Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Schtief 10-02-04, 09:19 AM	Hi, I know that same bonuses usually dont stack with eacht other. But concerning the barbs DR I think its unfair, that a fighter can get almost the same DR by buying an adamatium armor (Full plate DR 3/-), while a barb has to spend many levels on it. Are there any official exceptions to this rule, or sage rulings on this issue? Tx! :) Steve
Beamup 10-02-04, 09:28 AM	Officially, they do not stack. Also, consider the fighter vs. barbarian a bit more. The fighter has managed to partially duplicate one of the barbarian's minor class features by spending 15,000 gold. That's 15,000 gold the barbarian can spend on doing something else. Also, the fighter's armor cannot be Mithral now, which is substantially superior in general.
Sae Cael Oanar 10-02-04, 12:52 PM	i think they should absolutely stack. they should make different kinds of dr to help this out. i mean its like resistance to damage cuz your so goddam used to taking it, and resistance to damage because your armor is megabeef.
Welt 10-02-04, 01:49 PM	By the RAW, no, they do not stack. However, there is now precedent for one DR x/- source stacking with other sources of DR x/-. The Iron Mind prestige class in Races of Stone gains up to DR 3/-, and in the ability description it specifically mentions that the Iron Mind's DR stacks with all other DR of the same type (in other words, its DR 3/- stacks with any other DR x/-). Whether this is a change in thought on how all DR x/- works or if this is just a specific advantage of the Iron Mind's DR remains to be seen. In any case, now that a precedent has been set, i personally don't have much of a problem with allowing all DR x/- to work this way.
wolfhawk 10-02-04, 02:48 PM	Where does it say that adamantium and barbarian DR don't stack? There is at least an implication in the Greater Resiliency feat that DR can stack.
DarthRandal 10-02-04, 09:02 PM	It was always my impression that multiple instances of DR X/- do stack. Barbarian DR represents (I think) a toughening of the character's skin (from constant exposure to the wilds, etc.), whilst adamantine DR represents the extraordinary hardness/density of the armor. Thus, the DR should stack, similar to the line about circumstance bonuses from different circumstances stacking. However, as I'm away from my books at the moment, all of the above must be prefaced by a big, hearty IMHO. :D
Welt 10-02-04, 09:37 PM	Where does it say that adamantium and barbarian DR don't stack? There is at least an implication in the Greater Resiliency feat that DR can stack. From the SRD/DMG, in the Special Abilities file/header (emphasis mine; the relevant section is at the very end): DAMAGE REDUCTION Some magic creatures have the supernatural ability to instantly heal damage from weapons or to ignore blows altogether as though they were invulnerable. The numerical part of a creature’s damage reduction is the amount of hit points the creature ignores from normal attacks. Usually, a certain type of weapon can overcome this reduction. This information is separated from the damage reduction number by a slash. Damage reduction may be overcome by special materials, by magic weapons (any weapon with a +1 or higher enhancement bonus, not counting the enhancement from masterwork quality), certain types of weapons (such as slashing or bludgeoning), and weapons imbued with an alignment. If a dash follows the slash then the damage reduction is effective against any attack that does not ignore damage reduction. Ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an enhancement bonus of +1 or higher is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Similarly, ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an alignment gains the alignment of that projectile weapon (in addition to any alignment it may already have). Whenever damage reduction completely negates the damage from an attack, it also negates most special effects that accompany the attack, such as injury type poison, a monk’s stunning, and injury type disease. Damage reduction does not negate touch attacks, energy damage dealt along with an attack, or energy drains. Nor does it affect poisons or diseases delivered by inhalation, ingestion, or contact. Attacks that deal no damage because of the target’s damage reduction do not disrupt spells. Spells, spell-like abilities, and energy attacks (even nonmagical fire) ignore damage reduction. Sometimes damage reduction is instant healing. Sometimes damage reduction represents the creature’s tough hide or body. In either case, characters can see that conventional attacks don’t work. If a creature has damage reduction from more than one source, the two forms of damage reduction do not stack. Instead, the creature gets the benefit of the best damage reduction in a given situation.
Nazzareth 10-03-04, 01:53 AM	Savage Species also states that DRx/- Stacks with other DRx/- in the survivor class
Methos of Aundair 10-03-04, 02:35 AM	You will probably find multiple non-core books stating items that let the same-type DR stack with each other, but they are non-core. Core rules override if you are talking an actual rules debate. I do not consider non-core books (even those published by WizCo) as overriding the core rules unless WizCo specifically states they do. Therefore in your original question the two DR x/- would not stack. Now if you’re talking non-rules debate and your own opinion or interpretation, do what ever you want. It’s a game so have fun with it. I (without thinking on it too hard) would probably allow them to stack. :)
Beamup 10-03-04, 10:33 AM	All examples of DR x/- that states it stacks with other DR x/- are either meaningless or actually demonstrate that barbarian and adamantite DR don't stack (depending on one's interpretation). Specific cases that explicitly state a special rule for that case cannot be generalized. The exact same logic leads to the conclusion that all bonuses stack with each other, because Dodge bonuses stack with other Dodge bonuses and so in general bonuses stack with like bonuses.
Scion of Coldshard 10-03-04, 12:26 PM	imo they should stack for the same reason that shields and armor stack really. I let them stack in my games, but by the raw they do not. That should be fixed at some point ;) My guess is that the people who made 3.5 just didnt worry about such interactions, although who knows why. Paying 15k for a high level class feature seems like chump change. I'd gladly pay 15k for several different high level abilities (improved evasion? lets go! hide in plain sight? woo!)
Aricandor 10-03-04, 01:17 PM	Indeed, by the RAW they do not stack, though I think they should (after all, there are two layers of DR to strike through with a single blow).
Tony Vargas 10-04-04, 05:09 PM	I'd have to agree that the rules seem to support DR not stacking - even if there are specific (and non-core) exceptions. Barbarian DR isn't such an explicit exception, and neither is adamantine. As someone mentioned, all that means is that barbs should get Mithral - which is pretty darn good in it's own right, anyway. Personally, I find DR/- to be counterintuitive. If a creature is just plain harder to hurt with /all/ attacks it should simply have more hps or some Natural Armor. DR should be reserved for creatures that have specific and dramatic vulnerability or resistance to a specific attacks. DR/silver = vulnerable to silver; DR/bludgeoning-or-slashing = resistant to piercing. That sort of thing.