Why you hittin' yo'self? (damage reduction questions)

[UltimaGabe]

(you can beat down a steel door with a whip, but you can't harm someone in full plate).

...Even though a steel door is an object and thus immune to nonlethal damage? It would seem that, after all, you CAN'T beat down a steel door with a whip.

 

[Caliban]

...Even though a steel door is an object and thus immune to nonlethal damage? It would seem that, after all, you CAN'T beat down a steel door with a whip.

You can take a -4 on your attack roll to do lethal damage...

 

[reveal]

You can take a -4 on your attack roll to do lethal damage...

Just to back you up.

Lethal Damage with a Weapon that Deals Nonlethal Damage

You can use a weapon that deals nonlethal damage, including an unarmed strike, to deal lethal damage instead, but you take a -4 penalty on your attack roll.

 

[Infiniti2000]

And to once again shoot it down: "Certain weapons just can’t effectively deal damage to certain objects."

 

[reveal]

And to once again shoot it down: "Certain weapons just can’t effectively deal damage to certain objects."

But what of it's a +5 shocking flaming-burst whip of Eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil? (Note the big E, which makes this 10 times more evil than that pansy little e)

 

[Caliban]

And to once again shoot it down: "Certain weapons just can’t effectively deal damage to certain objects."

That's a DM call that I certainly would have no problem with. But it's not actually listed in the rules that Whips can't deal damage to objects.

 

[Quasqueton]

But what of it's a +5 shocking flaming-burst whip of Eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil?

Iron (steel) door has 10 hardness. Whip does 1d3+5 damage (max = 8). The shocking and flaming do half damage to objects (max = 3 damage from either). Even the burst part would only do max 5 damage. And since the door does not have alignment, the Eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil part of the whip won't do anything anyway.

So, even a +5 shocking flaming burst whip of Eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil can't harm a steel door, even with taking the -4 on the attack to deal lethal damage.

Quasqueton

 

[Infiniti2000]

Caliban, Yeah, but per the rules you might or you might not be able to damage a steel door with a whip. Let's make a bet. Here's what we do. We set up a poll and if more people choose "No" (to 'can you damage a steel door with a normal whip'), I win.

Quasqueton, you're ignoring strength damage and power attack.

 

[Quasqueton]

Quasqueton, you're ignoring strength damage and power attack.

A 60th-level barbarian with 70 strength (+30 mod), using full (40 points) Power Attack can destroy a steel door in one stroke. (10 hardness and 60 hit points.)

Whips are broken. Iron doors are weak.

Quasqueton

 

[RangerWickett]

Don't forget that, by the rules, a whip can be wielded in two hands for double power attack. Toss in Frenzied Berserker, and you can break down doors at 20th level with ease.

Can a brilliant energy whip hit someone through a door?