D&D 3E/3.5 3.5e: DR of Stoneskin or similar spells

[Shin Okada]

Stoneskin spell says,

The warded creature gains resistance to blows, cuts, stabs, and slashes. The subject gains damage reduction 10/adamantine. (It ignores the first 10 points of damage each time it takes damage from a weapon, though an adamantine weapon bypasses the reduction.) Once the spell has prevented a total of 10 points of damage per caster level (maximum 150 points), it is discharged.

Now, when a character has DRs from multiple sources, how shall I count the damage "prevented" by Stoneskin?

#Example 1
A sorcerer casts Stoneskin on a Warforged PC with Adamantine Plating (DR2/adamantine). Since only the highest DR is applied, that warforged now has DR10/adamantine. Then, he is hit by a non-adamantine weapon and the damage was 8. The damage is of course reduced to 0. But how much damage the Stoneskin has prevented? Shall I reduce the total damage limit of Stoneskin spell by 8? Or 6?

#Example 2
A sorcerer casts Stoneskin on a PC wearing Adamantine full-plate (DR2/-). Then, he is hit by a non-adamantine weapon and the damage was 8. The damage is of course reduced to 0. But how much damage the Stoneskin has prevented? Shall I reduce the total damage limit of Stoneskin spell by 8? Or 6?

#Example 3
A sorcerer casts both Protection from Arrows (DR10/magic against ranged weapons) and Stoneskin (DR10/adamantine). Then he is hit by a non-magical/non-adamantine arrow and the damage was 8. How much damage each spells were prevented? Shall I reduce the total damage limit of each spells by 8? Or 4 each?

 

[frankthedm]

RAW would have the stoneskin suck up all the damage.

Once the spell has prevented a total of 10 points of damage per caster level (maximum 150 points), it is discharged.

Special Abilities :: d20srd.org
If a creature has damage reduction from more than one source, the two forms of damage reduction do not stack. Instead, the creature gets the benefit of the best damage reduction in a given situation.

It would be reasonable that the Stoneskin would be calculated based on what would get through "worn" DR, but that would increase the power of Stoneskin.

 

[Shin Okada]

Thanks Frank.

So the DR of the highest number is applied.

Then, what will happen in case of example #3? Both of the DRs are 10. So, both the DR from Protection from Arrows and Stoneskin are considered to be prevented the damage?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

8, 8, and whatever is best for the player (probably PfA).

There's no way via the rules (AFAIK, anyway) to pick the better DR in situation 3, since they're both DR 10 against the attack, so default to the friendliest possibility.

 

[frankthedm]

In case of a tie like in #3, I'd say apply the highest level effect first.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Examples 1 and 2, the spell absorbs all the damage, DR overlaps and doesn't stack unless it says otherwise. In the case of a hit that did 1 or 2 damage (using examples 1 and 2's DR 2), I would say their unlimited DR absorbs the damage and doesn't deduct from stoneskin's total. But ONLY if it completely negated the damage, otherwise stoneskin would kick in.

Example 3 is a lot trickier, I would say the player chooses in advance (when casting) the "order" to apply them in (which I assume in almost every case would be protection from arrows first).

 

[Shin Okada]

Thank you guys for replies. So, the case #3 seems to be a DM's call.

I am sorry that I have to spread more XPs for others before giving to Frank and StreamOfTheSky.

 

[Tharkon]

Rules as intendd are probably that both spells try to prevent the damage and both are used up for the full 8 damage.

Its entirely the DM's call though, you could try visualising it, stoneskin toughens the skin, armor that prevents the arrow from coming trough by virtue of DR should logically have the same result as if it was by virtue of AC and thus the stone skin would not realise that it has been attacked. In the case of protection from arrows its a bit harder to visualise how the arrows are blocked. It could be some deflective aura in which case it would go before even armor.

I don't see a situation happening soon where you'd cast two so similar defensive buffs. If you want to further improve, an AC boost, death ward, or energy resistance would be more useful.

 

[Wyvernhand]

In the case of example 3, I would say that the damage would be reduced from both pools. Both are able to negate the damage, so both are the "best" DR in that situation. Since both are applicable, both should be considered independent of the other, and since there are no rules for order of application other than stacking the same effect, I'd say that they both apply simultaneously, even if only one is actually needed to get the job done.

 

[PureGoldx58]

I know that if you have two (or more) DRs that are exactly equal and both "the best" you technically combine them and make them one. In this case that would mean that it would have DR10/magic and adamantine meaning it would need both to break through, unfortunately the spells are both different and I don't know how protection from arrows works but if it has a limited damage absorption I would take that off first since its qualifier is far more exact.