If you could pick which would you choose? (Damage Reduction)

[Yogibear41]

If you had the option of gaining one of three types of Damage reduction: /bludgeoning or /slashing or /piercing which would you choose and why?


I was personally leaning toward /piercing, because I thought it would be the least common.

Any other opinions?

[Crichton]

Of the 3? Bludgeoning. Of all the normal types of DR that aren't epic or alignment? (what I consider the common ones - P/S/B and cold iron and silver) Cold Iron.

[Yogibear41]

Only those 3. Why Bludgeoning over piercing? Seems like everyone can carry a back up club or mace, although I suppose everyone can carry a back up dagger as well.

Maybe its just me thinking of all the fighters and barbarians with their greatswords, and all the clerics with their heavy maces(or morning stars which would beat either)

[AvatarVecna]

Bludgeoning all the way. Basically every guide is gonna recommend having a mace or something as a backup weapon in your golf bag for when you face enemies with dr/bludgeoning. You know why? Because they all correctly assume that your default weapon/fighting style isn't bludgeoning. Basically every dedicated meleer is using a sword or axe, at least partially because basically none of the cool specific magic weapons are bludgeoning based.

But honestly if you want the real reason why bludgeoning, it's because ranged weapons. The approximate breakdown of ranged damage types is 98% piercing (bows/crossbows/spears), 1.9% slashing (thrown daggers), and 0.1% bludgeoning (hulking hurlers), and the latter 1) would actually be better off throwing a spiky object dealing twice as much piercing damage, and 2) dr isn't gonna help you survive anyway.

[Crichton]

Bludgeoning because pretty much everyone does carry a dagger, for backup, etc. So at least this way, if it's not their main weapon that bypasses, they won't have other options to fall back on.


(I included the other two because they seem to be pretty common as well, even in lower leveled foes)

[Khedrac]

Just to add to the "reasons why bludgeoning" list:
Bite - does all 3 so doesn't matter
Claw or Talon - Piercing and Slashing
Gore - Piercing
Slap or Slam - Bludgeoning
Sting - Piercing
Tentacle - Bludgeoning (and sometimes slashing)

It does depend on the campaign, but claws are probably the most encountered natural attack.

The other factor here is that DR 5 or 10/Bludgeoning isn't going to matter against the opponents does 50+ slashing damage when they hit you (well 10 might make them take an extra hit to kill you).
However DR1 or 2/Bludgeoning will prevent poison needles in locks and assassins' rings from injecting you.
It prevents individual tiny scorpions from stinging you.
DR5 will prevent poisoned daggers (unless they Crit or your opponent adds strength - and a lot of these types of opponents use finesse not power...)

And, best of all, it prevents paper cuts!

[Crake]

will prevent poison needles in locks and assassins' rings from injecting you.

The poisoner's ring that I'm familiar with is a touch attack, and touch attacks bypass DR.

[Vizzerdrix]

Play a vrill, and you can pick a new option each day.

[GrayDeath]

Depnds on the Height.
If its merely "enough to matter" I agree with BLudgeoning.

If its high enough to basically be Immunity except Epic Cases and one or enemies" (say at least 50), then Piecing.
Cause being immune to Bludgeoning (jumping from skyskraping high stuff without problems) and Swords (catching a Supersharp Blade wielded by a Master with a finger) are simply too cool to pass over. ^^

[Eldariel]

Just to add to the "reasons why bludgeoning" list:
Bite - does all 3 so doesn't matter
Claw or Talon - Piercing and Slashing
Gore - Piercing
Slap or Slam - Bludgeoning
Sting - Piercing
Tentacle - Bludgeoning (and sometimes slashing)

It does depend on the campaign, but claws are probably the most encountered natural attack.

The other factor here is that DR 5 or 10/Bludgeoning isn't going to matter against the opponents does 50+ slashing damage when they hit you (well 10 might make them take an extra hit to kill you).
However DR1 or 2/Bludgeoning will prevent poison needles in locks and assassins' rings from injecting you.
It prevents individual tiny scorpions from stinging you.
DR5 will prevent poisoned daggers (unless they Crit or your opponent adds strength - and a lot of these types of opponents use finesse not power...)

And, best of all, it prevents paper cuts!

This is a good list. One important type is natural attacks. It's worth noting that Slam is probably the second most common. In that sense, Bludgeoning is probably the best but not by much. Well, against things like Giants, Golems, Zombies, etc. anyways - all of those get Slam attacks.

Of course, humanoids wielding weapons are far more dangerous generally and guess where DR is at its best? Against ranged weapons. And out of ranged weapons, Piercing is by far the most dangerous and common (Bows, Longbows, Javelins, etc.) but Bludgeoning does also occur (Sling, Giant boulders), of which boulders are a very real threat (if the Giants are given Brutal Throw; otherwise they'll lob 'em ineffectually in your general direction). Against ranged weapons, Slashing is obviously the better.

Now, melee weapons are the final category and fact is that bludgeoning weapons are generally just worse than their Slashing counterparts. Compare a Greatsword (2d6, 19-20/x2) and Greatclub (1d10, 20/x2) side-by-side to see the difference. The best reach weapon (Guisarme), the best damage weapons (Greatsword & Falchion) and the best one-handed weapon (Longsword/Scimitar) are all Slashing. Piercing is also pretty important: Lance is the best mounted weapon, Spears are the best simple weapons, Short Sword is the best light weapon (alongside Kukri, which is slashing), Armor Spikes are the only notable non-handed weapon, Spiked Chain is the best exotic weapon. The only really important Bludgeoning melee weapon is Unarmed Strike, and that's rather niche due to the resources it takes to make it decent (but it's also non-handed).


In short:
Natural Weapons: Bludgeoning is the best. Slashing is the second best and Piercing is the worst.
Ranged Weapons: Slashing is the best. Bludgeoning is the second best and Piercing is the worst.
Melee Weapons: Bludgeoning is the best. Piercing is the second best and Slashing is the worst.

Take the amalgamation of these (though remember that in melee, enemy is more likely to be able to punch through your DR than at range) and Bludgeoning is the clear winner, Slashing second and Piercing the worst. The fact that Slashing is much preferable to Piercing was actually a surprise to me, but it's pretty clear from the data. Slashing melee weapons are prolific enough that one thinks of mostly of them but when getting into the nitty-gritty, there are tons of really powerful Piercing weapons too, to the point that Slashing is the easy choice.

[Psyren]

In the real world I'd pick slashing; piercing is obvious (bullets/bolts), and I'm much more likely to get hit by a car, a fist, or a falling object than by a sword.

[liquidformat]

But honestly if you want the real reason why bludgeoning, it's because ranged weapons. The approximate breakdown of ranged damage types is 98% piercing (bows/crossbows/spears), 1.9% slashing (thrown daggers), and 0.1% bludgeoning (hulking hurlers), and the latter 1) would actually be better off throwing a spiky object dealing twice as much piercing damage, and 2) dr isn't gonna help you survive anyway.

Sling bullets are quite common low level, throwing hammers aren't uncommon for throwing builds that aren't focused around daggers or shuriken, and throwing daggers are piercing not slashing. From a ranged attack point of view you are actually safest with slashing (though you can get slashing and bludgeoning arrows...)


Depnds on the Height.
If its merely "enough to matter" I agree with BLudgeoning.

If its high enough to basically be Immunity except Epic Cases and one or enemies" (say at least 50), then Piecing.
Cause being immune to Bludgeoning (jumping from skyskraping high stuff without problems) and Swords (catching a Supersharp Blade wielded by a Master with a finger) are simply too cool to pass over. ^^

I would tend to go with this logic in game, also isn't the most common side arm for a melee build a morningstar? I mean seriously why carry two weapons around for slashing resistant enemies when morning star covers Piercing and bludgeoning.


In the real world I'd pick slashing; piercing is obvious (bullets/bolts), and I'm much more likely to get hit by a car, a fist, or a falling object than by a sword.

Agreed, IRL hands down slashing, it is the least common. Granted IRL things like spears and rapiers can do slashing as easily as piercing...

[Elkad]

I'm leaning towards slash. Pierce is stacked multiplier lance charges for 5x damage , and blunt is Minotaur warhammers with greater mighty wallop.

[Kish]

Wait, I seem to have read the thread-starting question fundamentally differently than everyone else who has responded to it (and from the followup post, differently than the OP intended).

Answering the question as I first read it--not "the DM of your new campaign is giving each PC some form of damage reduction" but "you, in real life, are offered a form of damage reduction"--slashing all the way. Someone who attacked me might use their fists (bludgeoning), a club or bat (bludgeoning), a gun (piercing), or a switchblade (piercing). I'm much less concerned about someone coming after me with a sword.

[Eldariel]

Wait, I seem to have read the thread-starting question fundamentally differently than everyone else who has responded to it (and from the followup post, differently than the OP intended).

Answering the question as I first read it--not "the DM of your new campaign is giving each PC some form of damage reduction" but "you, in real life, are offered a form of damage reduction"--slashing all the way. Someone who attacked me might use their fists (bludgeoning), a club or bat (bludgeoning), a gun (piercing), or a switchblade (piercing). I'm much less concerned about someone coming after me with a sword.

But the papercuts though... Frankly, I'm much less worried about someone stabbing me (the likelihood of that actually happening is approximately zero) than cutting myself. I'd 100 % go for piercing myself; bumps and cuts are everywhere but getting skewered is quite the rare event.

[Khedrac]

But the papercuts though... Frankly, I'm much less worried about someone stabbing me (the likelihood of that actually happening is approximately zero) than cutting myself. I'd 100 % go for piercing myself; bumps and cuts are everywhere but getting skewered is quite the rare event.

I'd probably still go bludgeoning! Yes, bumping myself is much more common than pricking myself with a needle, or similar, but the advantage not knowing that stepping on a rusty nail won't give me tetanus and being able to push past bramble bushes would, I htink, for me outweigh the bruises. This one is very much a personal judgement call though - frequency vs. benefit balancing.

You are absolutely right about papercuts though. I would take DR 1/(P or B) over either of the others.

[Eldariel]

I'd probably still go bludgeoning! Yes, bumping myself is much more common than pricking myself with a needle, or similar, but the advantage not knowing that stepping on a rusty nail won't give me tetanus and being able to push past bramble bushes would, I htink, for me outweigh the bruises. This one is very much a personal judgement call though - frequency vs. benefit balancing.

You are absolutely right about papercuts though. I would take DR 1/(P or B) over either of the others.

Bramble bushes are a good point and pricking as well. Splinters are another reason to resist Piercing. Still, y'know, with resistance to bludgeoning you could just fall down the stairs to get down there faster without actually being worse for wear. Or jump down from the third floor or something. As long as you don't jump into nails/spikes/the like at any rate. And you wouldn't have to worry about hitting your head to a cabinet door, roof, or whatever. It's just convenient. Then again, piercing and slashing do worse things on average; bludgeoning damage mostly leaves bruises but rarely inconveniences you while piercing and slashing can lead to bacterial infection or the like (and most piercing things might also do slashing depending on how it happens to hit you so DR/slashing is not the solution). On the other hand, things like getting hit by a car or getting punched or such are probably the most likely actually dangerous scenarios and there bludgeoning is mostly what you're worried about.

[ben-zayb]

DR only protects against weapon attacks, not falling damage or what have you.

I'd easily go for DR/bludgeoning in-game, for reasons already explained.

I'd go for DR/slashing, not only because I don't want to get shanked or beat up with punches/kicks/slams/etc. I also simply don't want medical incisions to suddenly have a hard time working on me.

[dude123nice]

Granted IRL things like spears and rapiers can do slashing as easily as piercing...

Not really as easily. There are weapons similar to them that are more oriented towards slashing damage, but actual spears and rapiers are VERY focused on dealing piercing damage, any slashing damage they may do will be greatly reduced. The REAL problem with IRL is that you can't just decouple damage into different categories that don't affect each other at all, like you do in DND.

[Eldariel]

DR only protects against weapon attacks, not falling damage or what have you.

There's stuff like Caltrops that "attack" you in spite of being subject to DR, and environmental effects like Ice Storm are also subjected to DR in spite of not using attack r. It's probably not much of a stretch to apply DR to falling damage if we're going by "common sense application" of the rules anyways.

[GrayDeath]

We always ruled that DR applied to the following:

Any form of physical, nonelemental Damage dealt directly to the bearer of the DR. Be it via Weapons, natural Attacks, Fallinbg, being in a Cave in, or whatever.
That does not measurbly ,strengthen it in 90% of the campaigns one palys in, but it prevents a LOT of "Whaut, that makes no sense" moments.

Not RAW of course ^^


Note to self. Build a Character with DR 1000/RAI