Lock with energy resistance?


Rules Questions


Sorry I'm new to pathfinder and want to get this checked out.
So I recently played a game where I tried to pour acid onto a door/lock. Being an alchemist with the throw anything feat, I can get through hardness like tissue paper thanks to my int modifier. However, my gm said that it was warded against acid. I know things like Ring of Energy resistance exists so my question i guess is that can those effects be applied to things like doors, walls, locks, etc.?


So there's no way we can answer that question without a lot more information, none of which you have.

Yes, it's possible for things to have hardness and resists. No, I haven't seen it on anything but creatures. Yes, it's still entirely possible it exists for objects (at the very least I know there are "fireproof" objects out there).

As for you breaking a lock with acid, I sincerely doubt it unless you're using something with scaling damage dice. Objects take half damage from energy attacks and then apply their hardness. Wood is 5, stone is 8, metal is 10 (normally, there are stronger versions). Unless the GM declares it "particularly effective" you need to be doing 22 damage to a metal lock before you even hurt it (and even if it's declared particularly effective it only bypasses the half damage, not the hardness, so you'd need 11 damage). And none of that matters if the GM decides it's an "ineffective weapon", then it just does no damage. Period.

Rules are here.


Seems like it would be a custom wondrous item.

Book Ward would also do the trick. And the material component would keep the lock from squeaking!


Bob Bob Bob wrote:

So there's no way we can answer that question without a lot more information, none of which you have.

Yes, it's possible for things to have hardness and resists. No, I haven't seen it on anything but creatures. Yes, it's still entirely possible it exists for objects (at the very least I know there are "fireproof" objects out there).

As for you breaking a lock with acid, I sincerely doubt it unless you're using something with scaling damage dice. Objects take half damage from energy attacks and then apply their hardness. Wood is 5, stone is 8, metal is 10 (normally, there are stronger versions). Unless the GM declares it "particularly effective" you need to be doing 22 damage to a metal lock before you even hurt it (and even if it's declared particularly effective it only bypasses the half damage, not the hardness, so you'd need 11 damage). And none of that matters if the GM decides it's an "ineffective weapon", then it just does no damage. Period.

Rules are here.

I realized that and started going for the wooden door/walls which has a hardness of 5. I can break through the hardness (even with half damage) but the GM still decided it doesn't work. I know its up to the GM but its still frustrating.

Handaxe Beak wrote:

Seems like it would be a custom wondrous item.

Book Ward would also do the trick. And the material component would keep the lock from squeaking!

Thanks. This is exactly what I wanted to know.


Much like you can lead a horse to water but can't make 'em drink we can tell you the rules in exacting detail but can't make your GM follow them. If they decided the door was warded against acid, well, then I guess it was. Wouldn't be the first time, and far less of a cop-out than some others (looking at you tomb of horrors and the "adamantine but not really" door).


The rules for equipment and magic items cannot possibly be comprehensive. If your GM wants to create an object that is resistant to X, Y, and/or Z then he can.

The main question is, is he just playing the 'defeat the player card' or is he making you think 'outside the box' to bypass the challenge?
While both options may look the same to a player, the GM's intent is what matters here.

Of course, sometimes doors and locks should nigh unbreakable/unpickable. But that should be a rare thing. :)

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