Monsters that are Resistant to all Weapons

[kbob]

As the title suggests: what are the monsters, if any, that are resistant to all weapon damage, except the lich and demilich. I’m just curious. I have noticed that most weapon resistance for monsters are negated by magic. At some point though, the martial classes will all have magic weapons and most (if not all) of the non-martial will as well. Which means, at some point, this ability for a monster is expected and not really an ability. It won’t matter cuz all of the PCs have magic items. This is fine at first while they first acquire their weapons. However, soon after it becomes useless unless you’re playing a low to no magic campaign. If that’s the case, then a Hexblade becomes invaluable for a party.
3.5 had the same problem in my opinion. 3.0 used to have resistant or immune to weapon attacks unless from a magic modifier of a specific level (anywhere from +1 to +5). [ Note: for those that don’t know 3.X required all magic weapons to have at least a modifier of +1 before any other ability could be added to it (flaming, speed, vorpal, etc.)] So if a monster had resistance or immunity to weapons save +3, then you would need to have a weapon with a modifier of +3 or better to get by it. That could be scaled with challenges a lot better. They then changed it to just “magical” which hampered scaling for that ability.
5e kept “magical” because of its play-style and not all magic weapons require a modifier. Anyway, that makes it difficult to scale that kind of ability for monsters. It raises the CR a point or two, but at anything CR 10 or higher (could even argue for around 7 or 8) non-magical weapon resistance is a mute point. The players will be more than equipped and may not even have any mundane weapons on them to try to hurt the monster with at that point anyway. All that to be said, are there any other monsters that are resistant to magical weapons other than liches and demiliches?

[Asisreo1]

As the title suggests: what are the monsters, if any, that are resistant to all weapon damage, except the lich and demilich. I’m just curious. I have noticed that most weapon resistance for monsters are negated by magic. At some point though, the martial classes will all have magic weapons and most (if not all) of the non-martial will as well. Which means, at some point, this ability for a monster is expected and not really an ability. It won’t matter cuz all of the PCs have magic items. This is fine at first while they first acquire their weapons. However, soon after it becomes useless unless you’re playing a low to no magic campaign. If that’s the case, then a Hexblade becomes invaluable for a party.
3.5 had the same problem in my opinion. 3.0 used to have resistant or immune to weapon attacks unless from a magic modifier of a specific level (anywhere from +1 to +5). [ Note: for those that don’t know 3.X required all magic weapons to have at least a modifier of +1 before any other ability could be added to it (flaming, speed, vorpal, etc.)] So if a monster had resistance or immunity to weapons save +3, then you would need to have a weapon with a modifier of +3 or better to get by it. That could be scaled with challenges a lot better. They then changed it to just “magical” which hampered scaling for that ability.
5e kept “magical” because of its play-style and not all magic weapons require a modifier. Anyway, that makes it difficult to scale that kind of ability for monsters. It raises the CR a point or two, but at anything CR 10 or higher (could even argue for around 7 or 8) non-magical weapon resistance is a mute point. The players will be more than equipped and may not even have any mundane weapons on them to try to hurt the monster with at that point anyway. All that to be said, are there any other monsters that are resistant to magical weapons other than liches and demiliches?
Ochre Jellies and Black Puddings are immune to slashing damage no matter the type. They aren't immune to any other, though, and its more of a way WoTC facilitated their "Split" feature than an actual immunity.

[N810]

IRC our DM once ran some sort of weird monster against us once what was immune to all forms of magical attacks (including magical weapons.)
[i suspect it was probably a homebrew monster tho]

[Valmark]

IRC our DM once ran some sort of weird monster against us once what was immune to all forms of magical attacks (including magical weapons.)
[i suspect it was probably a homebrew monster tho]

Yeah, should be homebrew. Did normal attacks work?

Had a similar enemy that was immune, period. No matter what you did. Was meant to be that way and get killed by plot.

I hope they never make an enemy immune to physical attacks of any nature- I don't think 5e needs something that is basically an "Anti-Martial" monster.

[KorvinStarmast]

basically an "Anti-Martial" monster. Like the Iron Golem?
Damage Immunities fire, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine

Adamantine weapons are not generally for sale. :smallcool:

[Satori01]

Lycanthropes all have this trait:
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons

[Eldariel]

Like the Iron Golem?
Damage Immunities fire, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine

Adamantine weapons are not generally for sale. :smallcool:

Meh, it's not immune to magical weapons though... Something immune to magical weapon attacks would be pretty brutal (even the handful of resistant things are pretty annoying though of course, such enemies generally have surprisingly low HP).

[Valmark]

Like the Iron Golem?
Damage Immunities fire, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine

Adamantine weapons are not generally for sale. :smallcool:

But magical weapons are around before you get to CR 16s, usually. As I said, immunity to physical attacks of any nature, not just nonmagical- there's a lot of monsters with that already anyway.

Besides, I'd call the Iron Golem anti-caster more then anti-martial (not that much).

[RogueJK]

It won’t matter cuz all of the PCs have magic items. This is fine at first while they first acquire their weapons. However, soon after it becomes useless unless you’re playing a low to no magic campaign. If that’s the case, then a Hexblade becomes invaluable for a party.

A Hexblade's weapon isn't automatically magical. But any Pact of the Blade Warlock's pact weapon is considered magical.

Other classes have ways to generate magical weapons as well, or at least have their attacks treated as magical weapons for purposes of overcoming resistance/immunities. These include things like:
Artificer's Enhanced Weapon Infusion
Forge Cleric's Blessing of the Forge
Devotion Paladin's Sacred Weapon
Moon Druid's Primal Strike
Monk's Ki-Empowered Strike

(The Artificer and Forge Cleric have the added benefit of their class-ability-generated magic weapons being usable by other party members too.)

Plus all the various spells that generate magical weapons, like Shillelagh, Magic Weapon, Shadow Blade, Elemental Weapon, Holy Weapon, etc.


As a result, it isn't strictly necessary for a DM to hand out a bunch of magical weapons, since any party should have options for overcoming that hurdle.

[KorvinStarmast]

But magical weapons are around before you get to CR 16s, usually. As I said, immunity to physical attacks of any nature, not just nonmagical- there's a lot of monsters with that already anyway.

Besides, I'd call the Iron Golem anti-caster more then anti-martial (not that much). Heh, the "fire heals the golem" is certainly anti-any I fireball everything caster. :smallbiggrin: Also, that magic resistance made the one we fought tough to banish. :smallyuk:

[Eldariel]

A Hexblade's weapon isn't automatically magical. But any Pact of the Blade Warlock's pact weapon is considered magical.

Other classes have ways to generate magical weapons as well, or at least have their attacks treated as magical weapons for purposes of overcoming resistance/immunities. These include things like:
Artificer's Enhanced Weapon Infusion
Forge Cleric's Blessing of the Forge
Devotion Paladin's Sacred Weapon
Moon Druid's Primal Strike
Monk's Ki-Empowered Strike

(The Artificer and Forge Cleric have the added benefit of their class-ability-generated magic weapons being usable by other party members too.)

Plus all the various spells that generate magical weapons, like Shillelagh, Magic Weapon, Shadow Blade, Elemental Weapon, Holy Weapon, etc.


As a result, it isn't strictly necessary for a DM to hand out a bunch of magical weapons, since any party should have options for overcoming that hurdle.

There's also no need for a weapon user in a party. Have a Shepherd Druid or two summon a set of things to bruise and frontline instead and you can be all casters. Or just play some damage dealer casters.

[Satori01]

Meh, it's not immune to magical weapons though... Something immune to magical weapon attacks would be pretty brutal (even the handful of resistant things are pretty annoying though of course, such enemies generally have surprisingly low HP).

That is the AD&D model. If you needed a +3 or Higher Weapon to hit Demogorgon, and you only had a +2 weapon.....no damage was being dealt.

[KorvinStarmast]

That is the AD&D model. If you needed a +3 or Higher Weapon to hit Demogorgon, and you only had a +2 weapon.....no damage was being dealt. I, for one, am glad that this model has been dispensed with.

[RogueJK]

Meh, it's not immune to magical weapons though... Something immune to magical weapon attacks would be pretty brutal (even the handful of resistant things are pretty annoying though of course, such enemies generally have surprisingly low HP).

Seems like I recall from past editions (or maybe Pathfinder) a few enemies that were resistant/immune to magic and magic weapons, but not to non-magical weapons. Kind of a curveball to throw your party that's decked out with magical items.

Magic Golems, maybe?

[Guy Lombard-O]

Seems like I recall from past editions (or maybe Pathfinder) a few enemies that were resistant/immune to magic and magic weapons, but not to non-magical weapons. Kind of a curveball to throw your party that's decked out with magical items.

Magic Golems, maybe?

That sound sort of like "cold iron" vs. fey. Whatever "cold iron" actually means....

[Vogie]

Swarms are generally resistant to just 'weapons', without a "non-magic" rider.

Usually if a monster is immune to all weapons, there's some other shenanigans going on in the encounter. You have to smash the thingamabobs, douse the lanterns, kill the chanting cultists, et cetera... and only then can you deal damage to the monster

[MaxWilson]

I, for one, am glad that this model has been dispensed with.

I miss it. It seems right and proper to me that you should need a powerful demon-slaying weapon to kill Demogorgon, not some cheap 50 gp Moon-Touched Sword.

I don't necessarily need the levels of immunity to be based on the number of +s, but I dislike how binary 5E's monster immunities are. (Also I think vulnerabilities are underused.) It's almost as if they have a problem with monsters who require more than brute force to kill in the same way you killed six monsters already today.

My idea of a good adventure game includes things like demons who hide their lives in distant places, vampires who are almost immune to forged metal weaponry but not to wooden or living weapons, shadows who can't be stabbed because they're two-dimensional but who are wounded by bright light, trolls that have to be hacked apart and then burned to ash, hags who die only when you burn down their chicken-legged huts, etc.

[Valmark]

Heh, the "fire heals the golem" is certainly anti-any I fireball everything caster. :smallbiggrin: Also, that magic resistance made the one we fought tough to banish. :smallyuk:

Something I would like is more heal-on-this-element kind of stuff. Though I have to admit I hardly remember any.

[RogueJK]

Something I would like is more heal-on-this-element kind of stuff.

And bring back healing undead with Necrotic/Negative energy.

[N810]

Yeah, should be homebrew. Did normal attacks work?

Had a similar enemy that was immune, period. No matter what you did. Was meant to be that way and get killed by plot.

I hope they never make an enemy immune to physical attacks of any nature- I don't think 5e needs something that is basically an "Anti-Martial" monster.

Yep, normal attacks worked just fine, and my character had a hoard of regular weapons that i handed out to the rest of the party.

[Vogie]

And bring back healing undead with Necrotic/Negative energy.

I mean, if you're the DM, you can totally bring that back in your games.

For example, I threw an encounter at my players once that involved them getting charmed and walking slowly towards the source of the enchantment until they're struck by a teammate. Since they were reasonably tricked out and I didn't want the encounter to go on forever, I had the party's attacks on the charmed members use their AC without their Dexterity included, because it made sense thematically. My rogue player chuckled and said "I never thought I'd need my flat-footed AC in this edition!"

[sithlordnergal]

There really aren't many creatures completely resistant to magical weapon damage. Swarms are the only ones that have blanket resistance like that, while certain slimes have special immunities. Whilte the resistance won't come into play for the main party, it does serve a very important purpose, and that purpose is to bring non-Shepard Druid minionmancers into line.

Sure, you may have a Necromancer with 10 Skeletons at your command, and that may be powerful, but they're not going to be very useful against an Air Elemental. The Wizard's Animated Objects will dominate a battlefield...until they fight a Fire Elemental, or really anything that is resistant to damage and causes things to take damage when they're hit.

[Hellpyre]

IRC our DM once ran some sort of weird monster against us once what was immune to all forms of magical attacks (including magical weapons.)
[i suspect it was probably a homebrew monster tho]

Depending on the edition, that could have been a (as previously mentioned) Magic Golem, which was explicitly only damaged by non-magical weapons and anti-magic effects. It could also have been an attempt to port the creature forward to a non-TSR edition.

Of course, it could also have just been plain homebrew - it isn't as though it is such a unique idea that independently developing it is out of the question.

[PhoenixPhyre]

I'd be really careful with this as more than a one-off puzzle monster.

Imagine the counterpart. Imagine rakshasa everywhere. Spellcasters are just simply out of luck. Not too much fun, right?

Overused, resistance and immunity (and vulnerability) become annoyances more than signalling a specific "special" monster. Let exceptions be exceptional

[MaxWilson]

There really aren't many creatures completely resistant to magical weapon damage. Swarms are the only ones that have blanket resistance like that, while certain slimes have special immunities. Whilte the resistance won't come into play for the main party, it does serve a very important purpose, and that purpose is to bring non-Shepard Druid minionmancers into line.

(A) Sure, you may have a Necromancer with 10 Skeletons at your command, and that may be powerful, but they're not going to be very useful against an Air Elemental. The Wizard's Animated Objects will dominate a battlefield...until they fight a Fire Elemental, or really anything that is resistant to damage and causes things to take damage when they're hit.

Well, there's where we come back to the binary nature of resistances in 5E. All it takes is a cheap magic item, the ranged equivalent of a (Common) Moon-touched Sword, or an almost-as-cheap (Uncommon) Longbow +1, and those skeletons are back in business.

It wouldn't be that easy if the monster in question required +2 or better weapons (or the equivalent) to damage it, like an AD&D Elemental does.

And as you note, a Shepherd Druid gets to bypass that resistance (almost) completely.

[sithlordnergal]

Well, there's where we come back to the binary nature of resistances in 5E. All it takes is a cheap magic item, the ranged equivalent of a (Common) Moon-touched Sword, or an almost-as-cheap (Uncommon) Longbow +1, and those skeletons are back in business.

It wouldn't be that easy if the monster in question required +2 or better weapons (or the equivalent) to damage it, like an AD&D Elemental does.

And as you note, a Shepherd Druid gets to bypass that resistance (almost) completely.

Ehh, it depends on the setting and how expensive the items are. If your DM doesn't generally sell magical items, then you might not be able to find enough items to outfit your 10 skeletons. If your DM is like me and they use the old Season 8 AL prices for items, then a single +1 shortbow is gonna cost 800 gold. That's gonna cost 8,000 gold to get those 10 skeletons outfitted, and I highly doubt the party is gonna be willing to help the Wizard pay that amount. Not only that, but the Wizard will need to make sure they pick up the dropped weapons of any fallen skeletons, or else they've lost that weapon and will need to buy a new one. But hey, if the Wizard wants to sink that much time and money in order to have 10 skeletons bypass some resistances, I'm ok with that.

Shepard Druid does bypass all that, though they have a built in control since the DM decides what is summoned.

[Eldariel]

Seems like I recall from past editions (or maybe Pathfinder) a few enemies that were resistant/immune to magic and magic weapons, but not to non-magical weapons. Kind of a curveball to throw your party that's decked out with magical items.

Magic Golems, maybe?

Yeah, I do believe such things do exist and in 3.0e/3.5e it is trivial to gain immunity to all damage. There are actually multiple ways of accomplishing that, from Regeneration + Non-lethal immunity to simply not dying regardless of the damage taken + being able to act at negative HP (off the top of my head, Delay Death + Beastland Ferocity, Hide Life & Regeneration + Favor of the Martyr or a race all worked and were pretty low effort).

Of course, if warriors are a bit more useful (even 3.5 ToB/PF1e PoW level/full source PF1e baseline) I don't mind that as much since they can still do useful stuff even if they can't physically harm the enemy, and well-built martials generally have tools to circumvent it anyways. But 5e-style martials that do nothing but hit a wall for damage? Meh, it would be pretty brutal to throw damage immune things at them (or even AD&D-style or even 3.0-style damage reduction where you're totally equipment-gated). I do hate 5e-style damage resistance but I don't miss AD&D/3.0-style "you must have Excalibur to be allowed to fight"-stuff (okay, in 3.0 you could circumvent that and the Greater Magic Weapon spell existed anyways but still annoying; martials were not only totally at the mercy of the casters but totally redundant to boot).


Well, there's where we come back to the binary nature of resistances in 5E. All it takes is a cheap magic item, the ranged equivalent of a (Common) Moon-touched Sword, or an almost-as-cheap (Uncommon) Longbow +1, and those skeletons are back in business.

It wouldn't be that easy if the monster in question required +2 or better weapons (or the equivalent) to damage it, like an AD&D Elemental does.

And as you note, a Shepherd Druid gets to bypass that resistance (almost) completely.

Honestly, gameplay-wise the best way to do this would be to have resistances that grow weaker the more of it you can penetrate. So that a +1 weapon or an adamantine weapon or whatever penetrates half the resistance and +2 all of it, or +1 a third, +2 two-thirds and +3 all of it. This way you'd have use of your lesser magic sword but you'd still be better off with the bigger thing. And turn it back into "flat damage prevented" instead of "percentile reduction"; flat damage is much better story-wise where PCs are needed to take down things the city guards are simply incapable of harming (like many dragons) instead of the percentile reduction where groups kill anyone but the stronger the individual, the more he is hurt.

[MaxWilson]

Honestly, gameplay-wise the best way to do this would be to have resistances that grow weaker the more of it you can penetrate. So that a +1 weapon or an adamantine weapon or whatever penetrates half the resistance and +2 all of it, or +1 a third, +2 two-thirds and +3 all of it. This way you'd have use of your lesser magic sword but you'd still be better off with the bigger thing. And turn it back into "flat damage prevented" instead of "percentile reduction"; flat damage is much better story-wise where PCs are needed to take down things the city guards are simply incapable of harming (like many dragons) instead of the percentile reduction where groups kill anyone but the stronger the individual, the more he is hurt.

Yeah, gradually-weakening resistances instead of binary sounds pretty good. (I'm not so sure about flat resistances vs. percentile--I see pros and cons to both. E.g. it simply makes no sense at all for any snake venom to kill a Fire Elemental, no matter how high the damage roll. I think it's best to have both kinds in the system and choose between them on case-by-case basis when creating the monster. Hitting an air elemental with a catapult stone REALLY HARD still probably should do less than hitting it with a cloud of salt crystals.)

Flat out immunity isn't necessarily the best way to model a hard-to-kill monster. Even vampires that are "immune" to nonmagical metal weapons could still take a page from GURPS and allow 1 hit point of damage, scaling up from there with how appropriate the weapon was against them. This would still allow mobs of peasants to eventually kill (very stupid) vampires, which seems thematic, while not letting a cheap Moon-Touched Sword (or Magic Missile) be as effective as a Garlic-Infused Blessed Oak Stake.

Just want to mention again that I think it's important for the very best weapons to result in vulnerability, not just bypass resistances. Faerie Redcaps should fear and hate cold iron weapons even more than Magic Missiles and torches.

[Chronos]

As an aside, resistance (or immunity) to nonmagical weapons doesn't become completely irrelevant as soon as the party has magic weapons. Just because you have magic weapons doesn't mean you have the weapons you'd prefer. My first 5th edition character, a rogue, ended up spending most of his career having to choose between using a magic rapier or a non-magic bow, for instance: Ordinarily he really preferred to stay at range, but against a nonmagic-resistant monster, he had no choice but to close to melee.