Sonic damage/resistance and game balance

[Moon-Lancer]

Lets say their was a class that granted a breath weapon. If the choice of the breath weapon type also grants resistance and eventually immunity say around level 9, could sonic be a balanced choice

What i mean is, say you choose fire, its probably the weakest breath attack but to be resistant to it would be very strong as many creatures have fire attacks.Sonic in turn would be the strongest as an attack but the weakest resistance as a resistance because that resistance would rarely see use.

Under these circumstances would sonic be a balanced choice for this attack/resistance ability.

 

[Arkhandus]

It could if you include some noted drawback for choosing sonic energy. Acid is similar in usefulness (bypasses most regeneration abilities and it's not so common a resistance or immunity as fire, cold, or electricity). Say that if the effect normally deals d6 damage dice, if deals only d4s if acid or sonic energy was chosen. The rest should balance itself out (while sonic immunity or acid immunity would be infrequently helpful, the effectiveness of an acid or sonic attack used by that same individual would probably balance it out; even though it's doing a bit less damage, there's less chance of it being resisted, reduced, or ineffective).

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I really dident want to lower the hid dice of the attack for sonic, but if that what it takes to balance it, then i guess it must be done. I have noted that many attacks that does sonic damage seem to have smaller hit dice.

 

[Nifft]

Sonic damage bypasses hardness. That's huge. I'd suggest smaller damage dice, and the relative weakness of the immunity will pay for the rest -- sorta. It also means that you can be out front while the Wizard & Bard behind you spam shout spells over your area, or the Psion behind you tosses energy wall: sonic (or any other energy power) around you.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Moon-Lancer]

i keep hearing that sonic bypasses damage reduction. where is this stated? I do know that its stated that acid and sonic don't do half damage to objects or something like that...

Energy Attacks

Acid and sonic attacks deal damage to most objects just as they do to creatures; roll damage and apply it normally after a successful hit. Electricity and fire attacks deal half damage to most objects; divide the damage dealt by 2 before applying the hardness. Cold attacks deal one-quarter damage to most objects; divide the damage dealt by 4 before applying the hardness.

 

[Flynn]

I believe I've seen somewhere (obviously an OGL variant) where sonic attacks do only nonlethal damage to the target, unless the target is crystalline in some form or another. It's not standard, by any means, but I always thought it was interesting.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Nifft]

i keep hearing that sonic bypasses damage reduction. where is this stated? I do know that its stated that acid and sonic don't do half damage to objects or something like that...

You know, this might only be for each specific Sonic attack in the SRD, and not for Sonic attacks in general. (Look at the Psionic energy powers.)

I can't find a reference for the penetrates hardness thing in general, and not all Sonic attacks specify that they do so.

-- N

 

[GreatLemur]

i keep hearing that sonic bypasses damage reduction. where is this stated? I do know that its stated that acid and sonic don't do half damage to objects or something like that...

All energy attacks bypass damage reduction. The thing about sonic and acid is that they're particularly good against inanimate objects, as your quote demonstrates.

 

[Destil]

Actually, looking for an old post on the topic I see Nifft suggested nonleathal back in 2003...
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=35997

In my games green and bronze dragons are immune to sonic damage because their breath weapon deals sonic damage. Amorphous creatures like air and water elementals, oozes and creatures in gas form are immune to sonic damage. Demons have random energy resistances often including sonic, and many chaotic outsiders are immune to sonic energy outright.

 

[GreatLemur]

Amorphous creatures like air and water elementals, oozes and creatures in gas form are immune to sonic damage.

That makes a hell of a lot of sense. Good idea.