[RPG] Does the Heavy Armor Master feat reduce damage twice against a mixed damage attack

damage-reductiondamage-typesdnd-5efeats

Displacer Beasts have a Tentacle attack that does 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) piercing damage. Does the bludgeoning and piercing damage reduction granted by Heavy Armor Master reduce that total damage by 6 or 3? If only 3, what determines which of the two damage types is reduced?

Best Answer

Yes, due to the wording of Heavy Armor Master

From the PHB, the feat is as listed:

While you are wearing heavy armor, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take from non magical weapons is reduced by 3.

If you separate these out into three separate statements (all are true, because they are engulfed within an "and" statement), they are as follows:

  • Bludgeoning damage (from nonmagical weapons) is reduced by 3.

And

  • Piercing damage (from nonmagical weapons) is reduced by 3.

And

  • Slashing damage (from nonmagical weapons) is reduced by 3.

Then it stands to reason that each damage type would be reduced within that attack. This is my reasoning, as that is how and and or work in logical statements. If it was "Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing" then it would only count once, no matter how many damage types were present.