TfV 5e'14 - Objects

"The wooden door crashed unto the dungeon's floor with a loud BANG, sending echoes down the decrepit hallways as dust billowed up. Thuul stepped through a moment later, his pket already in hand. "So much for subtlety," Drahxdin grumbled as he followed Thuul. "Subtlety isn't our people's way," Thuul rumbled, amused. "Besides, anyone who's hiding here would've known how thick that door was. I'd be more afraid of who just broke down their door if I were them." After carefully making their way down the main hall, they turned the corner and spotted another thick door, this one reinforced with iron fittings. "Bah...the da'nishma thinks this'll stop us?" Thuul said wearily as both Draelish eyed the iron fittings. "Only one way to prove them wrong," Drahxdin said, suddenly grinning as he pulled out a pouch of black powder. "Now it's my turn to show these Hearts just how stubborn we Kasniska can really be..." -Excerpt from A Hunt Told, A Journey Remembered by Drahxdin Nawsklahmadin

Table of Contents:

• Object Rules
• Object Size
• Object Hit Points
• Object Armor Class and Other Stats
• Hefting and Throwing Objects
• Lifting, Pushing, or Dragging and Object

Introduction

When characters need to saw through ropes, shatter a window, or smash a vampire’s coffin, the only hard and fast rule is this: given enough time and the right tools, characters can destroy any destructible object. The rules found within this article can be used when determining a character’s success at damaging an object or even a structure. For the purpose of gameplay, an "object" is a discrete, inanimate item like a window, door, sword, book, table, chair, or stone while a "building" is a continuous, inanimate object that is composed of many other objects and thus have special rules attached to them.

Object Rules

Below are tables listing the suggested properties of objects separated into size, hit points, and other statistics. These tables are here for reference when encounter-building or dealing with on-the-fly shenanigans, but like many things, they are not meant to be exhaustive or strictly adhered to. GMs are therefore encouraged to change or drop an object's statistics (such as hit points, armor class, or damage thresholds) if it would better suit their game.

Object Size

TfV 5e'14 uses an expanded set of size categories based on an older version of the game called 3.5e, with the following chart listing Object Size and Scale. Though the columns "Space" and "Inventory Slots" are more useful for gameplay purposes, "Max Length/Height" and "Max Weight" can be good when giving out quick descriptions of an environment to players or for roleplaying.

• Size Category: This is the name for an object's defined in-game size.
• Space: This is the grid space that the object would most likely occupy on a standard 5e'14 battle map.
• Max Length/Height: This is the maximum length/height an object of that size would most likely occupy. Note that "Length" would be considered more suitable than "Height" for objects such as a fallen pillar or a longboat, whereas "Height" would be more suitable for something like a tree or statue.
• Max Weight: This is the maximum weight an object of that size would most likely be. Though Inventory Slots are used when determining how much space it would take up in a player's inventory, the weight has been listed here for narrative convenience.
• Size Modifier: This is used when calculating an object's Heft Score (see the "Hefting and Throwing Objects" section).
• Inventory Slot: This is the slot amount that an object of that size would take up if a player were to attempt to pick up and haul it around. Objects with more complex shapes or heavier materials may cost additional slots as determined by the GM.

Object Hit Points

An object’s hit points measure how much damage it can take before losing its structural integrity. Resilient objects have more hit points than fragile ones, with reinforced objects bearing even more. Large objects also tend to have more hit points than Small ones, unless breaking a small part of the object is just as effective as breaking the whole thing.

• Size Category: This is the name for an object's defined in-game size.
• Fragile: This is an object that is by itself easy to break, whether due to its natural composition or by various factors, such as a Large, stain-glassed window or a rotten door.
• Resilient: This is an object that can hold itself together despite taking a hit or two. Consider this to be an object's "normal" amount of hit points if no other factors apply.
• Reinforced: This is an object that has been reinforced by other objects or supernatural enchantments, such as an iron-fitted door or a scryer's crystal ball, or represents the base materials used is particularly dense, such as granite.

Additional Rules for Huge, Gargantuan, and Colossal Objects: Normal weapons are of little use against many Huge, Gargantuan, and Colossal objects. That said, one torch can burn a Huge tapestry, and an Earthquake spell can reduce a massive pillar to rubble. The table above provides recommended hit points for such objects, but you can also simply just decide how long the object can withstand whatever weapon or force is acting against it if you are wanting a less rigid system. For complex objects (such as structures), consider dividing them into Large or smaller sections, with each section tracking hit points separately. Destroying one of those sections could ruin the entire object, such as a Gargantuan-sized statue of a human when one of its Large legs is reduced to 0 hit points, or simply create a hole for character's to crawl into, such as a castle's wall or a Colossal-sized skull.

Additional Rules for Fine Objects: Just as normal weapons may have little use against various Huge, Gargantuan, and Colossal objects, so too can they be ineffective against certain Fine objects. A character wielding a greatsword may have trouble hitting an annoying fly, or someone inexperienced with a hammer would have a hard time directly hitting a ring. If you are wanting to add more realism to certain Fine-sized objects, consider making them harder to hit such as adding a Damage Threshold, increasing their hit points, or even listing multiple resistance and immunities. Though the tables below list recommended statistics for an object based on its material and size, they can be changed by the GM at any time.

Object Armor Class and Other Stats

Sometimes you may want an object with a few more stats, especially when creating a skill challenge or to deter a character from easily tearing through a dungeon. Though the original 5e'14 basic rules only listed AC and hit points for objects, TfV 5e'14 expands upon this with additional statistics for complex encounters. As always, if a GM wants to remove any to make it easier for their game, they are encouraged to do so.

• Material: This describes what an object (or the majority of an object) is made of and how that impacts its durability.
• Armor Class: This lists an object's recommended armor class (AC) when attacking it, with harder materials being able to withstand more blows over softer ones.
• Damage Threshold (DT): Some objects have extra resilience due to the material's composition. An object with a damage threshold has immunity to all damage unless it takes an amount of damage from a single attack or effect equal to or greater than its damage threshold, in which case it takes damage as normal. Any damage that fails to meet or exceed the object’s damage threshold is considered superficial and doesn’t reduce the object’s hit points. For example, a stone door has a DT of 5. If the party's Fighter rolls a 1d8 with a result of 2, no damage is inflicted on the door. But if they roll again and this time roll a 7 for damage, then the stone door will take the full 7 damage.
• Density Modifier: This is used when calculating an object's Heft Score (see the "Hefting and Throwing Objects" section).
• Resistance, Immunity, and Vulnerability: Some damage types are more effective against a particular object or substance than others. For example, bludgeoning damage works well for smashing things but not for cutting through rope or leather. Paper or cloth objects are vulnerable to fire and lightning damage, but a stone basin wouldn't easily catch fire. A pick can chip away stone but can’t effectively cut down a tree. If an object has a damage threshold and a resistance, calculate the resistance first followed by the damage threshold.

Hefting and Throwing Objects

This section details rules for calculating if a player can pick up and/or throw objects in TfV 5e'14 by calculating an object's Heft Score. Rather than trying to guess the weight of every single object that pops up in a game, players can instead look at an object's Size Modifier and an object's Density Modifier to see if they have the strength to lift it (see the tables above for each).

For objects that are made of multiple materials, such as a wooden barrel with iron bands, use the Density modifier that represents what the object is mostly made of. In the case of containers, such as a barrel filled with steel ball bearings, you would calculate both the container's Density modifier and the Density modifier of the objects located inside, but you would only use the Size modifier of the container.

• Note: Liquids have an Average Density Modifier. For denser liquids (such as lava), use +1 as its Density Modifier.

For objects that are much larger in one dimension than another (such as a long table), add -1 to its Size modifier.

Calculating an Object's Heft Score

Once you know the size and density of an object, you can easily calculate the Heft score, with the following using examples from above:

• A wooden barrel would have a Size modifier of +2 and a Density modifier of 0, making its Heft Score = 2.
• A wooden barrel filled with steel ball bearings would have a Size modifier of +2 and a Density modifier of +2 (0 for the barrel but +2 for the steel), making its Heft Score = 4.

Calculating a Creature's Heft Potential

A player can determine if they can lift an object by determining their Heft Potential using their Strength Modifier and their Size Modifier.

Creature Size Modifier

Once a player knows their Strength and Size modifiers, they must then add them up in order to determine their Heft Potential. See the following for an example:

• Bak'nir has a strength score of 18, making their Strength Modifier a +4. They are also Medium, making their Size Modifier a 0. But because they have the Powerful Build template trait, their Size Modifier is actually a +2. By combining both, they have a Heft Potential = 6.

Calculating Your Lift Amount

Now that we know an object's Heft Score and a creature's Heft Potential, we can now determine if Bak'nir can lift and potentially throw an object by finding his Lift Amount.

Bak'nir has a Heft Potential = 6. He sees a wooden barrel filled to the brim with steel ball bearings and decides he wants to try to lift and throw it to test his might. Using previous calculations, we know that the filled barrel has a Heft Score = 4. If we subtract his Heft Potential (6) by the object's Heft Score (4), we come up with a Lift Amount = 2. Because Bak'nir has a higher Heft Potential than the object's Heft Score (by 2), he successfully lifts the object.

Lifting, Pushing, or Dragging an Object

You can only Lift an object if your Lift Amount is higher than or equal to 0. You must use both hands when lifting, pushing, or dragging an object. Additionally, if an object is equal to your current size (or larger), it is considered Unwieldy and requires an action in order to lift, push, or drag it. If it is smaller, it only costs an Object Interaction.

• If your Lift Amount is no more than one point lower (-1), you may Push or Drag the object but you cannot Lift it. When pushing or dragging an object whose Heft Score is higher than your Heft Potential, your speed drops to 5 feet.
• If your Lift Amount is 0, you can Lift the object but your movement speed if halved while doing so.
• If your Lift Amount is one point higher or more (+1), you can Lift the object while moving at your normal speed and can Throw the object.

Throwing an Object

You can throw an object a number of feet equal to 5 times your Lift Amount. Note that if you are throwing an object, it must fit in the space it is being thrown into, otherwise, it lands into the closest available space. See the following example for how this plays out:

• After successfully lifting the barrel, Bak'nir is now ready to throw it. Because he has a Lift Amount equal to 2, he can throw the barrel up to 10 feet away.

Additionally, objects that are thrown may take damage, especially if it was tossed from above. In such a case, an object would take 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it fell, to a maximum of 100d6 (1000 feet). Note that some objects may be immune to falling damage as determined by the GM.

Throwing an Object at a Target

If you are throwing an object at a creature (or another object), there are two options:

• If the object is a smaller size category than your target, make an attack roll using your Strength modifier. You may also add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll if you have proficiency with Improvised Weapons.
• If the object is equal to the size category of the target or larger, they must instead make a Dexterity Saving Throw with a DC equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + (2 per size category larger). On a success, they move to an unoccupied space adjacent to where the object would land. If there is no unoccupied space, they automatically fail their saving throw. If another object is the target, it automatically fails this saving throw. Note that if there are multiple creatures present in the space where the object would land (for example, if a Large object was being thrown and there are two Medium-sized creatures in the space it is being thrown in), all creatures within the landing space must make this saving throw.

If the object being thrown is equal to or less than the size category of a creature being targeted, that creature can use its reaction to catch the object. If the object is equal to their size, it stops directly in front of them.

On a hit or a failed save, a target takes a number of d6 equal to the object's Heft Score + your Strength modifier Bludgeoning damage. If the object's Heft Score is 0 or negative, only your Strength modifier is calculated for the damage.

Variant Rule: Hefting and Throwing Creatures

In the event that a player or creature wants to attempt to lift, carry, and throw another creature, use the same rules for hefting and throwing objects, with the object being replaced with the creature. Note the following additional rules:

• You must have the creature grappled before you can attempt to lift them.
• Creatures thrown must make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to see if they fall prone when they land, with the DC for this check being equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature can willingly choose to fail this check.
• If a creature that was thrown collides with another creature, the creature thrown takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet of forced movement (up to a maximum of 4d6 bludgeoning damage). Creatures that are thrown from above take falling damage as normal.
• A creature that uses its reaction to stop a thrown creature from colliding with them prevents both creatures from taking damage.

Forced Movement

In some cases a creature is forcibly moved by external forces. This can include being pushed, falling, carried (such as by a mount), or even being thrown by another creature. This covers any movement that is not made using the creature's movement speed, action, or reaction.

When a creature is forcibly moved, effects (such as Opportunity Attacks) that trigger off of intentional movement do not take effect. Note that a creature's intentional movement regards movement made using their moving speed, taking an action such as the Dash action, or some type of reaction (such as releasing a readied Misty Step spell). Anything that does not require intentional movement is still triggered when the creature is forcibly moved (such as being dragged across a Spike Growth spell).

Size and Distance Scale Chart