OBJECT TIMERS Standard Diku does not support items crumbling as I had said, but it does in fact support AFF_ bits set on items. At any rate, I've pulled out my code that does support timers on items, and included instructions for installing it. I can't be positive that the lines that I tell you to look for are correct, since my copies of Circle have been mangled pretty bad, and I don't have the patience to get a new copy at 1200 baud. The new code below was pulled from my copy of Circle 2.01, and should work fine with 2.2, and probably 3.0. Step 1: Go into db.c and look for the following lines in load_objects(): for (; (j < MAX_OBJ_AFFECT); j++) { obj_proto[i].affected[j].location = APPLY_NONE; obj_proto[i].affected[j].modifier = 0; } After these, add: if (*chk == 'F') { fscanf(obj_f, " %d %d \n", &tmp, &tmp2); obj_proto[i].obj_flags.bitvector = tmp; obj_proto[i].obj_flags.timer = tmp2; fscanf(obj_f, " %s \n", chk); } At this point, you can add flag lines to your object files by going to the very end of the object (after the Affected values if you have them) and adding a single line of the form: F The bitvector corresponds to the AFF_ values in structs.h, and whenever this item is worn, these AFF_ bits will be set. At this point, the timer does not work yet. To get it to work: Step 2: Go into handler.c and look for void update_object(). Change it to look somewhat like the following code: void crumble_obj(struct char_data *ch, struct obj_data *obj) { struct obj_data *loop; int index; if (obj->in_room != NOWHERE) { /* In a room */ if (world[obj->in_room].people) { act("A quivering horde of maggots consumes $p.", TRUE, world[obj->in_room].people, obj, 0, TO_ROOM); act("A quivering horde of maggots consumes $p.", TRUE, world[obj->in_room].people, obj, 0, TO_CHAR); for(loop = obj->contains; loop; loop = obj->contains) { obj_from_obj(loop); obj_to_room(loop, obj->in_room); } } } else if (!obj->in_obj) { /* Worn or inventory */ act("$p decays in your hands.", FALSE, ch, obj, 0, TO_CHAR); for(loop = obj->contains; loop; loop = obj->contains) { obj_from_obj(loop); obj_to_char(loop, ch); } if (!obj->carried_by) for(index = 0; index < MAX_WEAR; index++) if (ch->equipment[index] == obj) obj = unequip_char(ch, index); } else /* In an object */ for(loop = obj->contains; loop; loop = obj->contains) { obj_from_obj(loop); obj_to_obj(loop, obj->in_obj); } extract_obj(obj); } void update_object(struct char_data *ch, struct obj_data *obj, int use) { if (obj->next_content) update_object(ch, obj->next_content, use); if (obj->contains) update_object(ch, obj->contains, use); if (obj->obj_flags.timer > 0) if ((obj->obj_flags.timer -= use) < 1) crumble_obj(ch, obj); } Step 3: Go down to update_char_objects() (in the same file) and modify the calls to update_object() so that they look like update_object(ch, ch->equipment[i], 2) and update_object(ch, ch->carrying, 1) Step 4: Go into limits.c and look for void point_update(). There's a set of code that looks like: if (!IS_NPC(i)) { update_char_objects(i); if (GET_LEVEL(i) < LEVEL_GOD) check_idling(i); } Change the ifs to match the ones below: if (!IS_NPC(i) || IS_AFFECTED(i, AFF_CHARM)) { update_char_objects(i); if (!IS_NPC(i) && (GET_LEVEL(i) < LEVEL_GOD)) check_idling(i); } Step 5: Further down in point update there's a loop that starts with for(j = object_list; j; j = next_thing) {. Delete everything between this for() statement and its closing bracket, and insert this as the loop contents: next_thing = j->next; /* Next in object list */ if (j->in_room == NOWHERE) continue; if ((GET_ITEM_TYPE(j) != ITEM_CONTAINER) || (!j->obj_flags.value[3])) continue; if (j->obj_flags.timer > 0) if (!(--j->obj_flags.timer)) crumble_obj(0, j); And there you go. If the timer is set > 0 in the object file, the objects will deteriorate by 1 if in a PC's inventory (or in a PCs bag), and by 2 if equipped. Since I have experience with running a MUD with this code, I think I ought to give a warning: Objects with any of the AFF_ bits can be extremely powerful and should be quite rare. Of course, you could set a timer on the object and hope it crumbles as they walk in on the dracolich...