Objects

When characters need to saw through ropes, shatter a window, or smash a vampire's coffin, the only hard and fast rule is this: given enough time and the right tools, characters can destroy any destructible object. Use common sense when determining a character's success at damaging an object.

For the purpose of these rules, an object is a discrete, inanimate item like a window, door, sword, book, table, chair, or stone — not a building or a vehicle 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.

Armor Class

An object's AC measures how difficult it is to deal damage to it (objects can't dodge). Suggested AC values by substance:

Hit Points

Suggested hit points for fragile and resilient objects that are Large or smaller:

Huge and Gargantuan Objects. Normal weapons are of little use against many Huge and Gargantuan objects. You can track their hit points if you like, or simply decide how long the object can withstand whatever force acts against it. If you track hit points, divide the object into Large or smaller sections and track each section separately.

Objects and Damage Types. Objects are immune to poison and psychic damage. Some damage types are more effective against particular substances — for example, bludgeoning damage works well for smashing things but not for cutting through rope.

Damage Threshold. Big objects such as castle walls often have extra resilience represented by a damage threshold. An object with a damage threshold has immunity to all damage unless a single attack or effect deals damage equal to or greater than that threshold, in which case it takes damage as normal.