Mechanics Question: Physical Damage Reduction % and Energy Shield

[Friedrick Psitalon]

Apologies if this is listed in a guide somewhere - little short on time.

If you had something like Shaftstop or Rockstopper, does the reduction in damage from their bonus take effect before or after the Energy Shield is figured in?

Does it go:

HIT! - Damage Reduced - Apply Energy Shield - Shunt to Mana, Rest to Health

or...

HIT! - Apply Energy Shield - Shunt to Mana, Rest to Health, Damage Reduced?

Big difference.

[BobTheWarrior]

DR is applied after ES absorbtion. Therefore, iDR is better than %DR with high enough levels of ES.

There was another discussion a little further down the page you can reference. PDR and ES (http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=697660)

[Friedrick Psitalon]

Quick and simple answer. Thank you. :)

[Friedrick Psitalon]

Begging pardon for adding this question, but:

Magical Damage reduction - what is defined as physical-vs-magical damage?

I know Bone Spear/Spirit are magical damage, and I'd imagine the Unholy Bolt is as well. What about Cold Bolts from the Doom Knights in Act IV? Fire flamethrowing from the Shamans in Act III? Lightning enchanted spray?

Are those magical damage? Elemental damage? Physical damage? I'm wondering which damage reductions apply to most attacks. (I didn't see a guide to this anywhere.)

[sirpoopsalot]

I could be wrong, but I think MDR applies to all non-physical damage: lightning, cold, fire, poison, and magic.

However, magic absorb (such as on a Spirit shield) only applies to magic damage.

[Nimbostratus]

MDR applies to: Fire, Cold, Lightning, Magic. (doesn't do anything to poison or physical AFAIK)

Magic absorb like on "Spirit" only applies to Magic.
Magic resist like on crafted shields only applies to Magic.

[VoX Dei]

@ Friedrick read the 1st paragraphs of this guide (http://strategy.diabloii.net/news.php?id=549) for a quick summary on ES mechanics.

(...) Magic absorb like on "Spirit" only applies to Magic. Magic resist like on crafted shields only applies to Magic.

Wow! Had no idea the diferent types of magic 'resist' worked in different ways. I'm always learning new stuff.