Piercing Immunities

[Anthrowhale]

Immunity piercers are useful in adventuring: How do I get through the defenses to land a blow? One of these could be the key to success.
Immunity piercers are also useful in character design: How do I avoid having my sneak attack dice nerfed?

Please mention more below if I missed some.

Not covered here: ways to avoid immunities. These seem too numerous to easily list, although some are mentioned at the bottom.



Immunity
Piercer
Type
Scope
Book


Cold
Piercing Cold
Feat
Cold spell, 1/2 damage, no Cold subtype
Frostburn page 49


Cold
Waves of Cold
Spell
Cold subtype only
Frostburn page 106


Fire
Mantle of the Icy Soul
Spell
Fire Subtype only
Spell Compendium page 138


Fire
Searing Spell
Feat
Fire Spell, 1/2 damage
Sandstorm page 53


Mind-Affecting
Song of the Dead
Feat
Intelligent Undead
Dragon Compendium page 108


Mind-Affecting
Bone Rattler
Jester 10 class feature
Intelligent Undead
Dragon Compendium page 40


Mind-Affecting
Music of the Gods
Epic Feat
Bardic Music
Epic Level Handbook page 63


Fear
Greater Master of Terror
Class Ability, Dread Witch 4
HD <= 4+caster level
Heroes of Horror page 99


Fear
Fear Moths
Hazard
100' radius
Dragons of Faerun, page 104


Fear
Coward
Flaw
personal (useful for Craven)
Dragon #324, page 98


Flanking
Use Your Allies
Wayward Warden Paladin 5 ACF
Larger creatures
Champions of Valor web (http://web.archive.org/web/20211001135255/http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/files/champions_of_valor.zip)


Skirmish
Swift Hunter
Feat
Favored Enemies
Complete Scoundrel page 81


Sneak Attacks
Lightbringer Rogue
Alternate Class Feature, Rogue 3
1/2 Damage, flank only
Expedition to Castle Ravenloft page 208


Sneak Attacks
Death's Ruin
Alternate Class Feature, Rogue 3
Undead, 1/2 Damage
Complete Champion page 51


Sneak Attacks
Divine Strike
Class Feature, Skullclan Hunter 2
Undead
Miniatures Handbook page 20


Sneak Attacks
Golem Strike
Spell
Construct, 1 round
Spell Compendium page 106


Sneak Attacks
Grave Strike
Spell
Undead, 1 round
Spell Compendium page 107


Sneak Attacks
Vine Strike
Spell
Plant, 1 round
Spell Compendium page 230


Sneak Attacks, Critical Hits
Deathstrike Bracers
Magic Item
Construct, Elemental, Ooze, Plant, Undead for 1 round
Magic Item Compendium page 93


Sneak Attacks, Critical Hits
Greater Demolition Crystal
Augment Crystal
+3 Magic Weapon, Construct
Magic Item Compendium page 65


Sneak Attacks, Critical Hits
Greater Truedeath Crystal
Augment Crystal
+3 Magic weapon, Undead
Magic Item Compendium page 66


Poison, Sneak Attacks, Critical Hits, Nonlethal Damage, Ability Drain, Energy Drain, Fatigue, Exhaustion, Str/Dex Damage, Fort Save, Sleep, Paralysis, Disease, Stun, Death
Spark of Life
Spell
Undead
Spell Compendium page 196


Sneak Attacks, Critical Hits, Nonlethal Damage, Ability Drain, Ability Damage, Necromancy, Stun, Death
Humanoid Essence
Spell
Construct
Races of Eberron page 186


Sneak Attacks, Critical Hits, Nonlethal Damage, Ability Drain, Ability Damage, Necromancy, Stun, Death, Poison, Fatigue, Exhaustion, Energy Drain, Paralysis, Disease, mind-affecting
Greater Humanoid Essence
Spell
Construct
Races of Eberron page 186


Disease
Ash Doom
Supernatural Disease
Corporeal Undead and disease immune living
The Sinister Spire page 18


Poison
Poisoner's Breath
Special Ability, Sertrous

Elder Evils page 116


Poison
Poison
Special Attack, Molydeus
not constructs, undead, ooze, or plant
Fiendish Codex 1, page 47


Poison
Aura of Toxin
Special Ability, Shaktari
not constructs, undead, elemental or chosen to be unaffected
Dragon #359, page 50


Damage
Trollbane
Poison
1 attack, Regeneration
Dungeonscape page 137


Damage
Graymantle
Spell
All healing
Spell Compendium page 107


Damage
Ebon Ray of Doom
Spell
Healing unless caster level check, fast heal, regeneration
Lost Empires of Faerum page 31


Damage
Necrotic Curse
Spell
Healing spells, rest
Complete mage page 111


Damage
Vile Ki Strike, Vile Martial Strike, Vile Natural Attack, Violate Spell, Violate Spell-like ability
Feat
Unconsecrated healing, 1/2 or less damage
Book of Vile Darkness page 50


Damage
Cursed Blade
Spell
Attacks with melee weapon until remove curse
Spell Compendium page 57


Hit Rolls
Surge of Fortune
Spell
Immediate action, 1 roll
Complete Champion page 128


Hit Rolls
Pierce Magical Protection
Feat
Bonuses from Spells
Complete Arcane page 82


Hit Rolls
Pierce Magical Concealment
Feat
Miss from Spells or Spell-like Abilities
Complete Arcane page 81


Damage Reduction
Sword of Light
Class Feature, Skullclan Hunter 5
Undead
Miniatures Handbook page 20


Damage Reduction
Foehammer
Maneuver
1 melee attack
The Tome of Battle page 59


Damage Reduction, Hardness
Mountain Hammer, Elder Mountain Hammer, Ancient Mountain Hammer
Maneuver
1 melee attack
The Tome of Battle page 84, 82, 81


Damage Reduction, Spell, or Supernatural
Anti/Dead Magic
Antimagic Torc, Antimagic Shackles (Magic Item), Antimagic Field (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/antimagicField.htm), Antimagic Ray, Antimagic Aura, Planar Bubble (Spell), Beholder, Hive Mother, Colossus (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/colossus.htm) (monsters), Flux Slime (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/obstacles.htm) (trap), Dead Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/planes.htm) (plane)
Chaotic, Evil, Good, Lawful, Epic, Magic, Cold Iron, Silver
Underdark page 73, Book of Exalted Deeds page 116, Spell Compendium page 14, 158, Magic of Faerun page 77, Monster Manual page 25, Lords of Madness page 135


Magic, Spell Resistance
Supernatural Spell
Class Ability, Dweomerkeeper 4
Spell
Complete Divine Web Edition


Magic, Spell Resistance
Supernatural Transformation
Feat
Spell-like ability
Savage Species page 39


Spell Resistance, Damage Reduction
Cunning Breach
Class Feature, Factotum 11
1 round
Dungeonscape page 17


Anti/Dead magic
Initiate of Mystra
Feat
Spell
Player's Guide to Faerun page 82


Anti/Dead Magic
Invoke Magic
Spell
Level 5- spell
Lords of Madness page 212


Anti/Dead Magic
Epic Spells
Spell

Epic Level Handbook page 73


Type/Subtype based immunities
Baleful Polymorph (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/balefulPolymorph.htm), Polymorph Any Object (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/polymorphAnyObject.htm)
Spell

Player's Handbook and SRD


Ethereal, Shadow, extradimensional
Transdimensional Spell
Feat
Spell
Complete Arcane page 84


Incorporeal
Serren
Special Material
Bow, Arrow, Crossbow Bolt
Book of Exalted Deeds page 38


Incorporeal
Jade
Special Material

Oriental Adventures page 143


Incorporeal
Riverine (arguably)
Special Material
Armor, weapons, walls
Stormwrack


Incorporeal
Ghostoil
Alchemical
Weapon
Libris Mortis page 73


Incorporeal
Ghostblight
Alchemical
Melee or thrown weapon
Complete Adventurer page 122


Incorporeal
Ghostwall Shellac
Alchemical
Walls
Dungeonscape page 35


Incorporeal
Blade of Force
Researve Feat
Melee Weapon or Ammunition 1/round
Complete Mage page 40


Incorporeal
Ghost Attack
Psionic Feat
Melee or Ranged Attacks
Expanded Psionics page 46


Incorporeal
Incorporeal Spell Targeting
Feat
Spell, SLA, or Su
Ghostwalk page 36


Incorporeal
Spectral Strike
Feat
Damaging Attacks
Epic Level Handbook page 66


Incorporeal
Transdimensional Breath
Psionic Feat
Breath Weapons
Dragons of Faerun page 50


Incorporeal
Transdimensional Power
Psionic Feat
Psionic Power
Complete Psionics page 64


Incorporeal
White Scorpion Strike
Racial Feat
Drow, Unarmed Strikes
Races of Eberron page 112


Incorporeal
Ghost Touch (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#ghostTouchWeapon)
Special Ability
Magic Melee Weapons
Dungeon Master's Guide and SRD


Incorporeal
Lesser Truedeath Crystal, Greater Truedeath Crystal
Augment Crystal
Magic weapon
Magic Item Compendium page 66


Incorporeal
Ghost Touch Equipment
Magic item enhancement
Magic item not armor, shield or weapon
Savage Species page 42


Incorporeal
Sword of Darkness
Class Feature, Skullclan Hunter 9

Miniatures Handbook page 20


Planar Trait based Immunities
Planar Bubble
Spell
10' radius
Spell Compendium page 158


As an example, suppose you:

Summon Sertrous and keep as a pet for Poisoner's Breath to bypass poison immunity
Use Circle Magic to Heighten to level 20, bypassing all spell level immunities
Use Reserves of Strength to add 3 damage dice.
Use Planar Bubble to bypass all planar trait immunities
Use Initiate of Mystra to bypass Dead Magic/Antimagic
Use a persistent spellflower to hold a charge for a melee touch spell
Use Supernatural Spell(from Dweomerkeeper) to bypass spell resistance/magic immunity
Cast Raging Flame
Cast Poison Spell Combust with metamagic: Searing Energy Admixture[Fire] Maximize Empower Blistering Heighten[L20]

Later, use Surge of Fortune to autohit dealing an expected 212.75 damage to fire immune and 425.5 to others. This penetrates Static planar traits, Infinite Spell Resistance/magic immunity, Infinite saves with Evasion and Mettle, Infinite AC, Damage Immunity via regeneration + nonlethal immunity, and Fire immunity. Against Antimagic, you'll either need an opponent without poison immunity or need to strip it via Disjunction so Poisoner's Breath can take effect. Against Delay Death/Beastland Ferocity you'll need to dispel as well. Oh: this also threatens a critical hit, so there is a possibility of double damage.

Although I'm focused on immunity piercing here, there are many immunity avoidance techniques. These can almost always work just as well with sufficient intelligence about a target. The key difference is that if the only way to affect the target is by piercing an immunity, then avoid techniques do not work.

[tr]
Immunity
Avoider
Type
Scope
Book


Any Energy
Force-charged energy
Alternate Class Feature, Sorcerer 5
Energy Spell, 1/2 force damage
Planar Handbook page 35


Any Energy
Mastery of Elements (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/archmage.htm)
Class Feature, Archmage 1
Energy Spell
Player's handbook and SRD


Any Energy
Manifest Ethos
Class Feature, Paragnostic Apostle
Energy Spell, 1/2 damage, opposed alignment
Complete Champion page 95


Any Energy
Consecrate Spell, Corrupt Spell
Feat
Damaging Spell, 1/2 divine damage
Complete Divine page 79


Any Energy
Consecrate Spell-like ability, Corrupt Spell-like ability
Feat
Damaging Spell-like ability, 1/2 divine damage
Book of Exalted Deeds page 42, Book of Vile Darkness page 48


Any one Energy
Energy Substitution
Feat
Energy Spell
Complete Arcane page 79


Any one Energy
Energy Admixture
Feat
Energy Spell
Complete Arcane page 78


Any one Energy
Nonlethal Substitution
Feat
Energy Spell
Book of Exalted Deeds page 44


Poison, ability damage, ability drain
Positoxins
Alt-poison
Corporeal Undead
Libris Mortis, page 74


Poison, ability damage
Ravages
Alt-poison
Evil creatures (explicitly including undead normally immune to ability damage)
Book of Exalted Deeds, page 34


Disease, ability damage
Afflictions
Alt-disease
Evil creatures
Book of Exalted Deeds, page 34


Sneak Attacks
Penetrating Strike
Alternate Class Feature, Rogue 3
1/2 untyped damage, flank only
Dungeonscape page 13


Any school but Necromancy
Song of the Dead
Feat
Mind-affecting
Dragon Compendium page 108


Any school but Transmutation
Spell Versatility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#spellVersatility)
Alternate Class Feature, Transmuter 5

Unearthed Arcana and SRD


There are many other spells and ways to modify spells with strange damage types.

Edits: added disease, fear, & incorporeal related ones from ShurikVch.

[Chronos]

Critical hits and sneak attack: Deathstrike Bracers, magic item, applies to constructs, oozes, elementals, plants, and undead, from MIC
There are also spells for this (Gravestrike, Golemstrike, and Vinestrike), for undead, constructs, and plants respectively, from (IIRC) Spell Compendium.

And for magic immunity, add Cunning Breach, class ability (Factotum 11), from Dungeonscape. Yes, I know that it's written wrong, but we all know what they meant.

[Anthrowhale]

Added both, thanks.

Cunning Breach doesn't seem to apply to magic immunity since there is no roll to fail. But it should apply to arbitrarily large spell resistance so I added a spell resistance category.

[Thurbane]

There's also the Rogue ACF Penetrating Strike (Dungeonscape p.13) that allows them to inflict half normal sneak attack dice on immune creatures when they are flanked.

The Rogue/Swashbuckler (Daring Outlaw) I DM for has this ACF (Trap Sense is a rubbish class feature anyway).

[Anthrowhale]

Updated, thanks.

[Curmudgeon]

Under energy (any type):

Force-Charged Energy from Planar Sorcerer substitution level 5 (Planar Handbook, page 35): substitute ½ energy damage of a spell with force damage instead


Under sneak attack:

Death's Ruin ACF (Complete Champion, page 52): sneak attack undead with ½ the normal dice; no flanking required
A note for Dungeonscape Penetrating Strike: you get untyped damage rather than sneak attack, so sneak add-ons (Craven, ambush feats) don't work.

[Thurbane]

Under energy (any type):

Force-Charged Energy from Planar Sorcerer substitution level 5 (Planar Handbook, page 35): substitute ½ energy damage of a spell with force damage instead


Wow, that's pretty good, I was unaware of that. And all it costs you is a 2nd level spell known (which you could pick up with a feat at 6th level, if you really wanted to).

[Anthrowhale]

Updated with Curmudgeon's. There are a bunch of other alternate damage types that I added as well.

[Curmudgeon]

Sneak attack Constructs (for 1 round):

Golem Strike spell (Spell Compendium, pages 106-107)


Sneak attack Undead (for 1 round):

Grave Strike spell (Spell Compendium, page 107)


Sneak attack Plants (for 1 round):

Vine Strike spell (Spell Compendium, page 230)


Apply skirmish damage to any creature immune to critical hits:

Swift Hunter feat (Complete Scoundrel, page 81), if the creature is a Favored Enemy

[Anthrowhale]

Added, thanks. Also added page numbers and a few others that I thought of. Any more?

[Curmudgeon]

Maybe Flame Strike (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/flameStrike.htm) spell for piercing fire immunity? It's not really piercing; it just always has half the damage as divine power rather than fire. (The fire part could still be altered by Searing Spell metamagic.)

[Anthrowhale]

Maybe Flame Strike (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/flameStrike.htm) spell for piercing fire immunity? It's not really piercing; it just always has half the damage as divine power rather than fire. (The fire part could still be altered by Searing Spell metamagic.)

It seems to far afield? The set of spells doing generic damage is fairly large in general.

I'm most interested in ways to eliminate or penetrate immunities. The set of ways to avoid immunities seems large enough that I don't want to take it on.

[Curmudgeon]

There's a confusing pair of entries: "(Greater) Humanoid Essence" and "Greater Humanoid Essence".

[Anthrowhale]

I separated out the 'avoidance' techniques from the 'piercing' techniques.


There's a confusing pair of entries: "(Greater) Humanoid Essence" and "Greater Humanoid Essence".

I'm trying to be too brief. I'll separate them.

[Anthrowhale]

I added a few more and improved a few details.

I hadn't realized there were so many ways to sneak attack undead and constructs. The support there is remarkably comprehensive.

[Curmudgeon]

I hadn't realized there were so many ways to sneak attack undead and constructs. The support there is remarkably comprehensive.
Speaking of which, "Demolition Crystal" should be "Greater Demolition Crystal"; the other versions won't penetrate immunity to critical hits and sneak attack.

[Anthrowhale]

Speaking of which, "Demolition Crystal" should be "Greater Demolition Crystal"; the other versions won't penetrate immunity to critical hits and sneak attack.

Right, fixed.

[Thurbane]

Just to add another way to Sneak Attack Undead - Skullclan Hunter PrC (MH p.20): Divine Strike (2nd level Ex ability). The wording is a bit odd, but it does let you apply Sneak Attack damage to Undead.

The PrC also (slowly) progresses Sneak Attack as well. They get abilities later on to overcome any DR of undead, and have their weapon count as Ghost Touch...

[Anthrowhale]

I'd never read that class before. Added, thanks.

[Anthrowhale]

Added use of Antimagic for Damage Reduction.

[Anthrowhale]

Added maneuvers penetrating damage reduction and hardness and updated the example.

[GilesTheCleric]

Sorry to dredge this thread up a bit, but I was going through my index of build resources and noticed I had this: http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd160/ryuusui-ken/List%20of%20Immunities_zpsoa7zlrfx.jpg
Sorry I don't have the source; I think it's from a thread on BG.

I know it's not ways to pierce immunities, but it does list some oddly specific immunities that you can obtain as a PC (and thus that might be worthwhile piercing). Immunity to nausea, what? I can't even imagine there's a way to get through immunity to pain effects, either.

[Anthrowhale]

I know it's not ways to pierce immunities, but it does list some oddly specific immunities that you can obtain as a PC (and thus that might be worthwhile piercing). Immunity to nausea, what? I can't even imagine there's a way to get through immunity to pain effects, either.

It seems like nearly every effect has some sort of immunity, but immunity piercer's are much less comprehensive. On this list, I think only Critical Hits, Sneak Attack, Poison, Anti/Dead Magic, Fear, and magical defenses have piercers.