Can spells target attended objects?

[VorpalStare]

There is no rule stating that you can't target an attended object, and since several spells imply that they can target attended objects that make no special mention of the attended aspect, it would make sense that you can target all attended objects.

Thus, if you can cast dispel magic on a sword someone is wielding, there is nothing saying that you cannot disintegrate it.

Area spells, obviously, have their own rules.

I agree. This looks like a potentially abusive spell. Most magic items (except for armor, shields, and weapons) have low hardness and few hit points and could be easily destroyed by this tactic. But be aware that, like sundering weapons, PC's are inherently penalized for using tactics like this as it destroys treasure they hope to acquire, and if NPC's start doing this to the PC's, the players will soon get angry with the DM and may leave the game.

There are effective defenses against this spell, as well.

A resist energy (electricity) spell protects a character and all of his equipment, and so will negate most or all of the damage from the secondary strikes depending on the relative levels of attacker and defender. [At around 12th level, when Chain Lightning becomes available, and does 6d6 secondary damage, Resist Energy provides 30 points of energy resistance.]

Since the spell is targeted, the caster must have line of sight to all of the targets he selects. This limits his choices to items that are visible, so that the subject can protect many fragile, high value items from this attack by concealing them on their person (under their robes, etc.) - a good strategy in general.

 

[Plane Sailing]

In general, the rules are against targeting attended objects. This is to protect the players from their stuff getting ruined all the time.

Mind you, this argument doesn't stand up very well when you consider Sunder - attacking an object is ludicrously easy, and can be done by anyone with a weapon. If someone doesn't allow magic to target attended objects it means that nearly everyone *except* magic users can effectively destroy peoples stuff.
</ hyperbole>

Cheers