Subtypes and DR /

[GM Arkwright]

Does a creature of subtype X automatically bypass DR/X?

Specific example, a Hound Archon attacking a creature with DR 10/evil

[Chemlak]

Ah, the fun of Subtype DR.

Damage Reduction wrote:

A creature with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment (or alignments) that matched the subtype(s) of the creature.

Note that this means that a Hound Archon overcomes DR/Good, not DR/Evil.

Yes, for some reason angels are better at fighting other angels than they are at fighting demons.

[Hendelbolaf]

Chemlak wrote:

Ah, the fun of Subtype DR.

Damage Reduction wrote:

A creature with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment (or alignments) that matched the subtype(s) of the creature.

Note that this means that a Hound Archon overcomes DR/Good, not DR/Evil.

Yes, for some reason angels are better at fighting other angels than they are at fighting demons.

Actually most demons and devils have some variation of DR/good so angels are better at fighting them than they would be other angels.

[Matt2VK]

Chemlak wrote:

Ah, the fun of Subtype DR.

Damage Reduction wrote:

A creature with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment (or alignments) that matched the subtype(s) of the creature.

Have a question on this quote -

Since paladins and clerics have a alignment aura. Does that alignment aura allow them to bypass that type of DR?

According to that quote, by RAW, the answer looks like it should.

[Hendelbolaf]

Matt2VK wrote:

Chemlak wrote:

Ah, the fun of Subtype DR.

Damage Reduction wrote:

A creature with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment (or alignments) that matched the subtype(s) of the creature.

Have a question on this quote -

Since paladins and clerics have a alignment aura. Does that alignment aura allow them to bypass that type of DR?

According to that quote, by RAW, the answer looks like it should.

No, an aura and a subtype are two completely different things.

The aura just makes you show up on the detect spells.

The subtype actually makes you a different being of sorts.

[Andrew Betts]

An aura is not a subtype. It just determines how strong you detect of that alignment when the appropriate detect spell is cast.

[Orfamay Quest]

An alignment "aura" isn't an alignment "subtype," is it?

[Nefreet]

All creatures have a "Type", whether it be Humanoid, Outsider, Animal, whatever.

Some creatures have a "Subtype", such as Humanoid (Elf) or Outsider (Evil).

When you have an Alignment Subtype, your weapons and natural attacks count as that alignment for the purposes of overcoming DR.

Creatures with an Alignment Subtype usually also have an Aura, but not all creatures with an Aura have an Alignment Subtype (such as Clerics, Paladins, and Inquisitors).

[Bizbag]

Chemlak wrote:

Ah, the fun of Subtype DR.

Damage Reduction wrote:

A creature with an alignment subtype (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) can overcome this type of damage reduction with its natural weapons and weapons it wields as if the weapons or natural weapons had an alignment (or alignments) that matched the subtype(s) of the creature.

Note that this means that a Hound Archon overcomes DR/Good, not DR/Evil.

Yes, for some reason angels are better at fighting other angels than they are at fighting demons.

This was corrected above, but to spell it out:

As a (Good) subtype, a Hound Archon can overcome DR/Good. Hound Archons have DR/Evil, so do not overcome their own DR. Certain fiends have DR/Good, so would be overcome (and often vice-versa).

A Hound Archon is also (Lawful) subtype. Its attacks would NOT break the DR of a Marut, who has DR/Chaotic. A Vrock (Chaotic) would break a Marut's DR, but a Marut would not break a Vrock's, because the Marut does not count as Good.

[Chemlak]

To all: oops, got my "isn't this silly" the wrong way round. Angels bypass demon DR, but not that of other angels. This means that when fighting their likely outsider enemies, demons and angels just ignore each other's DR completely.

[Bizbag]

I find it thematically appropriate. To a demon, the purity of Good burns them, and to an archon, the foul malevolence of Evil does the same.

[Hendelbolaf]

It is also one reason why the Blood War rages for eternity. Nobody can get past the others DR! ;)