Magic item destruction

[jester47]

If a wizard were to cast Dispel magic on a magic weapon, effectively turning the magic in the weapon off if it fails its save, and then casts shatter on the weapon while it is mundane for 1d4 rounds, would that weapon be destroyed?

First of if the answer is yes, I do not think it is bad. Considering that a 5th level wizard working against the party coul easily munch a magic weapon, then it would explain the treasure levels in 3E and why they seem a little high.

I think this is a great discovery for my campaign as some heavy magic items made thier way in through random treasure rolls. I think the randomness (the length of time the weapon is off and the fact that there is a dispel check) of the save balances the matter.

 

[Crothian]

I think the item would be destroyed. I like that tactic.

 

[AuraSeer]

This seems to work. Dispel Magic does explicitly specify that a suppressed item becomes nonmagical, and Shatter works on any nonmagical object.

Note that if you try to Shatter an attended object, it gets a Will save at the attending character's bonus.

 

[wolff96]

First off, I agree with those above who say that it works.

Note that if you try to Shatter an attended object, it gets a Will save at the attending character's bonus.

And that's what makes it so nasty... Those who rely on heavily enchanted weaponry rarely have good Will saves. Muhahahah...

 

[AuraSeer]

And that's what makes it so nasty... Those who rely on heavily enchanted weaponry rarely have good Will saves. Muhahahah...

It's not all that nasty, really.

First, it takes two actions to pull off, during which you could be doing something more useful (like actually harming the big mean warrior, instead of making him more angry).

Also, it requires two successful dice rolls. The Dispel Magic is not certain to work, especially on powerful items (which have high caster levels). Shatter is only a 2nd-level spell, so it has a relatively low save DC.

Don't get me wrong, it's a decent trick in its niche. It's just not very widely useful. How often does a low-level caster go out to destroy a specific magic item, without caring whether he actually wins the fight?

 

[Hypersmurf]

How often does a low-level caster go out to destroy a specific magic item, without caring whether he actually wins the fight?

Ah, the joys of Domination

Although I'd rather use Ethereal Filchers myself. THere's no such thing as too many Ethereal Filchers.

-Hyp.

 

[jester47]

It's not all that nasty, really.

First, it takes two actions to pull off, during which you could be doing something more useful (like actually harming the big mean warrior, instead of making him more angry).

Also, it requires two successful dice rolls. The Dispel Magic is not certain to work, especially on powerful items (which have high caster levels). Shatter is only a 2nd-level spell, so it has a relatively low save DC.

Don't get me wrong, it's a decent trick in its niche. It's just not very widely useful. How often does a low-level caster go out to destroy a specific magic item, without caring whether he actually wins the fight?

A fifth level caster could do it, and if he casts detect magic while the big mean fighter is dealing with the Skeletons he has at his command, then he can really level the playing field. I find that most characters do not carry spares with them when it comes to weapons. I figure after I pull this trick though, there is going to be a run on the weapon shop for spare weapons.

Aaron.

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

A fifth level caster could do it, and if he casts detect magic while the big mean fighter is dealing with the Skeletons he has at his command, then he can really level the playing field. I find that most characters do not carry spares with them when it comes to weapons. I figure after I pull this trick though, there is going to be a run on the weapon shop for spare weapons.

Aaron.

Since the fighter'll have to fail a will save, why not just charm him instead and have him hit on his friend with the big nasty sword?

I do admit that its a nice trick to pull off if you've let a particularly unbalancing weapon into your game...

Maitre D

 

[jester47]

Since the fighter'll have to fail a will save, why not just charm him instead and have him hit on his friend with the big nasty sword?

I do admit that its a nice trick to pull off if you've let a particularly unbalancing weapon into your game...

Maitre D

Why limit yourself to just one option? But also, if you are in a fight with said warrior and you try to charm him he gets a +5 to the save. Furthermore you have the opposed charisma check to get him to do somthing he would not normally do. So its just as hard. Now what you do is charm the fighter before the fight, get him to defend you from his friends, and then pull the magic item destructo trick on that little stick the mage is waving around. Or have several shatter spells and get rid of that clerics nasty focus.

Shatter... Super Improed Disarm.

Aaron.

Aaron.

 

[Hashmalum]

Yes, I think the dispel magic/shatter trick should work. Normally, though, it isn't a very sound tactical choice... Unless, perhaps, that same spellcaster has a bunch of gargoyles or other creatures with damage resistance backing him up. "He's really making mincemeat out of my pet gargoyles with that sword of his... I'd better do something about that!"

(Edit): Actually, come to think of it, summoned monsters with damage resistance start showing up with summon monster III (the celestial bison and fiendish dire bat both get damage reduction 5/+1 from their respective templates since they both have 4 or more hit dice).

A low-level mage with mere 3rd-level spells, with perhaps some self-made scrolls and/or extra slots due to specialization and/or the Extra Slot feat could use some annoying hit-and-run tactics and become dreaded by your party out of all proportion to his level. Have him repeatedly ambush the party, with his summoning, buffing, and escape spells (expeditious retreat, protection from arrows, shield) precast, break a weapon, then run away. Lather, rinse, and repeat. Why? Maybe the party thought it was safe to make fun of him of earlier. Maybe he wants to rob the party and just isn't interested in their magic weapons. Maybe he wants the XP for defeating the entire group and doesn't want to share (an NPC powergamer)

(Second edit): Come to think of it, casting spells on an enemy's weapon isn't a direct attack, and neither is summoning monsters--so you could pull off the entire tactic while protected by invisibility! Crueler and crueler.

Shatter on the cleric's holy symbol, thus depriving him of any spell which has a DF component, isn't as nasty because the cleric can always dump uncastable spells into cure wounds spells, which unfortunately only have verbal and somatic components.