not sure if bug or intented

[deda]

You are shocked by a gnome-crafted shortsword.
Your muscles stop responding.
A rabbit foot tied to a leather cord is fused into a worthless lump.

seems that being shocked can destroy items, even high level ones. intended or not?

[Earwin]

There are elemental effects that come from weapons & breaths.
Maybe some other spells, I don't remember.

Shock effect zaps staves, wands & jewelry.
Fire effect zaps potions, pills, staves, wands, scrolls, containers & food.
Cold effect zaps potions & drinks.
Poison effect poisons food & drinks.
Acid effect zaps containers, clothing, staves, wands, scrolls & diminishes AC on armor.
[I'm not covering effects on character themselves]

That's prehistoric sh*t that was already in place in ROM before Chemosh-senpai read his first Dragonlance book, and I don't think anybody has ever touched it.
E.g. see: https://github.com/MUDOmnibus/Rom24b6/blob/master/src/effects.c

Before Solace's power inflation, its rot-flinging mobproging summoning 75lvl mobs, this was considered the max terribleness you could possibly encounter.
Plus MUDs this was introduced in did not have item limits, and zap simply wasted a bit of your time to reequip.