Damage calculation and Application with Clustered shots and DR / -

[Lukien]

Question about DR/- application and the clustered shots feat. Let’s say a creature has DR 10/- and an longbow archer full round attacks with clustered shot, firing 3 arrows. The arrows do 8, 10 and 12 points of damage. How would you apply the damage DR10/- with clustered shots feat?. My DM says that if the enemy has one of the “normal” DR (magic/cold iron/adamantine/alignment), you would add the total damage from the attacks together and then apply the DR. So those 3 attacks would do 20 points of damage (30-10 = 20). However, my DM says that because DR/- is special, it applies to each arrow fired rather than combining the total damage before applying, so I would only deal 2 damage total. This seems weird to me since the language of the Clustered shots feat specifically says to total the damage from all hits BEFORE applying DR. Is my DM wrong on this or am I misunderstanding something about the DR/-? Thank you for your help in advance.

Clustered Shots Feat: https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/clustered-shots-combat/

Damage Reduction: https://www.d20pfsrd.com/Gamemastering/special-abilities/#TOC-Damage-Reduct ion

[Java Man]

GM is mistaken, or making a houserule.

[MrCharisma]

I'm pretty sure the GM is wrong.

Talk to your GM between sessions. My group has a chat group dedicated to rule's mishaps (called "We Are Stupud"). In this, if we find something wrong we post the correct rules and the source. I would talk to the GM before anouncing it to the group though, people are much more receptive to being wrong when it's done respectfully and in private.

If (s)he insists on ruling this way - and you don't think the feat is worth it - I would ask to respec the feat. You chose it under "incorrect" assumptions, so you shouldn't be stuck with it.

[Chell Raighn]

That is absolutely your GM either misunderstanding the rules or devising their own houserule. Clustered shot is intended explicitly to reduce the impact of DR on ranged projectiles. There is nothing special about DR/- beyond not being overcome by any material, magic, or alignment. Clustered shot however is treated as one large hit rather than multiple hits. If your DM is claiming otherwise, then it is likely they will rule the same for a monk using Pummeling Style (same effect as clustered shot, but for unarmed strikes)

[MrCharisma]

You know what it probably is?

Often when we talk about DR/- we talk about how "it's not overcome by anything". Your GM has probably seen that (or something like that) written dozens/hundreds of times and has misremembered that as the rule.

[Mysterious Stranger]

I think the GM is looking at this part of the rule.

If a dash follows the slash, then the damage reduction is effective against any attack that does not ignore damage reduction.

He is still wrong because the DR is not being ignored. The DR is still being applied it is just not being applied vs each arrow. If the DR was being ignored it would take the full 30 pts of damage, instead it is taking 20. The creature still gets the benefit of DR 10/-.

[Agénor]

As they all have said above.

The « — » in « DR 10/— » is shorthand for « none » because what comes after the « / » indicates what type of damage bypasses the reduction.

It doesn't at all change the mechanics of how Damage Reduction is applied if relevant.

Try to run toy examples along with your G.M., one with a creature with DR 10/banana and one with DR 10/—. Assuming you aren't shooting with bananas, the damage sustained by the creature should be the same in both cases.