Sundering a ring?

[hong]

Except, of course, non-optional rules actually exist for attacking objects, even if "attended."

Then said rules are silly, and go against the unstated assumptions of the game.

Watch me as I drop your "non-optional" rules into the round folder.

 

[Magus_Jerel]

Sunder applies only to weapons. Even if you had the feat - you couldn't do this without provoking an AoO.

You just have to use the "strike an object" rules in the PHB.

Actually you can sunder them, but it would be almost impossible to sunder a ring/bracer/headband without cutting/smashing the finger/wrist/head that holds the item.
So effectively the sunder attempt would be a called shot to a specific body part at the same time.

Hmmm... so If that is your problme... why not consider any damage done to the ring to also be done to the attacker; applying the size modifier of the ring instead of that of the size modifier of the character being attacked to the AC to hit?

Since the ring has to be smaller than the character wearing it, this will always yield a slightly higher DC to the "called shot". The reason to avoid "called shot" rules is to avoid the problems caused by players wanting to strike particular body parts of an opponent. This compromises the abstract HP system.

Always when this discussion comes up (or "sundering holy symbols" or somehting like that) I wonder why nobody asks the question:

"If you can sunder my ring, can I sunder your neck?"

Really, if you allow one, IMO, you should allow the other (what's harder about hitting someone's neck than hitting someone's hand?)...and that clearly unbalances the game.

Well - people in combat tend to protect their neck, torso, and head much differently from their limbs.

You also have the fact that I might just be able to grapple - pin... and then break your neck. Sounds like something a monk might do - but I haven't seen any "gritty martial arts" d20 books yet. OA is very high fantasy when it comes to such things - and I don't see anything wrong with it; just that there are no rules printed for it. Quite frankly - I think that specific "martial arts moves" are more suited to a bunch of nifty feats for fighter/monk types. I don't feel like writing them - but I'm sure that if you go over to house rules you will find people willing to take a look at it.

 

['o Skoteinos]

Except, of course, non-optional rules actually exist for attacking objects, even if "attended."

Could you point me to them?

Well - people in combat tend to protect their neck, torso, and head much differently from their limbs.

Indeed, there is quite a lot of difference between the Fighter's / Cleric's gauntlet from his full plate and the unprotected neck of a wizard / psion / rogue / druid / monk / barbarian / bard / ranger (sometimes) / sorcerer.

You can draw the conclusion from that yourself, can't you?

 

[Darklone]

Hihihi. As for the difficulty to sunder a ring worn by someone... wear armour with gauntlets. I'd add the AC of the armour to the AC23 of the ring. That will make is usually harder to hit the ring than the enemy.

 

[kreynolds]

Hihihi. As for the difficulty to sunder a ring worn by someone... wear armour with gauntlets. I'd add the AC of the armour to the AC23 of the ring. That will make is usually harder to hit the ring than the enemy.

AHA! But is the ring on the inside or the outside of the gauntlet!?! (seen LotR?)

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

For situations likes these, in our game, we have this to fall back on:

Rule -1: The DBS Rule.
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DBS = Don't Be Stupid





(Disclaimer: This is not to imply that anyone here is stupid, or that the situation is stupid or that the rules are stupid. My players, on the other hand, are total morons. Thus I came up with a rule that applies specifically to them.)

 

[kreynolds]

For situations likes these, in our game, we have this to fall back on:

Rule -1: The DBS Rule.
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DBS = Don't Be Stupid

ROTFLMFAO

 

[noretoc]

I would say a worn item is different from an item being carried in your hand. Since you would only be able to get to half the ring (the other half behind the finger) I'd increase the modifier.

Also, as somone asked,(not me specificly, but I'll act like it was) "I" couldn't cut a ring from a finger without hitting the finger, but if Luke can cut trough the ice holding his feet in empire without chopping some toes, then I'll bet my fighter with a BAB of +20 can cut that ring off and not even scratch ya

 

[Umbran]

Could you point me to them?

PHB, page 135 "Attacking an Object". Striking a weapon is, in fact, a subset of the rules for attacking items in general. This is about as "non-optional" as any other rule. Which, considering Rule 0, doesn't say much.

 

['o Skoteinos]

riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...you can't attack specific body parts, but you can attack a ring on someone's finger without hurting the finger...

Personally, I think this is not a very good rule (or a logical one)...but it seems possible...