Crowbars and Sledgehammers

[phillipjp]

From the PHB:

Crowbar: An iron bar for levering things open.

Sledge: A two-handed, iron-headed hammer that is good for smashing open treasure chests.

For our next campaign, I'm playing a half-orc rogue (basically, a thug) that doesn't have the Intelligence (i.e., skill points) for skills like Open Locks. Therefore, he'll be relying on the items above for such tasks.

How, exactly, do these items help with opening doors and chests? A circumstance bonus? Or are they simply additional tools included in a standard thieves kit and are already factored into the skill? As for the sledge, how is it different from smashing open chests with an adventurer's weapon?

 

[Crothian]

I'd give +2 circumstance bonuses to strength rolls to use these items to force things. Hoever, that's ourely a house rule. I've not seen anything other then their description in the books.

 

[Ziggy]

The crowbar is a local favorite with my group, good both in and out of combat - we use it as a backup blunt weapon vs. skeletons at lower levels (simple weapon, 1d4 damage). As for opening things with it we also use a +2 circumstance bonus (same as Crothian).

For the sledge I would recommend using the stats of a greatclub (1d10 damage, x2 critical), with the exception that it can be used (out of combat) as a simple weapon for bashing things. Wielded two-handed you can do an impressive amount of damage. Also power attack helps when bashing things.

For a breakdown on the rules for bashing thing, see the tread on breaking/bashing down doors (http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27138)

.Ziggy

 

[med stud]

In my group, the sledge hammer is a greatclub (like phillipjp:s group above), but it auto- power attacks at 2 when attacking, so that it has -2 attack and deals 1d10+2. This power attack is cumulative with regular power attack, so that -7 AB/+7 Dmg can be achieved.

 

[Hypersmurf]

This power attack is cumulative with regular power attack, so that -7 AB/+7 Dmg can be achieved.

Note - Power Attack is not limited to -5/+5 like Expertise. It's only limited by BAB.

So a 20th Level Power Attack Fighter using your Sledge could go -22/+22.

-Hyp.

 

[AuraSeer]

A sledgehammer is not designed for combat. IMC I'd give it the damage rating of a warhammer (1d8), but with a -4 hit penalty for being an improvised weapon, and a lower critical multiplier (x2).

For bursting chests and forcing locks, I let the tools grant a +2 circumstance bonus to the Strength check. If multiple people work on the same object, the bonus from the tool is added to the Aid Another bonus. (So a friend helping you, using a crowbar, would give you a +4 bonus instead of the normal +2 bonus.) There are obvious limits to this, because only so many people can effectively get hold on any object, and certain objects offer no purchase to a given tool.