Would you be happy if item destruction were removed from the game?
Tresset
Member, Moderator Posts: 8,264
How would you feel if items were not destroyed and lost in the case of disintegration kills, petrification kills, cold damage kills, level drain kills, and possibly imprisonment kills? Would you prefer it if the loot were protected from harm and formed a neat pile on the ground whenever the person holding the loot got killed in one of these ways or do you prefer the loot be destroyed. You can use any reason you want to justify your vote. I am more interested in the numbers here.
And, of course, this poll is just for fun and will not result in any official changes to the game. Unless maybe pigs suddenly start flying...
And, of course, this poll is just for fun and will not result in any official changes to the game. Unless maybe pigs suddenly start flying...
- Would you be happy if item destruction were removed from the game?154 votes
- I would prefer the loot be destroyed.38.96%
- I would prefer the loot not be destroyed.40.91%
- Look! A flying pig!20.13%
2
Comments
Since there can be no item saving throws in the game I am pleased with the current implementation. However I loathe level drain destroying items. It does not make sense. When a dreaded level draining undead (wight, wraith, spectre, vampire) kills a living being via level drain, that being spawns as one of the undead that killed it, so resurrection is often imposible, requiring a special quest. (you don't find ancient temples of Amaunator everywhere) In the game it perma-kills, but why does it destroy the items? In the case of spectral undead, (wraith and spectres) the person's body may dissolve and become a wraith and spectre but why does it destroy items? Well, if you nit pick spectres do have the clothing and armor they were wearing the moment they died, so maybe their items meld into their forms, as well. But wraiths are shadow like, mists with malevolent eyes and hungry claws. And, vampires destroying the victim's clothing/armor makes no sense.
At the very least get rid of the cold damage loot destruction, I would like to be able to use Cone of Cold, and fire or acid would be just as likely to destroy items as cold. Don't take that out of context, lest every elemental damaging spell starts destroying items.
Used to take out firkraag in bg 2 with a sequencer of greater malison and a couple of lower resist spells. Then finish him off with finger of death, desintegrate or the like. So unsatisfying. No fun at all. It's a good thing they come with a consequence or the game would be ruined imo.
Also, neither Cone of Cold nor Disintegrate should destroy loot according to the original D&D rules.
I'd say, keep the loot for those spells (or tie it to difficulty, only making them destroy loot on Core Rules and harder).
I just tested it out, the Gore option does indeed seem to work that way. That is, I Cone of Cold-ed the drunk above the Temple in Beregost, he drops a dagger with Gore=off, but nothing with Gore=on. Not sure whether it would also apply to Disintegrate and their ilk, but it seems likely.
Actually they do...disintegrate is one of the examples mentioned when talking about items being affected by failed saves (A creature that fails a save vs a fireball would have it's carried items damaged, possibly destroyed if dealt sufficient damage. While a creature that fails vs disintegrate would be reduced to dust along with their carried possessions). And the spell does say a creature and it's possessions or a 10ft square of material if it doesn't strike a target.
But I can't help but choose the flying pig option, I don't know why...
Smash orc, uh oh, run away, no club.
My preference would still be to remove it from cold damage altogether and restrict it to the specific spells where it makes sense thematically, and then to decouple it from the Gore option (either put a separate button or something in the .ini, or just have those spells always destroy items.
On the other hand, with Petrification you could argue that (at least some) items shouldn't be turned to stone along with the unfortunate victim but should be dropped on the ground or found on the statue afterwards.
I prefer that items get disintegrated... It does mean that some powerful spells get used on weaker monsters... Ones that don't carry worthy loot...
But is there anythingmore satisfying than disintegrating a Gibberling?
... It is comparable to popping bubble wrap ...
*pop*
Saying that however, I actually wouldn't have a problem with loot destruction if it was only connected to minor/consumable items (scrolls, potions, ammo etc) instead of the big stuff like Swords/armour/necklaces etc. I'd even be happy to see these items destroyed on failed saves as it would add some challenge to the game rather than be punishing like the loss of a magic weapon/armour would be (especially if it was a unique item)