Sometimes,
masonry walls-stones piled on top of each other (usually but not
always held in place with mortar)-divide dungeons into corridors
and chambers. Dungeon walls can also be hewn from solid rock,
leaving them with a rough, chiseled look. Or, dungeon walls can
be the smooth, unblemished stone of a naturally occurring cave.
Dungeon walls are difficult to break down or through, but they're
generally easy to climb.
Masonry Walls: The most common kind of dungeon wall, masonry
walls are usually at least 1 foot thick. Often these ancient
walls sport cracks and crevices, and sometimes dangerous slimes
or small monsters live in these areas and wait for prey. Masonry
walls stop all but the loudest noises. It takes a DC 20 Climb
check to travel along a masonry wall.
Superior Masonry Walls: Sometimes masonry walls are better
built (smoother, with tighter-fitting stones and less cracking),
and occasionally these superior walls are covered with plaster
or stucco. Covered walls often bear paintings, carved reliefs,
or other decoration. Superior masonry walls are no more difficult
to destroy than regular masonry walls but are more difficult
to climb (DC 25).
Hewn Stone Walls: Such walls usually result when a chamber
or passage is tunneled out from solid rock. The rough surface
of a hewn wall frequently provides minuscule ledges where fungus
grows and fissures where vermin, bats, and subterranean snakes
live. When such a wall has an "other side" (it separates
two chambers in the dungeon), the wall is usually at least 3
feet thick; anything thinner risks collapsing from the weight
of all the stone overhead. It takes a DC 25 Climb check to climb
a hewn stone wall.
Unworked Stone Walls: These surfaces are uneven and rarely
flat. They are smooth to the touch but filled with tiny holes,
hidden alcoves, and ledges at various heights. They're also
usually wet or at least damp, since it's water that most frequently
creates natural caves. When such a wall has an "other side,"
the wall is usually at least 5 feet thick. It takes a DC 15
Climb check to move along an unworked stone wall.
SPECIAL WALLS
Reinforced Walls: These are masonry walls with iron bars on
one or both sides of the wall, or placed within the wall to
strengthen it. The hardness of a reinforced wall remains the
same, but its hit points are doubled and the Strength check
DC to break through it is increased by 10.
Iron Walls: These walls are placed within dungeons around important
places such as vaults.
Paper Walls: Paper walls are the opposite of iron walls, placed
as screens to block line of sight but nothing more.
Wooden Walls: Wooden walls often exist as recent additions
to older dungeons, used to create animal pens, storage bins,
or just to make a number of smaller rooms out of a larger one.
Magically Treated Walls: These walls are stronger than average,
with a greater hardness, more hit points, and a higher break
DC. Magic can usually double the hardness and hit points and
can add up to 20 to the break DC. A magically treated wall also
gains a saving throw against spells that could affect it, with
the save bonus equaling 2 + one-half the caster level of the
magic reinforcing the wall. Creating a magic wall requires the
Craft Wondrous Item feat and the expenditure of 1,500 gp for
each 10 foot-by-10-foot wall section.
Walls with Arrow Slits: Walls with arrow slits can be made
of any durable material but are most commonly masonry, hewn
stone, or wood. Such a wall allows defenders to fire arrows
or crossbow bolts at intruders from behind the safety of the
wall. Archers behind arrow slits have improved cover that gives
them a +8 bonus to Armor Class, a +4 bonus on Reflex saves,
and the benefits of the improved evasion class feature.
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