damage to a weapon [Archive] - Wizards Community

damage to a weapon [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
7days
04-28-06, 07:26 PM What exactly happens when a weapon runs out of hp's? I'm DMing a game and someone is about to lose their +1 longsword from acid damage from a babau and I don't know exactly what happens to it. All I can tell is that it gets "destroyed".

And a second question. If the longsword goes to 0 hp's can it just be repaired. Or is it destroyed, period, end of discussion?
draconic_swine
04-29-06, 01:08 AM A magical item that is destroyed loses all its magical properties forever. From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#damagingMagicItems):

Magic items, unless otherwise noted, take damage as nonmagical items of the same sort. A damaged magic item continues to function, but if it is destroyed, all its magical power is lost.

As to whether or not you can repair a destroyed item, the RAW say that you cannot. From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/exploration.htm#smashinganObject):

Damaged (but not destroyed) objects can be repaired with the Craft skill.
7days
04-29-06, 02:26 PM Thanks draconic. That's exactly what I was looking for.
mvincent
04-29-06, 03:41 PM A magical item that is destroyed loses all its magical properties forever. From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#damagingMagicItems): However, also from the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#craftWondrousItem):
"Craft Magic Arms And Armor"
"You can also mend a broken magic weapon, suit of armor, or shield if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the XP, half the raw materials, and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place."
draconic_swine
04-29-06, 06:28 PM However, also from the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#craftWondrousItem):
"Craft Magic Arms And Armor"
"You can also mend a broken magic weapon, suit of armor, or shield if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the XP, half the raw materials, and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place."

Interesting. While this doesn't outright contradict my quote (after the item is destroyed, it loses is powers, but can regain them again at a reduced cost), but it does contradict the Craft skill's statement that you cannot repair broken items. I think a fair houserule would be that you can repair broken items, at half the cost it would take to construct one from scratch. Fits in with an existing rule, and is nicer on the PCs.
mvincent
04-29-06, 07:14 PM it does contradict the Craft skill's statement that you cannot repair broken items.The craft skill (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/craft.htm) says:
"Generally, you can repair an item by making checks against the same DC that it took to make the item in the first place. The cost of repairing an item is one-fifth of the item’s price."
Alcalientre
04-29-06, 08:03 PM mvincent - did you click on his link? From the sentence in the smashing an object section, I'd have to say that you can only repair a damaged item at 1/5 of it's original price, not a destroyed item.
mvincent
04-29-06, 10:55 PM did you click on his link?Ah. I clicked on the first one (to the magic section), but hadn't notice the second one. Thank you for pointing that out. Yes, I agree.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
7days 04-28-06, 07:26 PM	What exactly happens when a weapon runs out of hp's? I'm DMing a game and someone is about to lose their +1 longsword from acid damage from a babau and I don't know exactly what happens to it. All I can tell is that it gets "destroyed". And a second question. If the longsword goes to 0 hp's can it just be repaired. Or is it destroyed, period, end of discussion?
draconic_swine 04-29-06, 01:08 AM	A magical item that is destroyed loses all its magical properties forever. From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#damagingMagicItems): Magic items, unless otherwise noted, take damage as nonmagical items of the same sort. A damaged magic item continues to function, but if it is destroyed, all its magical power is lost. As to whether or not you can repair a destroyed item, the RAW say that you cannot. From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/exploration.htm#smashinganObject): Damaged (but not destroyed) objects can be repaired with the Craft skill.
7days 04-29-06, 02:26 PM	Thanks draconic. That's exactly what I was looking for.
mvincent 04-29-06, 03:41 PM	A magical item that is destroyed loses all its magical properties forever. From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#damagingMagicItems): However, also from the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#craftWondrousItem): "Craft Magic Arms And Armor" "You can also mend a broken magic weapon, suit of armor, or shield if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the XP, half the raw materials, and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place."
draconic_swine 04-29-06, 06:28 PM	However, also from the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#craftWondrousItem): "Craft Magic Arms And Armor" "You can also mend a broken magic weapon, suit of armor, or shield if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the XP, half the raw materials, and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place." Interesting. While this doesn't outright contradict my quote (after the item is destroyed, it loses is powers, but can regain them again at a reduced cost), but it does contradict the Craft skill's statement that you cannot repair broken items. I think a fair houserule would be that you can repair broken items, at half the cost it would take to construct one from scratch. Fits in with an existing rule, and is nicer on the PCs.
mvincent 04-29-06, 07:14 PM	it does contradict the Craft skill's statement that you cannot repair broken items.The craft skill (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/craft.htm) says: "Generally, you can repair an item by making checks against the same DC that it took to make the item in the first place. The cost of repairing an item is one-fifth of the item’s price."
Alcalientre 04-29-06, 08:03 PM	mvincent - did you click on his link? From the sentence in the smashing an object section, I'd have to say that you can only repair a damaged item at 1/5 of it's original price, not a destroyed item.
mvincent 04-29-06, 10:55 PM	did you click on his link?Ah. I clicked on the first one (to the magic section), but hadn't notice the second one. Thank you for pointing that out. Yes, I agree.