3 Ways to Gain Damage Resistances in D&D 5e

A D&D character getting attacked by a monster

In the tumultuous realm of Dungeons & Dragons, where valiant heroes face perilous challenges, the ability to mitigate damage is paramount. Damage resistances, a potent defensive mechanism, can turn the tide of battle and safeguard your characters from harm. While acquiring these resistances can be challenging, there are myriad ways to enhance your resilience. Join us as we delve into the depths of D&D 5e and uncover the secrets to gaining damage resistances, empowering your heroes to stand firm against adversity.

One path to damage resistance lies in the mastery of spells and magical items. The spell Shield, a guardian of the arcane arts, grants a temporary surge of protection against any single attack. Likewise, the Cloak of Protection, a relic steeped in enchantments, bestows a constant +1 bonus to AC and grants resistance to one damage type. Additionally, certain races possess inherent resistances, such as the dwarves’ steadfastness against poison or the dragonborn’s immunity to the scorching breath of dragons. Embracing these racial traits can provide a crucial edge in the face of specific threats.

Beyond spells, items, and racial abilities, the path to damage resistance often weaves through class features and feats. The Barbarian’s indomitable Rage empowers them with resistance to all but psychic damage, while the Monk’s Deflect Missile ability allows them to turn arrow fire and shuriken into mere nuisances. Moreover, certain feats, such as Tough and Resilient, grant general increases to Constitution, enhancing your overall durability and resilience against a wide range of threats. Whether through the power of magic, the blessings of ancestry, or the honing of combat skills, the path to damage resistance is a multifaceted one, ripe with possibilities for strategic advantage.

Embracing Armor and Shields

In the realm of D&D, defense plays a crucial role in the battles that unfold. Armor and shields serve as essential tools for adventurers seeking to weather the onslaught of blows and protect themselves from harm. Embracing these defensive enhancements is paramount for increasing survivability and overcoming challenging encounters.

Armor provides varying degrees of physical protection, classified into three categories: light, medium, and heavy. Light armor grants the least protection but offers excellent mobility, allowing characters to move with ease and agility. Medium armor offers a balance between protection and flexibility, providing significant defense without hindering movement. Heavy armor offers the most protection but comes at the expense of mobility, potentially restricting movement and agility.

Shields function as an extension of armor, further enhancing protection against melee attacks. They come in various shapes and sizes, from small bucklers to towering tower shields. The size and effectiveness of a shield are determined by its armor class (AC) bonus. A buckler, for instance, provides an AC bonus of +1, while a tower shield grants a substantial bonus of +5. When combined with armor, shields create a formidable barrier against incoming damage.

Armor Type Armor Class Bonus Mobility Penalty
Light Armor +1 to +4 None
Medium Armor +5 to +7 Disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks
Heavy Armor +8 to +10 Strength requirement, disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks

Tapping into Class Features

Dungeons and Dragons 5e offers a multitude of ways to gain damage resistances through class features. These features provide additional layers of protection against specific damage types and can significantly enhance your character’s survivability in combat.

Barbarian: Rage

When a barbarian enters a rage, they gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Additionally, they can choose to gain resistance to one specific damage type, such as cold, fire, lightning, or thunder, for the duration of their rage.

Cleric: Warding Bond

Clerics can cast Warding Bond on themselves or an ally, granting them resistance to a specific damage type. The resistance lasts for 1 minute or until the bond is broken. Clerics gain access to Warding Bond starting at 1st level.

Fighter: Armoring

At 7th level, fighters can choose the Armoring fighting style, which grants them +1 to their AC and resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical attacks.

Monk: Patient Defense

Monks gain the Patient Defense feature at 11th level, which allows them to redirect damage to their AC. When using Patient Defense, the monk gains resistance to all damage types for the remainder of the turn.

Paladin: Aura of Protection

Paladins emit an Aura of Protection at 6th level, which grants allies within 10 feet of them resistance to all damage. The aura lasts for 10 minutes and can be reactivated after a short rest.

The following table summarizes the class features that grant damage resistances:

Class Feature Resistance
Barbarian Rage Bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, +1 specific damage type
Cleric Warding Bond 1 specific damage type
Fighter Armoring Bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from non-magical attacks
Monk Patient Defense All damage
Paladin Aura of Protection All damage to allies within 10 feet

Invoking Magic Items

Magic items are a great way to gain damage resistances in D&D 5e. There are a wide variety of magic items that can grant resistance to different types of damage, so it’s important to choose the right items for your character. Some of the most common magic items that grant damage resistance include:

  • Cloak of resistance: This cloak grants resistance to one type of damage, such as fire, cold, or lightning.
  • Ring of resistance: This ring grants resistance to one type of damage, such as slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning.
  • Shield +1: This shield grants resistance to nonmagical damage.

In addition to these items, there are also a number of other magic items that can grant damage resistance, such as the amulet of health, the cloak of protection, and the ring of regeneration. When choosing magic items to gain damage resistance, it’s important to consider the type of damage that you are most likely to encounter. For example, if you are playing a character who is often fighting against fire-based creatures, then you would want to choose a magic item that grants resistance to fire damage.

Table: Magic Items That Grant Damage Resistance

Item Damage Resistance
Cloak of resistance One type of damage
Ring of resistance One type of damage
Shield +1 Nonmagical damage
Amulet of health All damage
Cloak of protection All damage
Ring of regeneration All damage

Acquiring Resistance to Specific Damage Types

D&D 5e offers various ways to gain damage resistance to specific damage types, expanding your character’s survivability. Here’s how you can protect yourself in combat from different elemental and magical hazards.

Magical Resistance

Some creatures and items bestow resistance to magical damage. For instance, the “Protection from Evil and Good” spell grants resistance to damage from celestial, fiendish, and undead creatures. Similarly, the “Absorb Elements” spell allows you to absorb elemental damage and gain resistance to the damage type you choose until the spell’s duration ends.

Elemental Resistance

Certain races, classes, or backgrounds grant resistance to specific elemental damage types. For example, Genasi can choose their elemental affinity and gain resistance to that damage type. The “Resistance” feat allows you to select a damage type to which you become resistant. Lastly, the “Elemental Adept” feat enhances your spells that deal a specific elemental damage type and grants resistance to that damage.

Evasion and Immunity

Evasion offers resistance to Dexterity-based saving throws for avoiding area of effect spells. Similarly, immunity provides complete protection against a specific damage type or condition. For instance, the “Bless” spell gives resistance to damage from Charisma-based saving throws. The “Death Ward” spell grants temporary immunity to necrotic damage.

Damage Type Source
Magic Protection from Evil and Good (spell)
Absorb Elements (spell)
Elemental Genasi (race)
Resistance (feat)
Elemental Adept (feat)
Dexterity Saving Throws Evasion
Necrotic Death Ward (spell)

Harnessing Racial Traits

Many races in D&D 5e possess innate abilities that grant them resistance to specific damage types, providing them with an advantage in combat against enemies that utilize those energies. These racial traits can be classified as follows:

**Dragonborn**

Dragonborn have a natural resistance to the element associated with their breath weapon (e.g., fire, cold, lightning, etc.). This resistance applies to both damage and saving throws against effects of that type.

**Dwarves**

Dwarves are renowned for their resilience, granting them resistance to poison damage. This resistance extends to both poison spells and attacks, making them difficult to incapacitate with toxic substances.

**Eladrin**

Eladrin possess immunity to the charmed condition, making them highly resistant to spells and abilities that attempt to control their minds. In addition, they have advantage on saving throws against being frightened, providing them with exceptional mental fortitude.

**Genasi**

Genasi, depending on their elemental heritage, have resistance to their associated damage type (e.g., fire, water, earth, air). This resistance applies to both damage and saving throws against effects of that element.

**Goliath**

Goliath are physically robust and naturally resistant to cold weather. This resistance extends to both cold environments and damage from cold-based spells or abilities. In addition, they have advantage on saving throws against being paralyzed or restrained, making them difficult to hinder physically.

Race Damage Resistance
Dragonborn Element associated with breath weapon
Dwarves Poison
Eladrin Charmed
Genasi Element associated with heritage
Goliath Cold, paralyzed, restrained

Utilizing Feats and Backgrounds

Feats

Feats offer numerous options to enhance damage resistance. “Heavy Armor Master,” for instance, grants increased resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage when wearing heavy armor. “Durable” offers a flat bonus to hit points and provides resistance to all damage types, making it a versatile choice.

Backgrounds

Certain backgrounds also provide damage resistances. The “Outlander” background grants proficiency in the Survival skill and resistance to poison damage, useful while traversing hazardous wilderness.

Soldier Background Variant:

The Soldier background has a variant that grants proficiency in medium armor and shields, as well as resistance to nonmagical slashing damage. This variant is particularly suited for melee-oriented characters.

Feat/Background Damage Resistance
Heavy Armor Master Nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, slashing (while wearing heavy armor)
Durable All damage types
Outlander Poison
Soldier (Variant) Nonmagical slashing

Exploiting Environmental Effects

Your surroundings can sometimes provide you with advantages in combat. By understanding the effects of your environment, you can gain damage resistances and other benefits that can help you survive and defeat your enemies.

Here are some common ways to exploit environmental effects to gain damage resistances:

Gaining Elemental Immunities

Certain spells, items, and abilities can protect characters from taking damage from specific elemental types, granting them virtual immunity to those elements. Unlike resistances, immunities completely negate all damage of that type, reducing it to 0.

Elemental Immunity via Spells

Spells like *Elemental Ward* provide temporary elemental immunity to specific damage types for a specified duration.

Elemental Immunity via Items

Certain items, such as the *Cloak of Resistance*, can grant permanent immunity to a specific elemental type while worn.

Elemental Immunity via Abilities

Some creatures possess inherent elemental immunities. For example, fire elementals are immune to fire damage due to their nature.

Elemental Immunity via Feats

Feats like *Eldritch Adept* allow characters to gain immunity to a specific elemental type by taking the *Elemental Adept* invocation.

Elemental Immunity via Class Features

Certain classes, such as the *Monk* (Way of the Four Elements), gain elemental immunities as they advance in levels.

Elemental Immunity via Racial Traits

Some races, like genasi, inherit elemental immunities based on their elemental heritage.

Elemental Immunity via Epic Boons

At the epic levels, characters can acquire *Epic Boons* that grant them permanent elemental immunity.

Elemental Immunity via Artifacts

Legendary artifacts, such as the *Ring of Elemental Command*, can bestow elemental immunities upon their wielders.

Empowering Yourself with Spells

Spells offer a powerful means of acquiring damage resistances in D&D 5e. Various spells grant temporary resistances to specific damage types, allowing your characters to weather the onslaught of enemy attacks with greater resilience.

Protection from Energy

This spell provides resistance to a chosen damage type (acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison) for one minute. It’s ideal for pre-emptively countering known enemy weaknesses.

Shield

This spell gives a temporary +5 bonus to AC, effectively granting resistance to all incoming damage for one round. It’s a versatile spell that can be cast as a reaction, making it ideal for blocking unexpected attacks.

Absorb Elements

This spell allows you to absorb one instance of incoming elemental damage (acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder). The damage absorbed heals you for half of its value, providing an additional defensive benefit.

Protection from Evil and Good

This spell grants resistance to both evil and good damage for one minute. It’s useful in campaigns featuring celestials, devils, and other beings with such damage types.

Resurrection

While not strictly a damage resistance spell, Resurrection has the unique ability to restore a slain character to life with 1 hit point. This effectively grants the resurrected character resistance to death for one round, allowing them to regain their feet and escape a potentially lethal situation.

Counterspell

This spell allows you to negate a single spell being cast within range. By preventing harmful spells from being cast, you can indirectly gain resistance to the damage they would have inflicted.

Mage Armor

This spell grants a +3 bonus to AC. While not directly granting damage resistance, it effectively reduces incoming damage by making it less likely to hit your character.

Resistance

This spell grants resistance to a chosen damage type (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing) for one minute. It’s a straightforward and potent resistance spell that can significantly enhance your defense against physical attacks.

Resilient Sphere

This spell traps a single creature in a sphere of force for one minute. While the creature is trapped, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and takes 2d6 force damage at the start of its turn. This effectively hinders the creature’s ability to deal damage to you or your allies.

Effect Description
Cover Hiding behind objects or obstacles can provide you with cover, which can reduce the damage you take from ranged attacks.
Elevation Being on higher ground can give you a defensive advantage, making it harder for enemies below you to hit you with melee attacks.
Distance Keeping your distance from enemies can reduce the damage you take from their melee attacks.
Hazards Some environments contain hazards, such as lava, acid, or traps, that can damage or even kill enemies. You can use these hazards to your advantage by luring enemies into them or using them to create obstacles for your foes.
Weather Weather conditions, such as rain, snow, or wind, can affect combat in a number of ways. For example, rain can make it harder to see, reducing the accuracy of ranged attacks.
Lighting The lighting conditions in an environment can also affect combat. For example, darkness can provide you with concealment, making it harder for enemies to see and attack you.
Terrain The terrain of an environment can affect combat in a number of ways. For example, rough terrain can make it harder to move, while difficult terrain can slow down enemies and make it harder for them to attack.
Spell Duration Damage Type
Protection from Energy 1 minute Chosen damage type
Shield 1 round All
Absorb Elements 1 reaction Elemental damage
Protection from Evil and Good 1 minute Evil and good
Counterspell 1 reaction Preventative

Understanding Resistance Caps and Limits

Resistance caps and limits play a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of damage resistance in Dungeons & Dragons 5e. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these concepts:

Resistance Cap: The maximum possible value for resistance against any damage type is 20. This means that no creature or object can have a resistance bonus higher than +20 to a specific damage type.

Damage Cap: The maximum amount of damage that can be reduced by resistance is 20 points for each die rolled. In other words, if a creature has resistance to a damage type, the maximum reduction per die is 20 points. For example, if a creature rolls a d8 for damage and has resistance to the damage type, the maximum amount of damage that can be reduced is 20 points.

Exceptions to Resistance Caps

There are a few exceptions to the resistance caps mentioned above:

  1. Resistance from Magic Items: Certain magic items can grant resistance that exceeds the normal cap of 20. For example, the Ring of Resistance provides resistance to all damage types, including a bonus of +3 to resistance against non-magical attacks.
  2. Vulnerability from Curses or Conditions: Curses or conditions can impose vulnerability to certain damage types, which effectively lowers the resistance cap to 0. For example, the curse of vulnerability to fire damage would reduce the creature’s fire resistance to 0, making them susceptible to full damage.
  3. Specific Class or Racial Abilities: Some classes or races may have abilities that grant resistance that exceeds the normal cap, such as the Goliath’s Stone’s Endurance feature, which provides resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that is not capped at 20.

How To Gain Damage Resistances in Dnd 5e

In Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, damage resistances are an important tool for protecting your characters from harm. There are many ways to gain damage resistances, including through class features, spells, and magic items.

One way to gain damage resistance is through your class features. Many classes have subclass options that grant resistance to specific types of damage, such as the Barbarian’s Bear Totem Warrior’s resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Other classes, such as the Paladin, gain resistance to all damage types while wearing heavy armor.

You can also gain damage resistance through spells. The spell Resistance grants you resistance to one type of damage for a short period of time. The spell Protection from Energy grants you resistance to all non-magical damage of one type for a longer period of time.

Finally, you can also gain damage resistance through magic items. Many magic items grant resistance to specific types of damage, such as the Ring of Elemental Resistance, which grants resistance to one type of elemental damage.

People Also Ask

How do I get resistance to all damage types?

There are a few ways to get resistance to all damage types. One way is through the Barbarian’s Bear Totem Warrior subclass. Another way is through the spell Protection from Energy. Finally, you can also get resistance to all damage types through magic items such as the Ring of Elemental Resistance or the Amulet of All-Resistances.

What is the highest damage resistance I can get?

The highest damage resistance you can get is resistance to all damage types. This can be achieved through the Barbarian’s Bear Totem Warrior subclass, the spell Protection from Energy, or through magic items such as the Ring of Elemental Resistance or the Amulet of All-Resistances.

How do I get resistance to slashing damage?

There are a few ways to get resistance to slashing damage. One way is through the Barbarian’s Bear Totem Warrior subclass. Another way is through the spell Protection from Energy. Finally, you can also get resistance to slashing damage through magic items such as the Ring of Elemental Resistance or the Amulet of Slashing Resistance.