
Hyperfist |
Hello,
I know that this has probably been beaten to the ground before. But I am wondering how Dam Red is applied. Recently my DM has decided that Dam Red is applied at the weapon damage stage, meaning that if the weapon + str bonus does not exceed dam red, then sneak attack and criticals will not occur. This is of course, assuming that the weapon in question didn't meet the criteria for bypassing dam red.
I have looked through all the books for a clearer example of how this should be done. They all give the same thing...but really explaining of when it is applied.
Also is there a rational for it being used in this fashion...like a chink in the armor, weak points in the skin, sensitive genitalia, what?
Thank you in advance for your help.

Mauril |
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There was a rule in 3.5, if I am remembering correctly, that stated exactly what you GM is ruling. If your normal attack did not penetrate the DR and deal at least one point of damage, precision damage was not applied. This rule was removed in the conversion to Pathfinder and thus, by RAW, no longer applicable.

Are |

There was a rule in 3.5, if I am remembering correctly, that stated exactly what you GM is ruling.
This is not the case. The 3.5 rules are the same as the Pathfinder rules in this aspect.
These two examples from the 3.5 FAQ illustrate this, despite not addressing that particular question directly:
For example, if you have a Strength score of 16 and you hit an iron golem with a +1 construct bane longsword, you’ll deal 1d8 +1 (base damage from the +1 sword) +2 (extra enhancement bonus against your designated foe from the bane property) + 3 (Strength bonus) + 2d6 (bonus damage against your designated foe). On average you’ll deal 17 or 18 points of damage to the golem, which is enough to get a few points of damage past the golem’s damage reduction of 15/adamantine.
If the maneuver or stance simply adds to the damage dealt by the attack, add that damage before applying damage reduction (which might in turn reduce or even negate that extra damage). For example, a character in the Punishing Stance adds +1d6 to damage rolls with melee attacks. If you hit a creature with DR 10/— with attack that deals 8 points of damage and an extra 3 points from Punishing Stance, that creature would take 1 point of damage.

Jeraa |

There was a rule in 3.5, if I am remembering correctly, that stated exactly what you GM is ruling. If your normal attack did not penetrate the DR and deal at least one point of damage, precision damage was not applied. This rule was removed in the conversion to Pathfinder and thus, by RAW, no longer applicable.
The rule you were thinking of was for things like poison.
Whenever damage reduction completely negates the damage from an attack, it also negates most special effects that accompany the attack, such as injury type poison, a monk’s stunning, and injury type disease. Damage reduction does not negate touch attacks, energy damage dealt along with an attack, or energy drains. Nor does it affect poisons or diseases delivered by inhalation, ingestion, or contact.