Objects
When characters need to saw ropes, shatter a window, or smash a door, the only hard and fast rule is this: given the necessary time and the right tool, characters are capable of destroying any destructible object. Use common sense when determining a character's success in damaging an object. Can a warrior cut through a section of stone wall with a sword? No, the sword is likely to break before the wall.
For the purposes of these rules, an object is a discrete, inanimate item, such as a window, door, book, table, chair, or stone, not a building or vehicle, which are composed of many other objects.
Statistics for Objects
When time is a factor, you can assign an Armor Class and hit points to a destructible object. You can also give it immunities, resistances, and vulnerabilities to specific types of damage.
| Substance | CA |
|---|---|
| Fabric, paper, rope | 11 |
| Crystal, glass, ice | 13 |
| Wood, bone | 15 |
| Stone | 17 |
| Iron, steel | 19 |
| Adamantine | 23 |
Armor Class. An object's Armor Class is a measure of how difficult it is to damage the object when it is hit (since the object has no chance to dodge or get out of the way). The Object Armor Class table provides suggested AC values for various substances.
The Armor Class values below are given for various substances, but are far from covering all existing ones. When it is necessary to determine the AC of an object made of a material or substance not covered in the table, use an AC of another substance that is close or similar.
Hit Points. An object's hit points determine how much damage it can withstand before losing its structural integrity. Tough objects have more hit points than brittle objects. Large objects also tend to have more hit points than small objects, unless breaking a small part of the object is as effective as breaking the whole thing. The Object Hit Points table provides suggested hit points for brittle and tough objects that are Large or smaller.
| Size | Fragile | Resistant |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny (bottle, lock) | 2 (1d4) | 4 (2d4) |
| Small (chest, lute) | 3 (1d6) | 9 (3d6) |
| Medium (barrel, candelabra) | 4 (1d8) | 16 (4d8) |
| Large (cart, 10 by 10 foot window) | 5 (1d10) | 25 (5d10) |
Huge and Large Objects. Normal weapons are of little use against many Huge and Large objects, such as a gigantic statue, an imposing stone column, or a massive rock. That said, a torch can burn a Huge tapestry, and an earthquake spell can reduce a colossus to rubble. You can keep track of a Huge or Large object's hit points if you wish, or you can simply decide how long the object can withstand any weapon or force acting against it. If you keep track of an object's hit points, divide it into Large or smaller parts and keep track of each part's hit points separately. Destroying one of these parts can ruin the entire object. For example, a Huge statue of a human might topple when one of its Large legs is reduced to 0 hit points.
Objects and Damage Types. Objects are immune to intoxicating and psychic damage. You may decide that some damage types are more effective against a particular object or substance than others. For example, bludgeoning damage works well for tearing things apart, but not for cutting through rope or leather. Paper or cloth objects may be vulnerable to electrical and fire damage. A pickaxe can chip away at stone, but cannot efficiently chop down a tree. As always, use your best judgment.
Damage Threshold. Large objects, such as castle walls, often have extra resistance represented by a damage threshold. An object with a damage threshold is immune to all types of damage unless it suffers an amount of damage from a single attack or effect that equals or exceeds the damage threshold, in which case it receives normal damage. Any damage that fails to equal or exceed the object's damage threshold is considered superficial and does not reduce its hit points. See "Damage Threshold" below.
Modifiers. The general condition of an object can make it easier or harder to break. A worn, cracked, or rotten surface may grant the object a -2 AC penalty, while a well-made, reinforced, or well-maintained surface may grant the same object a +2 AC penalty. Additionally, using a suitable tool, such as a sledgehammer, lever, or saw, may grant advantage on the attack roll or even a situational bonus, depending on the case.
Structure Segmentation
Some objects are not only large, but may also possess a certain complexity in their construction, making them more difficult to destroy; in these cases, segmentation is important.
Each segment must be at least Large in size, thus having its own AC and HP. Destroying one segment allows you to reach the next or even cause significant structural damage.
Below are some examples of structures that are more complex than simple objects:
| Structure | Suggested Segments | Typical Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Reinforced Door | 1 segment | Creates passage |
| Bridge | 2 to 4 segments | Collapse, difficult terrain, isolation |
| Pillar | 1 to 2 segments | Partial roof collapse |
| Wall | 3 to 6 segments | Breach, destroyed roof |
| Colossal Statue | 2 to 6 segments | Topple, block area |
Damage Interation
By default, objects are immune to intoxicating (and consequently poisonous) damage, as well as necrotic and psychic damage, but different materials may possess different vulnerabilities and resistances.
Below is an example table of objects with their vulnerabilities and resistances that can be applied, especially when they are high-quality or reinforced objects:
| Material | Vulnerable to | Resistant to | Observations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper, fabric | Fire, Electric | Cutting | Fire spreads, cut may "pass without destroying" |
| Rope, leather | Slashing | Piercing | Impact tends not to resolve |
| Wood | Fire | Bludgeoning | Sledgehammer and lever make a difference |
| Crystal, glass, ice | Bludgeoning | Cutting | Fracture by impact |
| Stone | Bludgeoning | Slashing | Requires tool or high damage |
| Metal | Electric, Thunder | Slashing | Heat and vibration may be key |
| Adamantine | Depends | Almost everything | Use condition |
Damage Resistance
| ! Example | Suggested RD |
|---|---|
| Reinforced Wood | 2 to 5 |
| Reinforced Concrete | 5 to 10 |
| Resistant Metal Alloy | 8 to 15 |
| Structural Magic Fortification | 10 to 20 |
In some cases, a stone column is not made solely of stone, as is the case with a column made of concrete with an internally reinforced metal structure. In such cases, to simplify the relationship, below are some possibilities for Damage Resistance for objects that possess some additional resistance:
It is important to note that this additional Damage Resistance is extremely situational, typically used on objects in important locations or those with advanced construction and manufacturing techniques.
Each of the offered RD values can be further developed within specifications based on the object's history. Reinforced wood can have an RD value that also affects fire damage, as it is a treatment that also protects against fire, or it can have an RD that is not fire-resistant, in a treatment that does not affect fire resistance.
Scorched Objects
Just like creatures, objects can be targeted by effects that leave them with the "Scorched" condition, receiving continuous damage. A scorched object is on fire and suffers fire damage at the end of each round until the fire is extinguished. The source of the effect determines the intensity of this damage.
The GM decides if the object has exposed combustible parts. Materials such as paper, fabric, rope, and wood often burn. Metal, stone, and glass may heat up, deform fastenings, or damage components, but they do not always combust.
Unlike a creature, an object does not make tests. The only creature that can extinguish the fire is an adjacent creature, using an action.
- Moderate Fire: If the scorch causes up to 6 damage per round, the creature extinguishes it with an action and a DC 10 Dexterity check.
- Intense Fire: If the scorch causes more than 6 damage per round, the creature needs an action and an appropriate physical means, such as 1 liter of water or smothering the flames with a cloak, blanket, or similar, in addition to a DC 15 Dexterity check. On a failure, the effort does not extinguish the fire, and the material used may be damaged, at the GM's discretion.
- High Magic Fire: If the scorchg originates from magic above 4th level, the GM may require magical water or remove curse to extinguish it.
If there are flammable materials nearby, the game master may decide that the fire spreads, especially when the object remains charred for several rounds or when the combat takes place in a dry, enclosed space.
Damage Threshold
Some objects are extremely resistant, whether due to their solidity and density or some other characteristic that confers this property to the object, which leads to some attempts to cause damage being practically impossible because they do not reach the necessary damage threshold to actually cause harm.
An object, segment, or structure with a Damage Threshold only loses HP when it suffers, in a single instance of damage, an amount equal to or greater than the determined value; this is usually given as DT/X.
Unlike damage resistance, when damage reaches or exceeds the threshold, the target normally suffers all the damage of that instance. The threshold does not reduce the damage dealt, but it reduces the incidence of damage dealt, since damage below the threshold is superficial and does not effectively reduce an object's HP.
The Damage Threshold should only be used when the scene or situation calls for significant damage in combat against something massive, reinforced, or structural, without turning every minor blow into real progress toward destroying something.
Example: A reinforced door with DT/10 that is struck and the damage caused is 8, effectively causes 0 damage. However, a strike that causes 12 points of damage will effectively cause 12 damage.
| Target | Suggested Threshold | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Common robust object, such as reinforced chest, heavy furniture | 5 | prevents low damage from “wearing down” the environment |
| Reinforced door, gate, thick lock, well-made barricade | 10 | withstands occasional blows, yields with real effort |
| Stone pillar, masonry wall, rustic bridge | 15 | usually requires strong impact or consistent repetition |
| Section of wall, heavy metal gate, siege structure | 20 | designed for siege or high power scenes |
| Exceptional structure, advanced fortification, magical construction | 25+ | use in conjunction with targeting and collapse consequences |
The threshold is a tool for more complex scenarios, typically when players aim to break through the walls of a labyrinth without adequate equipment, or even destroy a castle tower without siege weapons. If it's excessively hindering the group's actions, reduce its value, better target the enemy, or allow for approaches with tools and time.
Interaction with Magic and Spells
Although many spells and effects require a creature as a target in their description, the GM may, at his discretion, decide that certain spells work on inanimate objects.
It's important to understand that spells are written with their combat use in mind; the goal here is not to cover every possible use of a spell. After all, players are creative, and that could lead to enormous treatises on just one spell.
For the internal cohesion of a campaign and the fantasy setting, several factors are abstracted so that the fantasy works without getting bogged down in details that are important in reality, such as relative humidity, the boiling point of a material, among many other possibilities.
The GM must bear in mind that some moments and fantasies allow for poetic license, whether to create new interactions or even to give way to interactions that make sense within our reality. At other times, it is important to maintain a certain rigidity so that the adventure does not end up taking tortuous paths in pursuit of inappropriate simulationism.
