how does sundering work now?

[trentonjoe]

I reread sunder last night in the SRD and am now a little confused.

Can non-magic weapons sunder magic weapons?

Is the only benefit magic stuff gets is their + to hit points and hardness?

You cannot sunder armor being worn right?

 

[MichaelH]

I reread sunder last night in the SRD and am now a little confused.

Can non-magic weapons sunder magic weapons?

No. Your weapon must have an enhancement bonus at least equal to the weapon or shield you are sundering to be effective. See DMG, page 222, Hardness and Hit Points.

Is the only benefit magic stuff gets is their + to hit points and hardness?

No. See above. They get +2 hardness and +10 hit points per +1 of enhancment bonus.

You cannot sunder armor being worn right?

Right. PH, page 158, last sentence of the Sunder section.

 

[shilsen]

I reread sunder last night in the SRD and am now a little confused.

Can non-magic weapons sunder magic weapons?

Is the only benefit magic stuff gets is their + to hit points and hardness?

The 3.5 rules are contradictory in this area. PHB, pg. 165 says that "each +1 of enhancement bonus adds 2 to the hardness of armor, a weapon, and a shield and +10 to the item's hit points". DMG, pg. 217, says the same specifically for shields. DMG, pg. 222, says that each +1 enhancement bonus adds 1 to the hardness and hit points for weapons and shields.

Obviously all of the above cannot be true. Some people have posted on these boards that they have received responses from the Sage and Andy Collins (I think) saying that the correct rule is the one in the PHB and that non-magic items can sunder magic weapons, and that items with a lower enhancement bonus can sunder items with a higher enhancement bonus. With the change in 3.5 DR, that makes sense to me.