Spike growth spell and damage reduction

[Vurt]

How does the damage from the spike growth spell interact with damage reduction, for example, the (2/-) from a mid-level barbarian? Is the DR applied every five feet, or just once after the total movement taken by the barb? Normally spells causing direct damage bypass DR altogether, but in this case the damage appears to be a physical source dealing piercing damage. Does that even matter, or is it good enough to consider the source of the damage to be the spell and leave it at that?

Spike Growth

Transmutation

Level: Drd 3, Rgr 2 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area: One 20-ft. square/level Duration: 1 hour/level (D) Saving Throw: Reflex partial Spell Resistance: Yes Any ground-covering vegetation in the spell’s area becomes very hard and sharply pointed without changing its appearance.

In areas of bare earth, roots and rootlets act in the same way. Typically, spike growth can be cast in any outdoor setting except open water, ice, heavy snow, sandy desert, or bare stone. Any creature moving on foot into or through the spell’s area takes 1d4 points of piercing damage for each 5 feet of movement through the spiked area.

Any creature that takes damage from this spell must also succeed on a Reflex save or suffer injuries to its feet and legs that slow its land speed by one-half. This speed penalty lasts for 24 hours or until the injured creature receives a cure spell (which also restores lost hit points). Another character can remove the penalty by taking 10 minutes to dress the injuries and succeeding on a Heal check against the spell’s save DC.

Spike growth can’t be disabled with the Disable Device skill.

Note: Magic traps such as spike growth are hard to detect. A rogue (only) can use the Search skill to find a spike growth. The DC is 25 + spell level, or DC 28 for spike growth (or DC 27 for spike growth cast by a ranger).

Cheers,
Vurt

 

[likuidice]

I'd say yes, the DR applies, because the spell clarifies itself as piercing damage, which is reducable by damage reduction, not energy or typeless damage, which isn't. Each 5 feet moved is a new instance of damage, and DR applies seperately for each square, because the damage is calculated each time a new square is entered (for example, if a mage moves 20 feet, and on the 4th square takes enough damage to drop him to -1 hp, he would stop moving on the 4th square, rather than the first).

 

[Vurt]

That's pretty much how I'd have run it, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something as I am wont to do.

Cheers,
Vurt

 

[sdt]

Sorry, but I will respectfully disagree. Two thing seem to indicate otherwise: First the spell is described as a magic trap, second, Spell Resistance applies. Just thought I would add my humble opinion.

 

[dcollins]

How does the damage from the spike growth spell interact with damage reduction, for example, the (2/-) from a mid-level barbarian?

DR is ineffective because it's still damage from a magic spell. There's plenty of precedent for this -- for example, the FAQ dealt with the slashing damage from blade barrier and also said that DR was ineffective against that.

 

[Vurt]

Hmmm... Those are some good points.

If any damage resulting from any application of a spell overcomes DR, then the fact that the spell description refers to the damage as piercing damage is irrelevant. Or is there some other situation where this would be important?

That spell resistantance applies, though, definitely leads me to believe that this overcomes DR.

Thanks!
Vurt