Blocking DR, epics and the Kundarak Warding Shield

[Emeldir]

i made my first Kundarak shield today and previously i'd been using light and darkness, so i went to test it out in chains epic and then tides epic, and finally elite invaders.

so first up i went to chains expecting to have have DR 29 vs the first archers. (i'm a pure wizard with brambles)
the DR 19 is the number displayed in the inventory screen next to weapon damage numbers and the extra 10 is from the brambles.

i was getting DR 19 whilst actively blocking and 10 whilst standing still like a lemon. i took the brambles off and actively blocked and was getting DR 9. thats 10 less than the invetory says it should be. i went to epic tides and got the same numbers.

i went to elite invaders and let the renders hit me, i was getting dr 19 whilst actively blocking. no brambles on but wouldn't have made a difference seeing as the renders do slash damage not pierce.

so i then went back to epic tides and actively blocked with light and darkness, without brambles i had DR 12, in my inventory screen it says my blocking dr should be 14, so thats 2 less. with brambles and light and darkness it was DR 17, not 22.

i clearly don't understand how DR, Epic mobs DR bypass and blocking DR works. could someone please enlighten me

[Khellendros13]

DR on a shield, and your BaB, are what determines blocking DR. Bramble casters DR10 is for piercing only, and does not in anyway stack. Standing still you will have DR10 VS arrows, blocking it will be the blocking DR listed on the sheet.

http://ddowiki.com/page/Active_blocking

[Emeldir]

DR on a shield, and your BaB, are what determines blocking DR. Bramble casters DR10 is for piercing only, and does not in anyway stack. Standing still you will have DR10 VS arrows, blocking it will be the blocking DR listed on the sheet.

http://ddowiki.com/page/Active_blocking

i should have mentioned that in tides i was just standing in the hallway letting 1 archer hit me. if brambles don't stack then why do i get dr 9 with epic kundarak shield no brambles and 19 with brambles and shield?

[Shade]

Active Melee DR = (BAB / 2) + 2 + Shield DR rating + Shield Mastery Feats + Shield Mastery Enhancements

Active Ranged DR = Active Melee DR / 2

You only get half of your block DR versus ranged sources.. Like the archers in chains of flame. Only full dr vs melee sources.

Confused me years ago too and i also thought epic mobs were cheated, but I tested normal too and its the same.. Seems odd, but thats how is always been.

Also the invetory screen while seemingly correct in your case, is often very buggy and wrong. Does not seem to take into account things like shield mastery or other certain sources of dr.

[Emeldir]

my friend just gave me a soloution to why the dr jump with light and darkness is a funny number.

the character sheet and active blocking get added together, the light and darkness gives dr 5 epic (the highest type of the 3 drs that it gives) so 12 DR vs archers no brambles - 5 epic DR = 7 + 10 Dr with brambles = 17 DR which is what i was seeing.

so instead of DR 14 that the inventory says i should (the number next to the damage numbers) i'm really getting dr7.

[Emeldir]

You only get half of your block DR versus ranged sources.. Like the archers in chains of flame. Only full dr vs melee sources.

Confused me years ago too and i also thought epic mobs were cheated, but I tested normal too and its the same.. Seems odd, but thats how is always been.

Also the invetory screen while seemingly correct in your case, is often very buggy and wrong. Does not seem to take into account things like shield mastery or other certain sources of dr.

ok that definetly is the case for the light and darkness as i was getting 7 instead of 14, but the kundarak shield im' getting 9 instead of 19. maybe just a buggy number in the inventory?

[Emeldir]

ok that definetly is the case for the light and darkness as i was getting 7 instead of 14, but the kundarak shield im' getting 9 instead of 19. maybe just a buggy number in the inventory?

and to conclude the mystery my friend just supplied me the last answer, the DR is obviously rounded down, so 19 becomes 18 / 2 which is 9.

thanks shade

[Khellendros13]

Cool mystery solved!

Do not forget, that DR from stoneskin and DoD proc stacks with blocking DR, and using a DP clicky on a caster nets you a few mor DR too.