Nebuchadnezzar
First Post
I wonder if the hardness, and hit points for sapphires are listed somewhere. If not, what would be reasonable hit point and
hardness scores?
hardness scores?
Hardness of gems
- Thread starter Nebuchadnezzar
- Start date
CRGreathouse
Community Supporter
I don't think they're listed in the DMG (or other core books) anywhere.
Nebuchadnezzar
First Post
Ohhh...
Well, any idea what kind of hardness or hit point score to choose?
Well, any idea what kind of hardness or hit point score to choose?
(Psi)SeveredHead
Adventurer
Gem hardness
The hardness is 8 according to PsiHB (look at psionic items or WotC).
The hardness is 8 according to PsiHB (look at psionic items or WotC).
CRGreathouse
Community Supporter
Re: Gem hardness
Hard as steel? This works for some gems, but I don't think (for example) a pearl would be nearly as hard...
(Psi)SeveredHead said:
Hard as steel? This works for some gems, but I don't think (for example) a pearl would be nearly as hard...
Acmite
First Post
Sapphire and Ruby are both corundum, and according to Moh's hardness scale they have a hardness of 9 (only diamond is harder). Your average pocket knife has a hardness of ~5.5 on this scale.
This scale represents the ability of one object to scratch another, so it doesn't take into account how brittle the mineral is or whether or not it can withstand shearing or crushing.
Diamonds are used for industrial purposes to cut metal and other substances. These are micro-diamonds and they cut through abrasion. If you had a gem-quality diamond, or any large diamond for that matter, and you dropped it onto cement....let's jut say I would be a little worried. Diamonds are very brittle. In general, the harder the mineral, the more brittle it is.
Opal is hydrous silica (kinda like a formless quartz with water in it's structure) and has a hardness of ~6-6.5 (a little less than quartz). You'd be surprised at how resistant opal can be.
Since emeralds, rubies, diamonds, etc are fairly hard and brittle to varying degrees (diamond being the most brittle) yet quite hard, I'd probably put them at a hardness of about ~6-7. This places it just below "stone". Something like quartz I would probably place a little higher, above your avaerage "stone", maybe ~11-12.
I think a quartz statue should definitely have a higher hardness than a generic stone statue.
Acmite
Geologist
This scale represents the ability of one object to scratch another, so it doesn't take into account how brittle the mineral is or whether or not it can withstand shearing or crushing.
Diamonds are used for industrial purposes to cut metal and other substances. These are micro-diamonds and they cut through abrasion. If you had a gem-quality diamond, or any large diamond for that matter, and you dropped it onto cement....let's jut say I would be a little worried. Diamonds are very brittle. In general, the harder the mineral, the more brittle it is.
Opal is hydrous silica (kinda like a formless quartz with water in it's structure) and has a hardness of ~6-6.5 (a little less than quartz). You'd be surprised at how resistant opal can be.
Since emeralds, rubies, diamonds, etc are fairly hard and brittle to varying degrees (diamond being the most brittle) yet quite hard, I'd probably put them at a hardness of about ~6-7. This places it just below "stone". Something like quartz I would probably place a little higher, above your avaerage "stone", maybe ~11-12.
I think a quartz statue should definitely have a higher hardness than a generic stone statue.
Acmite
Geologist
Mundane gems that are only fit to be used as spell components should have hardness 1 and 1 hp.
Gems that are Plot Devices[tm] should have hardness 10-15 and 1 hp. This means that you can't destroy a Plot Device[tm] by slowly chopping it into little pieces; that would be boring. Instead, it takes a single mighty blow by a true hero to smash it into thousands of little Plot Devices.
Gems that are Plot Devices[tm] should have hardness 10-15 and 1 hp. This means that you can't destroy a Plot Device[tm] by slowly chopping it into little pieces; that would be boring. Instead, it takes a single mighty blow by a true hero to smash it into thousands of little Plot Devices.
