Opinions/Advice on Weapon and Equipment damage

[Lobo316]

Look in the CKG on page 153 and you will find Simple Rules fo Combat Wastage.

Basically, I am going to be using these rules for critical hits and fumbles to add a level of equipment management to the game, rolling for weapon/armor damage on a critical and such.

Instead of what the book suggests (1-2 on a d20) I will be going with a 10-20 to "save" for your item (if your using a shield, you can elect to have the damage go to the shield, instead of your armor). Further, if your weapon is "expert/masterwork" it gets a +1 to the roll and if it's magic, it gets it's enhancment bonus (note, some items will simply be unbreakable...artifacts and such).

My question, would you allow magic items to be "breakable" at all? I believe there are several examples of fantasy literature where a magic item is broken, so I think there is a precident.

If you did allow it, is there a certain "level" of bonus that is simpy unbreakable? Say, +3 or higher items?

What about damage? Does such a weapon "explode"? Is it's energy just "released harmlessly"?. Would it be a random determination?

Your thoughts, suggestions and feedback are greatly anticipated. Thanks!

[Rikitiki]

"...would you allow magic items to be "breakable" at all?"

Oh, yeah - some of our most memorable games were due to
someone breaking their magic item.

"...is there a certain "level" of bonus that is simply unbreakable? Say, +3 or higher items?"

I'd vote: NO on this. If there's a major fumble, etc, I'd have them roll and, if the roll indicated item damage, that +3 magic sword hit the wall (or got damaged by the lightning bolt, etc) in such a way that it is now a +2 sword.

"What about damage? Does such a weapon "explode"? Is it's energy just "released harmlessly"?. Would it be a random determination?"

Maybe you should do up a minor table for this. Example:

Roll d20 for results -

1-4 = No visible effect, but (unannounced to player) on next
item damage roll, add 4 to d20 roll on this table.
5-8 = minor spurt of magic emanates from item -
it shocks the weilder for d2 points of damage, flies out of
their hand, and strikes nearest character/monster, doing
1/2 normal damage to them. Note: nearest character/monster
can pick up item before weilder if desired.
9-12 = Weapon loses one property (+ to hit, or magic usage) until
player can have it serviced and repaired. Roll 4d10 for the
amount of GP this will cost. May have to travel to find the
right servicing.
13-16 = Weapon or magic item will be non-magical for d100 rounds,
then will be 1/2 functional for 2d20 rounds, then will regain
full function.
17-20 = Damage to weapon/magic-item is catastrophic,
causing it to backfire (same as 5-8 roll above) and emit ALL of
its power as it breaks -- CK discretion on what this means.
21-24 = (This assumes previous 1-4 roll for this item on this
table) Item detonates spectacularly (same as 17-20
above), but one of its properties transfers to the
user permanently (CK discretion on which - could be
that a +3 sword transfers a +1 to hit to the user,
could be a ring-of-invisibility transfers a hide-in-
shadow effect on the user, etc.)

[Lobo316]

"...would you allow magic items to be "breakable" at all?"

Oh, yeah - some of our most memorable games were due to
someone breaking their magic item.

"...is there a certain "level" of bonus that is simply unbreakable? Say, +3 or higher items?"

I'd vote: NO on this. If there's a major fumble, etc, I'd have them roll and, if the roll indicated item damage, that +3 magic sword hit the wall (or got damaged by the lightning bolt, etc) in such a way that it is now a +2 sword.

"What about damage? Does such a weapon "explode"? Is it's energy just "released harmlessly"?. Would it be a random determination?"

Maybe you should do up a minor table for this. Example:

Roll d20 for results -

1-4 = No visible effect, but (unannounced to player) on next
item damage roll, add 4 to d20 roll on this table.
5-8 = minor spurt of magic emanates from item -
it shocks the weilder for d2 points of damage, flies out of
their hand, and strikes nearest character/monster, doing
1/2 normal damage to them. Note: nearest character/monster
can pick up item before weilder if desired.
9-12 = Weapon loses one property (+ to hit, or magic usage) until
player can have it serviced and repaired. Roll 4d10 for the
amount of GP this will cost. May have to travel to find the
right servicing.
13-16 = Weapon or magic item will be non-magical for d100 rounds,
then will be 1/2 functional for 2d20 rounds, then will regain
full function.
17-20 = Damage to weapon/magic-item is catastrophic,
causing it to backfire (same as 5-8 roll above) and emit ALL of
its power as it breaks -- CK discretion on what this means.
21-24 = (This assumes previous 1-4 roll for this item on this
table) Item detonates spectacularly (same as 17-20
above), but one of its properties transfers to the
user permanently (CK discretion on which - could be
that a +3 sword transfers a +1 to hit to the user,
could be a ring-of-invisibility transfers a hide-in-
shadow effect on the user, etc.)

Thanks for the input. You know, I actually thought about doing a chart like that. I may well go that route. And the way I am looking at it, magic items will have a bonus on thier save equal to the enhancement, so the chance to
fail a breakage save gets ever smaller with more powerful items.

That and...of course, cetain items will be unbreakalbe outside of special circumstance to destory (ie: the ONE ring).