Using Shatter To Shatter Potions - Have You Done It?

[Scorponok]

As DM, have you ever used this spell? Seems like an effective way a mid level minion of the big bad could screw with an adventuring party going after him and his boss. Every round, he could target a different member of the party with a Shatter spell. Everything glass in their bag would be shattered to thousands of pieces, including potions, which would then leak out all over and run down their pant legs.

This would only work once - till the party got wise and started pouring their potions in to leather pouches. It seems harsh though. Maybe used once to up the ante before they prepare to charge into the room to fight the final boss, but as a player, I would think it's fair, but would annoy me greatly - especially if I spent a lot on the potions.

And in a Star Trek RPG, would you ever use Shatter to shatter William Shatner?

[Kelb_Panthera]

It's of somewhat limited effectiveness. Potions aren't terribly common even in their heyday at the lowest levels and anything that would be in a pack is in a pocket dimension as soon as heward's handy haversack is affordable and, consequently, completely safe from shatter.

You'll do it once or twice, they'll switch to wooden or pewter containers, wear a cloak to conceal them outside of combat and that'll be the end of it.

[Psyren]

As DM, have you ever used this spell? Seems like an effective way a mid level minion of the big bad could screw with an adventuring party going after him and his boss. Every round, he could target a different member of the party with a Shatter spell. Everything glass in their bag would be shattered to thousands of pieces, including potions, which would then leak out all over and run down their pant legs.

This won't work - Potions are magic items and so are immune to the area effect of shatter.

[weckar]

This won't work - Potions are magic items and so are immune to the area effect of shatter.This is what I was thinking initially, but does this extend to the container it is in?

[Psyren]

This is what I was thinking initially, but does this extend to the container it is in?

I would rule that it is; the container is part of the potion. It's ambiguous though.

As noted previously though, there are other ways to block a spread in any event.

[Sam K]

As DM, have you ever used this spell? Seems like an effective way a mid level minion of the big bad could screw with an adventuring party going after him and his boss. Every round, he could target a different member of the party with a Shatter spell. Everything glass in their bag would be shattered to thousands of pieces, including potions, which would then leak out all over and run down their pant legs.

This would only work once - till the party got wise and started pouring their potions in to leather pouches. It seems harsh though. Maybe used once to up the ante before they prepare to charge into the room to fight the final boss, but as a player, I would think it's fair, but would annoy me greatly - especially if I spent a lot on the potions.

And in a Star Trek RPG, would you ever use Shatter to shatter William Shatner?

I would say it would be an innapropriate tactic for the following reason: it's a (quite clever) mid-optimized tactic that only really effects low-OP parties.

Potions aren't that common in higher optimized games, and IN-COMBAT use of potions is almost unheard of because of the terrible action economy. And as previous posters have said, clever players will have their potions in extra-dimensional storage relatively soon.

So while it could be a cool trick to use once, remember that the people it will work on are probably going to struggle against enemies that clever.

Also, NOONE shatters the Shatner!