Why I Don't Like 3.5 Damage Resistance

[ivocaliban]

The whole "adamantine, cold iron, holy silver" thing doesn't really hurt the game, but it doesn't help it either.

This, like most points, is arguable. Considering D&D is composed of myths and legends, the idea of cold iron harming certain fey holds the same sort of flavour as werewolves being hurt by silver or vampires being hurt by sunlight. I personally feel that this concept does help the game, if in nothing else than in being consistent. As others have said, however, if you don't find it to your liking change/ignore it.

 

[FireLance]

Actually, the only change I'd make to the 3.5e DR system is to break "Magic" into "Minor Magic" (+1 and higher), "Medium Magic" (+3 and higher) and "Major Magic (+5 and higher).

This gives me even more freedom to decide what is needed to damage a creature efficiently instead of having +5 weapons trump everything.

If I wanted a monster that would only be hurt by powerful magic weapons or weapons made out of dragon spines, I could give it DR 15/major magic or dragon spine.

If I wanted to bring across the idea that magic does not trump everything, I could remove all the DR x/m* magic types completely, and only have DR x/alignment or material or damage type.

If I wanted to bring across the idea that magic does trump everything (as in 3.0e), I could add "or m* magic" to all the DR types (DR 15/adamantine or major magic, for example).

As a DM, I like this kind of flexibility. Of course, YMMV.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Sing it brother!

I personally HATE 3.5 DR! You can have the super duper almighty +ungodly vorpal sword of the planes and use it to strike some creature with DR/Silver and just because that sword isn't made of silver the creature still gets it's DR. I liked the idea that magic could overcome DR based on it's "plus". Of course I really liked the earlier edition's version (target creature requires a +X weapon to hit or else it takes no damage). The new version just doesn't terrify players like the old one did.

 

[Breakdaddy]

Actually, the only change I'd make to the 3.5e DR system is to break "Magic" into "Minor Magic" (+1 and higher), "Medium Magic" (+3 and higher) and "Major Magic (+5 and higher).

This is not a bad idea at all. I like this because the DM can throw in homebrewed magic equipment and use this scale while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the base system. Not that I have any problem with 3.5e DR, but this is food for thought.

 

[Mokona]

I don't like 3.5 DR because the party has to carry around 50 different weapons each of a different metal.

Then when fighting a creature the players are encouraged the metagame the PC knowledge of which metal affects which creature. If your best weapon is +3 you're probably using it and it either doesn't or does beat a DR/+X.

 

[Psion]

I don't like DR in 3.5 because it doesn't work for my current campaign which is alignment-less and not set in Greyhawk. Things like "damage resistance 10/good" are useless to me.

You know alignment DR has next to nothing to do with character alignment except as it exists through clerics casting align weapon. You could just replace it with a placeholder corresponding to friends or enemies of your deity (angelic/demonic, heathen/non-heathen, etc.)

 

[Abstraction]

No, you don't have to carry around golf bag of weapons. That was why they lowered the DR number in 3.5. It sure is nice to bypass a creatures resistance, but a fighter-type should be able to beat through the DR anyway, with a non-magical weapon even.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I don't like 3.5 DR because the party has to carry around 50 different weapons each of a different metal.

I've seen this mentioned in every single DR thread, yet NEVER has it come up in a game I've played in or run. The PCs usually just deal with the DR and do their best to work around it in other ways.

Then when fighting a creature the players are encouraged the metagame the PC knowledge of which metal affects which creature. If your best weapon is +3 you're probably using it and it either doesn't or does beat a DR/+X.

Knowledge(arcana) isn't metagame at all, IMO.

 

[Staffan]

Seems reasonable to me... and less abuse-able than the idea of carrying around a "spice rack" of different swords made of different materials and charged with different alignments. ("Why... a formian? Let me bring out my CHAOS SWORD!... What's that, a Chaos Beast? Let me bring out my LAW HALBERD!... What? A golem? Let me bring out my ADAMANTINE HOOKED HAMMER!")

That's precisely what I like about the new system. I'm a big proponent of "the right tool for the right job", and 3.5 DR helps with that. It was somewhat present in 3.0 as well, with the various bonuses different weapons got ("An ogre you say? I'd better bring out my glaive so he won't get an AoO on me as I approach."), but far more in 3.5 with DR based on alignment, material, damage type, and enchantment.

 

[MerakSpielman]

No, you don't have to carry around golf bag of weapons. That was why they lowered the DR number in 3.5. It sure is nice to bypass a creatures resistance, but a fighter-type should be able to beat through the DR anyway, with a non-magical weapon even.

Truth!

In 3.5, it is now possible for people without the correct weapon type to defeat virtually any monster with DR. You just gotta hit it a few more times...