallen victim to the "golf bag syndrome". I don't think anyone in the group has more than three weapons (a melee, a missile and a backup)

 

[Merlion]

Yea I remember just when 3.5 was getting ready to be released so many people were ranting about "golf bags", but after the release no one has mentioned it actually happening...

 

[HellHound]

Ditto - I've been running 3.5 exclusively since it was released, and not a golf bag to be found.

Instead, DR actually means something other than "get the Greater Magic Weapon spell ready!"

 

[poilbrun]

I have the problem in my group

They're trying to convince me to let them walk around with so many weapons that they couldn't even move if they tried.

Instead of leading to them agreeing to have only two or three weapons, it has lead them to a) take a weapon with two types (eg a morninstar, bludgeoning/piercing) in silver, and another weapon of the third type in cold iron while they were low-level. Now that they're higher level, the wizard has created what you could call a Scabbard of Ehlonna.

I don't mind too much, since they have found an in-game solution. But basically, their magical scabbard is simply another name for Monte's golf bag...

 

[Plane Sailing]

To be honest I think this variant of his is ill-concieved. He might as well just ditch 3.5 style DR and go back to 3.0 style DR since high plusses merely trump everything again, making DR in danger of being meaningless.

I think that the 3.5e style DR was one of the best changes, helping to bring a level of distinctiveness back to monsters. PC's just have to learn that they can't have their uberweapon which is the l33t choice for all combats without suffering problems. It also supports adventures nicely, allowing research by PCs, enabling them to find the materials they need to oppose particular threats.

Why on earth introduce something with an extra degree of complexity? If he doesn't like it, just ditch it IMO.

 

[Staffan]

I don't like Monte's variant either, but that's because I like the idea that you need different tools for different jobs. If you know you're going to interfere with the designs of a pit fiend, you'd better try to get your hands on a holy silver weapon, or you'll find yourself paddleless while up a certain creek.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

IME, there IS a so-called golf-bag syndrome. It works like this:

Archers: carrry cold iron, silver, and adamantine arrows and a holy bow.

Not really a golf bag there just a big quiver.

Everyone else (except a few high level barbarians) carries multiple weapons.
My Ftr 1/Wiz 10/Eldritch Knight 2/Spellsword 1? Adamantine Guisarme of wounding, Cold Iron arrows, silvered light flail, and an undead bane longsword (soon to be undead bane, ghost touch)
A friend's Bbn/Ftr/Holy Liberator/Exotic Weaponmaster? Holy Cold Iron spiked chain, an adamantine ghost touch spiked chain, and a +3 small returning dragonbane spear.
My Ftr2/Clr 1/Mnk2? Silver longsword, cold iron longsword, Cold iron lance, silvered spiked gauntlet, a bunch of javalins, a kukri, a dagger, shuriken, etc and oil of bless weapon. She'd have a normal steel +1 longsword too if she could afford it.
My Clr 10? +1 normal steel greatsword, silvered spiked gauntlet, cold iron crossbow bolts and dagger.
My friend's monk 7? Adamantine kama, silvered other monk weapon, cold iron monk weapon.
My Ftr 2/Bbn 3/Clr 3? Greater Masterwork Tralian Hammer, Greater masterwork silver gladius, fervidite dagger, sarishan steel greater masterwork longsword, +1 gladius

The same is true of most characters I'm familiar with. The "golf bag" is very real.

As for power attack, that's an option for high strength barbarian characters and fighters and fully buffed battle clerics wielding two-handed weapons. It's not really an option for one-handed weapon wielders, monks, moderate strength/reduced BAB characters, etc. They all need the right weapon to cut through DR. For that matter, against a high-AC foe (such as a group of 12th level characters up against an armored death slaad and his minions), most characters can't afford to power attack.

I don't think Monte's table to be a particularly good solution to the problem but there are definitely a lot of golf bags out there.

(Of course, some golf bags are for things other than beating DR. My Eldritch Knight character carried something of a golf-bag in 3.0 because he wanted to be able to switch from a reach weapon to a one-handed weapon and shield quickly and in 3.5 he switches to the undead band sword against undead since that's what he has it for and wounding is ineffective against them. He also does it to hedge against the possibility of having to drop his weapons to avoid being tripped after a failed trip attempt. (He has quickdraw to facilitate this). The spiked chain wielder switches to the ghost touch spiked chain against incorporeal creatures as well as against DR/adamantium and will quickdraw his spear to finish off a full attack with a ranged attack if he runs out of adjacent foes. My halfling Ftr/Clr/Mnk changes weapons frequently because the lance is more effective for mounted combat and allows her to make good use of combat reflexes but she's better with a longsword for close-quarters fighting.

 

[Allanon]

After reviewing the house rule in question again and looking at your suggestions I have to admit, that it does sound rather useless. Although I'm running a 3.5 planescape campaign I've yet to hear them complaining about the multitude of different DRs. Thanks for the insight people