Dealing with massive Terrain Damage

[Zancloufer]

So you know that one quote in OoTS that V said, something along the lines of "The bigger an explosion, the fewer problems it can deal with"? Well my players like to blow **** up. Alot. It's become a defacto response when they can't think of a better plan, and have made a few custom spells and amassed a decent pile of alchemist's fire, gunpowder, bootleg explosives, etc.

Now normally it's not too hard figuring out the results of their antics, as they usually aim for smaller, or softer targets and making large shallow craters in earth is easy enough. However their latest plot involves blowing holes in a mountain. A big mountain, at good mile high and has a similar diameter at the bottom.

So my question would be: How would YOU deal with massive terrain damage in D&D? Would the explosion deal damage to all blocks inside the AoE? Would it loose strength after going so far? Also how do you think a mountain would like having a chunk blow out of it?

[Hangwind]

What kind of mountain are we talking about? Cause if it's volcanic...:smallamused:

[Phelix-Mu]

I think the max HD oread who is that mountain might have something to say about it.

I'd feel free to increase the hp/inch of any mountain that had a special place in my world; maybe it's protected by a minor deity or something, and the living stone is particularly resilient.

I believe you treat this as energy damage inflicted on a solid object. Probably half the damage it causes to creatures, then apply hardness, and now penetrates a number of inches depending on the hp/inch of the stone and the amount of remaining damage.

That calculus will reduce the impact of many forms of explosives in a hurry. Which is awfully realistic by normal D&D standards. Blasting stone into dust is quite hard.

On the other hand, strategically placing charges to remove large chunks of stone via splitting along faultlines or according to break patterns can be fairly efficient. Probably a combo of Knowledge(dungeoneering) and Knowledge(architecture/engineering), maybe Knowledge(nature).

[Snowbluff]

I'd use my Gate network to Gate in a black hole. It think it'd wreck the planet, though.

Disintegrate does a good amount of terrain damage.

Polymorph Any Object. That mountain is now a rock?