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Crashing through a barrier

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
bioengine
Oct 15, 2008 15:54:37 I'm at the point in my character's progression where I'm not really worried about getting hurt, and I'm finding it rather frustrating when the bad guy uses gaseous form and slips through a wall / floor / ceiling.

My question is this:

Can you have a high enough strength score, movement speed, or jump check modifier that would either provide a circumstance bonus to strength checks, or allow you to break through a second barrier in the same turn?

The DM has become aware that his NPCs can't realistically go toe to toe with my AC of 47 (without spell buffs), so he either has them attack one of the other party members or retreat.
#2
drmorganes
Oct 15, 2008 20:07:56 Your reference to gaseous form makes me think you're playing 3.5. Please confirm this.

(I'll disagree that NPCs can't hit an AC of 47, but not in this thread.)

As for breaking down doors, I believe the rules for this are in the DMG. Essentially, you need to overcome the damage resistance of the barrier and reduce it to 0hp before it will break. In most instances, this involves several rounds with an axe, hammer, or pick...
#3
bioengine
Oct 17, 2008 8:24:44 Yes, we're playing using 3.5 rules.

He's not that experienced of a DM, so usually he only hits me on a nat 20 (and that's not often enough for him, since I have fast healing and DR as well as heal spells.)

Don't doors also have a strength check DC to break? Maybe if I just blasted through the thing with holy, untyped damage it would bypass the hardness and go straight to its hitpoints.
#4
ocarina_guy
Oct 21, 2008 2:30:31 Try sonic energy powers if you're running psionics. Don't know if core lets sonic damage bypass hardness...
#5
ff6shadow
Oct 21, 2008 2:42:19 You want to break through things, nothing works quite as well as an adamantine greatsword backed by power attack.

Unless you can truly manage rediculous Strength checks. DC 35 to break a 10ftx10ft section of a masonry wall. Iron wall is 30, Wood is 20

Doors are a bit easier.
#6
nowiwantmydmg
Oct 21, 2008 12:48:47
Yes, we're playing using 3.5 rules.

He's not that experienced of a DM, so usually he only hits me on a nat 20 (and that's not often enough for him, since I have fast healing and DR as well as heal spells.)

Dude, you should be helping him here if he's inexperienced, it sounds like you have a minmaxed character and that's real hard to challenge in 3.5 as a newbish DM.

Recommend ranged touch attacks and anything with Reflex or Will saves, just not too often, your cool AC should be relevant at least some of the time.
#7
Vicerious
Oct 21, 2008 23:36:20 An object's hardness always applies, unless an ability or spell's description specifically says otherwise. Hardness is also applied after elemental damage is reduced, if appropriate.

Fire and electricity deal half damage to objects.
Cold deals one-quarter damage to objects.
Acid and sonic deal full damage to objects.
Untyped, divine, etc, deal full damage to objects.

So, if you fireballed a stone door (hardness 10) and rolled 30 for damage, the fire damage would be halved to 15 and then reduced by 10 for hardness. The door would lose a total of 5 hit points.
If you were to use acid instead, the damage would only be reduced by 10 for hardness and the door would lose 20 hit points in total.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 bioengine Oct 15, 2008 15:54:37	I'm at the point in my character's progression where I'm not really worried about getting hurt, and I'm finding it rather frustrating when the bad guy uses gaseous form and slips through a wall / floor / ceiling. My question is this: Can you have a high enough strength score, movement speed, or jump check modifier that would either provide a circumstance bonus to strength checks, or allow you to break through a second barrier in the same turn? The DM has become aware that his NPCs can't realistically go toe to toe with my AC of 47 (without spell buffs), so he either has them attack one of the other party members or retreat.
#2 drmorganes Oct 15, 2008 20:07:56	Your reference to gaseous form makes me think you're playing 3.5. Please confirm this. (I'll disagree that NPCs can't hit an AC of 47, but not in this thread.) As for breaking down doors, I believe the rules for this are in the DMG. Essentially, you need to overcome the damage resistance of the barrier and reduce it to 0hp before it will break. In most instances, this involves several rounds with an axe, hammer, or pick...
#3 bioengine Oct 17, 2008 8:24:44	Yes, we're playing using 3.5 rules. He's not that experienced of a DM, so usually he only hits me on a nat 20 (and that's not often enough for him, since I have fast healing and DR as well as heal spells.) Don't doors also have a strength check DC to break? Maybe if I just blasted through the thing with holy, untyped damage it would bypass the hardness and go straight to its hitpoints.
#4 ocarina_guy Oct 21, 2008 2:30:31	Try sonic energy powers if you're running psionics. Don't know if core lets sonic damage bypass hardness...
#5 ff6shadow Oct 21, 2008 2:42:19	You want to break through things, nothing works quite as well as an adamantine greatsword backed by power attack. Unless you can truly manage rediculous Strength checks. DC 35 to break a 10ftx10ft section of a masonry wall. Iron wall is 30, Wood is 20 Doors are a bit easier.
#6 nowiwantmydmg Oct 21, 2008 12:48:47	Yes, we're playing using 3.5 rules. He's not that experienced of a DM, so usually he only hits me on a nat 20 (and that's not often enough for him, since I have fast healing and DR as well as heal spells.) Dude, you should be helping him here if he's inexperienced, it sounds like you have a minmaxed character and that's real hard to challenge in 3.5 as a newbish DM. Recommend ranged touch attacks and anything with Reflex or Will saves, just not too often, your cool AC should be relevant at least some of the time.
#7 Vicerious Oct 21, 2008 23:36:20	An object's hardness always applies, unless an ability or spell's description specifically says otherwise. Hardness is also applied after elemental damage is reduced, if appropriate. Fire and electricity deal half damage to objects. Cold deals one-quarter damage to objects. Acid and sonic deal full damage to objects. Untyped, divine, etc, deal full damage to objects. So, if you fireballed a stone door (hardness 10) and rolled 30 for damage, the fire damage would be halved to 15 and then reduced by 10 for hardness. The door would lose a total of 5 hit points. If you were to use acid instead, the damage would only be reduced by 10 for hardness and the door would lose 20 hit points in total.