Saving Throw Failure

If a wall section fails its saving throw once, it becomes damaged. The center 10-foot section loses 1/3 of its height and special cover such as hoardings, parapets, and splays are destroyed. The debris creates a crumbling slope that any character can attempt to climb. If a wall section fails its saving throw twice, it is destroyed. The center 10' section is breached and reduced to 1/3 of its original height. The breech becomes a rocky slope as long as the wall’s original thickness. In addition, the 10' section to either side of the breech becomes damaged. If the defenders have an abatis prepared they can move it into position immediately. An abatis saves as thin wood.

For example, an attacking army brings three heavy cannons to bear against a fortress with granite curtain walls 50' thick and 45' high. The walls save as hard stone and receive a +1 saving throw bonus for their thickness. The DM assigns them an additional +1 due to superior workmanship (a gang of storm giants working under a dwarven engineer built the castle).

The attackers aim all three of their cannons at one section of wall. At the end of one week, the defender rolls three saving throws. The rolls are 5, 9, and 20. All the rolls are successes and the attackers make no headway the first week. Assuming that the defenders do not sally forth to knock out the cannons, they continue their bombardment for another week.

At the end of the second week, the defender rolls three more saving throws. The rolls are 3, 4, and 11; two of the rolls are failures. The center of the 30' section of wall is reduced to a rocky slope 15' high, 10' wide, and 50' long. In addition, the 10' sections of wall to either side of the breech are damaged and reduced to sloping walls 30' high. Any special features on the damaged sections, such as hoardings, are destroyed.

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