| #1baronspamSep 27, 2010 0:15:52 | Is anyone out there planning to use Fumbling Breakage (pg. 122 DSCG)? Having pondered it I have come down with a solid "no", for two reasons.
The first is that on a philosophical level, I think simulationism should not be given a seat at the DnD table. That just isn't what this game is about, at least my game.
Second, if one did use this rule, that means if you assume a combat lasts five rounds on average you will break a weapon every four fights or so. A martial character who is basically helpless without a weapon will of course carry several backup and hold out weapons, as he knows that his flint axe is going to splinter sooner or later. And if we assume that we are also using fixed enhancement bonuses, I dont see what we are doing other than running up the encumberance total. Axe breaks? Here comes the spear. Spear breaks? Sword time, etc. And if you don't let a martial character do that, you are basically making them USELESS, which is too harsh of a penalty for a bad dice roll.
A very distant third objection is that this seems to be unfair to melee characters. An implement based build or a ranger who focuses on a bow just doen't have to put up with this nonsense. And if you say that it does apply to the bow as well, then Athas must only grow balsa wood. If you have a bow that breaks after firing twenty arrows, you should take it back to the guy who sold it to you, and cram it somewhere, sideways. |