Spell damage and DR

[Gorgon]

According to the rules (DMG pg 292) all spells ignore Damage Reduction. Some spells are listed as doing certain types of damage (Evard's Black Tentacles does bludgeoning, Stone spikes piercing) but this doesn't make any difference as they ignore the DR that makes certain monsters harder to hurt with that type of damage. Is there any other reason to list the type of damage?

Is is reasonable to say that any spell that does a type of damage, or any spell that ignores SR and does not do energy damage does not ignore DR?

Otherwise Golems are turned into rubble with EBT, or slowed somehow by Stone Spikes.

 

[Pax]

Is is reasonable to say that any spell that does a type of damage, or any spell that ignores SR and does not do energy damage does not ignore DR?

No, IMO that would not be reasonable.

Most spells which ignore SR, tend to be suboptimal at dealign damage anyway. And DR is always ignored by damage from spells (unless the spell itself specifies otherwise).

So, yes - a single EBT spell might manage to reduce a golem to rubble. If it just stands there, and never makes it's saving throw ...

 

[Silveras]

Is there any other reason to list the type of damage?

Mostly so that DMs can decide how it interacts with other things. By categorizing the effects, for example, the DM knows that EBT do not affect Incorporeal creatures, or that protection from energy is no help. If there is a spell that helps protect someone from bludgeoning damage (none come to mind, but you never know), then it would work against that part of EBT.

 

[Diirk]

I'd assume that physical damage types that originate from spells are subject to DR... for example, big rocks falling on your head from an ice storm... if you're resistant to weapons, why not rocks too? the cold would still hurt you , tho.

 

[Pax]

No, Diirk, physical damage or not - damage from spells is not subject to DR, unless the specific spell description sys otherwise.

As for why other damage types might be listed - if something were outright immune to a certain type of damage, or if it took double damage from it, then the damage type would be important.