Under what circumstances does DR protect against spell damage?

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

O!
M!
G!

Mr. Sage, where are you!?

I don't think there's a huge balance problem, and I'll probably use the CS ruling (even though they often are wrong), but something about it seems wrong.

 

[Mahali]

So when a description reads that it may seems unbalancing or contrary to other rules it's "flavor text" but when Barbarian DR says another it's played exactly as worded.

Why? Because
A. it's not unbalanceing?
B. that's how it reads and it's obviously meant that way and not flavor text?
C. they're munchkins?
D. some are hypocrites?

 

[Pielorinho]

So when a description reads that it may seems unbalancing or contrary to other rules it's "flavor text" but when Barbarian DR says another it's played exactly as worded.

Why? Because
A. it's not unbalanceing?
B. that's how it reads and it's obviously meant that way and not flavor text?
C. they're munchkins?
D. some are hypocrites?

B, of course. What's that chip on your shoulder? If you've got an argument as to why the glossary definition doesn't mean what it seems to mean, make it. Otherwise, chill with the snide implication that we're munchkins or hypocrites, 'mkay?

I apologize if there's an argument in your above post that I missed. However, your sentences are so grammatically unsound that I cannot figure out what you're trying to say.

Daniel

 

[Zhure]

DMG page 74
"If a dash follows the slash (as with the damage reduction that is a class feature of the barbarian), then the damage reduction is effective against any attack that does not ignore damage reduction."

Greg

 

[ruleslawyer]

Greg: Read the thread cited by kreynolds.

Note that the DMG also says this about DR (p.73):

Some magic creatures have the supernatural ability to instantly heal damage from weapons or to ignore blows altogether...

Compare to the PHB, p.25, on barb DR:

Starting at 11th level, the barbarian gains the extraordinary ability to shrug off some amount of injury from each blow or attack.

These read like two different things, don't they? They probably should have been defined as such, but too bad. We're not talking about violating the letter of the rules, nor exploiting a hole in those rules. Ruling that barb DR blocks all attacks, physical and magical, is a perfectly valid interpretation of what I grant is a somewhat ambiguous rules issue.

 

[Zhure]

I'm not denying the rules are ambiguous, but the rule I cited is crystal clear, as it specifically and parenthetically mentions barbarian damage reduction.

The PHB quote could be interpreted as being an incomplete description.

The glossary is diametrically opposed to the DMG.

Sounds like it's a judgment call but I weigh in on the other side. DR is DR and should all be treated the same.

 

[da_deadman]

I think the DM's guide should be given more weight than the PHB because it is where the DM is supposed to look to resolve issues, such as this one.

 

[kreynolds]

I think the DM's guide should be given more weight than the PHB because it is where the DM is supposed to look to resolve issues, such as this one.

So, when a DM is looking to resolve a charge, where does he look?

 

[IceBear]

I'm with Zhure. There have been too many issues with the Glossary (shield bonus anyone?) for me to take it without a big grain of salt. As for the Customer Support answer, isn't that the same guy that answered the Phantasmal Killer vs Deathward question one way and the Deathward vs Phantasmal Killer a different way? That doesn't inspire me with confidence.

Since the DMG clearly spells out that Barbarian DR is the same as normal DR (wrt what it stops), I'd go with that rather than the PHB glossary.

IceBear

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

DR supernatural: penetrates DR.
DR spell-like: does not penetrate DR.
DR extraordinary: ? (IMC it does not penetrate DR, and (of course) magic weapons cannot ignore this SR)

IMO the intention was for the barbarian's DR to only apply to physical attacks, so I guess I will go with that. (Which means I have to go back on what I posted previously.)

Regardless, I don't think it's a big balance issue, but I'm sure someone will show me a "Swarm of Missiles" spell that I haven't noticed yet.