Is sunder _this_ easy?

[Ridley's Cohort]

I would agree with your last suggestion -- what I would do is set up a near-standard attack pattern for what they go after. Somewhat similar to the "Items Affected by Magical Attacks" table, but prioritized to whatever the enemy is holding -- if they're actively using it, it gets Sundered.

Thus, (1) weapon or item in hand, (2) shield, (3) helmet, (4) cloak, (5) stowed weapons, etc...

That would be fair. And the PCs could adapt to these tactics with extra weapons, MW, GMW, and maybe even Quickdraw.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Not when you're smashing their weapons.

This is a good tactic. If you want to err on the side of kindness, allow every bonus that goes into a touch AC; the giants are still going to hit even when power attacking, but the PCs will feel slightly less hosed about it.

I'll agree with that, but not with smashing quivers or bags, unless those items are having a direct effect on the combat. Given that another post on this subject was the giants attacking the wizard's familiar (which was not operating in a combat mode), I'm skeptical.

 

[Arkhandus]

Yeah, the DM should run the NPCs as intelligently (and only so) as their stats say, and shouldn't have the NPCs trying to sunder miscellaneous items and familiars if they're not being used in battle. Only genious NPCs should suspect those might be magic items and should be destroyed to discourage the PCs. In any case, the NPCs should only strike at stuff that they know is magical (by use of Detect Magic or by witnessing its effects, like seeing the wizard's circlet emit a bolt of blazing light or seeing the rogue pull forth a full-sized rapier from a tiny bag at their hip). The giants, even if fairly intelligent, should only be striking at the PCs' weapons with sunder attempts, unless they see obvious signs of other magic items on them. Destroying weapons in battle is a good tactic. After all, they're giants, as long as the PCs have only broken weapons, what do the giants have to fear from them anymore? A spellcaster can easily be grappled by a giant and crushed to death in their grasp, which is a fairly simple tactic to stop someone who isn't relying on some obvious weapon.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Let's use a scenario.

We have a fighter/rogue who is dual-wielding. In his left hand is an adamantine dagger. In his right hand is a silver +1 wounding short sword.

If the giant were metagaming he would break the short sword. (It's more dangerous, plus it has lower hardness.)

It is not metagaming for the giant to just randomly smash a weapon, however. Even an Int 6 giant knows that breaking the pointy thing will stop the pointy thing from being jabbed into his leggy things.

If a giant has Improved Sunder, there's no reason for it not to do this (provided it isn't prevented from doing this somehow). If the giant doesn't have this feat, three levels of barbarian should provide the necessary feat slot

(I wouldn't let the giant sunder items that it knows nothing about. It doesn't know what a metamagic rod is, nor a spell component pouch or a bag of holding...)

Yes, it hoses the players but it's not Mordenkainen's disjunction - the giant can only smash one item per swing, rather than potentially destroy all of the fighter's items.

 

[Scion]

watch out for giants with cleaving sunder

 

[Liquidsabre]

If there's anyone that qualifies as a "combat brute" I'd say Giants do.

 

[Thanee]

It is not metagaming for the giant to just randomly smash a weapon, however. Even an Int 6 giant knows that breaking the pointy thing will stop the pointy thing from being jabbed into his leggy things.

I'm talking about sundering carried magic items, there, when I call is metagaming.

So, a full attack later and the Rod of empowerment on the mage is gone as well as the bag of holding on the rogue.

Weapons (even the short sword in your example, as it is the bigger weapon) are fair game (even, tho, I find the thought pretty ridiculous, that weapons can be sundered that easy, but that's another topic ).

Bye
Thanee

 

[MerakSpielman]

Of course, if the giants have a smart person commanding them....

Ok, everybody attack your opponents backpack, then bull-rush them away from their fallen stuff, then start destroying the stuff they're holding while my little mooks run out and destroy the stuff that was in their backpacks...

But I'm not that mean.

 

[dcollins]

I wouldn't let the giant sunder items that it knows nothing about. It doesn't know what a metamagic rod is...

Looks kinda like a club... smash it!

If the enemy is holding anything in their hands and moving it around purposefully, giants should be smart enough to figure out that it's important to them, and think about Sundering it.

 

[Anubis]

I would think most enemies aren't too worries about random items adventurers are carrying. If someone was trying to kill you, would you be trying to cut apart their bag? Get real. Enemies would only ever try to sunder weapons and armor (if they have adamantine weapons at least) and shields and stuff of OBVIOUS IMMEDIATE danger. Not rods, bags, and quivers.