Heavy things breaking stuff


Homebrew and House Rules


I'm going to have moments in my games when a very heavy object or crature will be on a surface that could potentially or should probably break under its weight. I'm looking for suggestions for a, preferably simple, system that would help me deal with such cases.


Sounds like a strength check for the floor. And the floor should probably be taking 10.


Do you mean the floor makes the Str check or the heavy object? Either way, what would the Str check even be?


Anarchy_Kanya wrote:
Do you mean the floor makes the Str check or the heavy object? Either way, what would the Str check even be?

Use the table on this page

DCs to Break or Burst Items


In most of the adventures I've run where this comes up, it's a pretty simple formula. Example: "If more than ### lbs. is on the bridge, then it collapses." Just fill in the number and you're set.


I can see four options. Either use the burst mechanic or use the hardness and damage mechanic. Potentially, both could be used together as option 3. Or follow Shadowborn's advice for the easiest option.

With the burst mechanic, set a DC to burst for the surface and a DC modifier based on mass. Any round that you roll above the burst DC the surface gives way.

With the damage mechanic. Decide on the surface's HP and hardness and the heavy object's damage potential. Repurposing the falling rules might suit, in essence using potential energy rather than kinetic energy to do the damage. Every round the damage is rolled, hardness reduces the damage applied and the rest is taken from the surface's remaining HP. When it reaches the broken condition, you may choose to add some effect, such as reducing hardness, to speed the complete failure of the surface.

With both mechanics, you could have gradual damage with a catastrophic failure any round, or any round after the broken condition is applied.

Really, it depends on what you are trying to simulate with your homerule game mechanic.


isnt damage done based on size category and not weight so a small sized 10000 pound thing would only do about 1d3 dmg while a colossal sized feather would be doing like 6-8d6 damage? at least that's what ive heard at least which makes me want to make a barbarian that just runs arround hitting things with a colossal size feather.


you could to 1d10 per 150 pounds of weight though vs the floors ac(5) and hp(un-determined amount)

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