Are there any RAW effects that give a flat damage reduction?

Question

I was going to ask a question about which damage type is reduced by the "magical aura" referenced in the PHB under Damage Resistance and Vulnerability if the damage in question has multiple damage types, and I realised I didn't know of any such effect, perhaps rendering the question moot.

For example, a creature has resistance to bludgeoning damage and is hit by an attack that deals 25 bludgeoning damage. The creature is also within a magical aura that reduces all damage by 5. The 25 damage is first reduced by 5 and then halved, so the creature takes 10 damage. - (PHB 197)

Obviously this is a hypothetical situation purely to illustrate how a rule works, but it does suggest that there is an effect that would work in this way.

---

To illustrate the issue:

Barny, the monster, attacks Vera, dealing 5 bludgeoning damage and 7 fire damage.

Vera is in a -5 to damage aura, and has resistance to fire damage.

Do we reduce all of the bludgeoning damage, and then halve the fire damage? Do we reduce the fire damage by 5, and then halve it, leaving the bludgeoning damage completely alone? We can't apply the resistance first (see above) so how would we resolve this?

---

I can only think of Cutting Words, which says:

When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a damage roll, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a bardic Inspiration die and subtracting the number rolled from the creature's roll. - (PHB 54)

However, this applies to a specific damage roll. It would be up to the bard if we're reducing the fire damage or the bludgeoning damage, as they're always going to be separate rolls.

Is there a RAW (official content only, no homebrew) effect that reduces damage by a flat modifier (not a percent of the total damage), and that is indiscriminate of damage type, like the one suggested by this passage?

Answer 1

6th-level barbarians with the Ancestral Guardian archetype have the Spirit Shield feature (Xanathar's Guide to Everything, p. 10):

Beginning at 6th level, if you are raging and another creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to reduce that damage by 2d6.

When you reach certain levels in this class, you can reduce the damage by more: by 3d6 at 10th level and by 4d6 at 14th level.

---

3rd-level fighters with the Psi Warrior archetype have the Psionic Power: Protective Field feature (Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, p. 43):

When you or another creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to expend one Psionic Energy die, roll the die, and reduce the damage taken by the number rolled plus your Intelligence modifier (minimum reduction of 1), as you create a momentary shield of telekinetic force.

---

1st-level fighters and 2nd-level paladins have the Fighting Style: Interception feature (Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, pg. 41, pg. 53):

When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

---

6th-level sorcerers with the Clockwork Soul archetype have the Bastion of Law feature (Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, pg. 69):

You can tap into the grand equation of existence to imbue a creature with a shimmering shield of order. As an action, you can expend 1 to 5 sorcery points to create a magical ward around yourself or another creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The ward lasts until you finish a long rest or until you use this feature again.

The ward is represented by a number of d8s equal to the number of sorcery points spent to create it. When the warded creature takes damage, it can expend a number of those dice, roll them, and reduce the damage taken by the total rolled on those dice.

---

6th-level warlocks with the Fathomless patron have the Guardian Coil feature (Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, pg. 73):

Your Tentacle of the Deeps can defend you and others, interposing itself between them and harm. When you or a creature you can see takes damage while within 10 feet of the tentacle, you can use your reaction to choose one of those creatures and reduce the damage to that creature by 1d8. When you reach 10th level in this class, the damage reduced by the tentacle increases to 2d8.

These features reduce any damage type, although the modifier is not a fixed number (and it uses reaction, so it can only be done once per round). You can have a mix of "weapon" and "magic" damage type as your scenario suggested: bludgeoning+fire.

Answer 2

All I can think of is the Heavy Armor Master feat

Besides Cutting Words that you already mentioned in your question, all I can think of that reduces damage by a number rather than halving it is this feat.

From the PHB, pg. 167:

While you are wearing heavy armor, bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage that you take from non-magical weapons is reduced by 3.

Unfortunately, this is not damage of any type, it is specifically bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage, and non-magical at that. But it is a reduction rather than resistance, etc.

Answer 3

The monk's Deflect Missiles ability gives flat damage reduction.

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon Attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the Attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything added another, the Interception fighting style available to Fighters and Paladins.

When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d1O + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

Answer 4

Here are some more options not listed in the other answers:

• The Battle Master Fighter's Parry Maneuver:

  When another creature damages you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your superiority die + your Dexterity modifier.

• The Bladesinging Wizard's Song of Defense:

  Beginning at 10th level, you can direct your magic to absorb damage while your bladesong is active. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to expend one spell slot and reduce that damage to you by an amount equal to five times the spell's slot level.

Honorable Mentions:

• The Abjuration Wizard's Arcane Ward:

  Whenever you take damage, the ward takes the damage instead. If this damage reduces the ward to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage.

• The Monk's Slow Fall feature:

  Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level.

Unfortunately the first only redirects damage to another target and doesn't reduce it, while the second applies exclusively to fall damage, which is always bludgeoning damage.

Answer 5

The Goliath race's Stone's Endurance allows you to, as a reaction, reduce damage you take by 1d12 + Constitution modifier.