Item Saving Throws are required whenever a character fails a saving throw against a special attack form or the attack form offers no saving throw. In general, only exposed items must save, and if the container or covering fails it’s save by 5 or more, contents may need to save with a bonus of +1 to +4 per the GM. Unattended objects must always save and can also be affected by normal weapon blows.

Saving Throw Bonuses and Penalties. All items, magical or mundane, will gain a +5 bonus to its save if the attack form is one the item is specially made to resist or similar in form to the function of the item itself. For example a shield saving against a giant’s crushing blow attack or a wand of fire affected by a fireball. Some items are made specifically to harm others—this might grant a penalty to the save or other effect (e.g. a sharp slashing or cutting weapon vs. a rope). Liquids can be affected even if their container is not if the attack form is fire/heat or lightning/electricity. For non-flammable liquids, it may not be obvious the liquid has been rendered inert. Falls onto soft surfaces will grant a bonus of +1 to +5 on the save. For every 5 feet of falling past 5 feet, the item will suffer a -1 to the save.

Magic Items. All magic items gain a +2 bonus to the save and an addition +1 per “+”, if any, of magic (e.g. a +2 long sword has a +3 to all item saves).

Broken. In some cases, the GM will rule that an item is broken rather than destroyed outright. If this is the case, the item will be usable but any use of the item will be at a -2 penalty (even if this results in a negative value as the item will hinder use). Thus broken armor will be 2 factors worse than normal and future saves for the item will be at -2. A broken long sword will function, but at -2 to attack rolls and damage.