Can a rapier +1 bypass DR/slashing?
I perfectly understand that a magic weapon can bypass DR/magic. I understand they can bypass DR/cold iron, silver, adamantine, and alignment depending on the enhancement bonus. But I'm not sure how it works with other DR.
Only if it is dealing slashing damage somehow. Having a magical weapon doesn't mean you can bypass all DR, so you'll still be hindered by DR you can't overcome.
One of my GMs had the same thought awhile ago, so I'm pretty curious where the idea originated.
It doesn't work with other DR.
One of my GMs had the same thought awhile ago, so I'm pretty curious where the idea originated.
The thought comes from spells bypassing DR and from this paragraph here.
Damage Reduction may be overcome by special materials, magic weapons (any weapon with a +1 or higher enhancement bonus, not counting the enhancement from masterwork quality), certain types of weapons (such as slashing or bludgeoning), and weapons imbued with an alignment.
The "Overcoming Damage Reduction" section does not actually explain how you overcome damage reduction. It only lists things that might overcome it. Since magic ("spells, spell-like abilities, and energy attacks") can ignore DR completely, it leaves the impression that magic weapons can bypass most types of DR, especially mundane DR like DR/slashing.
The "Overcoming Damage Reduction" section does not actually explain how you overcome damage reduction.
Damage Reduction: "The numerical part of a creature's damage reduction (or DR) is the amount of damage the creature ignores from normal attacks. Usually, a certain type of weapon can overcome this reduction (see Overcoming DR). This information is separated from the damage reduction number by a slash. For example, DR 5/magic means that a creature takes 5 less points of damage from all weapons that are not magic. If a dash follows the slash, then the damage reduction is effective against any attack that does not ignore damage reduction."
You're looking for sentences 2 and 3.
"Usually, a certain type of weapon can overcome this reduction (see Overcoming DR). This information is separated from the damage reduction number by a slash."
So a magic weapon overcomes DR #/magic.
And a slashing weapon overcomes DR #/slashing.
Also, from the bestiary: Damage Reduction (Ex or Su): "The entry indicates the amount of damage ignored (usually 5 to 15 points) and the type of weapon that negates the ability. Some monsters are vulnerable to piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing damage. Others are vulnerable to certain materials, such as adamantine, alchemical silver, or cold-forged iron. Attacks from weapons that are not of the correct type or made of the correct material have their damage reduced, although a high enhancement bonus can overcome some forms of damage reduction."
and
"Some monsters are vulnerable to magic weapons. Any weapon with at least a +1 magical enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls overcomes the damage reduction of these monsters."
A monster that is not vulnerable to magic, but is vulnerable to bludgeoning, would not have that DR overcome by a magic non-bludgeoning weapon.
(Which is a poor choice of words, since 'vulnerability' is a game defined term itself)
Only if it is dealing slashing damage somehow. Having a magical weapon doesn't mean you can bypass all DR, so you'll still be hindered by DR you can't overcome.
One of my GMs had the same thought awhile ago, so I'm pretty curious where the idea originated.
The idea likely originates from D&D 3.0 rules. In 3.0 magic weapons overcame damage reduction.
The idea likely originates from D&D 3.0 rules. In 3.0 magic weapons overcame damage reduction.
That's right : in 3.0, damage reductions was not cancelled by weapon types, but by enhancement bonuses on your weapon.
For example, there was a 30/+3. If you got a +3 weapon or better, you ignored it. Otherwise, you had -30 damage to every single blow you did to that creature. There was no strict limit to the enhancement bonus you could give for DR (assuming Epic rules).
And the DR was much higher too (DR 20, 30 or even 40 was not uncommon, unlike 3.5 and pathfinder).
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Well something came up in my research. The Thaumaturge class out of Thunderscape has some Aspects that create spirit weapons that do purely force damage when they hit things. The weapon counts as Masterwork and every 3 levels it has a +1 enhancement bonus. Now the question is would this force damage ignore DR or would DR apply normally against it. Of course its already stated in the description that it overcomes incorporeal (As force damage ignores incorporeal)
Well something came up in my research. The Thaumaturge class out of Thunderscape has some Aspects that create spirit weapons that do purely force damage when they hit things. The weapon counts as Masterwork and every 3 levels it has a +1 enhancement bonus. Now the question is would this force damage ignore DR or would DR apply normally against it. Of course its already stated in the description that it overcomes incorporeal (As force damage ignores incorporeal)
Force damage bypasses DR the same way a magic missile would.
Note, it still has to overcome any hardness factor the target may have (objects and such).
Well something came up in my research. The Thaumaturge class out of Thunderscape has some Aspects that create spirit weapons that do purely force damage when they hit things. The weapon counts as Masterwork and every 3 levels it has a +1 enhancement bonus. Now the question is would this force damage ignore DR or would DR apply normally against it. Of course its already stated in the description that it overcomes incorporeal (As force damage ignores incorporeal)
From the CRB: "Spells with the force descriptor create or manipulate magical force. Force spells affect incorporeal creatures normally (as if they were corporeal creatures)."
That's it. You get no special ability to ignore DR with this spirit weapon, but the fact that it is enhanced with a +x bonus (based on level) means it can overcome some DR as explained in the CRB and discussed upthread.
Force damage bypasses DR the same way a magic missile would.
I assume that this means "not at all" because magic missiles don't bypass DR.
That's what you meant, right?
Well something came up in my research. The Thaumaturge class out of Thunderscape has some Aspects that create spirit weapons that do purely force damage when they hit things. The weapon counts as Masterwork and every 3 levels it has a +1 enhancement bonus. Now the question is would this force damage ignore DR or would DR apply normally against it. Of course its already stated in the description that it overcomes incorporeal (As force damage ignores incorporeal)From the CRB: "Spells with the force descriptor create or manipulate magical force. Force spells affect incorporeal creatures normally (as if they were corporeal creatures)."
That's it. You get no special ability to ignore DR with this spirit weapon, but the fact that it is enhanced with a +x bonus (based on level) means it can overcome some DR as explained in the CRB and discussed upthread.
Force damage bypasses DR the same way a magic missile would.I assume that this means "not at all" because magic missiles don't bypass DR.
That's what you meant, right?
No, I meant what I said...force, fire, cold, acid, electricity damage are reduced by resistances, not DR.
Bludgeoning, piercing, slashing damage from spells and effects can be stopped by DR, but that's pretty much it.
Well something came up in my research. The Thaumaturge class out of Thunderscape has some Aspects that create spirit weapons that do purely force damage when they hit things. The weapon counts as Masterwork and every 3 levels it has a +1 enhancement bonus. Now the question is would this force damage ignore DR or would DR apply normally against it. Of course its already stated in the description that it overcomes incorporeal (As force damage ignores incorporeal)From the CRB: "Spells with the force descriptor create or manipulate magical force. Force spells affect incorporeal creatures normally (as if they were corporeal creatures)."
That's it. You get no special ability to ignore DR with this spirit weapon, but the fact that it is enhanced with a +x bonus (based on level) means it can overcome some DR as explained in the CRB and discussed upthread.
Force damage bypasses DR the same way a magic missile would.I assume that this means "not at all" because magic missiles don't bypass DR.
That's what you meant, right?
No, I meant what I said...force, fire, cold, acid, electricity damage are reduced by resistances, not DR.
Bludgeoning, piercing, slashing damage from spells and effects can be stopped by DR, but that's pretty much it.
Ahh, yes, that would have been much more clear.