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

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

Post/Author/DateTime Post
vegeta7835
06-13-05, 10:31 PM Ok, I have a few questions about damage reduction for you experts ;)

1) Adamantine weapons. When damage reductions looks like "3/-", adamantine weapons go through it, right? If so, is that the only kind of damage reduction adamantine weapons bypass, or does it go through all kinds like "10/silver"?

2) I noticed a spell for a Paladin that gives him damage reduction/evil. When it refers to "evil", does it mean evil alignment, or does it refer to creatures of the evil descriptor (such as demons/devils/etc.)? Also, does that count only their natural weapons or does any attack the evil creatures make bypass the DR of that said Paladin?

3) The spell "Bless Weapon" gives a weapon the ability to bypass DR/Good as if the weapon had said alignment. Does this go through the damage reduction of ANY enemy that has damage reduction, so long as it is evil? Or are there a few monsters out there that actually can only be hurt by good aligned weapons?

4) Similar question as question '3', but a different aspect of the "Bless Weapon" spell. The spell allows critical threats to be automatic critical hits against evil because it strikes true against them. Is this ability used against any one of evil alignment, or only creatures of the evil subtype (demons/devils/etc)?

Thanks so much for all of the help everyone! I really appreciate it. :D
Zherog
06-13-05, 11:13 PM Ok, I have a few questions about damage reduction for you experts ;)

1) Adamantine weapons. When damage reductions looks like "3/-", adamantine weapons go through it, right? If so, is that the only kind of damage reduction adamantine weapons bypass, or does it go through all kinds like "10/silver"?

Adamantine does not bypass any DR except X/Adamantine. Nothing bypasses DR X/-, which is why it's the best DR.

2) I noticed a spell for a Paladin that gives him damage reduction/evil. When it refers to "evil", does it mean evil alignment, or does it refer to creatures of the evil descriptor (such as demons/devils/etc.)? Also, does that count only their natural weapons or does any attack the evil creatures make bypass the DR of that said Paladin?

The weapon would need to be aligned - such as with the Unholy enhancement - to bypass that DR.

3) The spell "Bless Weapon" gives a weapon the ability to bypass DR/Good as if the weapon had said alignment. Does this go through the damage reduction of ANY enemy that has damage reduction, so long as it is evil? Or are there a few monsters out there that actually can only be hurt by good aligned weapons?

Same as number 2, except it would be the Holy enhancement (and a few other ways).

4) Similar question as question '3', but a different aspect of the "Bless Weapon" spell. The spell allows critical threats to be automatic critical hits against evil because it strikes true against them. Is this ability used against any one of evil alignment, or only creatures of the evil subtype (demons/devils/etc)?

Evil alignment - though it's really rare for something to have an [Evil] subtype and not be of evil alignment.

Thanks so much for all of the help everyone! I really appreciate it. :D

You're welcome. :)
Colmarr
06-13-05, 11:17 PM 1. The only DR adamantine weapons bypass is DR X/adamantine. Adamantine weapons also bypass the hardness of objects if the hardness is less than 20. Hardness is different to DR.

2. "Evil" refers to any weapon ability that makes a weapon evil, such as the Unholy special ability. Natural weapons belonging to creatures with the [evil] subtype count as evil-aligned for the purposes of bypassing DR X/evil, as do manufactured weapons wielded by evil outsiders (eg. devils and demons).

Evil Subtype: A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to the evil-aligned Outer Planes. Evil outsiders are also called fiends. Most creatures that have this subtype also have evil alignments; however, if their alignments change, they still retain the subtype. Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has an evil alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment. A creature with the evil subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons and any weapons it wields were evil-aligned (see Damage Reduction, above).

3. The spell does exactly what it says; makes the weapon "good, which means it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures". If you then check the Monster Manual, you will see this under Damage Reduction:

Some monsters are vulnerable to chaotic-, evil-, good-, or lawful-aligned weapons. When a cleric casts align weapon, affected weapons might gain one or more of these properties, and certain magic weapons have these properties as well. A creature with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment (or alignments) that match the subtype(s) of the creature.

Although it's not explicitly stated, monsters that are "vulnerable to good-aligned weapons" are the ones with DR X/good. It does not help with any other type of DR. The spell is usually used against demons and devils, many of whom have DR X/good.

4. Judging from the wording in the SRD, this effect works against all evil foes, ie. any creature with the word evil in its alignment text, or with the [evil] subtype.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
vegeta7835 06-13-05, 10:31 PM	Ok, I have a few questions about damage reduction for you experts ;) 1) Adamantine weapons. When damage reductions looks like "3/-", adamantine weapons go through it, right? If so, is that the only kind of damage reduction adamantine weapons bypass, or does it go through all kinds like "10/silver"? 2) I noticed a spell for a Paladin that gives him damage reduction/evil. When it refers to "evil", does it mean evil alignment, or does it refer to creatures of the evil descriptor (such as demons/devils/etc.)? Also, does that count only their natural weapons or does any attack the evil creatures make bypass the DR of that said Paladin? 3) The spell "Bless Weapon" gives a weapon the ability to bypass DR/Good as if the weapon had said alignment. Does this go through the damage reduction of ANY enemy that has damage reduction, so long as it is evil? Or are there a few monsters out there that actually can only be hurt by good aligned weapons? 4) Similar question as question '3', but a different aspect of the "Bless Weapon" spell. The spell allows critical threats to be automatic critical hits against evil because it strikes true against them. Is this ability used against any one of evil alignment, or only creatures of the evil subtype (demons/devils/etc)? Thanks so much for all of the help everyone! I really appreciate it. :D
Zherog 06-13-05, 11:13 PM	Ok, I have a few questions about damage reduction for you experts ;) 1) Adamantine weapons. When damage reductions looks like "3/-", adamantine weapons go through it, right? If so, is that the only kind of damage reduction adamantine weapons bypass, or does it go through all kinds like "10/silver"? Adamantine does not bypass any DR except X/Adamantine. Nothing bypasses DR X/-, which is why it's the best DR. 2) I noticed a spell for a Paladin that gives him damage reduction/evil. When it refers to "evil", does it mean evil alignment, or does it refer to creatures of the evil descriptor (such as demons/devils/etc.)? Also, does that count only their natural weapons or does any attack the evil creatures make bypass the DR of that said Paladin? The weapon would need to be aligned - such as with the Unholy enhancement - to bypass that DR. 3) The spell "Bless Weapon" gives a weapon the ability to bypass DR/Good as if the weapon had said alignment. Does this go through the damage reduction of ANY enemy that has damage reduction, so long as it is evil? Or are there a few monsters out there that actually can only be hurt by good aligned weapons? Same as number 2, except it would be the Holy enhancement (and a few other ways). 4) Similar question as question '3', but a different aspect of the "Bless Weapon" spell. The spell allows critical threats to be automatic critical hits against evil because it strikes true against them. Is this ability used against any one of evil alignment, or only creatures of the evil subtype (demons/devils/etc)? Evil alignment - though it's really rare for something to have an [Evil] subtype and not be of evil alignment. Thanks so much for all of the help everyone! I really appreciate it. :D You're welcome. :)
Colmarr 06-13-05, 11:17 PM	1. The only DR adamantine weapons bypass is DR X/adamantine. Adamantine weapons also bypass the hardness of objects if the hardness is less than 20. Hardness is different to DR. 2. "Evil" refers to any weapon ability that makes a weapon evil, such as the Unholy special ability. Natural weapons belonging to creatures with the [evil] subtype count as evil-aligned for the purposes of bypassing DR X/evil, as do manufactured weapons wielded by evil outsiders (eg. devils and demons). Evil Subtype: A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to the evil-aligned Outer Planes. Evil outsiders are also called fiends. Most creatures that have this subtype also have evil alignments; however, if their alignments change, they still retain the subtype. Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has an evil alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment. A creature with the evil subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons and any weapons it wields were evil-aligned (see Damage Reduction, above). 3. The spell does exactly what it says; makes the weapon "good, which means it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures". If you then check the Monster Manual, you will see this under Damage Reduction: Some monsters are vulnerable to chaotic-, evil-, good-, or lawful-aligned weapons. When a cleric casts align weapon, affected weapons might gain one or more of these properties, and certain magic weapons have these properties as well. A creature with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment (or alignments) that match the subtype(s) of the creature. Although it's not explicitly stated, monsters that are "vulnerable to good-aligned weapons" are the ones with DR X/good. It does not help with any other type of DR. The spell is usually used against demons and devils, many of whom have DR X/good. 4. Judging from the wording in the SRD, this effect works against all evil foes, ie. any creature with the word evil in its alignment text, or with the [evil] subtype.