D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] So just what is the hardness & HP of a magic item?

[Destan]

This is alluded to within Olgar's (handy) 3.5 errata thread. Nonetheless:

3.5 DMG, p. 222: "Each +1 of enhancement bonus also adds 1 to the weapon's or shield's hardness and hit points."

3.5 PHB, p. 165: "Each +1 of enchancement bonus adds 2 to the hardness or armor, a weapon, or a shield and +10 to the item's hit point."

Obviously, there's a significant difference between the two.

Since I'm not expecting an official errata any time soon, I was hoping some folks who may have seen HP & Hardness issues in-game could advise me. We didn't have too many Sundering attemps and what-not, so I don't know if +1 HP/+1 HRD is balanced or if +2/+10 is the better route.

Help?

D

 

[Spatzimaus]

Well, the +1/+1 was from 3E. In my experience, it was just WAY too small of a bonus. A +5 bow was kindling if it was ever hit. Iron/Steel have Hardness of 10, Wood has Hardness 5, and this just isn't enough to stop most normal damage. Their HP is even more pathetic, only 2-10 for most weapons.

Hardness being bumped to 2 I have no problem with. If I'm attacking a +3 weapon with a +3 sword, the sword's damage bonus already offsets half of this Hardness bonus, and as you go higher in level your damage increases thanks to higher STR, Power Attack, etc.

10 HP per Enhancement may be a bit much. Every +5 weapon would have 50-60 HP.

One interesting thing is, it looks like Sunder was changed in general. You don't seem to need to have an Enhancement bonus greater than or equal to the target any more. Maybe that's why they did the 10 HP thing; if I try to Sunder a +5 weapon, I won't do nearly enough damage to sunder it anyway, since it has 50 HP. On the other hand, even if I DO have a +5 weapon I still won't do enough.

 

[Cedric]

I'm probably in the minority on this, but I find sundering magic items to be very distasteful.

I've just pretty much removed those feats from my game and treat most magic items as close to indestructible. You can manage to break a magic item without going through an LotR quest...but it's not something you could casually do while fighting someone.

Like I said, I'm probably in the minority on this...

Cedric

 

[kreynolds]

3.5 DMG, p. 222: "Each +1 of enhancement bonus also adds 1 to the weapon's or shield's hardness and hit points."

3.5 PHB, p. 165: "Each +1 of enchancement bonus adds 2 to the hardness or armor, a weapon, or a shield and +10 to the item's hit point."

I'm goin' with the PH. Since its a new edition and all, I'll assume that the PH text is intentionally new and meant to apply to the DMG as well. Besides. It's cooler.

 

[hong]

I'm probably in the minority on this, but I find sundering magic items to be very distasteful.

I've just pretty much removed those feats from my game and treat most magic items as close to indestructible. You can manage to break a magic item without going through an LotR quest...but it's not something you could casually do while fighting someone.

Like I said, I'm probably in the minority on this...

If so, it's a minority of two. I dislike sundering, and most other forms of "called shots", as well.