Damage Reduction [Archive] - Wizards Community

Damage Reduction [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
RazielK
08-13-07, 02:28 AM If someone has damage reduction from two different classes which do they use? Do they use the higher or both somehow?

Classes that come to mind: Monk (20th level), Warlock, Barbarian.
zeratulcraft
08-13-07, 02:39 AM All apply, and are overcome seperately.

Say I have DR10/Cold Iron, DR5/Magic, and DR1/-

If they use Cold Iron, my DR is 6
If they use a Magic Cold Iron, my DR is 1
If they use a magic non cold iron, my DR is 11. Far as I remember atleast.
Egres
08-13-07, 06:24 AM All apply, and are overcome seperately.

Say I have DR10/Cold Iron, DR5/Magic, and DR1/-

If they use Cold Iron, my DR is 6
If they use a Magic Cold Iron, my DR is 1
If they use a magic non cold iron, my DR is 11. Far as I remember atleast.

Actusally, only the best DR applies.

So, if they use Cold Iron, your DR is 5, and if they use a magic non cold iron, your DR is 10.
Witch
08-13-07, 06:29 AM All apply, and are overcome seperately.

Say I have DR10/Cold Iron, DR5/Magic, and DR1/-

If they use Cold Iron, my DR is 6
If they use a Magic Cold Iron, my DR is 1
If they use a magic non cold iron, my DR is 11. Far as I remember atleast.

This is completely wrong. Egres on the other hand is quite correct.
Kouk
08-13-07, 06:55 AM If you have the exact same kind of DR, such as DR/magic, only the highest applies. DR does not stack unless for some reason it states otherwise (like the augment crystals in the MIC).

They are all active, if a weapon bypasses one and not the others, use the highest one it didn't bypass.
zeratulcraft
08-13-07, 07:27 AM Ah okay, well, cheers for sorting me out too.
tarkin
08-13-07, 11:35 AM As to the chart, here it is corrected:

Say I have DR10/Cold Iron, DR5/Magic, and DR1/-

Against a natural attack, my DR is 10.
If they use a magic steel weapon my DR is 10.
If they use Cold Iron, my DR is 5
If they use a Magic Cold Iron, my DR is 1
Watchman
08-13-07, 11:49 AM Except, presumably, if whatever source the DR 1/- comes from specifically mentions it stacks with other DRs I assume ?
Lawkeeper
08-13-07, 11:51 AM Except, presumably, if whatever source the DR 1/- comes from specifically mentions it stacks with other DRs I assume ?
If you're referring to the Armor as DR variant, you're correct. But 1°) it's an exception, and 2°) it's a variant.
Watchman
08-13-07, 11:55 AM Huh. I could swear I've seen here and there Feats and such that specifically state their DR x/- is stackable.
tarkin
08-13-07, 12:25 PM That would be the variant rule he discussed.

As per standard core rules, DR is not stackable.
Watchman
08-13-07, 12:41 PM Huh. So how about, say, Endure Blows (Draconomicon p. 70) ? Quoted verbatim: "You gain damage reduction 2/-. This stacks with any damage reduction you have from other sources." And I'm pretty sure that's not the sole Feat using that particular syntactic formulation around them "official" supplement books...
mvincent
08-13-07, 01:30 PM Huh. I could swear I've seen here and there Feats and such that specifically state their DR x/- is stackable.A DR source is only stackable if its description specifically states that it is stackable. Yes, there are a couple feats and such that do this... but again, this is only because it is specifically noted in their descriptions.

Without this specification, the normal rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#damageReduction) apply:
"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."
Lawkeeper
08-13-07, 01:33 PM I never say it was the only exception (it would have been foolish to claim either way : I can't know all the details from several thousand feats...). Endure Blows is another exception. Again, it's specifically stipulated that it stacks.

The general, default, rule is that DR from different sources don't stack. If a specific feat, variant or ability states that it does stack with another one, then it does.

Otherwise, never assume multiple DR stack - although having several of them is most useful, particularly from different materials (cold iron, adamantine, etc) that won't be bypassed by any one weapon.
Watchman
08-13-07, 02:29 PM Yeah, well, and I was quite specifically talking about the cases which specifically spell out they stack.Except, presumably, if whatever source the DR 1/- comes from specifically mentions it stacks with other DRs I assume ?:doh:
Like, thanks for paying attention guys. :P
Kaladon7779
08-13-07, 04:10 PM what your looking for is Greater Resiliency Feat, Complete Warriar Page 99

Your damage reduction absorbs one more damage, if you have more then one type of damage reduction you must chose which one is effected. And I believe this feat can be taken multiple times and they do stack but don't quote me on that, you'll have to look it up, but i'm pretty that's correct.

However with this feat you have to ave damage reduction due to either a racial or class feature. But thats the only way you can increase your damage reduction, and as far as I know it is not a Fighter feat, can only be taken with general feats
catzo
08-13-07, 10:53 PM Does this mean that the barbarians DR/- doesn't stack with the DR/- from an adamantine armour?
Lawkeeper
08-14-07, 02:48 AM Does this mean that the barbarians DR/- doesn't stack with the DR/- from an adamantine armour?
Correct.

Give mithral to your barbarians, they'll get more use of it.
Grimmsfeld
08-14-07, 06:04 AM I never really understood why DR/- never stacked. Apart from balance issues that is...why is it when you break through my inertial barrier, you can ignore my adamantine armor and my extraordinarily thick hide?
Lawkeeper
08-14-07, 07:25 AM Same goes with all types of DR. How come a character with DR10/magic, 10/silver, 5/cold iron, 5/magic & slashing and 3/- only gets DR10 at most, while another character with only DR10/evil is getting the same DR10. Why is the former, who is getting a bunch of protections, not benefitting from having all of them beyond simple security ?

The answer is simple, and you said it yourself : balance.

It's rather easy to get several sources of DR, even of identically typed DR. If allowed to stack, it'd simply be too much cheese, as it'd be easy to have dramatically high DR.
Riplox
09-16-07, 03:14 AM So I would be correct in saying that a maneuver like the Roots of the Mountain or Supreme Blade Parry stance, adamantine armor, and say...the Roll with it feat (Savage Species: General feat, grants a dr 2/-, and can be taken multiple times) all stack.
Watchman
09-16-07, 12:19 PM I never really understood why DR/- never stacked. Apart from balance issues that is...why is it when you break through my inertial barrier, you can ignore my adamantine armor and my extraordinarily thick hide?The same reason why wearing Breastplate over Chainmail nets you El Zippo Nada protection.

*I* tend to term the main reason "The engines cannae take it cap'n", ie. the dumb system is poorly enough designed it can't actually handle that sort of perfectly sensible trick - so the trick is then categorically banned just because.
But then, I'm a cranky bugger. :\
Neutronium_Dragon
09-16-07, 01:28 PM > So I would be correct in saying that a maneuver like the Roots of the
> Mountain or Supreme Blade Parry stance, adamantine armor, and say...the Roll
> with it feat (Savage Species: General feat, grants a dr 2/-, and can be taken
> multiple times) all stack.

They will only stack if they specifically say they stack with other DR. Adamantine armor certainly doesn't. I don't recall the others offhand.
StevenO
09-16-07, 07:11 PM By the RAW DR never stacks unless specifically allowed to. That mean you only get the protection of the largest DR that isn't overcome.

As a houserule I'd allow DR from class and racial sources plus some feats to stack if they are the same type. A dwarf Barbarian turned Dwarven Defender should be allowed to stack the DR/- from each class as both represent physically strengthening against the attacks and learning to avoid the attack to begin with. Although some may allow DR from other sources to stack (like from magic or armor) I disagree; my though it they grant DR by protecting the same areas that a character innate abilities are learning to protect. Basically, I'd consider allowing DR of the same type to stack if the character can benefit from it standing naked in an ant-magic field, ignoring for the moment that some DR is negated in an anti-magic field.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RazielK 08-13-07, 02:28 AM	If someone has damage reduction from two different classes which do they use? Do they use the higher or both somehow? Classes that come to mind: Monk (20th level), Warlock, Barbarian.
zeratulcraft 08-13-07, 02:39 AM	All apply, and are overcome seperately. Say I have DR10/Cold Iron, DR5/Magic, and DR1/- If they use Cold Iron, my DR is 6 If they use a Magic Cold Iron, my DR is 1 If they use a magic non cold iron, my DR is 11. Far as I remember atleast.
Egres 08-13-07, 06:24 AM	All apply, and are overcome seperately. Say I have DR10/Cold Iron, DR5/Magic, and DR1/- If they use Cold Iron, my DR is 6 If they use a Magic Cold Iron, my DR is 1 If they use a magic non cold iron, my DR is 11. Far as I remember atleast. Actusally, only the best DR applies. So, if they use Cold Iron, your DR is 5, and if they use a magic non cold iron, your DR is 10.
Witch 08-13-07, 06:29 AM	All apply, and are overcome seperately. Say I have DR10/Cold Iron, DR5/Magic, and DR1/- If they use Cold Iron, my DR is 6 If they use a Magic Cold Iron, my DR is 1 If they use a magic non cold iron, my DR is 11. Far as I remember atleast. This is completely wrong. Egres on the other hand is quite correct.
Kouk 08-13-07, 06:55 AM	If you have the exact same kind of DR, such as DR/magic, only the highest applies. DR does not stack unless for some reason it states otherwise (like the augment crystals in the MIC). They are all active, if a weapon bypasses one and not the others, use the highest one it didn't bypass.
zeratulcraft 08-13-07, 07:27 AM	Ah okay, well, cheers for sorting me out too.
tarkin 08-13-07, 11:35 AM	As to the chart, here it is corrected: Say I have DR10/Cold Iron, DR5/Magic, and DR1/- Against a natural attack, my DR is 10. If they use a magic steel weapon my DR is 10. If they use Cold Iron, my DR is 5 If they use a Magic Cold Iron, my DR is 1
Watchman 08-13-07, 11:49 AM	Except, presumably, if whatever source the DR 1/- comes from specifically mentions it stacks with other DRs I assume ?
Lawkeeper 08-13-07, 11:51 AM	Except, presumably, if whatever source the DR 1/- comes from specifically mentions it stacks with other DRs I assume ? If you're referring to the Armor as DR variant, you're correct. But 1°) it's an exception, and 2°) it's a variant.
Watchman 08-13-07, 11:55 AM	Huh. I could swear I've seen here and there Feats and such that specifically state their DR x/- is stackable.
tarkin 08-13-07, 12:25 PM	That would be the variant rule he discussed. As per standard core rules, DR is not stackable.
Watchman 08-13-07, 12:41 PM	Huh. So how about, say, Endure Blows (Draconomicon p. 70) ? Quoted verbatim: "You gain damage reduction 2/-. This stacks with any damage reduction you have from other sources." And I'm pretty sure that's not the sole Feat using that particular syntactic formulation around them "official" supplement books...
mvincent 08-13-07, 01:30 PM	Huh. I could swear I've seen here and there Feats and such that specifically state their DR x/- is stackable.A DR source is only stackable if its description specifically states that it is stackable. Yes, there are a couple feats and such that do this... but again, this is only because it is specifically noted in their descriptions. Without this specification, the normal rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#damageReduction) apply: "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."
Lawkeeper 08-13-07, 01:33 PM	I never say it was the only exception (it would have been foolish to claim either way : I can't know all the details from several thousand feats...). Endure Blows is another exception. Again, it's specifically stipulated that it stacks. The general, default, rule is that DR from different sources don't stack. If a specific feat, variant or ability states that it does stack with another one, then it does. Otherwise, never assume multiple DR stack - although having several of them is most useful, particularly from different materials (cold iron, adamantine, etc) that won't be bypassed by any one weapon.
Watchman 08-13-07, 02:29 PM	Yeah, well, and I was quite specifically talking about the cases which specifically spell out they stack.Except, presumably, if whatever source the DR 1/- comes from specifically mentions it stacks with other DRs I assume ?:doh: Like, thanks for paying attention guys. :P
Kaladon7779 08-13-07, 04:10 PM	what your looking for is Greater Resiliency Feat, Complete Warriar Page 99 Your damage reduction absorbs one more damage, if you have more then one type of damage reduction you must chose which one is effected. And I believe this feat can be taken multiple times and they do stack but don't quote me on that, you'll have to look it up, but i'm pretty that's correct. However with this feat you have to ave damage reduction due to either a racial or class feature. But thats the only way you can increase your damage reduction, and as far as I know it is not a Fighter feat, can only be taken with general feats
catzo 08-13-07, 10:53 PM	Does this mean that the barbarians DR/- doesn't stack with the DR/- from an adamantine armour?
Lawkeeper 08-14-07, 02:48 AM	Does this mean that the barbarians DR/- doesn't stack with the DR/- from an adamantine armour? Correct. Give mithral to your barbarians, they'll get more use of it.
Grimmsfeld 08-14-07, 06:04 AM	I never really understood why DR/- never stacked. Apart from balance issues that is...why is it when you break through my inertial barrier, you can ignore my adamantine armor and my extraordinarily thick hide?
Lawkeeper 08-14-07, 07:25 AM	Same goes with all types of DR. How come a character with DR10/magic, 10/silver, 5/cold iron, 5/magic & slashing and 3/- only gets DR10 at most, while another character with only DR10/evil is getting the same DR10. Why is the former, who is getting a bunch of protections, not benefitting from having all of them beyond simple security ? The answer is simple, and you said it yourself : balance. It's rather easy to get several sources of DR, even of identically typed DR. If allowed to stack, it'd simply be too much cheese, as it'd be easy to have dramatically high DR.
Riplox 09-16-07, 03:14 AM	So I would be correct in saying that a maneuver like the Roots of the Mountain or Supreme Blade Parry stance, adamantine armor, and say...the Roll with it feat (Savage Species: General feat, grants a dr 2/-, and can be taken multiple times) all stack.
Watchman 09-16-07, 12:19 PM	I never really understood why DR/- never stacked. Apart from balance issues that is...why is it when you break through my inertial barrier, you can ignore my adamantine armor and my extraordinarily thick hide?The same reason why wearing Breastplate over Chainmail nets you El Zippo Nada protection. I tend to term the main reason "The engines cannae take it cap'n", ie. the dumb system is poorly enough designed it can't actually handle that sort of perfectly sensible trick - so the trick is then categorically banned just because. But then, I'm a cranky bugger. :\
Neutronium_Dragon 09-16-07, 01:28 PM	> So I would be correct in saying that a maneuver like the Roots of the > Mountain or Supreme Blade Parry stance, adamantine armor, and say...the Roll > with it feat (Savage Species: General feat, grants a dr 2/-, and can be taken > multiple times) all stack. They will only stack if they specifically say they stack with other DR. Adamantine armor certainly doesn't. I don't recall the others offhand.
StevenO 09-16-07, 07:11 PM	By the RAW DR never stacks unless specifically allowed to. That mean you only get the protection of the largest DR that isn't overcome. As a houserule I'd allow DR from class and racial sources plus some feats to stack if they are the same type. A dwarf Barbarian turned Dwarven Defender should be allowed to stack the DR/- from each class as both represent physically strengthening against the attacks and learning to avoid the attack to begin with. Although some may allow DR from other sources to stack (like from magic or armor) I disagree; my though it they grant DR by protecting the same areas that a character innate abilities are learning to protect. Basically, I'd consider allowing DR of the same type to stack if the character can benefit from it standing naked in an ant-magic field, ignoring for the moment that some DR is negated in an anti-magic field.