Rust Dragon

[kitep]

Some Rust Dragon (Draco, p186) questions.

Rusting Bite (Ex): A rust dragon that makes a successful bite attack causes metal armor worn by the target creature to corrode, falling to pieces and becoming useless immediately. A dragon can also use its bite attack to target a weapon or other metal object, of course. The size of the object is immaterial—a full suit of armor rusts away as quickly as a sword. Magic metal items are allowed Reflex saves against a DC equal to the dragon’s breath weapon save DC.

Are there any to-hit modifications for target something special, eg a sword, or the chain holding an amulet, or the belt buckle, etc?  It seems like there should be something, as these are harder to hit than the target's armor or shield, but I don't see anything.

When it says "the size of the object is immaterial", it's talking about how quickly it rusts away, not how easy it is to hit.

Rusting Scales (Ex): A metal weapon with less than a +5 enhancement bonus that hits a wyrm or great wyrm rust dragon corrodes and is destroyed immediately, with no saving throw. A +5 weapon deals damage normally, but then must succeed on a Reflex save (DC equal to the dragon’s breath weapon save DC) or rust away.

I assume this means a +5 to hit enhancement bonus, and not a total of +5 in enhancements.  Eg, vorpal costs the same as a +5 bonus, so a +1 Vorpal Sword costs the same as a +6 sword, but the +1 vorpal sword would rust and be destroyed immediately, no saving throw.  Right?

Thanks.
 

[Stratovarius]

I'd use the sunder rules for the first one, since that basically seems to be what it is.

And I'd agree with you on the second.

[kitep]

Sundering rules sound ... interesting

PHB, p158

Sundering a Carried or Worn Object: You don’t use an opposed
attack roll to damage a carried or worn object. Instead, just make an
attack roll against the object’s AC. A carried or worn object’s AC is
equal to 10 + its size modifier + the Dexterity modifier of the carrying
or wearing character. Attacking a carried or worn object provokes
an attack of opportunity just as attacking a held object does. To
attempt to snatch away an item worn by a defender (such as a cloak
or a pair of goggles) rather than damage it, see Disarm, page 155. You
can’t sunder armor worn by another character.

It's probably what I'll use since sundering parallels the rusting attack.  But I can't believe the item's AC shouldn't include the wearer's deflection bonus, dodge bonus, luck bonus, etc.

Thanks.

[ketaro]

But I can't believe the item's AC shouldn't include the wearer's deflection bonus, dodge bonus, luck bonus, etc.

Like you just said, those are the wearer's bonuses, not the item's.