Reading Damage Reduction... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Reading Damage Reduction... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
CelineSSauve
01-20-08, 08:44 AM It's not OGL so I'll just state that this issue arose with the Spiker's natural armor description in the Planar Handbook and not mention anything further about the race past that one little line.

It is listed as "5/bludgeoning" which I would always read as "5 points of damage reduction except when the attacker uses a bludgeoning weapon" but the entry states that this is supposed to reduce the damage from bludgeoning weapons by 5...

So should that instead read "5/piercing and slashing"?

To state an example which is OGL:
Damage reduction 5/cold iron.

That means they're effected normally by any weapon which is made with cold iron, right?
Evil DM Mk3
01-20-08, 08:48 AM I do not know the specific example but yes 5/bludgeoning is short hand for 5 points less against things that are not bludgeoning.
CelineSSauve
01-20-08, 08:49 AM I do not know the specific example but yes 5/bludgeoning is short hand for 5 points less against things that are not bludgeoning.

Okay. So it's just a misprint then.

I just wanted to make sure because I have a PC who is considering the Race, and I okayed it but wanted to be sure what the benefits were.
Rood_Inverse
01-20-08, 10:11 AM I always had a hard time grasping this, too, until someone explained it to me. They told me it's like the rules for hardness of objects.

With "DR 5/bludgeon," you need to roll at least 6 points of damage, and then his total HP decreases by 1. Every time.
The_Shaman
01-20-08, 11:41 AM BTW, seeing as we're on the topic: does a sneak attack give extra damage only when the regular damage would have bypassed DR, or regardless of it?

For example, does a halfling rogue using a dagger that does 4 damage get sneak attack damage on a barbarian who has DR 5/-? I'd say no, but I'm not quite sure on that one.
Merestil Haye
01-20-08, 11:44 AM Perhaps this will help settle your mind.

The Planar Handbook errata file states the following.Page 15: Spiker Racial Traits
The spiker should have DR 2/piercing or slashing, not DR 2/bludgeoning.Thus the error has already been acknowledged and rectified.
weasel0
01-20-08, 07:11 PM BTW, seeing as we're on the topic: does a sneak attack give extra damage only when the regular damage would have bypassed DR, or regardless of it?

For example, does a halfling rogue using a dagger that does 4 damage get sneak attack damage on a barbarian who has DR 5/-? I'd say no, but I'm not quite sure on that one.

SA damage applies whenever a sneak attack is possible. It is possible even with SA that the rogue fails to deal any damage here, but damage reduction and hardness are the last thing you deal with when figuring damage.

Roll to hit. Hit yes? Okay, roll damage. Yes you get your SA too. *rolling* okay, 3 from dagger, 0 from str and 8 total from SA. So that 11 total, but he's got some DR (5/Bludgeoning) so that's 6pts that gets through.
mvincent
01-21-08, 12:52 PM does a halfling rogue using a dagger that does 4 damage get sneak attack damage on a barbarian who has DR 5/-?Yes

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
CelineSSauve 01-20-08, 08:44 AM	It's not OGL so I'll just state that this issue arose with the Spiker's natural armor description in the Planar Handbook and not mention anything further about the race past that one little line. It is listed as "5/bludgeoning" which I would always read as "5 points of damage reduction except when the attacker uses a bludgeoning weapon" but the entry states that this is supposed to reduce the damage from bludgeoning weapons by 5... So should that instead read "5/piercing and slashing"? To state an example which is OGL: Damage reduction 5/cold iron. That means they're effected normally by any weapon which is made with cold iron, right?
Evil DM Mk3 01-20-08, 08:48 AM	I do not know the specific example but yes 5/bludgeoning is short hand for 5 points less against things that are not bludgeoning.
CelineSSauve 01-20-08, 08:49 AM	I do not know the specific example but yes 5/bludgeoning is short hand for 5 points less against things that are not bludgeoning. Okay. So it's just a misprint then. I just wanted to make sure because I have a PC who is considering the Race, and I okayed it but wanted to be sure what the benefits were.
Rood_Inverse 01-20-08, 10:11 AM	I always had a hard time grasping this, too, until someone explained it to me. They told me it's like the rules for hardness of objects. With "DR 5/bludgeon," you need to roll at least 6 points of damage, and then his total HP decreases by 1. Every time.
The_Shaman 01-20-08, 11:41 AM	BTW, seeing as we're on the topic: does a sneak attack give extra damage only when the regular damage would have bypassed DR, or regardless of it? For example, does a halfling rogue using a dagger that does 4 damage get sneak attack damage on a barbarian who has DR 5/-? I'd say no, but I'm not quite sure on that one.
Merestil Haye 01-20-08, 11:44 AM	Perhaps this will help settle your mind. The Planar Handbook errata file states the following.Page 15: Spiker Racial Traits The spiker should have DR 2/piercing or slashing, not DR 2/bludgeoning.Thus the error has already been acknowledged and rectified.
weasel0 01-20-08, 07:11 PM	BTW, seeing as we're on the topic: does a sneak attack give extra damage only when the regular damage would have bypassed DR, or regardless of it? For example, does a halfling rogue using a dagger that does 4 damage get sneak attack damage on a barbarian who has DR 5/-? I'd say no, but I'm not quite sure on that one. SA damage applies whenever a sneak attack is possible. It is possible even with SA that the rogue fails to deal any damage here, but damage reduction and hardness are the last thing you deal with when figuring damage. Roll to hit. Hit yes? Okay, roll damage. Yes you get your SA too. rolling okay, 3 from dagger, 0 from str and 8 total from SA. So that 11 total, but he's got some DR (5/Bludgeoning) so that's 6pts that gets through.
mvincent 01-21-08, 12:52 PM	does a halfling rogue using a dagger that does 4 damage get sneak attack damage on a barbarian who has DR 5/-?Yes