Mining Pick? How much damage to stone?

[Evilhalfling]

my current PC started as a human miner. (see sig.)
Feats -
Martial weapon dire pick (d8 from arms & equipment)
Endurance
Power Attack.
My first thought was to get him and adamantium pick - this brings tunneling rates to silly levels levels -
at 3rd lvl & 16 str = 1d8+4 or 1d8+8 (w power attack) for a rate of 5" per minute, 25' per hour 5x5 tunnel or 8" if power attacking. for 40' of 5x5 tunnel

I would probalbly suggest power attacking for the short term, but say it is too exausting and impercise for the long haul. Offering the following enducement
If you are power attacking you will risk fumbles - while careful mining is less dangerous.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

IMO, a miner's pick should do slightly more than 1d8 damage, since otherwise, a character without above-average strength would *never* be able to get anywhere with it.

Fair enough, and certainly reasonable.

I was, truth be told, more worried about creating a two-handed, 2d6 20/x4 critical weapon than in ensuring weaklings could be effective miners.

Perhaps a middle-ground, 1d10 20/x4 solution?

 

[cmanos]

Should he be using his greataxe instead?

A dwarf, of all races, would know that stone would dull the keen edge of the greataxe VERY quickly and it would take a very long time to hone it back to proper sharpness again.

One does not use a greataxe to chop through stone, just asn one does not use a sword to fell a tree.

Granted that may be a little too much realism...

 

[WCrawford]

I might be willing to rule at a mining pick would automatically cause a critical against a stone wall, or allow the mining pick to bypass some or all harness. After all, this is the appropriate tool for the job. in such a case, though, I would reduce the damage to 1d4 or 1d6.

 

[cmanos]

as for using power attack...why not? You are attacking the wall...

Can you use Power Attack while Sundering someone's weapon??? Then why not a wall??

 

[cmanos]

I might be willing to rule at a mining pick would automatically cause a critical against a stone wall, or allow the mining pick to bypass some or all harness. After all, this is the appropriate tool for the job. in such a case, though, I would reduce the damage to 1d4 or 1d6.

Not a bad idea...but would there be a difference between worked stone and rough stone? and what of...say...a stone golem or a warforged?

 

[WCrawford]

Not a bad idea...but would there be a difference between worked stone and rough stone? and what of...say...a stone golem or a warforged?

I would personally say that the auto crit or hardness reduction/negation would only work against objects to begin with and then make my best judgement at the time for anything else that could pop up.

 

[Ally Jackson]

Patryn your description of power attack would make it so Barbarians couldn't power attack while raging. "You can make exceptionally deadly melee attacks by sacrificing accuracy for strength." this discription they give of power attack also counters how you see it.

how i see it power attack is more about putting full effort into the swing making obvious tells as you go for an overhead swing and your main focus is putting all the power you can into the hit. so i would argue it is perfectly reasonable to power attack on objects.

 

[Tinker]

I think the main reason for ruling against power attacking a rock face is that isn't how miners work. Steady pounding, with more effect from skilled placement than frenzied force. I do also see the logic that you can't apply an ability that depends on sacrificing your attack bonus if you aren't making an attack roll.

Sent from my [device_name] using EN World mobile app