Maximum DR/-?

[Goaty14]

Hello all

I just want to know the best possible way to get a bunch of DR/- stacked up to really tank damage (and maybe some low Fast Healing, if possible) so my character can take a lot of damage, and then shrug it off with fast healing. The overall goal is by level 20, to have DR 10-20/-.

Some things I don't really like.
-High-Cost magic items. My current DM doesn't follow WBL and our current campaign has relatively nonexistent gold (We're level 8, and the whole party combined has around 1k gold). I would like to know about magic items that boost DR, but nothing dependent.
-Dips. No, I don't want to play a build that uses 6 different classes from 5 different sources.

[zlefin]

the feat "Roll with It" from savage species could help a good bit.
it gives dr 2/- and explicitly stacks with all other sources of dr, and allows you to take the feat multiple times.
it requires con 20 and toughness.
if you take a dwarf barbarian, starting with 20 con (18 base + 2 racial) and put your feats into toughness then copies of roll with it you'd have dr 17/- by level 20.

[AvatarVecna]

Greater Resiliency

Prerequisites: Damage reduction as a class feature or innate ability

Effect: Your damage reduction increases by 1. If it would normally rise thereafter with level, it does so at its previous rate, adding the +1 normally. For example, a 13th-level barbarian has damage reduction 3/-. By taking this feat, he raises it to 4/-. When he reaches 16th level, his damage reduction becomes 5/- and at 19th level, it becomes 6/-. You may not take this feat more than once. This feat has no effect on the type of weapon or damage that overcomes your damage reduction. If you have more than one form of damage reduction, choose which to increase when you take this feat.
Roll With It

Prerequisites: Toughness, Con 20

Effect: You gain damage reduction 2/-. This applies in addition to any damage reduction you have from other sources.

Special: You may take this feat multiple times.
Thick-Skinned

Prerequisites: Damage reduction

Effect: Your existing damage reduction improves by 2.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you take it, it improves your damage reduction by 2, up to a maximum of twice your original damage reduction.
Endure Blows

Prerequisites: Toughness, Con 19, dragon type

Effect: You gain damage reduction 2/-. This stacks with any damage reduction you have from other sources.
Damage Reduction [Epic]

Prerequisites: Con 21

Effect: You gain damage reduction 3/-. This benefit doesn't stack with damage reduction granted by magic items or nonpermanent magical effects, but it does stack with damage reduction granted by permanent magical effects, class features, or this feat itself.

Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you gain the feat, your damage reduction increases by 3.

Additionally, there are some spells worth mentioning:
"Heart Of Stone" is a Sorcerer 8/Wizard 8 spell that takes 1 hour, 5000 gp, and 1000 xp to cast, and lasts a year; it grants DR 5/- and ER 5 (cold/electricity/fire), but comes with some significant disadvantages. The big advantage here is the massive duration, particularly if you get the spell Extended.
"Ice Shield" is a Sorcerer 4/Wizard 4/Druid 5 spell that takes 1 standard action to cast and lasts 1 minute per CL (or 10 minutes per CL in a frostfell environment); it grants DR 15/-, but also fire vulnerability (pairs well with Energy Immunity: Fire, I would imagine). Extending the spell should be doable, and it can be persisted if you can figure out how to lower the cost enough, but extending the duration and casting it in a frostfell environment should give you plenty of duration from this.
"Mantle Of Pure Spite" is a "Spite Domain' 8 spell that takes 1 standard action to cast and lasts 1 minute per CL; when a foe hits you, the spell grants you +1 attack (max=CL), +1 damage (max=CL), and +1 DR /- (max=15) against that opponent until the spell ends. Not great for its duration, but getting it DMM Persisted would be awesome, particularly with using Reserves of Strength to uncap the attack/damage bonus limits (although not the DR limit, since that's not a CL limit).
"Greater Shield Of Lathander" is a "Initiate Of Lathander Domain" 7 spell that takes 1 standard action to cast and lasts 1 round; it grants you DR 20/-, immunity to negative energy and energy drain, and ER 10 (acid/cold/electricity/fire/sonic). It's a touch range spell, which makes it viable to be DMM Persisted, which thank Lathander because otherwise this spell would be just awful.

EDIT: As a side note, google shall be your friend. I knew about the spells and looked them up real quick because I recently did a gestalt super-crafter and went trolling through books for good spells, but the feats were pulled from a previous thread about maximizing damage reduction - which, itself, had a link to a previous thread on the exact same subject. Increasing DR a great deal has come up quite a bit before.

[ExLibrisMortis]

Well, luckily for you, the easiest way to get tons of DR/-- involves feats: Roll with It grants a stacking DR 2/--. Requires 20 constitution and Toughness.

The bad news is that those feats aren't that good, and you're better off investing in the ability to avoid attacks for yourself and your party.

[AvatarVecna]

I almost forgot an awesome spell because it doesn't technically give your DR!


Empyreal Ecstasy

Abjuration
Level: Bard 6, Pleasure 7
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 30 ft
Target: One creature/level
Duration: 1 minute/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

Like the ease pain spell, empyreal ecstasy immediately removes any lingering effects of pain, including penalties imposed by symbol of pain, angry ache, and similar spells. It neither prevents damage nor blocks other effects not directly related to pain (such as the recall agony or recall pain psionic power). The spell also induces a pleasurable fuguelike state that yields a number of additional effects:
First, empyreal ecstasy renders its targets immune to mind-affecting spells and effects for the spell's duration, but does not negate mind-influencing effects already in place.
Second, targets of the spell take only half damage from all melee and ranged attacks for the duration of the spell.
Third, the fuguelike state induced by the spell makes it difficult for targets to concentrate on certain tasks. Creatures in ecstasy take a -4 penalty on all skill checks, and casting a spell while under the influence of empyreal ecstasy requires a DC 15 Concentration check.


Bolded for emphasis...and I'm pretty sure this spell is DMM Persist-able too.

[phlidwsn]

If you're in Pathfinder, and DSP is allowed:

Aegis 20 can get up to 12/- (8+4 from Improved Damage Reduction)
Then pick up Initiators Soul customization and grab Elemental Flux Stance for Fast Healing 1 in Fire mode.

Along similar themes, the feat Martial Power from DSP works like Power Attack but gives you Temp HP instead of extra damage.

[AvatarVecna]

If Pathfinder is allowed, the Unchained Barbarian has the Invulnerable Rager archetype that gives up Trap Sense, Uncanny Dodge, and Improved Uncanny Dodge for DR (half your Barbarian level)/-, or DR (your barbarian level)/- against nonlethal damage. That barbarian can also take the Improved Damage Reduction rage power 7 times, for a total of DR 24/- (DR 34/- vs nonlethal) while raging without spending feats. Spend every HD feat from lvl 9 onward on Extra Rage Power to take IDR another 6 times takes you to DR 36/- (DR 46/- vs nonlethal) while raging spending most of your feats and rage powers on it. If you instead use your HD 11 feat to pick up Improved Stalwart (on top of Endurance/Diehard/Stalwart from pre-lvl 8), and you've got 3 or more ranks in Acrobatics, you'll have DR 10/- (20/- vs nonlethal) all the time from Barbarian, another +10 DR/- while using Total Defense (or +6 DR/- while Fighting Defensively), and another +24 DR/- while raging. This puts your maximum DR at 44/- while raging on Total Defense (or DR 54/- vs nonlethal).

EDIT: Probably some PF items or buff spells that can help crank that even higher, or maybe some maneuvers I can pick up via a feat or two, but when the build has DR 34/- while raging, it's probably good enough for me. :smalltongue:

[Twurps]

The 'mineral warrior' template (+1) gives DR 8/-
As for the mild fast healing, again, templates can help. The feral template (+1) gives a scaling fast healing up to 5/round.

Not DR, but effectively similar once you already have DR: Delayed damage pool, from Crusader class (If I remember correctly: Delayed damage pool 10 is gained at lvl4). By delaying part of the damage, your DR gets applied all over again. Crusader is a very tanky class anyway, so you can't go wrong there.

[Mr Adventurer]

I thought Mineral Warrior DR was /adamantine?

Berzerker Strength ACF for Barbarians adds DR that stacks with native DR.

[Inevitability]

Immovability (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/immovability.htm) is a 4th-level psychic warrior power (so available at level 10 as a PW and level 9 as a psion with Expanded Knowledge) that gives DR 15/-.

[Malimar]

The problem with making yourself invulnerable is that if you're facing an enemy that isn't completely mindless, they'll soon notice that they can't hurt you and move on to targets they can hurt (unless you have some way to force enemies to attack only you). Ultimately it just shunts your portion of the damage onto the party squishies, which is the exact opposite of the usual goal of a tank.


Not DR, but effectively similar once you already have DR: Delayed damage pool, from Crusader class (If I remember correctly: Delayed damage pool 10 is gained at lvl4). By delaying part of the damage, your DR gets applied all over again. Crusader is a very tanky class anyway, so you can't go wrong there.

I... don't think that's true? I dunno, maybe it is by RAW, but it doesn't seem like it should be. :smallconfused:

It unquestionably does, however, combine favorably with temporary hit points, such as the Stone Power feat (also ToB). I've got a PC in one of my games who tanks all the damage by combining DD pool with Stone Power (and also DR).

[Anxe]

Aha! Let me direct you to my ten year old homebrewed prestige class that I've never playtested.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?63011-PrC-The-Impenetrable-Warrior-PEACH

Roll With It would be another good one.

[SirNibbles]

The 7th level Cleric spell Greater Shield of Lathander (Player's Guide to Faerûn, page 81) gives you DR 20/- plus some other goodies. Apply Reach Spell so you can persist it and you're set. The 5th level version gives you DR 15/- so you can have that by 9th level.

Those Cleric levels will also allow you to pick up the Pleasure Domain so you can cast Empyreal Ecstasy, as someone above noted.

[AvatarVecna]

The 7th level Cleric spell Greater Shield of Lathander (Player's Guide to Faerûn, page 81) gives you DR 20/- plus some other goodies. Apply Reach Spell so you can persist it and you're set. The 5th level version gives you DR 15/- so you can have that by 9th level.

Those Cleric levels will also allow you to pick up the Pleasure Domain so you can cast Empyreal Ecstasy, as someone above noted.

I also mentioned GSoL, as it happens. It's a great spell. Of course, because it's Touch range (which is already a fixed range), you don't need to make it a Reach Spell to Persist it, I think.

[Vizzerdrix]

Mark of xoriat gives DR 5/ byeshk. You will need to take Aberrant dragonmark and mark of maddness to qualify. Troll blooded will get you regeneration 1. Use Improved toughness to qualify.

You may want to go human paragon for the extra feat it gives along with the +2 to any stat to get con 20 for roll with it. Human paragon -3/ fighter -4 with 2 flaws is simple and has 10 feats to work with. Only 3 of those are limited to the fighter list so you should be more than able to get the DR you want.

Something like this. Select your flaws to taste.

Flaw1- Aberrant Dragonmark- shield*
Flaw2- Mark of Maddness*
Human- Improved Toughness
HD1- Troll Blooded
HD3- Mark of Xoriat
Paragon- Ancestral Relic *(to help with low WBL)(or another Roll with it)
Fighter1- Power Attack
Fighter2- Improved Sunder (if dyeshk suddenly becomes common)
HD6- Roll with it
Fighter4- leap attack

*If you give your relic weapon sudden stunning, you will have a bit of cha synergy with the dragon mark and mark of maddness, and any other aberrant dragonmarks if you decide to take them.

[SirNibbles]

I also mentioned GSoL, as it happens. It's a great spell. Of course, because it's Touch range (which is already a fixed range), you don't need to make it a Reach Spell to Persist it, I think.

Some people claim that a range of Touch isn't a fixed range, and that only a range expressed in a set number of feet, such as the 30 foot range of Empyreal Ecstasy, is fixed.

[AvatarVecna]

Some people claim that a range of Touch isn't a fixed range, and that only a range expressed in a set number of feet, such as the 30 foot range of Empyreal Ecstasy, is fixed.

Huh, weird. I mean...I guess it could fluctuate based on size category, if changing sizes would give you reach? I guess that fluctuates more often than the range of close/medium/long, so it's understandable in a sense, but in a similar interpretation, Touch range is "range=0 ft", which is fixed enough for most people. Still, if that's the interpretation my DM was going with, I'd probably prefer to use Ocular Spell to get around it rather than Reach Spell, since the former has no spell level increase whereas the latter does.

[Thurbane]

I thought Mineral Warrior DR was /adamantine?

Mineral Warrior is indeed DR 8/adamantine.

The Boar Totem Barbarian (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#boarTotemClassFeatures ) (UA) gets higher DR then regular Brabrians, starting at 7th.

I'm not sure if this would stack with existing DR from Roll With It, but subsequent applications of the feat should stack with your Barbarian DR/-.

[SirNibbles]

Huh, weird. I mean...I guess it could fluctuate based on size category, if changing sizes would give you reach? I guess that fluctuates more often than the range of close/medium/long, so it's understandable in a sense, but in a similar interpretation, Touch range is "range=0 ft", which is fixed enough for most people. Still, if that's the interpretation my DM was going with, I'd probably prefer to use Ocular Spell to get around it rather than Reach Spell, since the former has no spell level increase whereas the latter does.

Ocular Spell has a +2 adjustment. It is still better for persistomancy because you can use it to convert any non-personal spell to a fixed range.

[Endarire]

Starmantle (Book of Exalted Deeds) is sorta DR.

The psionic power inertial barrier gives DR 5/-.

[Thurbane]

So...how about Desert Dwarf Boar Totem Barbarian 1/Cleric 1/Barbarian +18

feats:
1 Toughness
B Healing Devotion (pick up a deity with the domain, trade it away for the feat)
3 Extra Turning
6 Extra Turning
9 Roll With It
12 Roll With It
15 Roll With It
18 Roll With it

DR 14/- by 20th level; Feast Healing though the Healing Devotion feat, which can be activated 12 + Cha bonus times/day, 10 rounds at a time. Fast healing scales with level.

Desert Dwarf is selected because it doesn't take a hit to Cha. You could go regular dwarf and get one less use of Healing Devotion per day. Boar Totem gives up Fast movement, but Cleric adds heavy armor proficiency.

[Mr Adventurer]

BTW, I have actually seen someone play a Dwarf Fighter with literally nothing but as many Roll With It feats as they could take. They were one of the most boring characters ever.