Sunder? Bah?

[dreaded_beast]

Why would you wanna use sunder?

How else are you gonna get that nifty sword the final boss is wielding?

In the campaign I play, the best weapons are never found, there always in the hands of the bad guy, so the players can feel first-hand how good the weapon is.

 

[arwink]

a) I am the big bad guy, and I'd like to give the PC's a chance to feel how powerful the weapon is too

b) If the only weapon weilding characters your fighting are the big bads, then it's a pointless feat. IF you're regularly fighting people with weapons you, it's not so bad (what's sundering 1 more +1 sword when you've got a +3 blade in your hand).

c) It can be used to take out particularly powerful weapons you're not going to weild (that extra 2d6 points from evil weapons can be a killer).

d) Cut apart scrolls, wands, or other items in the hands of PC's. Sundering potion vials before the healing potion can be drunk is never a bad thing - and it's potentially better than trying to cut your opponent down before he finishes drinking.

 

[FireLance]

Why use Sunder?

Because my Intelligence isn't high enough to get Combat Expertise and Improved Disarm.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Because Sunder is hella cinematic!

You ever watch Conan the Barbarian? When Conan fights Rexor, he mightily sunders Rexor's sword. (Actually, Conan's father's sword, but I digress.)

Or how about the intro to Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring? There you get to see Sauron sunder the blade Narsil.

Those are just two examples - but after watching them, how can you not want to sunder something?!

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Sundering the enemies Vorpal Unholy Greatsword seems to be a good idea to me...
Remember Murphys Law:
Like a Fighter always fails Fortitude Saves against Death Effects, regardless of his high Bonus, an enemey with that kind of weapon will always crit against you...
(I admit, a True Resourrection might be cheaper than that Sword, but on the other hand - if the whole party dies because the Fighter died first, nobody will resourect them ...)

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[EricNoah]

PC warrior-type sundered the big bad archer's bow in one blow last game -- pretty cool!

 

[bensei]

Hmm.

A party which already thinks about selling the items the opponent is carrying is obviously not afraid enough of him. DM, change that!

 

[clark411]

A dead villain with a broken sword is better than a dead hero with an enemy walking the other way with an intact sword.

 

[bensei]

OTOH, speaking as a player, I say:
If I know that the DM is taking the wealth table as a guideline as we players advance in levels, I would consider taking Improved Sunder as a feat.
If, however, my group would really lose the value, I would also completely dislike that.