Overcoming DR

[CountMRVHS]

I thought this was simple, but after looking it up in the CRB I made myself more confused.

Say you have a skeleton, which has DR 5/bludgeoning. That means, if I shoot at it with a crossbow (which does piercing damage), I ignore 5 points of damage dealt by the crossbow. If I hit it with a mace (bludgeoning), the mace does full damage.

But what if the crossbow is magical - either a +1 crossbow, or a crossbow that has been affected by the magic weapon spell? Does that crossbow ignore the DR of the skeleton?

The CRB makes it sound like it does... but if that's true, it seems like a lot of the balance of weapon and damage types would just get tossed out the window as soon as PCs get their hands on magical gear.

[Grick]

CountMRVHS wrote:

But what if the crossbow is magical - either a +1 crossbow, or a crossbow that has been affected by the magic weapon spell? Does that crossbow ignore the DR of the skeleton?

No. DR is overcome by the thing after the slash.

DR/bludgeoning means it's overcome by bludgeoning.

DR/magic means it's overcome by magic (+1 enhancement bonus or better, from magic not masterwork).

DR/magic and cold iron means overcome by BOTH magic and cold iron.

DR/cold iron or good means overcome by EITHER cold iron, or good.

-edit-
The section on Overcoming DR lists the usual types of DR: special materials, magic weapons, certain types of weapons (such as slashing or bludgeoning), and weapons imbued with an alignment.

those are, for example, DR/cold iron (special material) or DR/bludgeoning (weapon type) or DR/good (alignment).

This is separate from the Weapon Enhancement Bonus Equivalent table, which means any +3 weapon will automatically bypass DR/cold iron or DR/silver. A +4 weapon also bypasses DR/adamantine, and +5 bypasses DR/alignment.

[Midnight_Angel]

CountMRVHS wrote:

But what if the crossbow is magical - either a +1 crossbow, or a crossbow that has been affected by the magic weapon spell? Does that crossbow ignore the DR of the skeleton?

Short answer: No.

[AvalonXQ]

Please cite the rule that you believe implies that a +1 weapon would bypass DR 5/bludgeoning.

Although there are rules that certain enhancement bonuses overcome material-based and alignment-based DR, I don't see anything that would imply that DR based on weapon damage type or -- DR is bypassed in this way.

[CountMRVHS]

Phew, OK, thanks. That's what I figured at first. The way that section was written - or the way I was interpreting it - had me second-guessing myself.

[zKonz]

So 8 years later, I still have a question on this.

Weapons with an enhancement bonus of +3 or greater can ignore some types of damage reduction, regardless of their actual material or alignment.

DR Type Weapon Enhancement Bonus Equivalent
cold iron/silver +3
adamantine* +4
alignment-based +5

I get this.

Here are my two questions:
1) Does any Weapon Enhancement Bonus Equivalent ever overcome DR/B, DR/P, DR/S, etc? (Ie does my +3 Mace still lose 5 points of dmg vs the zombie I'm fighting)

2) Does any Weapon Enhancement Bonus Equivalent ever overcome DR/-? (Does that enemy in adamantine full plate have DR/3 against the hits from my +4 longsword?)

Thanks everyone! Also, I hope there are some people still playing 1E who can answer this for me.

[Matthew Downie]

Nope, none of those things can be bypassed by enhancement bonuses.

Here are some things that can allow weapons to bypass bludgeoning, piercing and slashing:
weapon versatility
versatile weapon

As far as I know, no weapon damage can bypass DR/- (though energy damage works as normal).

[Diego Rossi]

Matthew Downie wrote:

Nope, none of those things can be bypassed by enhancement bonuses.

Here are some things that can allow weapons to bypass bludgeoning, piercing and slashing:
weapon versatility
versatile weapon

As far as I know, no weapon damage can bypass DR/- (though energy damage works as normal).

If the creature is evil, a Paladin Smite Evil bypass any DR.

Quote:

Regardless of the target, smite evil attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.

[Scott Wilhelm]

The Weapons Against Evil Spell bypasses all types of DR against any Evil creature if that DR is 5 or lower.

[Matthew Downie]

Diego Rossi wrote:

If the creature is evil, a Paladin Smite Evil bypass any DR.

Good point. I don't think I've ever seen that applied, because the majority of creatures with DR/- are neutral; elementals and oozes and things like that. But there are rare exceptions, like "Worm That Walks".

[zKonz]

Does that weapons against evil even overcome DR/- that comes from adamantine armor?

Thanks everyone!

[Scott Wilhelm]

zKonz wrote:

Does that weapons against evil even overcome DR/- that comes from adamantine armor?

Thanks everyone!

Yup. That's what the Spell says it does.

[SheepishEidolon]

Greater Penetrating Strike cuts through 5 points of DR x/-, but it comes really late (level 16) and requires fighter (or something that counts as such for feats). Still a nice and always active boost, especially for two-weapon fighting.