Author Topic: New Skill: Demolition  (Read 3653 times)

Offline Garryl

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New Skill: Demolition
« on: March 08, 2016, 11:02:09 PM »
Demolition skill

When using this skill in your game, replace any Strength checks to break an object or to break loose from a restraint (such as from a web or entangle spell, from a net, and so forth) with Demolition checks.

Basically, this skill collects all of those Strength checks to break things, or to break out of them.

The following classes treat Demolition as a class skill:
  • Barbarian
  • Cleric (Destruction Domain only)
  • Fighter
  • Monk
  • Rogue
  • Psychic Warrior
  • Totemist
  • Swordsage
  • Warblade
  • ... and so on and so forth.



Demolition (Str)
Demolition is the art of breaking things. More than just brute force, this skill involves understanding the construction and strengths of various objects and materials and how best to apply that force to their weak points.

TaskDemolition DC
Break an itemObject's Demolition DC
Break open a doorDoor's Demolition DC
Burst through a wallWall's Demolition DC
Break free from restraintRestraint's Demolition DC

ObjectDemolition DC
Scroll8
Potion vial12
Wand16
Cognizance crystal16
Small chest17
Dorje18
Power stone20
Treasure chest23
Staff24
Psicrown (silk)24
Magic ring25
Rod27
Psicrown (metal)28
RestraintDemolition DC
Tanglefoot bag17
Rope, hempen23
Rope, silk24
Chain26
Manacles26
Manacles, masterwork28
Monstrous spider's web14 + 1/2 HD + Con mod
Entangle spell20
Freezing sphere spell25
Snare spell23
Web spell20
Door or PortalTypical ThicknessDemolition DC
Simple wooden door1 in.13
Good wooden door1.5 in.18
Strong wooden door2 in.23
Bend iron bars1 in.24
Wood-barred door--25
Wooden portcullis3 in.25
Iron grate1 in.27
Stone door4 in.28
Iron door2 in.28
Iron portcullis2 in.28
Iron-barred door--30
ConditionTypical ThicknessDC Adjustment1
Hold portal--+5
Arcane lock--+10
Psionic lock--+10
1. If multiple apply, use the larger number.
WallsTypical ThicknessDemolition DC
Masonry1 ft.35
Reinforced Masonry1 ft.45
Hewn Stone3 ft.50
Unworked Stone5 ft.65
Iron6 in.30
PaperPaper-thin1
Wood6 in.20
Wall of ice1 in./level15 + level
Wall of iron1 in./4 levels25 + 2/in.
Wall of stone1 in./4 levels20 + 2/in.
Wall of ectoplasm1 in./4 levels15 + 2/in.
ConditionTypical ThicknessDC Adjustment
Magically treated--+20

Check
The DC of the check depends on what you are trying to do.

Break an Item
When a character tries to break something with sudden force rather than by dealing damage, use a Demolition check (rather than an attack roll and damage roll, as with the sunder special attack) to see whether he or she succeeds. The DC depends more on the construction of the item than on the material.

If an item has lost half or more of its hit points, the DC to break it drops by 2.

Break Open a Door
Breaking open a door works just like breaking an item.

Larger and smaller creatures get size bonuses and size penalties on Demolition checks to break open doors as follows: Fine -16, Diminutive -12, Tiny -8, Small -4, Large +4, Huge +8, Gargantuan +12, Colossal +16.

The DC to break open a wooden door that is locked and not merely stuck and not locked is 2 higher than normal.

When characters try to bash down a barred door, it’s the quality of the bar that matters, not the material the door is made of. Characters can attack the door and destroy it instead, leaving the bar hanging in the now-open doorway.

The break DC for a hinge is the same as for breaking down the door.

A crowbar or portable ram improves a character’s chance of breaking open a door. A crowbar grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Demolition checks made for such purposes. A portable ram gives you a +2 circumstance bonus on Demolition checks made to break open a door and it allows a second person to help you without having to roll, increasing your bonus by 2.

Break Free From Restraint
You can use the Demolition skill to break free from a restraint holding you. Typically, this ruins the restraint in question, making it unusable without repair.

Typically, breaking free from a restraint is a standard action. More complex or magically animated ones, such as entangle and web spells, take longer.

Breaking free from a net, an entangle or snare spell, or the ice frozen by a freezing sphere spell is a full-round action.

Breaking free from a web spell takes 1 round.

Action
Varies. Most uses of Demolition are a standard action. Escaping certain restraints takes longer.

Try Again
Yes.

Synergy
  • If you have 5 or more ranks in Demolition, you gain a +2 bonus on Disable Device checks made to disable things other than traps.
  • If you have at least 5 ranks in a Craft skill you gain a +2 bonus on Demolition checks made to break items that can be made with that skill.
  • If you have at least 5 ranks in Disable Device you gain a +2 bonus on Demolition checks made to break open doors.
  • If you have at least 5 ranks in Escape Artist you gain a +2 bonus on Demolition checks made to break free from restraints.
  • If you have at least 5 ranks in Knowledge (architecture and engineering) you gain a +2 bonus on Demolition checks made to burst through walls.
  • If you have at least 5 ranks in Use Rope you gain a +2 bonus on Demolition checks made to break free from restraints.



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« Last Edit: July 07, 2017, 02:21:43 AM by Garryl »

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: New Skill: Demolition
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2016, 08:38:54 AM »
So, while I think this is a clean implementation, what does it actually add to the classes in question? In most cases (low skill point meathead types), it appears to actively detract from them by taking away something they could already do and moving it into an area that requires additional investment just to get back to their previous abilities.

Offline Garryl

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Re: New Skill: Demolition
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2016, 09:30:49 AM »
So, while I think this is a clean implementation, what does it actually add to the classes in question? In most cases (low skill point meathead types), it appears to actively detract from them by taking away something they could already do and moving it into an area that requires additional investment just to get back to their previous abilities.

It's usable untrained and the DCs are the same. If you spend exactly 0 skill points on Demolition you're in the exact same boat as you would be without this.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: New Skill: Demolition
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2016, 09:37:28 AM »
It's usable untrained.

You might want to mention this in the skill somewhere. :P

Offline Garryl

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Re: New Skill: Demolition
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2016, 09:41:45 AM »
It's usable untrained.

You might want to mention this in the skill somewhere. :P

Why? Usable untrained is the default. Trained only skills are the ones that require mentioning.

Quote from: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/skillDescriptions.htm
Trained Only
If this notation is included in the skill name line, you must have at least 1 rank in the skill to use it. If it is omitted, the skill can be used untrained (with a rank of 0). If any special notes apply to trained or untrained use, they are covered in the Untrained section (see below).

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: New Skill: Demolition
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2016, 09:50:07 AM »
It's usable untrained.

You might want to mention this in the skill somewhere. :P

Why? Usable untrained is the default. Trained only skills are the ones that require mentioning.

Quote from: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/skillDescriptions.htm
Trained Only
If this notation is included in the skill name line, you must have at least 1 rank in the skill to use it. If it is omitted, the skill can be used untrained (with a rank of 0). If any special notes apply to trained or untrained use, they are covered in the Untrained section (see below).

For the exact same reason you tell me to add "in range" into maneuvers with a range - because it clarifies matters that are unmentioned.

Offline RobbyPants

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Re: New Skill: Demolition
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2016, 09:50:36 AM »
I agree that being able to use this untrained is a nice advantage for non-casters. Also, for better or for worse, monsters will be able to use this, as well. Obviously, any published monster will have precisely zero ranks, but they might have synergy. It could make it easier for DMs to make monsters to wiggle out of caster's traps. Of course, it also makes spells that have these checks obvious losers compared to ones that don't.

Synergy
  • If you have 5 or more ranks in Demolition, you gain a +2 bonus on Disable Device checks made disable door mechanisms and hinges.
I'd suggest changing it to apply to any Disable Device check that isn't against a magical trap, so long as you aren't trying to bypass the device while keeping it working.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: New Skill: Demolition
« Reply #7 on: March 09, 2016, 12:06:05 PM »
I agree that being able to use this untrained is a nice advantage for non-casters. Also, for better or for worse, monsters will be able to use this, as well. Obviously, any published monster will have precisely zero ranks, but they might have synergy. It could make it easier for DMs to make monsters to wiggle out of caster's traps. Of course, it also makes spells that have these checks obvious losers compared to ones that don't.

It's still a standard action or worse to break free (usually worse), and it's nothing you couldn't do with a Strength check before. You could escape restraints (including the magical ones, Web and Entangle) with a skill before, but nobody ever bothers with Escape Artist so I doubt it'll be an issue. Heck, Escape Artist lets you escape grapples, too. Plus, Web and Entangle still require a Reflex save every round to not get caught up again, requiring you to spend yet another turn trying to break free if you fail. I'd hardly call them "obvious losers", no more so than Black Tentacles (one of the two 4th-level BFC kings alongside Solid Fog) is, with its escape mechanism costing only a standard action (or a full-round action for multiple tries) and going against a number that scales automatically with BAB (grapple check). Seriously, Entangle and Web are stupidly good, even if you automatically succeed on your escape attempt.