Can Shatter sunder weapons?

[0-hr]

It seems to me that a Shatter spell can be used to sunder a held, non-magical weapon, no matter what it is made out of. This make the spell really useful (IMO) - more so than those encounters with brittle or crystaline objects/creatures. Am I correct in thinking that the spell can be used as such. This 'secondary' ability is really obscured with all of the talk about crystal things, but below are the relavant bits of the spell descritption:

Shatter

Area or Target: one solid object
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

Shatter creates a loud, ringing noise that ... sunders a single solid, nonmagical object..

...you can target shatter against a single solid object, regardless of composition, weighing up to 10 pounds per caster level.

 

[shilsen]

Yes, it can (if the wielder blows a Will save). Shatter has always been one of my favorite spells, not due to the crystalline creature aspect (which very rarely occurs) but because of all the creative use you can put that spell to.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Yes, you can shatter weapons being weilded. The weilder makes a Will save to protect the item. Remember that magic weapons get a bonus to their save equal to their enhancement bonus. Sentient weapons use their innate save or their weilder's, whichever is higher.

Which is a brutal little thing I'm going to have start doing to my players now that a religious war is brewing. Thanks for reminding me of this.

 

[Henry]

About four sessions ago, the halfling cleric in our Eberron game used it to shatter the bow string of a Jungle giant with a masterwork shortbow. He was 11th level, and the bow definitely weighed under 110 pounds, and the giant had a terrible will save. Pretty ingenious, actually, as it stymied the giant's action that round, sure to really hurt the monk of the party.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Yes, you can shatter weapons being weilded. The weilder makes a Will save to protect the item. Remember that magic weapons get a bonus to their save equal to their enhancement bonus. Sentient weapons use their innate save or their weilder's, whichever is higher.

You missed the part about not being able to use shatter against magical objects. During the religious war, make sure you remember that.

About four sessions ago, the halfling cleric in our Eberron game used it to shatter the bow string of a Jungle giant with a masterwork shortbow. He was 11th level, and the bow definitely weighed under 110 pounds, and the giant had a terrible will save.

Very generous to allow targeting of the string and not the whole bow. I would not allow it. I don't consider the string to be a separate object while it's on the bow. And, given that the string was targeted, I don't see how the weight of the bow had relevance. Similarly, I would not allow targeting shatter on a sword hilt, or armor straps, or a section of floor, etc. Of course, what really is an "object" is a gray area, so I can't fault the DM in this case. But, as a player I would work towards exploiting the precedence it sets up.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

Heck, that's what shatter is for. (If you ask me)

 

[shilsen]

Heck, that's what shatter is for. (If you ask me)

Absolutely. The fact that you can target nonmagial solid objects of any consistency makes Shatter an incredibly useful spell.

 

[lukelightning]

You missed the part about not being able to use shatter against magical objects....

You: I wonder if this diamond pendant is magical?
Wizard: Oooh, I can tell you...(casts shatter, turning the diamond to dust). My answer: not magic.
You: *$)@*$ wizard!
Wizard: Uh, well at least we can use that for stoneskin, hold on while I get my dustpan.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Yup, I sure did. That actually makes it more useful in my opinion since the caster is unlikely to accidentally destroy something he might have wanted. Yes, this will be used quite a lot, I think. It will require some intelligent targeting ("He shattered my saddle?!?") but it has much potential.

 

[MarkB]

Yup, I sure did. That actually makes it more useful in my opinion since the caster is unlikely to accidentally destroy something he might have wanted. Yes, this will be used quite a lot, I think. It will require some intelligent targeting ("He shattered my saddle?!?") but it has much potential.

Indeed. Whilst targeting it against wizards is sub-optimal (due to their Will saves), if you can pull it off, shattering a spell component pouch is a very nasty thing to do. And if you're up against an archer with a magical bow, slow him down by shattering his quiver.