To destroy items: have you ever seen it in-game?

[Unoriginal]

5e has optional rules to destroy objects. And magic items are not invulnerable by default (in fact, being indestructible is listed as an additional trait some magic items can have).

Yet, aside from cases like the Rust Monster which have special rules, or homebrews specifically made so that equipment breaks more often, I've never read any instance of PCs or NPCs damaging their foes' gear.

I can understand that losing magic items can be frustrating, but I've never heard about it for non-magical stuff either.

It seems like a missed opportunity, IMO. Having the Black Knight win a duel by cutting their foe's blade off it's handle could be awesome, and an adamantine axe given by a dwarf lord would be much more impressive a reward if the PCs knew it could cut a Plate Armor open.

So, my question is: have you seen anyone use the DMG rules or houserules for damaging items?

[Waazraath]

5e has optional rules to destroy objects. And magic items are not invulnerable by default (in fact, being indestructible is listed as an additional trait some magic items can have).

Yet, aside from cases like the Rust Monster which have special rules, or homebrews specifically made so that equipment breaks more often, I've never read any instance of PCs or NPCs damaging their foes' gear.

I can understand that losing magic items can be frustrating, but I've never heard about it for non-magical stuff either.

It seems like a missed opportunity, IMO. Having the Black Knight win a duel by cutting their foe's blade off it's handle could be awesome, and an adamantine axe given by a dwarf lord would be much more impressive a reward if the PCs knew it could cut a Plate Armor open.

So, my question is: have you seen anyone use the DMG rules or houserules for damaging items?

In my experience it was quite common in 3.x, where there were specific sunder rules. 5e got rid of most of those really specific combat moves (though grapple and trip/shove still exist). I think in the DMG there are optional rules for how to implement other combat moves; dunno if sunder is there (away from books) but it shouldn't be too hard to come up with a syste based on other variant rules? Then again, you'd need something for hardness/hp (or given 5e's favouring simplicity: just hp), to decide when an item breaks.

[hymer]

So, my question is: have you seen anyone use the DMG rules or houserules for damaging items?
In my most recent campaign, a possibility for random encounters in wilderness travels was damage to an object. But these objects tended to be clothes rather than weapons and armour. I recall one memorable occasion where the goliath overpaid a blushing maid to sew his shoes after one of them was damaged in his travels.

[JackPhoenix]

PCs don't do it, because it breaks their loot, the result is uncertain, and it's better to use the action to kill the enemy than to mess with their gear.
NPCs don't do it for the later two reasons, and also because messing with players' gear leads to people screaming about "bad GMing".

[Unoriginal]

In my experience it was quite common in 3.x, where there were specific sunder rules. 5e got rid of most of those really specific combat moves (though grapple and trip/shove still exist). I think in the DMG there are optional rules for how to implement other combat moves; dunno if sunder is there (away from books) but it shouldn't be too hard to come up with a syste based on other variant rules? Then again, you'd need something for hardness/hp (or given 5e's favouring simplicity: just hp), to decide when an item breaks.

Yes, the rules are in the DMG, as are the ones for the items' AC and HPs.

[PhoenixPhyre]

Yes, the rules are in the DMG, as are the ones for the items' AC and HPs.

I've used them a bunch, but for unattended items only. Sundering actively wielded gear tends to either be too powerful and becomes a cheap "avoid the combat mechanics" trick or it's too weak (and doesn't get used). That plus the destroying loot issue...

I'd also probably use it for larger set-piece battles--things like a multi-part construct where the PCs can climb on it and pry off/break pieces to reduce its functionality. Things where dealing HP damage isn't the important thing or isn't practical.

[KorvinStarmast]

Black Puddings eat your items when you hit them.
:(
As we found out.