Stats for Glass?

[Gorfang113]

I can't seem to find them anywere in the DMG. If anyone could tell me the Hardness, HP, Break DC and other such things I would appreciate it. Thanks :smallbiggrin:

[Acanous]

Glass has Hardness 1 and 1 HP per inch. I don't recall where these rules are (Or even if they're house rules) but it's what my groups all play by.

[aquaticrna]

SRD agrees, it's in the breaking and entering tables, where hardness/hp are listed

[ericgrau]

I'm amused that 3.5 even has rules for smashing a window, and that it's under the "breaking and entering" section. Above posters are correct btw.

[Talya]

It seriously underestimates glass. You know how hard it would be to punch through 1 inch thick glass? Glass only seems fragile because we have this tendency to make very thin things with it. A solid block of glass is harder than stone.

[MesiDoomstalker]

It seriously underestimates glass. You know how hard it would be to punch through 1 inch thick glass? Glass only seems fragile because we have this tendency to make very thin things with it. A solid block of glass is harder than stone.

How often do you or an adventuring group for that mattter, encounter a large block of solid glass? The only point I can think of is in an old source book that describes how you can make a airship out of glass to make it faster and even then it would be about as thick as regular ship hulls.

[Talya]

How often do you or an adventuring group for that mattter, encounter a large block of solid glass? The only point I can think of is in an old source book that describes how you can make a airship out of glass to make it faster and even then it would be about as thick as regular ship hulls.

Actually it came up in our adventure, thanks to the spell "Glass Strike."

[Godskook]

It seriously underestimates glass. You know how hard it would be to punch through 1 inch thick glass? Glass only seems fragile because we have this tendency to make very thin things with it. A solid block of glass is harder than stone.

Actually, whenever D&D seems unrealistic you should first double-check your assumptions to see if those are the problem.

In this case, you're missing that Unarmed strikes do non-lethal, that objects are immune to. To be able to punch through a 1in pane of glass, you'd need either:
A)Be a monk(who's got martial arts training)
B)Have IUS(A feat is a measure of training)

(Non-core equivalents like UASS not included due to redundancy)

I.e., D&D rules agree with you. Punching through an inch of glass requires specific training

As far as the 'harder than stone' assertion, I suspect you're only exaggerating(Correct me if I'm wrong).

[EternalMelon]

Glass' stats are as follows
Class: Mercenary
Lvl: 3
Hp: 20
Str: 5
Skl: 4
Spd: 5
Lck: 0
Def: 3
Res: 0
Move: 5
Con: 9
Swords: C

Items: Iron Sword, Vulnerary (drops)

Strategy: Glass is one of the first bosses you face, so he is relatively easy. Hes the first person to have a sword, so Lyn doesn't get weapon triangle bonuses against him. Use either of the cavaliers to kill him easily with lances, or let Lyn kill him for the level. Don't procrastinate too long after hurting him, he is on a throne, and heals 3 hp per turn.

[Talya]

As far as the 'harder than stone' assertion, I suspect you're only exaggerating(Correct me if I'm wrong).

Only a little. It helps to know what glass actually is, though, because for starters, traditional glass is mostly stone. Silica, to be more accurate. Throw in a bit of lime (also stone) and a touch of sodium carbonate and aluminum oxide, and melt it all together, cool it again (slowly, but not TOO slowly or it will crystalize) and you've got glass. Glass is brittle, don't get me wrong, but we too often mistakenly assume brittle means "weak." Brittle simple means it will break before it will bend. A diamond is also "brittle." The assumption that this means it will break easily is unfounded.

[KillianHawkeye]

I'm amused that 3.5 even has rules for smashing a window, and that it's under the "breaking and entering" section.

Hey, Rogues need to know these things. :smallamused:

Incedentally, when you're dealing with materials with thicknesses of less than 1 inch, does it have an equivalent fraction of hit points? Is there a minimum of 1, for materials (such as glass) whose hp per inch is too low to divide?

[ericgrau]

^ I don't think D&D has fractional hitpoints not that it would matter anyway. You need the same 1 point of damage to destroy 1/4 HP as you do to destroy 1 HP. Just say 1 HP to keep it simple.


Only a little. It helps to know what glass actually is, though, because for starters, traditional glass is mostly stone. Silica, to be more accurate... A diamond is also "brittle." The assumption that this means it will break easily is unfounded.

D&D hardness is not the same as engineering hardness. Engineering hardness means difficulty of scratching or wearing. D&D hardness is closer to engineering toughness, of which glass and other brittle substances have very little. They are in fact easy to break. For that matter synthetic diamond makes an excellent industrial tool coating but I doubt they'd make an entire tool (or drill bit or etc.) out of it no matter how high the budget; you want something softer but tougher in the core of such a tool.

[Bhaakon]

It seriously underestimates glass. You know how hard it would be to punch through 1 inch thick glass? Glass only seems fragile because we have this tendency to make very thin things with it. A solid block of glass is harder than stone.


Unless you're a monk or have improved unarmed strike, I imagine it's impossible. Glass can shrug off non-lethal damage.

[FMArthur]

D&D should have assumed "movie set glass" for windows, IMO. Heroes move through glass more easily than they do air.

[Worira]

Well, you can take a -4 penalty to deal lethal damage with your unarmed strike in order to break glass. And the difficulty of breaking an inch of glass depends heavily on both the size and shape of glass.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Unless you're a monk or have improved unarmed strike, I imagine it's impossible. Glass can shrug off non-lethal damage.

How hard is it to hit something completely immobile by taking -4 on your attack?

[Gorfang113]

Right, so with that I ask another question. How thick should I make my glass walls in the dungeon im working on? The glass is meant to be a fourth wall in enclosures for monsters. The place is a beastairy/wizards lab for examining and creating creatures. The glass should be thick enough that with the magical enhancment (DMG) option on them should make it very difficult at the least for a monster with max strength of 20 to break through. Without the enhancment it should be able to be broken without to much difficulty. (The players have to remove a power crystal to open a heavily warded door, but the crystal powers the cell enchantment to :smallbiggrin:)

[NNescio]

Right, so with that I ask another question. How thick should I make my glass walls in the dungeon im working on? The glass is meant to be a fourth wall in enclosures for monsters. The place is a beastairy/wizards lab for examining and creating creatures. The glass should be thick enough that with the magical enhancment (DMG) option on them should make it very difficult at the least for a monster with max strength of 20 to break through. Without the enhancment it should be able to be broken without to much difficulty. (The players have to remove a power crystal to open a heavily warded door, but the crystal powers the cell enchantment to :smallbiggrin:)

Try Walls of Iron with the Invisible Spell metamagic.

[Gorfang113]

Try Walls of Iron with the Invisible Spell metamagic.

..... thats not the point though. I want enough glass that while enchanted it can repel the monsters but when deactivated they can be broken. The whole point is that when the players remove the crystal to open the door they free the monsters to. (I never said that the place was well thought out by the wizards :smallsmile:).

[KillianHawkeye]

Try Walls of Iron with the Invisible Spell metamagic.

I think you mean "transparent aluminum." :smallwink:

[ericgrau]

Right, so with that I ask another question. How thick should I make my glass walls in the dungeon im working on? The glass is meant to be a fourth wall in enclosures for monsters. The place is a beastairy/wizards lab for examining and creating creatures. The glass should be thick enough that with the magical enhancment (DMG) option on them should make it very difficult at the least for a monster with max strength of 20 to break through. Without the enhancment it should be able to be broken without to much difficulty. (The players have to remove a power crystal to open a heavily warded door, but the crystal powers the cell enchantment to :smallbiggrin:)

Magically treated 18 inch thick glass walls, 1500 gp per 10'x10' section, 2 hardness, 68 HP, break DC 26 (must roll a 21 with a strength of 20, so impossible). Requires craft wondrous item. They can still chip at it with only 2 hardness, which is why you also cast Hardening (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/spells/hardening.htm).

You can also try permanency + wall of force, since wall of force is invisible.

[Godskook]

Well, you can take a -4 penalty to deal lethal damage with your unarmed strike in order to break glass. And the difficulty of breaking an inch of glass depends heavily on both the size and shape of glass.

Where are you getting this rule from? Its not in the weapon's section of the SRD nor within the feat description for IUS.

[dgnslyr]

Glass' stats are as follows
Class: Mercenary
Lvl: 3
Hp: 20
Str: 5
Skl: 4
Spd: 5
Lck: 0
Def: 3
Res: 0
Move: 5
Con: 9
Swords: C

Items: Iron Sword, Vulnerary (drops)

Strategy: Glass is one of the first bosses you face, so he is relatively easy. Hes the first person to have a sword, so Lyn doesn't get weapon triangle bonuses against him. Use either of the cavaliers to kill him easily with lances, or let Lyn kill him for the level. Don't procrastinate too long after hurting him, he is on a throne, and heals 3 hp per turn.

You forget, he's the Peerless Swordsman of Gheb FE, who practices Peerless Swordsmanship at every opportunity so he can slay foes with his Peerless Sword.

[ericgrau]

Where are you getting this rule from? Its not in the weapon's section of the SRD nor within the feat description for IUS.

Probably a mix up with weapon subdual damage rules. So you still can't do it without a feat or a weapon.

[Kumori]

Where are you getting this rule from? Its not in the weapon's section of the SRD nor within the feat description for IUS.

It's in the Non-lethal damage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/injuryandDeath.htm#nonlethalDamage) section.

[ericgrau]

A quick google revealed that a nickel travelling at 40 mph can break 1/4" glass. Most ordinary people can pitch a nickel that fast if they throw hard. Cheaper glass is broken at 20 mph. I doubt glass is very strong, even at 1 inch thick.

[CheshireCatAW]

..... thats not the point though. I want enough glass that while enchanted it can repel the monsters but when deactivated they can be broken. The whole point is that when the players remove the crystal to open the door they free the monsters to. (I never said that the place was well thought out by the wizards :smallsmile:).

Depending on the level of the wizards crafting the area, I'd suggest a Wall of Force spell that is permanent contingent on some type of connection to the power source. Or, alternatively, make an artifact that, when connected to an evocation spell with a duration by a trail of gold or copper, causes the spell to become permanent. This would make it impossible for the monsters to chip away at the wall while still allowing for a way to put the creatures in their cages and feed them.