I could just not be finding them, or there may not be any. But, are there any rules for damaging/ruining items submerged underwater for an extended period of time?
I know there are rules for combat and movement and such, so I don't mean something on a character who's underwater for a bit. I'm focusing on sets of armor, such as Leather, that have been sitting in 30' of water for days/weeks/months/years. I would imagine metal armor and weapons might be damaged as well, though I think it would take longer.
Am I overthinking things? Is it perfectly fine to say, "you find a set of padded armor. It's been down here for 10 years, but it's perfectly fine"? At what point would it become, "you find what looks like might have been padded armor, but it's become ruined and unusable"?
I dont believe there are any hard and fast rules for natural decay.
You are overthinking it. What value will this add to the gameplay? The system handwaves stuff like this since mending is a cantrip on just about every caster's list.
This is a game that involves A LOT of finding old $#!+ laying around... don't over think it.
The only time you have to worry about that is if you want it to matter.
You find a set of full plate.
The Fighter gets excited...
But you touch it and it crumples to a pile of rust filling the area with dust... everyone in the room make a Fortitude save. Lol.
Everything lasts forever, unless you want otherwise.
Extremely complicated. As far as I know it, there is no rule about natural decay, and natural decay in RL is very variable. If it really matters, you need to check some RL sources, but it is simpler to evaluate how much treasure you want to give and decide on that basis.
I haven't really thought about it in the context of "how much treasure to give". It's after essentially a TPK (one character ran away and lived, but that player has now completely quit gaming). The dead characters' gear will have been dragged under water (except the Magus' spellbook). The rest of their things will be retrievable by the players' new party, I was just wondering about Leather and Studded Leather. Would it be fine no matter what, would it be damaged but mendable after x amount of time, would it be completely unusable after x amount of time. I can make it up on my own (and it sounds like I'll need to), I was just wondering if there were rules for such things and I just hadn't found them.
You are overthinking it. What value will this add to the gameplay? The system handwaves stuff like this since mending is a cantrip on just about every caster's list.
True, but Mending is good for an object up to 1lb/Caster Level. These are 15lb-20lb sets of armor, and 3rd Level characters. Who knows if they'll even take Make Whole.
Is there a Rust Monster?
If no, the treasure is fine despite its age...
If yes, all is lost.