He rolled a natural one on his save...

[MerricB]

...and he only lost a masterwork crossbow!

Arrrggghhhh!!!!

I'm finally getting the hang of the D&D 3e item damage rules: on a natural 1 on a save vs some damage-dealing effect, items might go crispy. I got a chance last Sunday to employ the rule as our resident 10th level sorcerer failed a save against an Ogre Magi's cone of cold.

I was really looking forward to seeing what valued item might disappear, but the only thing that got hit was a lame masterwork crossbow! That the character rarely uses, anyway!

Arrrggghhhh!!!!

OTOH, some treasure they would have gotten went crispy when, after fireballing the first ogre mage to death (sudden maximise, sudden empower = 72 damage), the second ogre mage came along and they hit it with a second fireball. Strangely, the first ogre mage's gear was no longer attended...

Cheers!

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Houserule: On a natural one, ALL items must save or take damage.

 

[Trainz]

Houserule: On a natural one, ALL items must save or take damage.

Wow. Don't you think that's a tad dire ?

I mean, out of 20 times, the players WILL roll a 1: by your house rule, they will more or less loose between 1 and 4 magic items when that happens.

I guess it's not too bad if there are magic shops in your campaign, but DANG !

If I played in such a game, I would always take one level of cleric with the luck domain AND pick the Protected Destiny feat from Races of Destiny.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Houserule: On a natural one, ALL items must save or take damage.

Sounds evil.

...I like it.

And its okay, Merric, just try again. And again and again and again. The odds are with you anyway, you ARE the DM, yes?

 

[Darkness]

If you really want to hit their gear, the MM has you covered with monsters whose point it is to reduce PC gear (rust monster, ethereal filcher).

I know you know that, of course, but I thought I'd point it out anyway in case it cheers you up.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Go Filchers go!

-Hyp.

 

[Acid_crash]

I love rust monsters...the ultimate party equalizer. Even magic items aren't super safe.

 

[MerricB]

And its okay, Merric, just try again. And again and again and again. The odds are with you anyway, you ARE the DM, yes?

Indeed I am!

I don't actually throw magic at them that often. I should change that, I guess.

I have used a Bebilith - and successfully too, I might add - to kill a +2 breastplate of spell resistance 19.

Cheers!

 

[Pinotage]

How do your players handle it when you 'kill' their equipment? I can understand not being upset about a Mwk Crossbow, but a SR 19 armor?

Pinotage

 

[MerricB]

How do your players handle it when you 'kill' their equipment? I can understand not being upset about a Mwk Crossbow, but a SR 19 armor?

He was disappointed, but it was bearable. One of the things that makes such destruction bearable is the opportunity to find more interesting items.

If you have items being destroyed, then you can up the treasure they find and keep the average rewards.

###

Just remembered - I also killed the sorcerer's (new) cohort that session, a human cleric. He'd cast Shield Other on the sorcerer, and he failed that save as well...

Cheers!