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General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Weapons should break left and right
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<blockquote data-quote="Basic Expert" data-source="post: 9764405" data-attributes="member: 7054049"><p>I had a 3E DM that created a campaign where equipment scarcity and attrition was to be a core theme.</p><p></p><p>He was quickly flustered by the caster and monk-centric party he ended up with.</p><p></p><p>I don't think weapon breakage adds anything to the game. If you want to 'force' the GWM fighter to use a different weapon, put them in some tiny kobold holes or force them to fight on the side of a cliff or in the middle of a crowded street. Maybe they carry the Fabled Jewel of Xanto in one hand to light their way through the Maze of Madness.</p><p></p><p>Obviously, players will choose their best weapon whenever you can IF you ignore the context of the situation or have every fight take place in a featureless room.</p><p></p><p>I'm also pretty liberal with weapon damage resistances and vulnerabilities, especially with larger monsters. I also include ranged attacks and spell damage as options to give mix it up. These are discernible with lore checks, which make players feel smart and proactive, which is always a win.</p><p></p><p>In my mind, that's where verisimilitude makes for a better game. Sure, the greatsword is fantastic for cutting the heads off a hyrdra, but it's not going crack the shell of an ankheg. Your spear might be the best bet to pierce the dragon's heart.</p><p></p><p>If you give the player's that information--or at least provide an avenue for them to discover it--you have dynamic play. The players can make their own decision: do I keep using my 'best' weapon or do I switch to something else for this situation? If you force a breakage, the player has no real decision point. It's just arbitrary and punishing. The player either stocks up on their favorite weapon, does everything they can to get an unbreakable magic weapon, or more probably, avoids the sub-system altogether by playing a different class.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Basic Expert, post: 9764405, member: 7054049"] I had a 3E DM that created a campaign where equipment scarcity and attrition was to be a core theme. He was quickly flustered by the caster and monk-centric party he ended up with. I don't think weapon breakage adds anything to the game. If you want to 'force' the GWM fighter to use a different weapon, put them in some tiny kobold holes or force them to fight on the side of a cliff or in the middle of a crowded street. Maybe they carry the Fabled Jewel of Xanto in one hand to light their way through the Maze of Madness. Obviously, players will choose their best weapon whenever you can IF you ignore the context of the situation or have every fight take place in a featureless room. I'm also pretty liberal with weapon damage resistances and vulnerabilities, especially with larger monsters. I also include ranged attacks and spell damage as options to give mix it up. These are discernible with lore checks, which make players feel smart and proactive, which is always a win. In my mind, that's where verisimilitude makes for a better game. Sure, the greatsword is fantastic for cutting the heads off a hyrdra, but it's not going crack the shell of an ankheg. Your spear might be the best bet to pierce the dragon's heart. If you give the player's that information--or at least provide an avenue for them to discover it--you have dynamic play. The players can make their own decision: do I keep using my 'best' weapon or do I switch to something else for this situation? If you force a breakage, the player has no real decision point. It's just arbitrary and punishing. The player either stocks up on their favorite weapon, does everything they can to get an unbreakable magic weapon, or more probably, avoids the sub-system altogether by playing a different class. [/QUOTE]
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