Simple DR Buff

[EjoThims]

So we all know Fighters can't have nice things, even in games were the magics are blasting instead of dictating physics.

But I've been thinking of a simple DR buff that I feel would make the gap between mundane and magic slightly less in those cases.

Simply: Magic does not automatically overcome DR, it must deal the appropriate type of damage. Spells with an alignment component overcome DR as that alignment.

Then, in case anyone wants to complain, give them a metamagic feat to apply damage type to their spells. Tier 1 with +0 SL, Tier 2 with +1, adamantine, aligned with caster, and exotic with +2.

And of course, now DR/- actually stops all damage.

[Bozwevial]

So this is essentially Complete Psionic's metacreativity nerf, except applied to everything. Which is fine, because there's no reason a spell that shoots broken glass should be given special treatment over simply throwing the broken glass because the former is magic.

[Bauglir]

Well, no, I don't think so. A fireball, for instance, would do less damage against a dude with DR 5/bludgeoning, and there's no DR/fire (energy resistance having picked up that mechanic and become a blacklist instead of a whitelist).

If I understand correctly. Applying CPsi's nerf to magic as well is something I do as a matter of course, though.

[Bozwevial]

Right, which is what I was getting at. If you fire conjured daggers at the same dude, their effectiveness is reduced in the same way that it would be if you threw them instead.

[Bauglir]

Right, that makes sense, but I don't think it's the extent of this houserule - ordinarily, DR doesn't affect energy damage as far as I know although now that I think about it I don't have a rules source to back that up.

[Bozwevial]

That's what I had in mind; I just picked a bad example. And yeah, I remember looking for that once and not finding anything.

[EjoThims]

ordinarily, DR doesn't affect energy damage

Correct, and this change would make it so it does.

Because with the very abstract notion of what DR and HP are, there's no reason that fire would overcome the same strengths that otherwise require some exotic material, nor that any magic (regardless of it's expression) should mysteriously do the type of damage that can't otherwise be overcome by any physical injury.

[VennDygrem]

Right, that makes sense, but I don't think it's the extent of this houserule - ordinarily, DR doesn't affect energy damage as far as I know although now that I think about it I don't have a rules source to back that up.

A creature with this special quality ignores damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack was ineffective). The creature takes normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities.

Here.

Also, pp 291-292 of the DMG, with the specific call-out on pg. 292.

[EjoThims]

The creature takes normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities.

Yep. And that's precisely what this change would do away with.

[VennDygrem]

I like the idea, overall. I'd certainly like to see how it alters things in practice, rather than just on paper.

[Bauglir]

Evokers are slightly more fucked than usual, but coupled with a fix to make blasting not asstacular even without resistances of any kind, it could work interestingly.