"Magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance" means the pact weapon does full damage to creatures who resist non-magical weapons.
It doesn't mean it ignores all resistances entirely.
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No, it means you still do FULL damage on Non-totem Barbarians, who would otherwise take only 1/2 damage from it. The pact would work the same as the Monk's where his/her fists are magical FOR THE PURPOSE of overcoming resistance to non-magical attacks. Bear totem breaks that by being resistant to ALL damage except psychic.
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Rage resists all bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. Doesn't matter if it's coming from a magic weapon or not. Hitting a raging barbarian with a pact weapon that deals any of those damage types will still deal half damage, with or without bear totem. Bear totem would only make a difference for weapons that deal another damage type, like a Flame Tongue.
Rage resists all bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. Doesn't matter if it's coming from a magic weapon or not. Hitting a raging barbarian with a pact weapon that deals any of those damage types will still deal half damage, with or without bear totem. Bear totem would only make a difference for weapons that deal another damage type, like a Flame Tongue.
Correct. Barbarian Rage doesn't make a distinction over magical damage or not, only that it's bludgeoning, piercing or slashing. You can cast Meteor Swarm at a barbarian, and the 20d6 portion of the damage that's bludgeoning, they would resist.
Bear Totem gives more resistances, but its important to point that magical is irrelevant. They are just resistant to those damage types while raging, period. If they walk in a normal fire, or a magical fire, they still take half damage from both sources.
If it helps you keep this distinction straight in your brain, recall that the first versions of the Barbarian class got XP for breaking magic items. They care not for your magic.
Basically, there are some monsters that resist 'bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from non magical weapons.' The warlock thing to ignore that resistance is more about being able to fully damage monsters like that. It's used as a mechanic focused on players attacking monsters and you don't tend to see player characters getting resistances that specify non magical weapons. Like the barbarian for example, get resisantce when raging to all of those damage types regardless of magic or no.
Bear Totemic Barbarian says: Bear. While raging, you have resistance to all damage except psychic damage.
Pact of the Blade says: "This weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage."
So, Can he resist my weapon damage?
"Magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance" means the pact weapon does full damage to creatures who resist non-magical weapons.
It doesn't mean it ignores all resistances entirely.
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
No, it means you still do FULL damage on Non-totem Barbarians, who would otherwise take only 1/2 damage from it. The pact would work the same as the Monk's where his/her fists are magical FOR THE PURPOSE of overcoming resistance to non-magical attacks. Bear totem breaks that by being resistant to ALL damage except psychic.
Talk to your Players. Talk to your DM. If more people used this advice, there would be 24.74% fewer threads on Tactics, Rules and DM discussions.
Rage resists all bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. Doesn't matter if it's coming from a magic weapon or not. Hitting a raging barbarian with a pact weapon that deals any of those damage types will still deal half damage, with or without bear totem. Bear totem would only make a difference for weapons that deal another damage type, like a Flame Tongue.
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Correct. Barbarian Rage doesn't make a distinction over magical damage or not, only that it's bludgeoning, piercing or slashing. You can cast Meteor Swarm at a barbarian, and the 20d6 portion of the damage that's bludgeoning, they would resist.
Bear Totem gives more resistances, but its important to point that magical is irrelevant. They are just resistant to those damage types while raging, period. If they walk in a normal fire, or a magical fire, they still take half damage from both sources.
If it helps you keep this distinction straight in your brain, recall that the first versions of the Barbarian class got XP for breaking magic items. They care not for your magic.
Basically, there are some monsters that resist 'bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from non magical weapons.' The warlock thing to ignore that resistance is more about being able to fully damage monsters like that. It's used as a mechanic focused on players attacking monsters and you don't tend to see player characters getting resistances that specify non magical weapons. Like the barbarian for example, get resisantce when raging to all of those damage types regardless of magic or no.
OK. Thank you all very much, really, you were very helpful!