Help Dealing With Oozes Ability to Destroy Weapons and Armor

[hirojinbrodie]

So I have been planning a campaign that features oozes and aberrations to a high degree. However though I love the idea of using oozes since they haven't been used much in our games, it feels like their ability to destroy weapons and armor can really screw the players. I am almost to the point of removing oozes from the campaign.
How do I help the party to deal with this threat without gimping the oozes? Should I just focus on the oozes that do not damage metals but instead wood and stone?

[Kelb_Panthera]

So, obvious answer: point your players to mundane crystal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/specialMaterials.htm#crystalMundane) equipment.

Aberrations have a distinctly psionic bent anyway.

[RedSand]

My suggestion: Don't gimp the oozes, but instead establish in-universe tactics for fighting them that you'd like them to adopt. Have them find a journal with in a guardtower with instructions on using ranged weapons, staying out of range of blindsight, masking your scent, using alchemist's fire, etc. Maybe even add in a few special weapons made just for taking them out, like a flask of heavy base materials that disrupt the ooze's form or something. You could also create in-universe items that negate their ability to destroy the player's equipment-maybe an oil you could rub on weapons, or leather armors made of acid resistant creatures. You could even homebrew spells for this kinda thing.

[OldTrees1]

Since you are the DM, I would suggest one of 2 things:

1) Those oozes only effect non magical materials. This allows you to have all of the ooze rotted terrain hazards you want without worrying about the hero's weapons or loot.

2) The Durable weapon/armor enhancement from Dungeonscape is a flat +500gp per item and makes the item immune to rust/acid (oozes and rust monsters specifically mentioned).

[daremetoidareyo]

Break their stuff. It's all imaginary stuff. Then, story of Job them, Give them back nearly identical equipment in some loot drops, but add some sweet upgrades.

[Uncle Pine]

It's not Gygaxian if you warn them beforehand and then make terrible stuff happen. Have them meet with someone whose party was nearly wiped by weapon-destroying oozes, or have this ability randomly mentioned by a NPC... Appeared a couple of adventures before the start of this ooze campaign of yours.

If you're familiar with said games, it's the same tactic usually employed by games like Zelda before throwing a dungeon with new mechanics at you.

[Khedrac]

Give the party acess to the blueshine (for armor) and everbright (for weapons) enchantments from the MIC - they make them immune to acid damage and rusting.
They are also fixed price enchantments and thus relatively cheap and easy to add to existing equipment.

[Metahuman1]

As the DM:


Crack Open Unearthed Arcana.

Make up a daily ritual the part can do that negates the ooze ability to wreck weapons/armor/magic items, specifically designed to fighting Ooze's.

Give them a book near the start from a mentor NPC or something that details this ritual, and a kit with the needed supply's.


Show NPC's with out this ritual falling prey to this ability now and then for the scary factor, and otherwise, just let them go to town, and you do the same.

[Fizban]

Write up weapon and armor crystals that protect against gear destruction if they have favored gear they don't want to lose. Or destroy it, then once they kill the ooze they find the ooze-immune gear of the last couple adventurers (who where less durable).

One bit people might not think of is basic clothing and backpacks. It's easy to protect weapons and armor, but you also lose your clothes with the armor and if the DM decides to apply sense rather than RAW you'll lose your packs pouches and their contents as well.

[Deophaun]

Give the party acess to the blueshine (for armor) and everbright (for weapons) enchantments from the MIC
Blueshine is "expensive." Get the durable enhancement from Dungeonscape instead and save a thousand gp.

There's no reason anyone should be losing their armor past level 2.

[Telok]

A: Spare pole arms.
B: Slings, because rocks are free.
C: Walking away. The fastest MM ooze is speed 20.
D: Kill it with fire. Alchemical or oil, either works fine, as do torches.
E: Animals. Kill it with mules.
F: Expendable minions. Charm an ogre and send it in after "treasure".

[Nifft]

Let their stuff be easy come, easy go.

Everyone knows how to use a club or quarterstaff.

Crystal weapons are a great idea, but those should be vulnerable to other critters, like the Destrachan, Yrthak, or Crysmal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/crysmal.htm).

When metal armor is destroyed, don't leave them naked. Leave them wearing leather armor at worst -- but better might be a graceful degradation, something like Chainmail -> Chain Shirt -> Leather.

Magical weapons might be made out of unusual substances, like ice or magma.