Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Granville7482 Sep 27, 2014 20:33:43	Im just getting into my first (Adventure League) game with my Half-Orc Fighter. He has a Battleaxe and 3 Javelins.   I still have 72 Gold left over and I would like to hold onto it to upgrade from Chain mail to Splint ASAP (200 Gold) so every little gold counts.   My axe does Slashing,  Javelin does Piercing but at a lower damage die.   I dont have a Monster Manual, I would prefer to play a few games without seeing it too.   My question is: Does Slashing, Piercing and Bludegeoning damage really matter at lower levels? I dont mind spending the extra 15 Gold on a  Flail and a Warpick, but while I was thinking about what weapons I was picking up, I wondering if the lower level Monsters even have specific resistances towards these three specific types of damage?   Edit: I guess the skeletons really dont like being smacked with a hammer, anything else?
#2 Direach Sep 27, 2014 20:44:39	I wouldn't worry too much about damage types. Most lower level creatures don't have resistance against the physical damage types; swarms and oozes are the main culprits you need to watch out for in that department. You can stick with one preferred type of weapon, or carry an arsenal to be ready for anything, whatever suits you. Supposedly piercing is the weakest damage type, but you still see lots of rogues and dextrous fighters with rapiers!
#3 Danfmac Sep 27, 2014 20:56:25	No, there are almost no creatures that are resistant to any of the physical damage types other than being resistant to nonmagical weapons. Of those that are they are resistant to all three and not one in particular.   Off the top of my head only some of the Oozes are resistant to slashing, cant really think of anything else.
#4 Granville7482 Sep 27, 2014 22:00:26	How about weakness?
#5 Undrhil Sep 27, 2014 23:01:48	Skeletons are vulnerable to bludgeoning damage.  That's about it that I know of.
#6 Jamwes Sep 29, 2014 11:39:28	If you're worried about adding bludgeoning, then pick up a club for 1 sp or light hammer for 2 gp. The first is cheap, the second can be thrown. Or just punch things for 1 + Str damage. True, not the best as damage goes, but they give versitility. Could also go Greatclub for 2 sp for 1d8 damage if you don't mind a two handed 10 lb backup weapon.   But really, the best advice would be to wait for an enemy to use decent bludgeoning weapon and take it when you kill them.
#7 BW0222 Sep 30, 2014 9:37:14	Not really. Few low-level monsters have damage reduction. Even if you encounter something which does... some other party member will likely have spells or weapons which can do that damage. Finally, if you are really worried about it... carry a cheap club or sling. However, d10+3 (axe) halved is still 4.25 points of damage on average. A club is only d6+3 or 6.5 on average which is pretty minor even if you encounter such a creature. It may not even be worth the round to switch weapons. Again, chances are someone else will step in to do damage.   IMO, the ony low-level weapons you need to think about is ranged. It is possible to get into fights are distances much longer than a javelin's range, across pits, in trees shooting down at folks, etc. At which point, a sling might make a cheep ranged weapon. Especially at low levels, it is often smarter to avoid melee if you can get away with it. Even though you might do way more damage in melee, many low-level creatures do not have missile weapons and using a sling or bow from a tree, bridge, cliff, etc. is massively effective vs. most animals, many NPCs, etc. Even if you only weaken them for a round or two before entering melee.