D&D 3E/3.5 Question on Damage Reduction from a new 3.5 DM

[NewJeffCT]

I'm finally going to be DMing what will hopefully develop into a campaign under the latest rules, 3.5. However, I have not really done any DMing since the days of 2E and I just wanted to make sure of something in regards to damage reduction.

Back in the old days of 2E, magic items usually trumped everything, so if you wanted to hit a lycanthrope, you would need either silver OR magic weapons. Either one would hit a werewolf or other lycanthrope.

However, when I'm reading the 3.5 rules on DR, it seems that ONLY silver weapons can hit a lycanthrope, unless you deal more than 10 points of damage (assuming the DR is 10/silver)

So, if the party encounters a werewolf, and Bob the rogue strikes with his silver dagger, he will cause full damage no matter what as long as he hits. So, a hit for 2 points of damage will cause 2 points to the werewolf.

Then, Gradon the half-orc barbarian swings his two handed battle axe (non magical, non silvered) and causes 12 points of damage by rolling an 8 on his d12 and adding 4 for his STR bonus. The damage caused is then reduced by 10, but he still causes 2 points of damage to the werewolf (12 minus 10)

Vatus the monk then tries to attack the werewolf and causes 4 points of damage with his hands. He actually causes no damage at all - 4 points of damage less 10 is negative 6.

Same with Tim the wizard. He is out of spells, so attempts a strike with his +1 dagger and hits, causing 3 points of damage. However, he also causes no damage because his dagger is NOT silver. (This is where it differs from 2E, as a magic item could still affect a werewolf)

Similarly, if Tim could cast 2 magic missiles at said werewolf, would the DR also apply there? So, if the 2 missiles caused a total of 7 points of damage, it would be reduced to zero as well?

Thanks!

 

[Ceska]

I'm finally going to be DMing what will hopefully develop into a campaign under the latest rules, 3.5. However, I have not really done any DMing since the days of 2E and I just wanted to make sure of something in regards to damage reduction.

Back in the old days of 2E, magic items usually trumped everything, so if you wanted to hit a lycanthrope, you would need either silver OR magic weapons. Either one would hit a werewolf or other lycanthrope.

However, when I'm reading the 3.5 rules on DR, it seems that ONLY silver weapons can hit a lycanthrope, unless you deal more than 10 points of damage (assuming the DR is 10/silver)

So, if the party encounters a werewolf, and Bob the rogue strikes with his silver dagger, he will cause full damage no matter what as long as he hits. So, a hit for 2 points of damage will cause 2 points to the werewolf.

Then, Gradon the half-orc barbarian swings his two handed battle axe (non magical, non silvered) and causes 12 points of damage by rolling an 8 on his d12 and adding 4 for his STR bonus. The damage caused is then reduced by 10, but he still causes 2 points of damage to the werewolf (12 minus 10)

Vatus the monk then tries to attack the werewolf and causes 4 points of damage with his hands. He actually causes no damage at all - 4 points of damage less 10 is negative 6.

Same with Tim the wizard. He is out of spells, so attempts a strike with his +1 dagger and hits, causing 3 points of damage. However, he also causes no damage because his dagger is NOT silver. (This is where it differs from 2E, as a magic item could still affect a werewolf)

All right, to this point.

Similarly, if Tim could cast 2 magic missiles at said werewolf, would the DR also apply there? So, if the 2 missiles caused a total of 7 points of damage, it would be reduced to zero as well?

No. DR applies to physical weapon damage and damage caused by natural attacks.

DAMAGE REDUCTION

Some magic creatures have the supernatural ability to instantly heal damage from weapons or to ignore blows altogether as though they were invulnerable.

The numerical part of a creature’s damage reduction is the amount of hit points the creature ignores from normal attacks.

 

[XCorvis]

You've got it all correct except the last. DR does not apply to spell damage (most of the time). Specifically it doesn't apply to force and elemental damage. Magic Missile does full damage.

There are some rare exceptions. If you make a normal sword with Major Creation (or something), it's still just a non-magical sword and DR applies.

A related example: a flaming (non-silver) weapon that does 4 regular damage and 4 fire damage would only do the 4 fire damage.

 

[Ceska]

Another example:

Spirtual Weapon

Although it manifests as a weapon, it is a force effect and not affected by DR.

 

[NewJeffCT]

You've got it all correct except the last. DR does not apply to spell damage (most of the time). Specifically it doesn't apply to force and elemental damage. Magic Missile does full damage.

There are some rare exceptions. If you make a normal sword with Major Creation (or something), it's still just a non-magical sword and DR applies.

A related example: a flaming (non-silver) weapon that does 4 regular damage and 4 fire damage would only do the 4 fire damage.

Thanks - that was a big help!