How does DR work?

[crine]

This is probably a stupid question.......I see by looking at different armors that they have what looks like a general DR number and then it gets broken down into specific damage types and the corresponding DR. My question is basically does the general DR number provide benefit to a character from all damage types or does the armor only provide the specific damage type protection that is shown separately?

[HoopleDoople]

The base DR of an armor applies to all forms of damage that do not have individual DR values listed. For example, a Brigandine will have something like 13 crush DR, 8 corrode DR, and 10 DR to everything else (slash, pierce, burn, freeze, and shock). Only the 13 crush DR and 8 corrode DR will be specifically listed.

[Psychevore]

The given number is the DR for every type of damage except those specifically mentioned.

[Doppelschwert]

It's true what the others said. To be more speficic, the individual listed DR values are a percentage based bonus/malus on the general DT.

This is only important if you enchant an armor to have specific DR increased, since the increase will be proportional to the listed value.

A normal enchantment will yield +3 on a specific DR value, but for the brigandine, where assuming 13 crush DR, 8 corrode DR, and 10 DR as in the post before, then it would yield +3 DR on everything except crush and corrode, but around +4-5 on crush and only +2 on corrode. The same goes for quality improvements - the gap between the different DR grows in absolute value but stays the same in relative values.

[Nobear]

All correct answers, and I personally think it would be better if the % of specific DR based on armor type didn't apply to proofing enchants. That way you could more effectively "patch up" an armor's biggest weakness. Currently it's best not to do this.

 

As a side note, proofing enchants of the same type, like any item bonuses of the same type, do not stack. You can only choose one to enchant anyway, but there are certain items that also grant proofing. A chest and boots that both grant frost proofing won't stack, for instance, but frost and fire (for instance) will both apply, so you can improve more than one resistance this way.