Hardness for a vorpal sword?

[Evilhalfling]

the PHB says weapons get +1 hardness and 10 hp per point of enhancement.
do special abilites add to this total?
Or can we really sunder a Balor's vorpal sword with 31 dmg?
(hardness 10+1, Hp 5 x2 large longsword +10 )
whee ! (see sig)

 

[gtJormungand]

Only actual enhancement bonus counts towards extra hardness and hitpoints for an object, not special abilities. So, the Balor's vorpal longsword can be destroyed with that exactly 31 points of damage.

 

[Sejs]

However, you'll note that the vorpal weapon is a quality of the creature, not his equipment, so in theory he could just pick up another slashing weapon and it too is vorpal.

 

[IcyCool]

However, you'll note that the vorpal weapon is a quality of the creature, not his equipment, so in theory he could just pick up another slashing weapon and it too is vorpal.

Really? I was under the impression that the Vorpal sword was part of their equipment. How are you arriving at the conclusion that he has some sort of ability that grants the vorpal enchantment to any weapon he possesses?

 

[ThirdWizard]

Really? I was under the impression that the Vorpal sword was part of their equipment. How are you arriving at the conclusion that he has some sort of ability that grants the vorpal enchantment to any weapon he possesses?

It's a Supernatural Ability.

Vorpal Sword (Su): Every balor carries a +1 vorpal longsword that looks like a flame or a bolt of lightning.

 

[dcollins]

Really? I was under the impression that the Vorpal sword was part of their equipment. How are you arriving at the conclusion that he has some sort of ability that grants the vorpal enchantment to any weapon he possesses?

It's a half-joking interpretation that some people will refer to, that the Vorpal Sword is listed in the context of the Balor's other innate abilities, with a (Su) Supernatural ability descriptor. Of course, enhanced magic weapon are themselves Supernatural (DMG: "Spell Resistance") , so that's really not a valid indicator.

 

[IcyCool]

It's a Supernatural Ability.

You know, I never saw that. Hm. I suppose that it would be possible then.

 

[Endur]

Of course, you do have to outroll the Balor. And that assumes that his sword isn't made out of adamantine.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Outrolling him shouldn't be too hard if you use True Strike (either multiclass or have a Lesser Ring of Spell Storing). Same would work for Disarm.
The text doesn't say it's an adamantine sword, so by default it is not. If it is, would an adamantine weapon do the trick? Or would you have to Power Attack to bust through the DR?

 

[Fieari]

It's not that any sword the Balor pick up is a vorpal sword, it's that, as an Su ability, the Balor carries a vorpal sword. At all time. So you can break it, since it's a vorpal sword and vorpal swords have 31 HP... but since this is an Su ability, the Balor in question is STILL carrying a perfectly intact vorpal sword that looks like a flame or bolt of lightning.

I can picture this clearly in my head, too. Dealing 31+ points of damage in your attack on the blade, your sword passes right through what appears to be a flame, and which up to this point has acted like metal. But now, just like a flame, your blade flicks through his.

And now you're in for a world of hurt.