Bypassing Resistances

[Dromuthra]

As the thread title might suggest, I'm looking for ways to ignore/bypass resistance (or, hey, if possible, immunity!) to damage types. Doesn't matter what type the bypass is; I'd like to find as many as I can.

[Clone]

I can't remember too many off the top of my head, but I know that there are:

Pact of the Blade Warlock: Weapon is magical in regards to bypassing resistances.
Devotion Paladin: Super charge your weapon for + CHA to attack and is magical in regards to bypassing resistances.
Monk level 6 ability: Unarmed strikes are magical in regards to bypassing resistances
Mood Druid Level 6 ability: Shapeshifting weapons now are magical in bypassing resistances

Elemental Adept feat: Pick a damage type and you ignore resistances for that element when blasting baddies (but not immunities)

Those are the main ones I can think of, then you get into magic weapon territory like the Vorpal Sword.

[JackPhoenix]

This one should be obvious, but... use a type of damage target isn't resistant to. Force and radiant works especially well in this regard.

[AvatarVecna]

Death Cleric has this:


Inescapable Destruction

Starting at 6th level, the cleric's ability to channel negative energy becomes more potent. Necrotic damage dealt by the character's cleric spells and Channel Divinity options ignores resistance to necrotic damage.

...which combines well with this:


Channel Divinity: Touch Of Death

Starting at 2nd level, the cleric can use Channel Divinity to destroy another creature's life force by touch. When the cleric hits a creature with a melee attack, the cleric can use Channel Divinity to deal extra necrotic damage to the target. The damage equals 5 +twice his or her cleric level.

...which should prove useful for your purposes as a way of adding lots of damage to a single melee attack.

Of course, Necrotic Immunity will still trip you up. :smallwink:

[caden_varn]

IIRC, the Elemental Adept feat does this for a chosen damage type. AFB, not sure if I have the name of the feat quite right though.

<edit> aaand Clone got there first. Really should have read the whole post...

[Joe the Rat]

Magic weapon makes weapons... well, magic. I'm not sure magic weaponry really counts as a bypass; it's essentially changing the damage type from "weapon" to "magic weapon" - like going from "fire" to "lightning."

Elemental Bane from the EE Player's companion (4th level druid/warlock/wizard) negates resistance to one of five damage types (fire/cold/lightning/acid/thunder), in addition to taking extra damage from that damage type, 1/turn.

[Dromuthra]

Elemental Adept feat: Pick a damage type and you ignore resistances for that element when blasting baddies (but not immunities)


Thanks a bunch! That's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for. :smallbiggrin:

Death Cleric has this:



...which combines well with this:



...which should prove useful for your purposes as a way of adding lots of damage to a single melee attack.

Of course, Necrotic Immunity will still trip you up. :smallwink:

Ack, I have been discovered! Flee, flee! :smalltongue: Thanks though, that's definitely helpful.


Elemental Bane from the EE Player's companion (4th level druid/warlock/wizard) negates resistance to one of five damage types (fire/cold/lightning/acid/thunder), in addition to taking extra damage from that damage type, 1/turn.

Oooh, definitely something to explore!