Shatter and Holy Symbols

[SnowleopardVK]

Okay, before I'm going to get into my actual question on the shatter spell, I'd like to say that it's the general opinion of my group that a holy symbol is not a magic item itself (unless specifically noted), simply a focus for divine magic, and thus can be targeted by a shatter spell.

Now, down to business.

Assuming one was casting Shatter in an attempt to destroy a cleric's holy symbol, how is the saving throw for that handled? I get the impression that if the symbol is (for some reason) unattended it gets its own will save to negate the effect. I also get the impression that the will save of a holy symbol would be either nonexistent, or very low, but I don't know an exact number, and was hoping somebody could clear that up for me.

If the symbol is attended, things seem a fair bit simpler, with it simply using the will save of the one holding/attending to it in place of its own. Right?

 

[SteelDraco]

Here's the relevant bit from the SRD.

Saving Throws: Nonmagical, unattended items never make saving throws. They are considered to have failed their saving throws, so they are always fully affected by spells and other attacks that allow saving throws to resist or negate. An item attended by a character (being grasped, touched, or worn) makes saving throws as the character (that is, using the character's saving throw bonus).

Magic items always get saving throws. A magic item's Fortitude, Reflex, and Will save bonuses are equal to 2 + half its caster level. An attended magic item either makes saving throws as its owner or uses its own saving throw bonus, whichever is better.

So an unattended nonmagical object is just screwed if you shatter it and is immediately destroyed without a damage roll. Makes sense to me.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

AFAIK, just being on his person is being "attended," he doesn't need to be holding it.

Even if that's not RAW, it's how I'd handle it, because I don't like the ramifications of a low level spell auto-destroying any nonmagical item you possess that you don't actually have in your hands...

 

[SnowleopardVK]

AFAIK, just being on his person is being "attended," he doesn't need to be holding it.

Yes, that's our general opinion too. As long as its on someone's person in general, we consider it attended. Just wanted to know what to roll if, for example a weapon was knocked to the ground via disarm, or if a potion was sitting on a table and had not yet been grabbed.

And now that SteelDraco has answered that question, things are rather clear.