D&D 5E Weapon Damage Immunity buff

[Lyxen]

What I've done is say that only +1 or better weapons can hurt these creatures, not simply magic ones. That way I can still give out cool magic weapons without +s and the balance isn't destroyed. Not that I never give out a weapon with a +, but it's rare.

It's your game, but I would not do that in our campaigns, as it impacts bounded accuracy. I prefer handing out cool weapons with great powers like the Frost Brand or Flame Tongue, as well as few with bonuses so that the character have to choose, sometimes depending on the conditions. In addition, with the attunement limit, it makes the choices more interesting as well.

 

[Maxperson]

It's your game, but I would not do that in our campaigns, as it impacts bounded accuracy.

No it doesn't. Not even a little bit. The game was designed without magic items being included in the math, so weapons with +s are pure bonus and not a part of bounded accuracy.

 

[Lyxen]

No it doesn't. Not even a little bit. The game was designed without magic items being included in the math, so weapons with +s are pure bonus and not a part of bounded accuracy.

Exactly my point, the game being designed without magic weapon means that requiring bonus for some fights will require character to have these items, which will in turn have some effect on, amongst others, encounter computation. I agree that +1 weapons are not that bad, but the higher the bonus the more impact on the game especially because of bounded accuracy.

 

[NotAYakk]

"Immune"/"Resistant" to non-magical weapons has a real impact even at level 20.

If you cast "animate objects", the attacks by the objects are non-magical weapon attacks. Piles of summons don't do magical weapon damage.

It is true that many focused builds grant "they count as magical", but some don't.

The same is true if you use a horn to summon berserkers. Or you recruit low level allies to help with the fight.

Also, remember that the bump in monster power isn't all that large.

 

[dave2008]

Suggested House Rule: If a character is immune to non-magical weapon attacks, they are also resistant to magical weapon attacks.

That seems reasonable and simple. I tried to bring back a bit of AD&D with making immunity based on rarity (old monsters might be immune to +2 weapons or lower). So a monster might be immune to very rare or more common magic items (I expanded to be beyond just weapons). So you would need a legendary item to harm it. However, I eventually dropped it as too complex. Your solution seems simple and effective though.

 

[Maxperson]

Exactly my point, the game being designed without magic weapon means that requiring bonus for some fights will require character to have these items, which will in turn have some effect on, amongst others, encounter computation.

Except that there is no such requirement. The encounters are balanced around the assumption that nobody in the group has them. Adding any of them in reduces the challenge level of the fight.

I agree that +1 weapons are not that bad, but the higher the bonus the more impact on the game especially because of bounded accuracy.

Yeah. +1 wasn't bad for the numerical bonus, but the first time I ran 5e I handed 3 of these out and all of the encounters that were balanced around the PCs not having them, became cake-walks. That's why I instituted the change.

 

[Lyxen]

Except that there is no such requirement. The encounters are balanced around the assumption that nobody in the group has them. Adding any of them in reduces the challenge level of the fight.

Yeah. +1 wasn't bad for the numerical bonus, but the first time I ran 5e I handed 3 of these out and all of the encounters that were balanced around the PCs not having them, became cake-walks. That's why I instituted the change.

Again, I'm not saying it's a bad change (especially since you are aware of the consequences), it's just not one I would do, as long as we are resurrecting rules from previous editions, I find those of 3.5 more interesting and more adapted to bounded accuracy than those of AD&D, that's all.

 

[Stalker0]

In general I would say that Immunity to non-magic weapons is mainly to stop the "riff raff" from harming the monster, which is a very valid thing for higher level monsters who otherwise could (and would) be killed by armies.

So I don't mind that monsters have that as a "ribbon" in higher level games. Yes that does block summons and stuff from attacking, but at those levels I expect high level characters to have many options at their disposal, so if summons don't work they have many other tools to utilize.

That said, I agree that the immunity to non-magic weapons should not effect high level CR, and going with a resistance to magic weapons seems a reasonable way to keep those monsters in line with their CR.

I also like what Dave2008 does with some of his high CR monsters, which is:

Immunity to Uncommon Magic Weapons
Immunity to Rare and Lesser Magic Weapons

Aka bringing back the old X/+1, +2, +3 type DRs....but I think rarity is a more "5e" approach.