The green dragon breath weapon

[Felnar]

In the game my DM ran he had the elves invent a alchemical item that was a darkwood mask with filters in it to allow for save for half or nothing instead of save for full or half damage.

as i recall, 2nd Eds Encyclopedia Magica had such an item

 

[Infiniti2000]

No..old school rules was it was a cloud of cholrine gas that you coughed to death on. No mention it was a cone of acid, ala black dragon breath weapon but in cone format.

I know that was the rules in AD&D 1E, but you said you guys changed it to be acidic gas. In other words, just like in 3.5e.

 

[bestone]

yeah, why not just use it like the old chlorine gas?

save or die is pretty harsh, and of course, even if you pass, you can make it so they are sickened/nauseated for x amount of rounds

And i dont really see the problem in it not working if your immune to poison? how many of the standard humanoid races are immune to poison? really? I know you can go and get items ect that help/make you immune to poison, But then again, Why shouldnt someone who stops and says "hrmm im going to fight something that spits poison, mayhaps i should buy something to protect me from it" get a bonus hrmm? they can easilly get energy (type) reduction items for other dragon things

Yes sure the higher fort characters will have it easier, but still, considering the fact that if they dont save, they die, i think thats perfectly fine!

If you really have to go for it, state that the gas isnt a poison, but instead an acid, once inhaled from cloud form it quickly liquifies inside, and then liquifies the inside!

I dunno, i find a lot of the things are a lot less nasty to the players, call me a mean old dm, but i like to have some monsters (like dragons) always be able to strike some fear into a players heart

 

[MarkB]

I think the reference is to note the fact that sonic bypasses hardness (hence the usual practice of it doing less average damage) of objects.

This is not correct. It's been clarified in a few places that the line in the PHB about acid and sonic energy types damaging objects "normally" just means you don't halve or otherwise reduce the damage as you do for other energy types - it is still reduced by hardness.

The main reason why sonic attacks have reduced damage is that immunity or resistance to sonic damage is a lot rarer than to other forms of energy damage.

 

[frankthedm]

This is not correct. It's been clarified in a few places that the line in the PHB about acid and sonic energy types damaging objects "normally" just means you don't halve or otherwise reduce the damage as you do for other energy types - it is still reduced by hardness.

That clarification came really late and feels more like rewriting the rules rather than errata.

It feels much more like Wotc changed it to counter abuses rather than it being a misprint.

Many acids should ignore the hardness of steel, but I'll agree a blanket of "ignore hardness" is a problem.