Break DC for Magic (Wondrous) Item?

gweinel · Mar 20, 2014

Hello,
Can anyone help me to find the Break DC of a wondrous magic item? I want to find the DC of an "Everbright Lantern". It is an Eberron magic item.

Here is the description:

Everbright Lantern: An everbright lantern combines the effect of a continual flame spell with an Eberron shard
attuned to that spell. This bright light is mounted inside a normal bullseye lantern, allowing the light to be shuttered off. An everbright lantern provides clear illumination in a 60-foot cone and shadowy illumination in a 120-foot
cone, just like a mundane bullseye lantern, but its flame never goes out.
Faint evocation; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item,
continual flame; Price 212 gp; Cost to Create 112 gp + 4 XP; Weight 3 lb.

Would you give to DCs? One for the lantern and if it fails the another for the shard?

Thanks

nijineko · Mar 20, 2014

Here is the best off the cuff extrapolation I can give you:

https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050803a&page=4 said:
Khyber Dragonshard (small): Length 6 in.; Thickness 2 in.; hardness 10; hp 30; Market Price 750 gp (average).
Khyber Dragonshard (greater): Length 12 in.; Thickness 6 in.; hardness 10; hp 90; Market Price 5,000 gp (average).

Given that there is no indication (that I can find) that any dragonshards are in particular different hardness or hp from each other regardless of type, comparing the two example shards and doing the math gives us a base hardness of 10 and a base hp of 15 per inch of thickness.

While magic weapons and armor increase in hardness and hp based on the +1 through +5 stat, other magic items don't seem to give any guidelines. However, I have seen it elsewhere proposed, and find it perfectly reasonable to take the caster level required for the +1 through +5, and apply the same increase in hardness and hp based on the caster level required to create said wondrous item; since they are the most likely to fail to list a hardness or break dc.

Or you could simplify it and not bother with the per-item thing and simply say that minor is equivalent to +1, medium to +3, and major to +5.

As for the lantern, it would have the same break dc and hardness as a regular bull's eye lantern, unless you wish to consider the entire package, the wondrous item. If you can't find stats for that, given the effective thinness of the metal used in a lantern, the hardness and break dc won't be that high. As you would do the calculation per inch in reverse. It might survive a fall from a shelf, so maybe a hardness of 3 to 5, and maybe 1 to 3 hp.

gweinel · Mar 20, 2014

nijineko said:
Here is the best off the cuff extrapolation I can give you:

Given that there is no indication (that I can find) that any dragonshards are in particular different hardness or hp from each other regardless of type, comparing the two example shards and doing the math gives us a base hardness of 10 and a base hp of 15 per inch of thickness.

While magic weapons and armor increase in hardness and hp based on the +1 through +5 stat, other magic items don't seem to give any guidelines. However, I have seen it elsewhere proposed, and find it perfectly reasonable to take the caster level required for the +1 through +5, and apply the same increase in hardness and hp based on the caster level required to create said wondrous item; since they are the most likely to fail to list a hardness or break dc.

Or you could simplify it and not bother with the per-item thing and simply say that minor is equivalent to +1, medium to +3, and major to +5.

As for the lantern, it would have the same break dc and hardness as a regular bull's eye lantern, unless you wish to consider the entire package, the wondrous item. If you can't find stats for that, given the effective thinness of the metal used in a lantern, the hardness and break dc won't be that high. As you would do the calculation per inch in reverse. It might survive a fall from a shelf, so maybe a hardness of 3 to 5, and maybe 1 to 3 hp.

Thank you very much for the thoroughly and very informative answer!

Celebrim · Mar 20, 2014

nijineko said:
Here is the best off the cuff extrapolation I can give you:

Given that there is no indication (that I can find) that any dragonshards are in particular different hardness or hp from each other regardless of type, comparing the two example shards and doing the math gives us a base hardness of 10 and a base hp of 15 per inch of thickness.

Reasonable from the RAW, although I will note that if the DM is interested in realism, for most materials both hardness and hit points increase linearly with thickness. The thicker the object, the more likely it is that it will absorb an impact by dissipating the force without sheering.

While magic weapons and armor increase in hardness and hp based on the +1 through +5 stat, other magic items don't seem to give any guidelines. However, I have seen it elsewhere proposed, and find it perfectly reasonable to take the caster level required for the +1 through +5, and apply the same increase in hardness and hp based on the caster level required to create said wondrous item; since they are the most likely to fail to list a hardness or break dc.

Sounds good to me. I endorse.

I'd also note that magic items are so valuable, that if people had a relatively cheap way to make them less breakable I'm sure they would.

Greenfield · Mar 20, 2014

There is a Hardening spell that increases the Hardness of an item.

Hardness is increased by 1 for every 2 caster levels, and the effect is permanent. It's a Cleric spell, 7th level.

nijineko · Mar 20, 2014

Greenfield said:
There is a Hardening spell that increases the Hardness of an item.

Hardness is increased by 1 for every 2 caster levels, and the effect is permanent. It's a Cleric spell, 7th level.

Snarf it all, Greenfield, you sure you shouldn't change your avatar to a ninja? =P

There is also a psionic method for increasing hardness and I believe it also increases the Break DC, unlike the spell.

Break DC for Magic (Wondrous) Item?

gweinel

Explorer

nijineko

Explorer

gweinel

Explorer

Celebrim

Legend

Greenfield

Adventurer

nijineko

Explorer

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