Nothing says that the damage is anything other than weapon damage, so that is what it is.
I don't think it's "holy damage" because that is not an existing type of energy damage thats ever been discussed. But, I can tell you that it some sort of energy damage and would not be affected by DR.
It's not positive energy, because that would heal living creatures, even if they were evil.
It is weapon damage, and so DR applies. There is no energy associated with it - energy types are strictly defined. In some spells like flame strike, half the damage is called out as "divine" and not affected by DR; the fact that this isn't done for a holy weapon means it is just weapon damage.
By a strict rules reading thorin and lamplight you are correct, but such a ruling fails at common sense to me. Why would the weapon deal more weapon damage to evil creature only? Were not talking about impact which increases the effective size of the weapon to be magically "heavier" or something.
By a strict rules reading thorin and lamplight you are correct, but such a ruling fails at common sense to me. Why would the weapon deal more weapon damage to evil creature only?
Why would a bane weapon do more damage to dragons only? Why would a planar weapon do more damage to outsiders? Why would a valiant weapon do more damage to a creature that has been challenged?
By a strict rules reading thorin and lamplight you are correct, but such a ruling fails at common sense to me. Why would the weapon deal more weapon damage to evil creature only?
Why would a bane weapon do more damage to dragons only? Why would a planar weapon do more damage to outsiders? Why would a valiant weapon do more damage to a creature that has been challenged?
Magic.
Also, I've also thought of bane as an untyped damage that is not weapon damage either.
It is weapon damage, and so DR applies. There is no energy associated with it - energy types are strictly defined. In some spells like flame strike, half the damage is called out as "divine" and not affected by DR; the fact that this isn't done for a holy weapon means it is just weapon damage.It's on the same weaponstrike so you don't apply DR twice to it. It's applied once against the weapon +bonus damage itself.
And this I guess is probably why I've never worried about it too much, because by the time it comes up that I have a holy weapon or a bane weapon I'm usually doing enough damage that the weapon + static modifier already outpace the damage reduction, the application of bane or holy as weapon damage or not really hasn't been important since it's not getting indidvudally reduced.
I guess the only relevent case would be when your weapon damage + static modifier was less than the damage reduction of the creature. Then you could see the damage from holy or bane be partially reduced.
Magic.By a strict rules reading thorin and lamplight you are correct, but such a ruling fails at common sense to me. Why would the weapon deal more weapon damage to evil creature only?
Why would a bane weapon do more damage to dragons only? Why would a planar weapon do more damage to outsiders? Why would a valiant weapon do more damage to a creature that has been challenged?
Which, by astonishing coincidence, is also the explanation for why holy weapons do additional damage to evil foes.
Also, I've also thought of bane as an untyped damage that is not weapon damage either.
Well, you're wrong, I'm afraid. As a simple example, a +1 undead bane dagger probably won't bypass DR 20/bludgeoning, even with the additional bane damage (unless you have a hell of a static bonus).
I guess the only relevent case would be when your weapon damage + static modifier was less than the damage reduction of the creature. Then you could see the damage from holy or bane be partially reduced.
Well, there are some other cases. For example, there's a monster with the ability that "anytime a stone demon takes more than 50 points of weapon damage in a round, blood and pus spews forth from the wound," and the bane or holy damage would count towards this threshold, but the cold damage of a frost weapon would not.
I admit that RAW it does appear to be as you all suggest.
I just think that's stupid as hell, and will ignore this in games I run. Instead treating it as untyped energy damage.
As an aside, is there actually something that has DR/20 bludgeoning?
Usually bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing resistances disappear around level 5 or so it seems like.
Don't think so. The nearest to that is probably the Lich with DR 15/bludgeoning and magic.
Usually bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing resistances disappear around level 5 or so it seems like.
There are a number of <weapon type> and <rider> out there.
E.g, a Maharaja Rakshasa has DR 20/good and piercing. A Tzitzimitl has DR 15/bludgeoning and good. A Tunche has DR 15/cold iron and slashing.
ETA: A Bakekujira has DR 15/bludgeoning
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Total house rule:
Ive ruled it as holy(positive energy damage) with unholy being (negative energy damage)
My party even has a tiny dagger for each member that Heals 1 point of damage per stick to living beings or harms 1 point of dmg to undead.
They have come across hostiles with unholy weapons and ammo. So the evil archers can "heal" their undead allies.
If you're normally capable of doing as much damage as the creature's DR (or are actually using the type of weapon the creature is vulnerable to), then the holy damage will all go through. If you're not, you probably shouldn't be spending your money on a holy weapon in the first place.