Why do oozes ignore normal rules?

[Piratecat]

As far as I can tell, the fact that oozes ignore normal rules for damaging objects is a holdover from previous editions of D&D. First, some examples:

Acid (Ex)

The creature secretes a digestive acid that dissolves organic material and metal quickly, but does not affect stone. Any melee hit or constrict attack deals acid damage, and the opponent’s armor and clothing dissolve and become useless immediately unless they succeed on DC 21 Reflex saves. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes a black pudding also dissolves immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 21 Reflex save. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

The pudding’s acidic touch deals 21 points of damage per round to wooden or metal objects, but the ooze must remain in contact with the object for 1 full round to deal this damage.

Acid (Ex)

A gray ooze secretes a digestive acid that quickly dissolves organic material and metal, but not stone. Any melee hit or constrict attack deals acid damage. Armor or clothing dissolves and becomes useless immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 16 Reflex save. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes a gray ooze also dissolves immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 16 Reflex save. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

The ooze’s acidic touch deals 16 points of damage per round to wooden or metal objects, but the ooze must remain in contact with the object for 1 full round to deal this damage.

And so forth.

What is interesting to me is that this seems to be a uniquely screw-the-PCs type of effect. Normally the ooze needs a full round to do a certain amount of acid damage to wooden or metal objects, but it can instantly destroy any weapon that strikes it regardless of whether it's a simple club or a +5 adamantine holy avenger, completely ignoring the normal rules for weapon hardness and hit points.

I'm seriously considering house ruling this. Can someone give me a good rationale for why these inconsistent rules are in place?

Thanks!

 

[Crothian]

it gives PCs a real reason to actually fear oozes? I mean most creatures only hurt people, and that can be fixed with ease. Even death is but an inconvience to a mid to high level party. But damaging one's equipment is worse, as silly as that seems.

I like that oozes damage and destroy equipment but I think players get to attached to their things in the first place.

 

[Elephant]

The only rationale I can offer is that a weapon striking the Ooze ends up covered in more concentrated acid than a normal object coming in contact with the Ooze would. Perhaps the ooze secretes acidic fluid at wound sites?

Alternatively, it could be a function of weapon usability:

Take a quarterstaff, for example. If it is lying on the floor unattended, and the ooze decides to eat it, the ooze, well, oozes across the floor and engulfs the quarterstaff, taking a full six seconds to dissolve it.

The same quarterstaff in the hand of Mialee, used to bash the ooze, comes into contact briefly but intensely, soaking the end of the staff in acid...and Mialee now has a staff the size of a short sword. It's not COMPLETELY gone, but it's useless as a weapon.

 

[Piratecat]

Okay. I'll buy the "faster effect" argument put forth by Elephant and Crothian. But (and this is my real objection) why do the rules ignore weapon hit points, when they don't ignore object hit points?

 

[Wormwood]

Smells like a sacred cow.

My house rules:

Black Pudding

Acid (Ex): The creature secretes a digestive acid that dissolves organic material and metal quickly, but does not affect stone. Any melee hit or constrict attack deals acid damage, dealing 3d6 points of acid damage immediately unless they succeed on DC 21 Reflex saves. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes a black pudding also takes 3d6 hit points damage immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 21 Reflex save. Acid damage ignores an object's hardness. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

The pudding’s acidic touch deals 6d6 points of damage per round to wooden or metal objects, but the ooze must remain in contact with the object for 1 full round to deal this damage.


Gray Ooze

Acid (Ex): The creature secretes a digestive acid that dissolves organic material and metal quickly, but does not affect stone. Any melee hit or constrict attack deals acid damage, dealing 2d6 points of acid damage immediately unless they succeed on DC 16 Reflex saves. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes a gray ooze also takes 2d6 hit points damage immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 16 Reflex save. Acid damage ignored an object's hardness. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

The ooze's acidic touch deals 4d6 points of damage per round to wooden or metal objects, but the ooze must remain in contact with the object for 1 full round to deal this damage.

 

[Herpes Cineplex]

That's really cool, Wormwood. I like those house rules quite a bit.

....

Hey, look behind you, a three-headed monkey!


(*YOINK!*)


--
now i can use your awesome house rules to look clever in front of my friends
ryan

 

[Darkness]

Even death is but an inconvience to a mid to high level party. But damaging one's equipment is worse, as silly as that seems.

I think that's a good point.

Raise dead costs 5k (and a level). True res, 25k. If your party can't cast the spell, there are also spellcasting costs that must be paid (450 and 1,530 gp, respectively, assuming minimum caster level).

If a character's primary weapon is worth "only" 25% of his total assumed resources, his weapon will be worth as much as a true res at around 13th level. Beyond that, the weapon will be worth more and more.

 

[Destil]

Most rules for having gear damaged when you strike a creature are still in hold over mode, it's not as silly as the Remorhaz's 10d10 heat damage...

 

[Piratecat]

Hey, look behind you, a three-headed monkey!

 

[Darkness]

Most rules for having gear damaged when you strike a creature are still in hold over mode, it's not as silly as the Remorhaz's 10d10 heat damage...

Yeah. Maybe D&D 3.75 will change a few of them. There's precedence, at least. 3.5 changed the rakshasa's immunity to spells below (IIRC) 8th level to a rather high SR score.