burrowing vs. object hardness & hps

nharwell · Jul 8, 2002

Does anyone have ideas on how to adjudicate the damage that burrowing creatures do to objects? For example, the Thoqqua can burrow through rock at 20ft speed. According to DMG p.107, a 10x10ft (x5 ft thick) section of unworked stone has a hardness 8 and 900 hit points -- and the Thoqqua should be able to go through 4 of those in a single move. How would translate that into general damage? Suppose a Thoqqua tried to burrow through hewn stone? Masonry? Adamantite? How quickly could it burrow through, if at all? Suggestions?

kreynolds · Jul 8, 2002

nharwell said:
Suppose a Thoqqua tried to burrow through hewn stone? Masonry? Adamantite? How quickly could it burrow through, if at all? Suggestions?

I wouldn't rule that it could burrow through hewn stone, masontry, etc. I'd rather stick with the book and just say that it can burrow through rock.

Macbrea · Jul 8, 2002

Burrow
The creature can tunnel through dirt, but not through rock unless the descriptive text says otherwise. Creatures cannot use the run action while burrowing.

The Thoqqua's descriptive text states that it can come out of rock. Which seems to indicate that it can burrow through rock.

I would rule that it could go through any form of stone or weaker material. (Hardness 10 or less) Due to the body heat that it lets off. Hewn stone and masonry are still hardness 10. By the way for anyone that doesn't know what hewn stone is. Its just a stone that has had its sheared off into squarish blocks. If a creature can dig through a boulder it sure as heck can go through half the same boulder.

nharwell · Jul 9, 2002

Macbrea said:
Burrow
The creature can tunnel through dirt, but not through rock unless the descriptive text says otherwise. Creatures cannot use the run action while burrowing.

The Thoqqua's descriptive text states that it can come out of rock. Which seems to indicate that it can burrow through rock.

I would rule that it could go through any form of stone or weaker material. (Hardness 10 or less) Due to the body heat that it lets off. Hewn stone and masonry are still hardness 10. By the way for anyone that doesn't know what hewn stone is. Its just a stone that has had its sheared off into squarish blocks. If a creature can dig through a boulder it sure as heck can go through half the same boulder.

Thanks for the suggestion. That might serve as a useful guideline. Anyone else have ideas? Note that I'm using the Thoqqua simply as an example. Other creatures (such as the Umber Hulk) can also burrow through rock.

hong · Jul 9, 2002

nharwell said:
Does anyone have ideas on how to adjudicate the damage that burrowing creatures do to objects? For example, the Thoqqua can burrow through rock at 20ft speed. According to DMG p.107, a 10x10ft (x5 ft thick) section of unworked stone has a hardness 8 and 900 hit points -- and the Thoqqua should be able to go through 4 of those in a single move. How would translate that into general damage? Suppose a Thoqqua tried to burrow through hewn stone? Masonry? Adamantite? How quickly could it burrow through, if at all? Suggestions?

I'm not sure what sort of situation would result in this question coming up, really.

kreynolds · Jul 9, 2002

Re: Re: burrowing vs. object hardness & hps

hong said:
I'm not sure what sort of situation would result in this question coming up, really.

How about a Thoqqua trying to burrow through your sword hilt that has a high enough hardness rating so that you can keep your fully activated flaming shocking freezing acidic screaming longsword in it?