Determining HP of weapons made with special materials [Archive] - Wizards Community

Determining HP of weapons made with special materials [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TsuDhoNimh
03-13-07, 08:55 AM The SRD says that Mithral has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 15. How do you use this information to figure out how many HP a weapon has?

For example, a steel Large-sized Bastard Sword is hardness 10 and hp 20 (since its HP are doubled for being large-sized). My best guess at the HP of a Large-sized Mithral Bastard Sword is:

There is no listing for steel, but I'm guessing that since the description says that Mithral is lighter than steel but just as strong, then steel also has 30 HP per inch. That would mean that a Large-sized Bastard sword is roughly 2/3 inch thick (at its thickest part) and it has 20 hp whether it is made of Mithral or Steel.

So, an adamantine large bastard sword would have about 27 HP using that method. (2/3 of 40).

Are these assumptions correct? This will be very helpful tactically to know whether I can sunder really big weapons in one hit or not.
draconic_swine
03-13-07, 11:08 AM Your assumptions are correct, and they are very good assumptions. Table 9-9: Substance Hardness and Hit Points lists both iron and steel as having a hardness of 10 and 30 hp/inch. It's on page 166 of the PHB.
Zaistars69
03-13-07, 12:20 PM He's pretty close but there is an easier way of determining this. According to the players handbook, adamantine items have 1/3 more HP than a steel counterpart. Mithril has the same HP as steel. So the hp 20 steel greatsword made of adamantine would have 20+(.3333333*20) or 26 (since everything in D&D seems to round down) or 27 with a nice DM.
TsuDhoNimh
03-14-07, 05:09 PM Thanks for the comments. I hardly ever look in the books for info anymore because searching is easier online, but here's an example of information that is easier to find in the books, because it is incomplete in the SRD.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TsuDhoNimh 03-13-07, 08:55 AM	The SRD says that Mithral has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 15. How do you use this information to figure out how many HP a weapon has? For example, a steel Large-sized Bastard Sword is hardness 10 and hp 20 (since its HP are doubled for being large-sized). My best guess at the HP of a Large-sized Mithral Bastard Sword is: There is no listing for steel, but I'm guessing that since the description says that Mithral is lighter than steel but just as strong, then steel also has 30 HP per inch. That would mean that a Large-sized Bastard sword is roughly 2/3 inch thick (at its thickest part) and it has 20 hp whether it is made of Mithral or Steel. So, an adamantine large bastard sword would have about 27 HP using that method. (2/3 of 40). Are these assumptions correct? This will be very helpful tactically to know whether I can sunder really big weapons in one hit or not.
draconic_swine 03-13-07, 11:08 AM	Your assumptions are correct, and they are very good assumptions. Table 9-9: Substance Hardness and Hit Points lists both iron and steel as having a hardness of 10 and 30 hp/inch. It's on page 166 of the PHB.
Zaistars69 03-13-07, 12:20 PM	He's pretty close but there is an easier way of determining this. According to the players handbook, adamantine items have 1/3 more HP than a steel counterpart. Mithril has the same HP as steel. So the hp 20 steel greatsword made of adamantine would have 20+(.3333333*20) or 26 (since everything in D&D seems to round down) or 27 with a nice DM.
TsuDhoNimh 03-14-07, 05:09 PM	Thanks for the comments. I hardly ever look in the books for info anymore because searching is easier online, but here's an example of information that is easier to find in the books, because it is incomplete in the SRD.