Objects

The world is full of chandeliers and tree branches to be swung from, doors to be kicked in, and eldritch statues full of ruinous power to meddle with. There are numerous objects bristling with possibility for the intrepid and the bold. Adventurers can perform many actions with an object—they might pick up a vase to secure treasure, throw a glass sculpture to create a diversion, or try and hack their way through hastily set up barricades.

When interacting with an object, a creature might use a trait, feature, or combat maneuver, or it might simply make an attack. In general, given enough time and the right equipment, any adventurer can usually accomplish what they want with an object.

An object is a single inanimate item like a rug, vase, axe, painting, boulder, door, section of wall, or a bureau full of clothes (which themselves are many objects).

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Interacting with Objects

Most physical interactions with the environment simply require a player to announce their intentions to the Narrator. A statement like, “I open the wardrobe,” is normally all that is necessary to set an action into motion.

Some interactions, however, may require an ability check . A wardrobe that won’t open might require a Dexterity (thieves’ tools) check to pick a lock or a Strength check to pull it open despite rusted hinges. The Narrator sets the DC for the check based on the difficulty of the task. A Strength check can also be used to break an object. The Narrator sets the DC for the check.

Creatures can also damage objects with both physical attacks and spells. Objects are immune to psychic and poison damage, but otherwise they can be affected by damage just like creatures. The Narrator determines an object’s AC and hit points, and if it has any damage resistances, immunities, or vulnerabilities. Objects always fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws, but are immune to effects that require other saves. When an object drops to 0 hit points, it breaks.

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Statistics for Objects

In the middle of a tense situation where time is of the essence, the Narrator can assign an Armor Class and hit points to a destructible object, as well as determine what immunities, resistances, and vulnerabilities to damage it might have.

When a creature is trying to do something besides destroy the object, the Narrator determines what ability checks are appropriate.

Armor Class

An object’s Armor Class represents how tough the object is to damage. Especially tough objects might be harder to damage—the Object Armor Class table has suggested values for objects based on the materials they are made from.

Object AC

Object	Armor Class
Cloth, paper, rope	AC 11
Crystal, glass, ice	AC 13
Wood, bone	AC 15
Stone	AC 17
Iron, steel	AC 19
Mithral	AC 21
Adamantine	AC 21

 

Hit Points

An object’s hit points determine how much damage it can take before it is destroyed. A particularly sturdy object (resilient) might have more hit points than more delicate objects (fragile). The Object Hit Points table has suggested hit points for objects based on their size.

Object Hit Points

Object	Size	Hit Points (fragile)	Hit Points (resilient)
Game piece, vial	Tiny	2 (1d4)	5 (2d4)
Chair, painting	Small	3 (1d6)	10 (3d6)
Crate, Medium door, table	Medium	4 (1d8)	18 (4d8)
Equestrian statue, Large door, 10-foot section of wall	Large	5 (1d10)	27 (5d10)

 

Huge and Gargantuan Objects

Against Huge or Gargantuan objects, normal weapons or tools are of little effect. Against a castle wall or treasure vault door, a hammer or sword won’t get the job done —but determined creatures might try just the same. If the Narrator decides a Huge or Gargantuan object is vulnerable to a creature’s attacks, divide it into separate smaller sections that are each Large-sized and track the hit points of each section independently. For example, a Huge windmill might fall apart when the axle holding the blades is destroyed.

Objects and Damage Types

When damaging an object some damage types might be more effective than others, depending on the object’s composition. For example, slashing damage might help cut through a rope, but be less effective for smashing the legs of a stone statue. Flammable objects are typically vulnerable to fire, and unless noted otherwise (such as with inanimate plants) objects are immune to poison and psychic damage. The Narrator determines the effectiveness of any given attack on an object.

Damage Threshold

Objects built to endure attack (like the reinforced walls of a towering fort or the armored hull of a skyship) often have an extra measure of protection: a damage threshold. If an object has a damage threshold it is immune to damage unless an attack or effect deals damage equal to or greater than the damage threshold. Any attack or effect that deals damage less than the damage threshold instead deals no damage at all.

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Doors

This content is from Dungeon Delver's Guide.

Most doors are an inch or more thick and typically have 27 (5d10) hit points or more. The DC to bash down a door, or the AC to damage it, are as follows:

Door Toughness

Door Type	Bash DC	AC	Damage Threshold	Recommended Dungeon Level
Wooden	15	15	-	1+
Wooden, fortified	19	15	19	9+
Stone	17	17	-	5+
Stone, fortified	21	17	21	13+
Iron	19	19	-	9+
Iron, fortified	23	19	23	17+
Mithral	21	21	-	13+
Mithral, fortified	25	21	25	17+
Adamantine	23	23	-	17+
Adamantine, fortified	27	23	27	17+

 

Fortified Doors

Some dungeon doors are especially thick, protected by magical wards, or reinforced with iron bars. These fortified doors have damage thresholds equal to their AC values. Thus, an attack that would deal less than 15 damage has no effect on a fortified wooden door. The DC to force open a fortified door is increased by 4 (so a fortified adamantine door can be bashed open with a Strength check of 27).

Given enough time, characters can dismantle most doors—unless even rolling a 20 on a Strength check can’t bash it open and even a critical hit can’t overcome its damage threshold.