Post/Author/DateTime	Post
WayneTheGame 07-16-06, 10:02 AM	Hey all, got a few questions that came up last night in my weekly game. I said I would ask on the boards for answers since all of us were rather confused with it... 1) Does a monster's DR apply against magical damage? We fought a Troll last night, and our party cleric had a wand of Lightning Strike (as Flame Strike, but lightning damage). Does the troll get its DR against this? Also one player has a skeleton familiar who was getting hit with Call Lightning; since skeletons are DR/bludgeon does he get the DR against the lightning? I believe they do because that's why there is DR/magic, but one player said that he recalled reading somewhere that magical attacks bypassed DR. 2) When a character fails the save for the Web spell, they are trapped in it until they save and escape: If the save fails, the creature is entangled and can’t move from its space, but can break loose by spending 1 round and making a DC 20 Strength check or a DC 25 Escape Artist check. The DM said that this means that they automatically fail any Reflex save as they can't move at all to get out of the way. Barring "DM's ruling is always right", is this correct? He already things Web is way overpowered ("A 5th level spell disguised as a 2nd level one" is how he puts it) for this and the reason below... Also on Web, is an entangled creature that fails its save unable to perform any actions, or just unable to move? In other words, can they cast a spell/use a bow/drink a potion etc? The DM ruled that the only thing they can do is try to escape from the web. Thanks for the help on solving these questions!
CantripN 07-16-06, 10:08 AM	Hey all, got a few questions that came up last night in my weekly game. I said I would ask on the boards for answers since all of us were rather confused with it... 1) Does a monster's DR apply against magical damage? We fought a Troll last night, and our party cleric had a wand of Lightning Strike (as Flame Strike, but lightning damage). Does the troll get its DR against this? Also one player has a skeleton familiar who was getting hit with Call Lightning; since skeletons are DR/bludgeon does he get the DR against the lightning? I believe they do because that's why there is DR/magic, but one player said that he recalled reading somewhere that magical attacks bypassed DR. 2) When a character fails the save for the Web spell, they are trapped in it until they save and escape: The DM said that this means that they automatically fail any Reflex save as they can't move at all to get out of the way. Barring "DM's ruling is always right", is this correct? He already things Web is way overpowered ("A 5th level spell disguised as a 2nd level one" is how he puts it) for this and the reason below... Also on Web, is an entangled creature that fails its save unable to perform any actions, or just unable to move? In other words, can they cast a spell/use a bow/drink a potion etc? The DM ruled that the only thing they can do is try to escape from the web. Thanks for the help on solving these questions! Bah! DR is against physical damage only! Spell (unless otherwise noted) dbypass it. DR/Magic means any magic weapon bypasses it. DR/Bludgeoning means only Bludgeoning damage bypasses it. Oh, and you can do whatever you want in a web. You just can't move from your space. You can still drink potions, cast spells, etc...
Witch 07-16-06, 10:21 AM	DR is indeed only against weapon damage. Not against spells. Nowhere is it said that you can't make reflex saves if you're webbed. What your DM is doing: "That spell that does X, now also does Y, because I say it does. Also, that spell is now overpowered, I'm banning it."
WayneTheGame 07-16-06, 10:23 AM	Thanks for the replies. So you still get a Reflex save in Web then, correct? I thought that was the case, but the DM said that realistically you are held fast and can't move at all.
CantripN 07-16-06, 10:24 AM	Realism has little to do with D&D.
TB 07-16-06, 10:33 AM	My understanding is that with Web - they ar not able to anything other than speak. A DC of 20 for strength isn't really all that bad either. If you consider than you have to be something like 4th or 5th level to even cast the web spell. If you are going up against creatures that are your own CR rating (assuming they are a fighter type) should be able to get out of it within a couple of rounds. For example a Minotaur has a Str of around 19 or 20. That is +4 or +5. Those numbers don't include if he is wearing any magical items, such as Gauntlets of Ogre Power which is an additional +2. And I assume that one of their party who succeded on his/her/its saving throw would be able to Aid the other that did not. That should grant some sort of bonus. I do not know the rules to it, and maybe there are not any. If there is not let your DM decide that bonus if any should apply. It is a strong spell, but it can't be used everywhere either. "These masses must be anchored to two or more solid and diametrically opposed points or else the web collapses upon itself and disappears." If that opponent has a flame of some sort they can get out as well. Fire burns the webs away. "The strands of a web spell are flammable. A magic flaming sword can slash them away as easily as a hand brushes away cobwebs. Any fire can set the webs alight and burn away 5 square feet in 1 round. All creatures within flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire damage from the flames." If they have a spellcaster they may be able to aid them with a well placed spell of fire something. An orb of fire or even a lesser orb of fire could be used. Burn down one side of the web and the entire thing falls apart, releasing everyone it it.
TB 07-16-06, 10:37 AM	even if they get the reflex save they are still entagled. The character is ensnared. Being entangled impedes movement, but does not entirely prevent it unless the bonds are anchored to an immobile object or tethered by an opposing force. An entangled creature moves at half speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls and a -4 penalty to Dexterity.
cwslyclgh 07-16-06, 02:45 PM	1) Does a monster's DR apply against magical damage? We fought a Troll last night, and our party cleric had a wand of Lightning Strike (as Flame Strike, but lightning damage). Does the troll get its DR against this? Also one player has a skeleton familiar who was getting hit with Call Lightning; since skeletons are DR/bludgeon does he get the DR against the lightning? I believe they do because that's why there is DR/magic, but one player said that he recalled reading somewhere that magical attacks bypassed DR. note that trolls normaly don;t have DR, and magical damage only by passes regeneration if it is of the correct damage type. but since you asked specifically about DR... here is a quote from the SRD (Can also be found in the MM and in the DMG) Damage Reduction (Ex or Su): A creature with this special quality ignores damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack was ineffective). The creature takes normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. The DM said that this means that they automatically fail any Reflex save as they can't move at all to get out of the way. Barring "DM's ruling is always right", is this correct? He already things Web is way overpowered ("A 5th level spell disguised as a 2nd level one" is how he puts it) for this and the reason below...inability to move does not automatically prevent reflexe saves under the rules as written. Also on Web, is an entangled creature that fails its save unable to perform any actions, or just unable to move? In other words, can they cast a spell/use a bow/drink a potion etc? The DM ruled that the only thing they can do is try to escape from the web.Your DM is wrong as far as the rules as written go with this ruling... a character trapped in the webs can't move from his sqaure, and is entangled... entangled is is a condition described under the rules... here is a quote from the SRD (can also be found in the DMG, and the PHB)Entangled: The character is ensnared. Being entangled impedes movement, but does not entirely prevent it unless the bonds are anchored to an immobile object or tethered by an opposing force. An entangled creature moves at half speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity. An entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the spell’s level) or lose the spell. basically failing a save against a web spell makes the character immobile, gives him a -2 penalty on attack rolls, a -4 penalty on dexterity, and forces him to make a concentration check if he wants to cast a spell.
azmodael 07-17-06, 06:57 AM	The DR question is answered. And about the web i DO think that you shouldn't be allowed a reflex save if you are ensnared, not merely entangled. But as people already said there is little realizm in D&D. THe spell itself is not overpowered tho, notice, that there is a condition of two opposite walls or sth to cast it, you can't do it in the open. And it is a 1st level spell DC after all... something like 15 max.
CantripN 07-17-06, 07:01 AM	...SNIP... And it is a 1st level spell DC after all... something like 15 max. Ahem. 2nd level.