Crumblewall

Ultimate Equipment Guide II

Author Greg Lynch, J. C. Alvarez

Publisher Mongoose Publishing

Publish date 2005

This relatively cheap, highly effective defence consists of an additional layer of wall over one of the fortress’ sides. This ‘extra’ wall is not built as a normal wall, though, as it is intentionally weak and easy to crumble. A crumblewall has only barely enough mortar to remain erect, with no additional support; in addition, it has built-in sabotage planks, called busters, which can easily be pulled from the wall’s inner side, causing the crumblewall to fall down at will. When enemies attempt to Climb a crumblewall, or its built-in busters are used, the crumblewall collapses, crushing any creatures on its outer side.

Crumblewalls are bought by 20-foot square section; however, a crumblewall must always be exactly the same size as the wall it is built to cover. Walls shorter than 20 feet are not suitable for crumblewall addition. A 20-foot square section of crumblewall has AC 1, six inches of thickness, hardness 4 and 180 hit points.

Each Medium creature Climbing the outer side of a crumblewall adds a 1% chance per round the crumblewall will collapse. Small creatures add a 1% chance per round per two individuals, while Large creatures add a 5% chance per round each. A ladder adds only 15% to this chance, regardless of the size and number of creatures using it. Creatures that Climb a crumblewall via a grappling rope add their full chance for the crumblewall to collapse. For example, 20 Medium creatures Climb a crumblewall on grappling ropes and another 50 do it via a ladder, while a Large creature attempts to Climb the wall on its own. The total chance the crumblewall will collapse is 40% each round (1% for each creature Climbing through ropes plus 15% for the ladder plus 5% for the Large creature). Any damage dealt to a crumblewall by siege engines (such as catapults and ballistae) causes it to collapse automatically.

If a crumblewall fails to collapse by itself, a team of at least five characters can cause it to fall down in one minute (ten rounds) by pulling on its busters from the inner side of the wall. For every additional five characters dedicated to the task, halve the time required (rounding fractions up); therefore ten characters can collapse a crumblewall in five rounds, while 15 characters can do it in three rounds, 20 characters can do it in two and 25 or more characters can cause a crumblewall to fall down in a single round.

When a crumblewall collapses, all creatures within ten feet of its outer side suffer 6d6 points of bludgeoning damage, with a Reflex save (DC 20) allowed for half damage. Creatures between 10 and 20 feet suffer 3d6 points of bludgeoning damage, or no damage if they succeed on a Reflex save (DC 15). Creatures that were Climbing a crumblewall suffer falling damage, according to the distance fallen, in addition to damage dealt by the crumblewall. Any creature that has suffered bludgeoning damage from a crumblewall’s collapse is considered buried. A buried creature suffers 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per minute; upon falling unconscious, the creature must succeed at a Constitution check (DC 15) or begin suffocating, losing 1d6 points of lethal damage per round until dead or freed. A character can dig out his buried companions in a number of rounds equal to 4d6 minus its Strength modifier. Using the appropriate tools, such as Shovels or pickaxes, halves the required time. In any event, digging a buried character out is always at least a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

A crumblewall can be identified from ten feet by succeeding on a Craft (stonemasonry) check (DC 20) or Knowledge (architecture & engineering) check (DC 20). Add one to the DC of the check for every five feet of distance beyond ten. Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on this check.

Crumblewall (20 ft. by 20 ft. section): 600 gp.