How does the "+A soak B" effect work, as compared to "resist X/Y"? I have snooped around on the boards a bit, and don't see anyone askin about it, so...
(*** EDIT: OK - so I found some documentaiton on the Bioware engine, and I see that the +A soak B means that the item soaks up B damage from any weapon whose enhancement is less than A. But I am still not sure what the "Y" is for in the damage resist field - I do not see that as an input parameter to function ItemPropertyDamageReduction. ***)
Soak vs. Resist?
This is not something I've looked very much into myself, so I'm a little "rusty" on this subject, however....
As far as I've understood - soak is excatly like damage reduction.
So if you have +1 soak 5, it would be listed as damage reduction 5/1, that is unless you use a +1 weapon or bigger, you ignore (soak) the first 5 points of damage.
I think the main difference seems to be that soak dosen't (need to) specify a damage type (blunt, piercing, slashing) whereas damage reduction usually does.
(Although - I might be mistaken)
As for you edit (bah - you did that while I was posting
) - the "y" is the enchantment you need to use to beat the damage reduction.
DR 20/+2 means that for weapons of lower enchantment then +2 you absorb 20 of the specified damage type. For weapons of +2 or higher, you don't absorb any.
As far as I've understood - soak is excatly like damage reduction.
So if you have +1 soak 5, it would be listed as damage reduction 5/1, that is unless you use a +1 weapon or bigger, you ignore (soak) the first 5 points of damage.
I think the main difference seems to be that soak dosen't (need to) specify a damage type (blunt, piercing, slashing) whereas damage reduction usually does.
(Although - I might be mistaken)
As for you edit (bah - you did that while I was posting
) - the "y" is the enchantment you need to use to beat the damage reduction.DR 20/+2 means that for weapons of lower enchantment then +2 you absorb 20 of the specified damage type. For weapons of +2 or higher, you don't absorb any.
Insert signature here.
Gotcha. So most melee damage resist items have a "A / -", indicating that the resistance is A points, regardless of the weapon enhancement, I assume. Thanks... And sorry about the editing - I randomly decided to use Google to look for "1 soak 5", and actually found the NwN Lexicon. Side-effect of my nightime waiting while I am outdoors .
.Yep - that is what makes the Greater Belts of the Swordman/Brawler/Archer so good (or cheesy if you whish) because they have damage resistance of 20/-; meaning they absorb 20 points of specified damage (slash/blunt/pircing) regardless of enchantment on weapon.
This also means 20 meele points from Dragons, Demons and other "fun stuff" for instance - just equip the prober damage type belt.
This also means 20 meele points from Dragons, Demons and other "fun stuff" for instance
- just equip the prober damage type belt.Insert signature here.