Breaking items (specially magic)

[Brício Mares]

I have searched through all the rulebooks and can't find a place with specific rules for breaking a magic item. If there is any change on hardness if the item is magic or even a place where I can use as a reference for determining the hardness of items not on the list.

Here is how I got to this question: in our weekly game, we are facing a Night Hag, and she comes with a heartstone that gives her extra power. We want to break it to get rid of that extra power, but we can't find information about hardness of gemstones or magic items. We had to stop our session until next week, to give time to all of us to search for an answer.

[Castilliano]

Items in PF2 have plot protection.

That may sound silly, yet the damage has ramped up high enough that objects can't keep up. By the highest levels, players wouldn't be able to throw spells without destroying everything, including the ground supporting them.

So the Hardness & Hit Points of objects doesn't come up as often as in previous RPGs. Much of the errata had specific changes to make certain the wording of some spells would exclude objects.

But harming objects is still a thing because objects also have plot vulnerability, so if harming them serves the plot, they can be harmed. If harming them doesn't serve the plot, they escape unscathed. This also keep a dead PC from losing all of their unattended gear when a high-level AoE hits! And no more patiently digging tunnels with adamantine picks and hammers to bypass obstacles. Etc.

For the heartstone, you could set a Break DC based on the level of the Night Hag or give it stats similar to a breakable trap of similar level, though note there's no Sunder action to do this anyway! (I think Rogues via a feat might have the only ability that can effect objects in combat.) Think about this too, do the players want the boss monsters to have the ability to target their gear? That'd lead to TPKs, or so much money attrition they'd be penalized.

And while the heartstone does give a Night Hag some cool powers, killing the hag would be perhaps should be the better route anyway because that same effort could've been hurting her instead.