My wife is playing a Catfolk rogue in our WotR game and wants to use her claws as her primary weapon. Is there any way for her to reliably overcome DR epic?
My definition of reliable is standing naked in a field with no one other than the target and all daily uses of any power used, she can still bypass the DR.
I don't think there is a way but I thought I'd ask here. We may have to end up going with a +4 Demon Bane Amulet of Mighty Fists.
Thanks for your advice in advance.
Have you tried just not using DR/Epic? That's what I did in 3.5. From 3.5 there's also an epic feat called Penetrate Damage Reduction that allows you to pick a special material to treat you natural attacks as for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. You may want to allow her to select that for the purposes of bypassing DR epic, even though its not a specific material(or just make up a wicked awesome material that bypasses epic for thematic reasons.)
So let me get this straight, you want to overcome DR epic with no gear, no expendable abilities and no support?
Not possible.
Why even worry about this though? Worry about DR silver, cold iron, adamantine, and aligned before you ever worry about DR epic. Also, if she somehow manages to pickup DR epic herself, her natural weapons will bypass epic.
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A rogue reliably doing anything against DR period is flaky at best.
Doing it naked with natural attacks? Nearly impossible without some magic thrown around.
Luckily all the paths get access to attacks that penetrate DR for a mythic point.
+4 Bane or getting DR/Epic herself are probably the best options, and actually the only Core options.
I will say, a rogue probably has the least to worry about with DR, with so much concentrated damage.
Well, if you really really want, you could get an ioun stone with the same abilities as the +4 bane AoMF for double the cost and then implant it into your flesh.
If you're actually interested, then to save you the trouble of tracking down the implantation rules, you have it orbit around your head while you fast uninterrupted for 3 days. At the end of the 3 days, you make a DC 20 Charisma check on which you cannot take 10. If you spend more than 3 days fasting, then each extra day gives you a bonus on that check, up to +5.
If you succeed on that check, you can implant the stone after 1 hour and a DC 25 Heal check. If you're implanting it into yourself, you take a -5 penalty to that check.
If you succeed on that, you take 1d2 Con damage and it bonds to your skin wherever you wanted to put it and continues functioning as normal, except that it can never be sundered or targeted by any effects, and it can't be removed without your consent while you're alive barring complete removal of the body part. If you fail, you don't have to fast for 3 days again, but you do take 1d6 Con damage and have to try the Heal check again.
So let me get this straight, you want to overcome DR epic with no gear, no expendable abilities and no support?
Not possible.
Why even worry about this though? Worry about DR silver, cold iron, adamantine, and aligned before you ever worry about DR epic. Also, if she somehow manages to pickup DR epic herself, her natural weapons will bypass epic.
I found ways to overcome DR Good (Sacred Sneak Attack, only for her sneak attack damage though) and DR Cold Iron (Champion path ability Penetrating Damage). Sneak Attack is going to be the major amount of her damage.
I'm specifically looking at the end battles where it going to be DR 20+, Good, Cold Iron and Epic. I'm looking for worse case scenario, hence the reason for no gear, etc.
I'll have to look into her gaining DR Epic.
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Buddy, if you're having to fight things naked you're not going to win. Characters are dependent on magical gear. CR of enemy creatures factors in PCs having access to certain equipment. Without it everybody dies.
I don't know what kind of GM you have but if he's stripping you naked tell him to quit with the foreplay and go ahead and screw you.
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Natural attacks from playable humanoids have traditionally been very weak. It's why you don't see a lot of tengu biting people for massive damage. Sure it's there, it can count as an offhand or secondary, but beyond doing the amulet thing or going monk or something similar, you may be out of luck. Best bet is to lay out options, and let her learn on her own.
Far be it from me to discourage anyone from playing a type of character they want to play, but I know it's a type I'd never try. Then again, I'm just not a fan of catfolk.
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I agree with Claxon - everyone needs gear to be effective. Even full casters need stat-boosting items to keep their DCs high enough to pose a threat to CR-appropriate enemies, and to protect themselves and be able to target enemies. Even a 20th level fighter, when deprived of his items, is helpless against an invisible ranged foe.
Your best bet is an AoMF with a total bonus of +6. Good luck affording one, though. : / Failing that, some kind of house-ruled anti-epic Eldritch Claws would probably be appropriate.
IDK about DR, but just as a reminder make sure she knows about Feral Combat Training and all the things that opens up.
I hesitated to mention this, but here we go anyhow: you can adapt the Vow of Poverty and the like from the D&D 3.5 book Exalted Deeds. At 4th level, she would gain Exalted Strike, which would treat her natural attacks (really all of her attacks) as magic weapons, including enhancement bonuses. At 10th, her attacks would be considered good aligned.
It's not bypassing epic level DR- which strikes me as requiring epic level characters- but its a start.
On the other hand, it might be worth while to simply ignore the DR, and power through it. Take Improved Natural Weapon, enlarge or similar spells, and any other feats, spells, and abilities to increase the damage dice and damage bonuses. Deal enough damage, and the DR of 5, 10, 25, or even 50 won't matter as much.
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My wife is playing a Catfolk rogue in our WotR game and wants to use her claws as her primary weapon. Is there any way for her to reliably overcome DR epic?
Since it is WotR you will be gaining mythic tiers. As a rogue she will probably take Sudden Attack which bypasses DR. However, you are constrained by mythic points here. Impervious Body will also give you DR/Epic, which solves the problem, but it is a 3rd tier guardian path ability so will she have to wait a bit to pick that up.