Damage reduction! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Damage reduction! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The blasted Kalashtar
10-13-05, 06:16 PM I`m a bit confused about magic weapon vs DR.
It`s not explicitly written but what i understand about DR is that a magical weapon (anything from a simple +1 dagger to a +5 vorpal longsword) CAN`T bypass "ordinary" DR like 10/silver, 5/bludgeonning or 15/good unless there made with the wright metal or are the right type.... I`m i wright or wrong?

Last game (a Ravenloft one btw) the players confronted a werewolf with DR 10/silver, the ranger hit with a +1 frost dagger and the rogue with his +2 longbow and i was confused about what to do with that....so i went by the book and denied them some sort of bypass over the werewolf DR, was it ok?

I`m mainly confused because i`m a long non-active DM and before, magical weapons used to damage creatures immune to mundane attack.
Salla
10-13-05, 06:22 PM In 3.5, Damage Reduction is only breached by the specific quality listed after the slash. If a '-' is after the slash, like the Barbarian has, then it applies to all weapon attacks. So, if you're under attack by a werewolf you need an alchemically silvered weapon to deal full damage. If it's a vampire, then you need a weapon that is both alchemically silvered *and* magicked.
Millennium
10-13-05, 06:33 PM If the DR only specifies silver, then magic isn't important. You need a silver weapon, magic or otherwise, to break through the DR.

Of course, one thing about DR is that you can do combinations. You might have a creature who has DR versus silver OR magic, in which case a magic weapon could break through even if it's not silver. The vampire has silver AND magic, so the weapon needs to be not only silver but magical to break through. If you really wanted to be mean, you could perform interesting feats of Boolean logic (silver XOR bludgeoning, perhaps? Cold-Iron NAND Holy? NOT Adamantine?) but nothing in the core books does that.
Starlight Knight
10-14-05, 02:01 AM Cold-Iron NAND Holy? NOT Adamantine?) but nothing in the core books does that.

OK stupid question here: What is the difference between an iron weapon and a cold iron weapon. I ask because I noticed that some creatures, such as the satyr and the redcap say cold iron.

Thanks for any help.
Phist
10-14-05, 02:06 AM I believe Cold Iron is a special substance, unusually pure iron. You can't just stick that iron longsword in the icebox for a while and go hunt fey.
Starlight Knight
10-14-05, 02:12 AM I believe Cold Iron is a special substance, unusually pure iron. You can't just stick that iron longsword in the icebox for a while and go hunt fey.

What about rubbing dry ice on it. :) Actually, I knew it had to be something like that. I just wasn't sure if it was a special type of iron, or just specially made. Thanks for the help.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The blasted Kalashtar 10-13-05, 06:16 PM	I`m a bit confused about magic weapon vs DR. It`s not explicitly written but what i understand about DR is that a magical weapon (anything from a simple +1 dagger to a +5 vorpal longsword) CAN`T bypass "ordinary" DR like 10/silver, 5/bludgeonning or 15/good unless there made with the wright metal or are the right type.... I`m i wright or wrong? Last game (a Ravenloft one btw) the players confronted a werewolf with DR 10/silver, the ranger hit with a +1 frost dagger and the rogue with his +2 longbow and i was confused about what to do with that....so i went by the book and denied them some sort of bypass over the werewolf DR, was it ok? I`m mainly confused because i`m a long non-active DM and before, magical weapons used to damage creatures immune to mundane attack.
Salla 10-13-05, 06:22 PM	In 3.5, Damage Reduction is only breached by the specific quality listed after the slash. If a '-' is after the slash, like the Barbarian has, then it applies to all weapon attacks. So, if you're under attack by a werewolf you need an alchemically silvered weapon to deal full damage. If it's a vampire, then you need a weapon that is both alchemically silvered and magicked.
Millennium 10-13-05, 06:33 PM	If the DR only specifies silver, then magic isn't important. You need a silver weapon, magic or otherwise, to break through the DR. Of course, one thing about DR is that you can do combinations. You might have a creature who has DR versus silver OR magic, in which case a magic weapon could break through even if it's not silver. The vampire has silver AND magic, so the weapon needs to be not only silver but magical to break through. If you really wanted to be mean, you could perform interesting feats of Boolean logic (silver XOR bludgeoning, perhaps? Cold-Iron NAND Holy? NOT Adamantine?) but nothing in the core books does that.
Starlight Knight 10-14-05, 02:01 AM	Cold-Iron NAND Holy? NOT Adamantine?) but nothing in the core books does that. OK stupid question here: What is the difference between an iron weapon and a cold iron weapon. I ask because I noticed that some creatures, such as the satyr and the redcap say cold iron. Thanks for any help.
Phist 10-14-05, 02:06 AM	I believe Cold Iron is a special substance, unusually pure iron. You can't just stick that iron longsword in the icebox for a while and go hunt fey.
Starlight Knight 10-14-05, 02:12 AM	I believe Cold Iron is a special substance, unusually pure iron. You can't just stick that iron longsword in the icebox for a while and go hunt fey. What about rubbing dry ice on it. :) Actually, I knew it had to be something like that. I just wasn't sure if it was a special type of iron, or just specially made. Thanks for the help.