Does D&D need equipment wear rules?

[Quasqueton]

Does D&D need rules for equipment attrition. By the core rules, weapons never dull, or break through normal use. Armor never gets damaged through normal use. Rope, sacks, vials, etc. all never snap, rip, or break. Basically, all of an adventurer's gear never wears out -- there's never a need to buy more or repair what you have.

Does there need to be some kind of rules for making this necessary? My thread on building a village to serve adventurers got me thinking on this. A single backpack can serve an adventurer for his entire dungeon-exploring career. Blacksmiths only make weapons, no need to repair weapons.

Quasqueton

 

[kerakus]

I think the core rules assume, and I certainly assume in my campaigns, that characters spend down time maintaining their own equipment...mending small breaks and rips, polishing armor, sharpening weapons, etc. That and, at least in my campaigns, the PCs would rather be saving the world than replacing their backpack.

Q

 

[jasper]

No but you may want to do a flat gp subtraction for monthly maintenance. This assumes care, upkeep replacement of equipment.
Or you could be mean (or other edition) and on a fail save everything saves. And you can lose everything.

 

[Planesdragon]

Sounds like a good idea as an optional rule.

I'd give an average item an x% chance of breaking oh, every month of travel? With the condition going from "good" to "worn" to "broken."

 

[Liolel]

No D&D does not need equipment wear rules. The reason is that unless magic items are effected by these rules as well which would lead to a whole lot of unhappy players, such rules would be pointless in a normal game. If you look at the suggest wealth by level chart, once the party has gained a few levels they have more then enougth money to replace any mudane item they require leaving it just a little extra time that needs to be spent before the fun part of the adventure can get underway. I mean my dm has said that we don't really need to detail all the mudane supplies we buy before setting out on a adventure, because now at level 8 the money it costs hardly effects your total wealth.

Now if you wanted magic items to wear down, it seems like a bad idea to me for several reasons. First of all look in all the stories you've seen the include weapons beyond the ordianary that are of magical quality. How many times have those weapons needed to be repaired. Not often. Some weapons have surely broken but I be willing to bet that it broke at a dramatic point where it impacted the story, not in some random encounter. Also the party is going to be very annoyed if they have to spend to much money repairing the already costly magic weapons they have.

I will admit that equipment wear rules would fit in very well into certain campaigns like a low magic one.

 

[rushlight]

Well, given spells like Mending and the like, that sort of negates the need for adventurer's equipment maintance rules, doesn't it?

In Hackmaster there are detailed (and expansive!) rules on equipment care and feeding. But, while amusing, they quickly become annoying. In my campaign, I'd rather assume that spells or spare silvers take care of that, and get about the process of saving the world. YMMV.

 

[diaglo]

the newer editions and even some of the older ones assume care is taken.

the newer editions log it in just like they do wizards gaining new spells when they power up. it is just assumed that adventurers care for their equipment.

but many campaigns assume PCs take off armor to go to sleep. and some players get ticked off with this. so ... YMMV.

 

[Arnwyn]

Need? No. But a monthly maintenance stipend could certainly be a valuable addition, depending on the campaign and players.

 

[Umbran]

Need? No. But a monthly maintenance stipend could certainly be a valuable addition, depending on the campaign and players.

And some guideliens for that can be found in the DMG (3e pg 142. 3.5e pg 130). Just assume that the quality or price of the character's gear impacts their living expenses.

 

[Erechel]

For the D&D 5th edition there are in the DMs Guild:
http://www.dmsguild.com/product/209814/Equipment-Duration-Rules?term=duration+rules&test_epoch=0