Damage Reduction (Pathfinder)

[Haggar]

Hi all, I propogated my map with some swarms (spider swarms) that are immune to weapon damage and other monsters that have DR. But when the PCs attack them the DR doesn't kick in and against the swarms the weapon damage immunity doesn't kick in? Anyone know the problem? Thanks all!

[Trenloe]

[MOERATOR: Moving this thread to the 3.5E/Pathfinder forum. This is 100% to do with Pathfinder, the Tavern forum (where this was originally posted) is for general FG discussions.]

[Haggar]

Excellent thank you good man

[Moon Wizard]

The Pathfinder ruleset does not implement the damage reduction for swarms, since it is a fairly complex rule that has never been implemented. Also, there's also not a clear way to determine what is "weapon" damage (though you could probably assume B/P/S).

The only automation based on creature type is critical/nonlethal immunity and whether a creature dies at zero or can go negative.

Regards,
JPG

[Haggar]

Hmm but I have seen damage Reduction work on certain monsters when they get hit it says "damage resisted"? I would like for it to say that

[Trenloe]

Hmm but I have seen damage Reduction work on certain monsters when they get hit it says "damage resisted"?
That is for the specific rule of "damage reduction" or "resistance" - see those relevant entries here: https://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/universalMonsterRules.html

A swarm does not specifically use DR or Resistance - as Moon Wizard says, it is fairly complex and it's not 100% possible to determine what is "weapon damage".

If you want to work like DR/Resistance then you can add those effects to the NPC once in the combat tracker. See the DR effect here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/3.5E_Effects#Modifiers

Or add DR to the NPC defensive abilities section before adding to the combat tracker - see the "damage reduction" syntax in the link I provided above. The issue you will have is that DR is a specific value, not "half" damage. Half damage is not a concept in standard Pathfinder damage reduction.

[Ken L]

IIRC, if you have the effect 'swarm traits' it will apply weapon damage immunity.

[Haggar]

Yes it has swarms traits but weapon damage immunity doesn't get applied. That's what I mean.

[Trenloe]

IIRC, if you have the effect 'swarm traits' it will apply weapon damage immunity.
Nope. What Moon Wizard mentions in post #4 is what's implemented in the 3.5E/PFRPG ruleset.

[Haggar]

Ohh I see, so maybe on the swarms when they try to attack it I should manually insert something like "DR: 50-" just so no weapons will be able to penetrate it? Would that work?

[Trenloe]

Ohh I see, so maybe on the swarms when they try to attack it I should manually insert something like "DR: 50-" just so no weapons will be able to penetrate it? Would that work?
Yep, that'll work - assuming no one does more than 50 damage! ;) Then manually adjudicate any exceptions.

[Ken L]

Apparently I had put in a fix for this more than a year ago, it simply adds IMMUNE to slashing/piercing/bludgeoning if the swarm was diminutive/fine and forgotten all about it. It doesn't deal with half-damage for tiny or the 1.5 splash though.