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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 5795236" data-attributes="member: 42582">Yes. The reason that I pick on the rust monster, in particular, is because - in 4e, at least, but also 3E I think - item bonuses are a mechanically presupposed aspect of the PC build, so destroying items is analogous to level draining in AD&D. If you then combine that with an approach to play in which regular level gain is part of the backdrop against which the story unfolds - and 4e is certainly written in a way that supports such an approach - all the rust monster does is pointlessly disrupt or delay the progression of the story. Everyone was expecting to move on from the goblins to the hobgoblin overlords (or whatever it might be), but now we can't because the maths won't work. I mean, what's the point of that?As I said, in a game like Basic D&D or Burning Wheel, in which destroying equipment is not going to wreck the PC build in the same sort of way, it would be a completely different thing (although I still think a bit too gonzo for BW).</blockquote>