Pinned beneath Rubble

[fnork de sporg]

So I was running a combat for my group when the baddie used an Earthquake SA on the party. The description of the spell states that those within the area are pinned beneath rubble but it does not describe what checks would be needed to break free. I had to houserule it on the fly but how should such a thing be resolved? What kind of DCs? Are there rules somewhere for escaping from cave-ins?

What would you have done in my situation?

 

[ElectricDragon]

Yes there are rules for escaping cave-ins. From the SRD:

Characters take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per minute while buried. If such a character falls unconscious, he must make a DC 15 Constitution check. If it fails, he takes 1d6 points of lethal damage each minute thereafter until freed or dead.
Characters who aren’t buried can dig out their friends. In 1 minute, using only her hands, a character can clear rocks and debris equal to five times her heavy load limit. The amount of loose stone that fills a 5-foot-by-5-foot area weighs one ton (2,000 pounds). Armed with an appropriate tool, such as a pick, crowbar, or shovel, a digger can clear loose stone twice as quickly as by hand. You may allow a buried character to free himself with a DC 25 Strength check.

Ciao
Dave

 

[Christian]

If you're trying to follow along at home in your rulebooks, thats DMG 3.5 pp 66-67.