[RPG] n optional or house rule for effectiveness of specific weapons versus specific armor types

armordnd-5ehouse-rulesweapons

In many epic fantasy worlds (as well as in the real world) there are protective measures, designed to protect from specific threats. For example, chainmail provides good protection against slashing attacks, but is not so good versus blunt weapons.

I know D&D isn't a reality simulator, but, for the sake of diversity, I want to use a houserule that generally makes a particular weapon type more effective against a particular armor type.

To avoid reinventing the wheel, is there a well-known houserule (or an official rules variant, maybe) for making particular kinds of weapons more effective against specific types of armor?

Best Answer

Not even really a houserule, it's in the official rules. Various creatures have Resistance or Vulnerability to specific types of damage.

For example, the Skeleton has:

Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning

and that's why you smash them with Hammers.

If you want this to come up more, just add Resistance or Vulnerability to a specific type of damage to more creatures and items. Just make sure you inform your players because their characters would definitely know that wearing a Chainmail gives you Resistance to Slashing. (Likely because they're wearing one themselves, for that very reason.)

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