Damage Reduction Question

[The_Hanged_Man]

Do special abilities of a magic weapon (keen, flaming, etc.) count towards the total modifier for purposes of overcoming DR? For example, would a +2 Keen Scimitar bypass cold iron/silver DR or would you need the straight +3 enhancement bonus?

Thanks.

[Are]

Only the straight enhancement bonus counts.

[Bascaria]

The_Hanged_Man wrote:

Do special abilities of a magic weapon (keen, flaming, etc.) count towards the total modifier for purposes of overcoming DR? For example, would a +2 Keen Scimitar bypass cold iron/silver DR or would you need the straight +3 enhancement bonus?

Thanks.

You need a straight +3 weapon. The rules are:

PRD wrote:

Weapons with an enhancement bonus of +3 or greater can ignore some types of damage reduction, regardless of their actual material or alignment. The following table shows what type of enhancement bonus is needed to overcome some common types of damage reduction.

That is enhancement bonus of +3 or greater, not effective enhancement bonus. The table below muddies the water by heading the column "Enhancement bonus equivalent," but I think that means the weapon enhancement bonus IS EQUIVALENT to this type of DR. Even if I'm wrong in that, text>table, so unless someone has rules otherwise, you need a straight +3/4/5 to overcome cold iron, silver/adamantine/alignment respectively.