Question about Weapon Breaks - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Question about Weapon Breaks

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Aug 28, 2003 15:29:27 hello,

I am currently knee deep into my dark sun campaign but had a thought. Would using power attack increase the chance of a weapon breaking in combat. I think somehow it would because of the extra stress the attack causes on the weapon.

P.S. A barbarian/Human and Gladiator/Mul is a bad a$$ team. :-)
#2
zombiegleemax
Aug 28, 2003 17:47:13 yes. And there has indeed been posted suggestions trying to make it into a mechanic (or something similar, like when you hit for max damage). The current decision however, is to stick to the 3.5 rules which basically says the opponent needs to do the "sunder" manuevre. Most Dark Sun weapons - being made of stone, obsidian and wood, have a low hardness and few hp, increasing the effectiveness of sunder. But it doesn't happen randomly - which is in line with the principle of "bad things does not happen randomly".

This is my first take on Dark Sun, but in the beginning I wanted to include random breakage. Now, I'll try to play it by the rules and just remember that sunder is now very appealing to use.

You might however make a house rule along the way of "using a power attack causes 1 hp of damage to the weapon". I'm to tires to think of the consequences of such a rule
#3
flip
Aug 29, 2003 9:07:21
Originally posted by kdh
Most Dark Sun weapons - being made of stone, obsidian and wood, have a low hardness and few hp, increasing the effectiveness of sunder. But it doesn't happen randomly - which is in line with the principle of "bad things does not happen randomly".

'Zactly.

There's another 3e principle that comes in to play when dicsussion random weapon breakage: Don't punish players for rolling well. Which, of course, is exactly what weapon breakage does. It either punishes you for having a high strength, or it punishes you for rolling high damage. Either way, it runs counter to the spirit of 3e.

Instead, consider that opponents are going to be much more likely to try and sunder your weaker weapons.

You might however make a house rule along the way of "using a power attack causes 1 hp of damage to the weapon". I'm to tires to think of the consequences of such a rule

Bypassing the weapon's hardness? It'd render Power Attack to the level of a prerequisite feat, never actually used. Bad idea, in practice.
#4
zombiegleemax
Aug 29, 2003 11:13:35
Bypassing the weapon's hardness? It'd render Power Attack to the level of a prerequisite feat, never actually used. Bad idea, in practice.

As I wrote: I was a bit tired I agree - this was a bad idea. You might - of course - make the loss of hp dependent upon a lot of stuff. But that wotk in fact never work - most Dark Sun weapons have too few hp and hence would break from a few uses of power attack, rendering that feat a bit useless.
#5
zombiegleemax
Aug 30, 2003 11:36:09 HEy thanks guys, i havent been using the weapon break rules but one of the players mentioned it to me and i asked you all hehe.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Aug 28, 2003 15:29:27	hello, I am currently knee deep into my dark sun campaign but had a thought. Would using power attack increase the chance of a weapon breaking in combat. I think somehow it would because of the extra stress the attack causes on the weapon. P.S. A barbarian/Human and Gladiator/Mul is a bad a$$ team. :-)
#2 zombiegleemax Aug 28, 2003 17:47:13	yes. And there has indeed been posted suggestions trying to make it into a mechanic (or something similar, like when you hit for max damage). The current decision however, is to stick to the 3.5 rules which basically says the opponent needs to do the "sunder" manuevre. Most Dark Sun weapons - being made of stone, obsidian and wood, have a low hardness and few hp, increasing the effectiveness of sunder. But it doesn't happen randomly - which is in line with the principle of "bad things does not happen randomly". This is my first take on Dark Sun, but in the beginning I wanted to include random breakage. Now, I'll try to play it by the rules and just remember that sunder is now very appealing to use. You might however make a house rule along the way of "using a power attack causes 1 hp of damage to the weapon". I'm to tires to think of the consequences of such a rule
#3 flip Aug 29, 2003 9:07:21	Originally posted by kdh Most Dark Sun weapons - being made of stone, obsidian and wood, have a low hardness and few hp, increasing the effectiveness of sunder. But it doesn't happen randomly - which is in line with the principle of "bad things does not happen randomly". 'Zactly. There's another 3e principle that comes in to play when dicsussion random weapon breakage: Don't punish players for rolling well. Which, of course, is exactly what weapon breakage does. It either punishes you for having a high strength, or it punishes you for rolling high damage. Either way, it runs counter to the spirit of 3e. Instead, consider that opponents are going to be much more likely to try and sunder your weaker weapons. You might however make a house rule along the way of "using a power attack causes 1 hp of damage to the weapon". I'm to tires to think of the consequences of such a rule Bypassing the weapon's hardness? It'd render Power Attack to the level of a prerequisite feat, never actually used. Bad idea, in practice.
#4 zombiegleemax Aug 29, 2003 11:13:35	Bypassing the weapon's hardness? It'd render Power Attack to the level of a prerequisite feat, never actually used. Bad idea, in practice. As I wrote: I was a bit tired I agree - this was a bad idea. You might - of course - make the loss of hp dependent upon a lot of stuff. But that wotk in fact never work - most Dark Sun weapons have too few hp and hence would break from a few uses of power attack, rendering that feat a bit useless.
#5 zombiegleemax Aug 30, 2003 11:36:09	HEy thanks guys, i havent been using the weapon break rules but one of the players mentioned it to me and i asked you all hehe.