What are the best ways to bypass damage reduction for a multiattack build

[pabelfly]

One of the main drawbacks for any build relying on multiple attacks is damage reduction reducing the damage from each of a character's attacks. What are the best ways for bypassing or negating damage reduction, presuming that damage reduction is untyped? Besides the obvious of doing more damage per hit.

[Anthrowhale]

One of the main drawbacks for any build relying on multiple attacks is damage reduction reducing the damage from each of a character's attacks. What are the best ways for bypassing or negating damage reduction, presuming that damage reduction is untyped? Besides the obvious of doing more damage per hit.

There is a rules disagreement between the SRD (DR does not apply to touch attacks) and RC (DR does apply to touch attacks). If the former applies in a game there are several ways to get touch attacks.

[Crake]

If you’re using ranged attacks, and your DM allows pathfinder feats, the clustered shots feat makes damage reduction only apply once to all your attacks

[Kurald Galain]

Be a PF Paladin: its Smite Evil ignores any and all DR.

[pabelfly]

If you’re using ranged attacks, and your DM allows pathfinder feats, the clustered shots feat makes damage reduction only apply once to all your attacks


Be a PF Paladin: its Smite Evil ignores any and all DR.

3.5 only, unfortunately. But thanks for the suggestions.

[ViperMagnum357]

Sense Weakness feat, Draconomicon. Ignore 5 points of any type of DR, including DR/- when you use weaponry for which you have taken Weapon Focus. If Dragon Magazine is allowed and you are well into Epic (30th level), the epic destiny Blade of Ragnarok can strip a large variety of special protections from a target for a few rounds, including any DR the target has.

[pabelfly]

Sense Weakness feat, Draconomicon. Ignore 5 points of any type of DR, including DR/- when you use weaponry for which you have taken Weapon Focus. If Dragon Magazine is allowed and you are well into Epic (30th level), the epic destiny Blade of Ragnarok can strip a large variety of special protections from a target for a few rounds, including any DR the target has.

That feat is a really helpful suggestion. Thanks for the tip.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Use spells or other effects that create weapons made of energy types you can wield, since DR doesn't apply to various types of energy effects, such as [force] damage, [fire] damage, or [negative energy] damage. Taking a level in pyrokineticist (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/pyrokineticist.htm) (or one of its other alternatives that use other energy types) means you never have to worry about DR, and [sonic] or [acid] rarely have to worry about resistances or immunities.

[Doctor Despair]

Just dealing energy damage bypasses DR I'm pretty sure. If you're doing archery, you probably already have precision damage of some sort, so Dragonfire Strike could be a good vehicle.

[pabelfly]

Use spells or other effects that create weapons made of energy types you can wield, since DR doesn't apply to various types of energy effects, such as [force] damage, [fire] damage, or [negative energy] damage. Taking a level in pyrokineticist (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/pyrokineticist.htm) (or one of its other alternatives that use other energy types) means you never have to worry about DR, and [sonic] or [acid] rarely have to worry about resistances or immunities.

So let's say that I had a +1 Sonic Shortsword. Presuming that I wasn't attacking an enemy immune to Sonic, I would be able to do full damage to it, regardless of damage reduction? Or does that only apply to the 1d4 damage from the Sonic enchant?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

So let's say that I had a +1 Sonic Shortsword. Presuming that I wasn't attacking an enemy immune to Sonic, I would be able to do full damage to it, regardless of damage reduction? Or does that only apply to the 1d4 damage from the Sonic enchant?If you're talking about a regular +1 magic shortsword with +1d4 [sonic] damage on it, only the [sonic] damage would ignore DR. The rest of it isn't a [sonic] effect and is instead just [stabby] damage, so that part would still be affected by DR.

If you had a sword made entirely of [sonic] energy that did [sonic] damage (and not [stabby] damage), that would ignore DR completely.

If you want the link to the variant kineticists that I suggested earlier, a(n admittedly poor) copy of it is here: http://rpg.nobl.ca/archive.php?x=dnd/psm/20040625e

[pabelfly]

If you're talking about a regular +1 magic shortsword with +1d4 [sonic] damage on it, only the [sonic] damage would ignore DR. The rest of it isn't a [sonic] effect and is instead just [stabby] damage, so that part would still be affected by DR.

If you had a sword made entirely of [sonic] energy that did [sonic] damage (and not [stabby] damage), that would ignore DR completely.

If you want the link to the variant kineticists that I suggested earlier, a(n admittedly poor) copy of it is here: http://rpg.nobl.ca/archive.php?x=dnd/psm/20040625e

Thanks for the link.

Adding 2d6 or 4d6 damage that's not resisted on all your attacks could be decent with enough additional attacks. Might have a look at this class more closely later to see how to boost the damage per attack further.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Thanks for the link.

Adding 2d6 or 4d6 damage that's not resisted on all your attacks could be decent with enough additional attacks. Might have a look at this class more closely later to see how to boost the damage per attack further.You create whips made of your chosen energy, and you have an ability that can set either your hand on fire (or whatever your energy is) or something you hold in your hand, which includes your energy whip. You also get energy bolts to fling around, as well as other abilities related to your chosen energy type.

The energy-based abilities (including the whip) are all immune to DR.

[RNightstalker]

If ToB is allowed, there are the Mountain Hammer maneuvers that bypass DR.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

If ToB is allowed, there are the Mountain Hammer maneuvers that bypass DR.Not a great option when using multiple weapons. Sure, it bypasses DR, but it only works on one attack as a standard action, generally. Much better suited to a two-handed greatsword than on a build stabbing a dozen times with a rapier and one or more daggers (or two+ energy whips).

[darkdragoon]

Vulnerability spell (Draconmonicon / Spell Compendium)

Mythic Exemplar- level 9 "Embody Paragon" if you picked Sunyartra.

[ciopo]

Stormguard Warrior feat combat rhythm comes to mind, but it's more sidestepping DR rather than bypassing it

[pabelfly]

Vulnerability spell (Draconmonicon / Spell Compendium)

This is a really good suggestion, thanks.

[Darg]

There is a rules disagreement between the SRD (DR does not apply to touch attacks) and RC (DR does apply to touch attacks). If the former applies in a game there are several ways to get touch attacks.

If the RC is the only strict RAW, then when DR completely negates the damage from an attack it negates discharged touch spells, energy damage delivered with a weapon, and energy drain. It's these little things that are why I ignore the RC. You can get the full picture by simply combining the DMG and the MM.

[LecternOfJasper]

Thanks for the link.

Adding 2d6 or 4d6 damage that's not resisted on all your attacks could be decent with enough additional attacks. Might have a look at this class more closely later to see how to boost the damage per attack further.

Power attack works, iirc. Since the energy whip is treated like a whip for the purpose of feats, and it's not a light weapon, and you use touch attacks, power attack should apply and be able to be used to (mostly) full effect.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

If you decide to use pyrokineticist, see if your DM will allow you to use the PF version (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/psionics-unleashed/psionic-prestige-classes/pyrokineticist/). It's a little better. And the energy variants should mostly work with it just fine.