Item saving throws?

Gwarok · Nov 3, 2004

Ok, what bonus to a saving throw does an item get? Say a nightwalker disarms me and attempts to crush my sword. It says make a DC 34 STR check for the item. Where to I get the STR of an item?

dcollins · Nov 3, 2004

Magic items have saving throw bonuses of 2 + 1/2 the caster level. Nonmagical items don't have any bonuses at all. From the SRD on MagicItemsI:

Magic items use the same saving throw bonus for all saves, no matter what the type (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will). A magic item’s saving throw bonus equals 2 + one-half its caster level (round down). The only exceptions to this are intelligent magic items, which make Will saves based on their own Wisdom scores.

The Nightwalker's crush ability forces a Fortitude save from the target item (see above for bonus). This has nothing to do with the target's Strength; however, if the Nightwalker's Strength goes up, so does the DC on this ability. From the SRD for MonstersM-N:

Crush Item (Su): A nightwalker can destroy any weapon or item of Large size or smaller (even magic ones, but not artifacts) by picking it up and crushing it between its hands. The nightwalker must make a successful disarm attempt to grab an item held by an opponent. The item is entitled to a DC 34 Fortitude save to resist destruction. The save DC is Strength-based.

Gwarok · Nov 3, 2004

So a wand, a potion, and a suit of armor all have the same saving throw if they were made by a caster of the same level? It seems like this system needs some work. Items seem terribly fragile.

calypso15 · Nov 3, 2004

Gwarok said:
So a wand, a potion, and a suit of armor all have the same saving throw if they were made by a caster of the same level? It seems like this system needs some work. Items seem terribly fragile.

So you're aware, the caster level of an item is not the same as the caster level of the caster. If a level 20 wizard makes a ring of featherfall (level 1 spell), the save bonus for the ring will be 2 (base) + 1/2 (minimum caster level for featherfall) = 2.

If that caster made a ring of heightened featherfall, to a 9th level spell, a) it would cost a LOT of gold, and b) the save would be 2 + 17/2 = 10.

Calypso

Len · Nov 3, 2004

Gwarok said:
So a wand, a potion, and a suit of armor all have the same saving throw if they were made by a caster of the same level? It seems like this system needs some work. Items seem terribly fragile.

Note that an attended item, i.e. an item held or carried by a creature, can use the creature's saving throw bonus if it's better.

Gwarok · Nov 3, 2004

I guess my point is the saving throw of the item has pretty much nothing to do with the material its made out of.

9th level spell scroll and a suit of armor if you prefer that analogy.

Kelleris · Nov 3, 2004

That's true, but then that isn't as jarring as it seems. Will saves and Fortitude saves for items shouldn't have all that much to do with the item's construction - it generally only even gets a save for its magical nature anyway. I don't know how inanimate objects are making Reflex saves, anyway, so I'll ignore that one.

And hardness and hps still matter for most forms of destruction. If you fireball the scroll and the armor, the scroll is likely toast regardless, and the armor is likely fine regardless. Perhaps the nightwalker's ability should refer to the item's hardness/hit points somwhow, but I guess they just decided to KISS for that one.

Deset Gled · Nov 3, 2004

No, but they have different hardness and hitpoints. This is a case where a creature is useing a supernatural ability that surpasses these properties to destroy the item.

Gwarok · Nov 3, 2004

Yea I guess its not that jarring. But from many of the item save DC's out there, if your stuff needs a save I can't think of too many offhand that are going to survive.

Item saving throws?

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