Can you determine damage from weight? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Can you determine damage from weight?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
harmonicdiscord
Nov 10, 2008 13:33:18 I'm creating a Master of the Unseen Hand Optimization build and am trying to determine how much damage a weapon that weighs as much as I can manipulate will deal. According to the SRD a Colossal Great Sword deals 8d6 damage but if the rule for doubling the weight of a medium weapon to make it large applies the whole way up than the total weight of a colossal Great Sword is only 128 lbs. A psion 15 / MotUH 5 can lift an object that weighs 725 lbs. Does anyone know if there are rules or a ratio for damage/weight?
#2
pithica
Nov 10, 2008 13:45:17 It is my understanding that if you intend to use a falling object as a weapon, it deals it's falling damage and not weapon damage. Falling damage isn't adjusted based on weight (only height). You make an attack roll to hit the square, and the target gets a Reflex save to avoid damage (if 'possible').

That's from memory though, I thought there was a FAQ entry on how it worked, but can't seem to find it now.
#3
hogarth
Nov 10, 2008 13:52:15 The crazy way:
Use the rules in Complete Warrior, which are similar to the "Falling Objects" rules in the SRD (I think). Those state that falling objects do 1d6 per 200 lbs.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#fallingObjects
Why is this crazy? Because weight/carrying capacity scales exponentially, unlike damage/hit points (in most cases). So you end up with dumb things like a wizard who conjures a Large earth elemental and has it climb up to the ceiling and fall repeatedly on his enemies, or who casts Shrink Item on ingots of lead and drops them on people.

The sane way:
Consider the object in question as an improvised weapon. If it's roughly an improvised club for a gargantuan creature (say), it would do about 3d6 damage (regardless of weight).

YMMV, of course.
#4
Maat_Mons
Nov 10, 2008 16:11:26 The pattern in the weapon size increase table seems to be that a weapon deals twice as many dice of damage as a weapon two size categories smaller. This pattern only applies after 3 dice, however.

By the by, the best damage by weight for reusable weapons comes from an annulat (Planar Handbook) which weighs ½ pound and deals 1d6 points of damage. When increased in size by 4 categories, it weighs the same as a medium greatsword, but deals 4d6 points of damage.
#5
harmonicdiscord
Nov 12, 2008 15:01:28 Okay well I guess my next question would be if you can create a weapon that is larger than a gargantuan one? This guy will be able to lift over 900 lbs so there has to be something better than a gargantuan weapon. Or maybe the question is. What kind of weapon can I get that does the most damage and can weigh up to 925 lbs?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 harmonicdiscord Nov 10, 2008 13:33:18	I'm creating a Master of the Unseen Hand Optimization build and am trying to determine how much damage a weapon that weighs as much as I can manipulate will deal. According to the SRD a Colossal Great Sword deals 8d6 damage but if the rule for doubling the weight of a medium weapon to make it large applies the whole way up than the total weight of a colossal Great Sword is only 128 lbs. A psion 15 / MotUH 5 can lift an object that weighs 725 lbs. Does anyone know if there are rules or a ratio for damage/weight?
#2 pithica Nov 10, 2008 13:45:17	It is my understanding that if you intend to use a falling object as a weapon, it deals it's falling damage and not weapon damage. Falling damage isn't adjusted based on weight (only height). You make an attack roll to hit the square, and the target gets a Reflex save to avoid damage (if 'possible'). That's from memory though, I thought there was a FAQ entry on how it worked, but can't seem to find it now.
#3 hogarth Nov 10, 2008 13:52:15	The crazy way: Use the rules in Complete Warrior, which are similar to the "Falling Objects" rules in the SRD (I think). Those state that falling objects do 1d6 per 200 lbs. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#fallingObjects Why is this crazy? Because weight/carrying capacity scales exponentially, unlike damage/hit points (in most cases). So you end up with dumb things like a wizard who conjures a Large earth elemental and has it climb up to the ceiling and fall repeatedly on his enemies, or who casts Shrink Item on ingots of lead and drops them on people. The sane way: Consider the object in question as an improvised weapon. If it's roughly an improvised club for a gargantuan creature (say), it would do about 3d6 damage (regardless of weight). YMMV, of course.
#4 Maat_Mons Nov 10, 2008 16:11:26	The pattern in the weapon size increase table seems to be that a weapon deals twice as many dice of damage as a weapon two size categories smaller. This pattern only applies after 3 dice, however. By the by, the best damage by weight for reusable weapons comes from an annulat (Planar Handbook) which weighs ½ pound and deals 1d6 points of damage. When increased in size by 4 categories, it weighs the same as a medium greatsword, but deals 4d6 points of damage.
#5 harmonicdiscord Nov 12, 2008 15:01:28	Okay well I guess my next question would be if you can create a weapon that is larger than a gargantuan one? This guy will be able to lift over 900 lbs so there has to be something better than a gargantuan weapon. Or maybe the question is. What kind of weapon can I get that does the most damage and can weigh up to 925 lbs?