Is there any mechanical advantage to one particular damage type? I am planning a character built around one type of damage, which one will give me the most bang for my buck?
I think bludgeoning might be the closest to a "best" or at least "safest" choice, since that seems like the one that gets through the most DR and such. I've heard of plenty of undead that have DR/bludgeoning, and it is also the damage type that does full damamage to swarms.
Slashing is a rather neutral choice. There are a few places where you find DR/slashing (typically plant based monsters and an alchemist spell that turns you into a liquidy creature comes to mind)
Piercing doesn't seem to have very many benefits as far as DR goes (at least not ones that would not also be covered by slashing). It does seem to have more feats if I remember correctly (particularly one of my favorites for flavor, hamatula strike, where you get a free grapple check on a hit because you impaled the target on your weapon)
Also note: slashing and piercing are the ones that can get the keen weapon property. Whether this is important to you, I cannot say. Still something to consider. These types of weapons also tend to be the ones with the wider critical threat range.
After level 5 you don't really run into creatures with DR versus damage type a whole lot so I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Mostly it doesn't matter if you hit hard enough. Worrying about DR is for builds that involve lots of small attacks. The optimal builds usually go for lots of big attacks, or one REALLY big hit. Or if they are archers pay the feat tax and take clustered shot.
That being said there are some monsters that have strange abilities like division, having at least one weapon of each type is probably a good idea.
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Have a morningstar and a slashing weapon. Utility covered. Or have a bite natural weapon because that does all 3. Bludgeoning is probably the best for overcoming DR, but if you are anything like my greataxe wielders, you overcome DR by doing massive damage instead of having a slashing weapon. Another option is be a Monk of the Empty Hand and cut things with hammers and ki.
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Number of times I remember needing to cut a rope, once. Number of times a pc had to cut a.rope? Reasonably sure it was less then 10 times in over a decade.of regular play.
I use to slightly prefer bludgeoning because.I felt skeletons were more dangerous than zombies. Now with the fast zombies, not so sure about that.
Always remember to keep at least one dagger on your person. It is a tool as much if not more than a weapon.
From what I've seen, many creatures have DR/Bludgeoning, with DR/Slashing being a close second. DR/Piercing seems rare, but the damage type has more feats associated with it and is more useful underwater than the other two. Also, from an RP perspective, one needs to consider that a Slashing weapon can be used to cut a rope, while Piercing and Bludgeoning weapons have other utility advantages. Then again, this second point of mine doesn't always show up on the table.
That's a fact often forgotten. Thanks for the reminder!
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just remember if you can get an enhancement bonus of +3 you can ignore DR/bludgeoning/slashing/piercing
Ummm....thats 100% not correct.
DR Cold Iron/Silver is overcome by a +3
DR Adamantine is overcome by a +4
DR Alignment based is overcome by a +5
The chart never mentions overcoming weapon damage type with any enhancement bonus.
Overcoming DR: 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.
Ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an enhancement bonus of +1 or higher is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Similarly, ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an alignment gains the alignment of that projectile weapon (in addition to any alignment it may already have).
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.
DR Type
Weapon Enhancement Bonus Equivalent
cold iron/silver +3
adamantine* +4
alignment-based +5* Note that this does not give the ability to ignore hardness, like an actual adamantine weapon does
I have a Lucerne Hammer (Bludgeoning and Piercing) with a Greatsword (Slashing) as back up. So all bases covered.
You need a small weapon for tight quarters like being grappled. Always have a dagger.
I have a Lucerne Hammer (Bludgeoning and Piercing) with a Greatsword (Slashing) as back up. So all bases covered.You need a small weapon for tight quarters like being grappled. Always have a dagger.
Daggers aren't really helpful as far as close quarters are concerned. You're better off getting a Gladius (same S/P, 1D6) or a Wakizashi if you can afford the proficiency. Only time a Dagger is good is if you need to throw it, and Javelins/Bows have it covered for higher base damage, or if you don't have Martial proficiency (in which case if you're in close-quarters you're already doing something wrong or have better options at your disposal).
Also, the Gladius can be used even while eaten just like a Dagger could. The only shame is you can't really use it for 1.5X bonus, though you still do get your full +2 per "rank" of Power Attack.
As far as Bludgeoning Light weapons are concerned, a Light Mace (or perhaps Aspergillum) is your best friend.
I have a Lucerne Hammer (Bludgeoning and Piercing) with a Greatsword (Slashing) as back up. So all bases covered.You need a small weapon for tight quarters like being grappled. Always have a dagger.
I think the big concern would be if you were Swallowed whole - you can use a one-handed weapon while grappled.
I have a Lucerne Hammer (Bludgeoning and Piercing) with a Greatsword (Slashing) as back up. So all bases covered.You need a small weapon for tight quarters like being grappled. Always have a dagger.Spiked gauntlet - with a high strength and power attack does enough damage plus you take one hand of weapon as a immediate action, attack and then take hold of weapon as an immediate too.
Current fighter does d4+8 with that - good enough if I can't step back and wallop.
Gladius/Wakizashi is also good; higher damage dice.