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Greengiant
2009-07-19, 09:09 PM
So, I was thinking of making up an npc in my world just for jokes that performs in a circus with an immovable rod, swingin' round them, propelling himself through his own body power, pressing the button on the end of the rod to make it movable again, and he can just swing higher and higher, using the swings to propel himself higher.

So hey, other DM's out there, and people that are good at physics, do you think this would work? Sorry if I didn't explain it well. Just came to my mind.

Flickerdart
2009-07-19, 09:10 PM
No reason why it shouldn't. What's the weight of the rod, again? If it's heavy, this might not work so well.

Claudius Maximus
2009-07-19, 09:13 PM
Rods are generally 5 pounds, if I remember correctly.

Greengiant
2009-07-19, 09:34 PM
Most excellent, what other abilities or feats would lend themselves to this man?

Irreverent Fool
2009-07-19, 10:35 PM
Many ranks in tumble and jump would help him. Other than that, I can't think of anything official that would help him in this. I recommend making him an Exemplar -- a PrC based on doing one thing and doing it very well.

Also, he could do even more tricks with two rods.

obnoxious
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SirKazum
2009-07-19, 10:40 PM
By real-world physics, this should be impossible - but then again, real-world physics doesn't account for magic. As long as the immovable rod exists, I don't see why these antics would not be feasible. I've been trying to find creative ways to use immovable rods, and this actually sounds like a great way to use it, so thank you for that :smallwink:

Worira
2009-07-19, 10:45 PM
This is completely possible by real-world physics, if the real world had immovable rods. I'm not sure why you think it isn't.

Signmaker
2009-07-19, 10:52 PM
Who needs a Fly Speed when you can flip around like a gymnast? :smallwink:

ericgrau
2009-07-19, 11:05 PM
When you swing back and forth you build up momentum so it should be theoretically possible (by physics) to use that energy to go higher. Though like jumping it'll take a great deal to get much height.

Without inputting any energy, and before any significant slowdown, the acrobat will swing to the same height each time, whether he holds on or lets go. Each time he adds energy to the swinging he can make this height a little higher.

Maybe it'd be more like a gymnast on those two bars than a trapeze artist.

Greengiant
2009-07-19, 11:20 PM
I was thinking he could like, invent shoes controlled by magical triggers he could press with each one of his hands that when he pushes it, it triggers a mechanism that presses down the button on the immovable rod. Each shoe has an immovable rod on the bottom. Careful manipulation of the triggers in his hands while moving his feet can let him run on air!

This is now my new character when I finally get to play as a PC and not as the DM. :smallcool:

Now to think of even better things to do with immovable rods...

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-07-19, 11:31 PM
I was thinking he could like, invent shoes controlled by magical triggers he could press with each one of his hands that when he pushes it, it triggers a mechanism that presses down the button on the immovable rod. Each shoe has an immovable rod on the bottom. Careful manipulation of the triggers in his hands while moving his feet can let him run on air!Like this (http://agc.deskslave.org/comic_viewer.html?goNumber=75)?

Greengiant
2009-07-19, 11:34 PM
Like this (http://agc.deskslave.org/comic_viewer.html?goNumber=75)?

Damn it. Those guys who did it before me stole my idea!

Irreverent Fool
2009-07-20, 12:25 AM
Our party monk in one game got his hands on a pair of immovable rods and was very fond of using them as mobile monkeybars.

obnoxious
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hewhosaysfish
2009-07-20, 06:36 AM
Isn't there a "Brachiate" feat (in CAdv?) that lets you swing from branch to branch? Try to convince your GM that Immovable Rods count.

SirKazum
2009-07-20, 07:59 AM
This is completely possible by real-world physics, if the real world had immovable rods. I'm not sure why you think it isn't.

That's actually just what I said. Immovable rods are themselves impossible by real-world physics, but if they weren't, the OP's acrobatics would be perfectly feasible :smallwink:

JeenLeen
2009-07-20, 08:19 AM
Complete Adventurer might have some other feats or alternative uses for skills that you'd find useful. I'd also recommend looking at skill tricks in Complete Scroundel; some of them might apply.

Along with Exemplar, there's also Thief-Acrobat from CAdv (IIRC), which has some mobility and acrobatic ability that might be handy.

Only problem I see is that activating a rod is, I believe, a standard action by the mechanics. Perhaps Quick Draw and some DM house-ruling could let you use it. The magic item to activate sounds useful.
Do acquire a Climb speed.

Haven
2009-07-20, 08:31 AM
Complete Adventurer might have some other feats or alternative uses for skills that you'd find useful. I'd also recommend looking at skill tricks in Complete Scroundel; some of them might apply.

Along with Exemplar, there's also Thief-Acrobat from CAdv (IIRC), which has some mobility and acrobatic ability that might be handy.

Only problem I see is that activating a rod is, I believe, a standard action by the mechanics. Perhaps Quick Draw and some DM house-ruling could let you use it. The magic item to activate sounds useful.
Do acquire a Climb speed.

I don't know if that'd be a big problem, since he'd mostly just need move actions to do his acrobatics routine.

BigPapaSmurf
2009-07-20, 09:34 AM
There are so many awesome things you can do with the IR, though they can backfire if not careful, I had a PC try to cross a chasm by tying a rope to the non-button end and throwing the IR across the hole to try to impact the button on the rocks above the ledge they needed to get to. Of course he missed and ended up having the Rod fall into the chasm and hit the rocks down below, where it activated...anyway they had to climb down to deactivate it, though it was "stuck" to the rockface making the button inassessable so they had break the rock.

I stopped a charging bull once by activating it vertically in front of the things head at the last second, the rod fell to the floor as we figured it did 8000+# of pressure but the bull was knocked out. I had to roll a "piss your pants" check.

I'm of the opinion that PCs should never get access to two IRs, way too powerful and useful.

One cruel trick I though of was to have a floor or bridge or something which is held up by IRs(maybe just a keystone), though they are already holding up 99%+ of their weight limit, so while it looks really sound, anyone who goes out will cause it to collapse. I was always looking for traps which could not be detected by normal means.

Quincunx
2009-07-20, 10:06 AM
Add a rope and several ranks of Use Rope and/or Sleight of Hand. See, your NPC begins the ascent with some nifty rope tricks into the empty air, and just as he sets up for the most exciting swing, the rope falls away! . . .and he continues the performance as though nothing has happened.

Twilight Jack
2009-07-20, 12:01 PM
I once tried to create a character using this precise trick. The problem I encountered is that it is a move action to either activate or deactivate an immovable rod. So, without a kind DM and/or a custom feat for your character, the dream of a character performing complex acrobatic feats and brachiating through open air is pretty much impossible.

You use up your entire round's worth of action activating and deactivating the rods.

If your DM allows you to take a feat to activate/deactivate immovable rods as a free action, then you've essentially got the ability to fly by using Tumble, Climb, and Jump checks. Good times.

Hzurr
2009-07-20, 02:04 PM
Isn't there a "Brachiate" feat (in CAdv?) that lets you swing from branch to branch? Try to convince your GM that Immovable Rods count.

I had a PC in my game do this. He was a jungle goblin barbarian, and had brachiate, quick draw, and 2 immovable rods. Essentially, we treated it as having a fly speed equal to (whatever the brachiate rule says) and a maneuverability of "clumsy." It was a relatively high level game (levels 12 - 16 or so if I remember correctly), so it wasn't really game breaking. We had a lot of fun with it

(It was also an evil campaign, and the PC was eventually "resurrected" as an intelligent ghoul later on in the campaign. A barbarian zombie ghoul swinging through the air at you is absolutely terrifying. )

Fuzzy_Juan
2009-07-20, 06:45 PM
another great trick is to use mage hand and press the button on an immovable rod after it goes down the gullet of a monster...prefferably a dragon in flight for added humor.

Also have used summoned creatures as suicide rod delivering devices...dimension door is fun that way.

Greengiant
2009-07-20, 07:31 PM
another great trick is to use mage hand and press the button on an immovable rod after it goes down the gullet of a monster...prefferably a dragon in flight for added humor.

Also have used summoned creatures as suicide rod delivering devices...dimension door is fun that way.

That is an amazing idea! Attached blades to each end of the rod are optional. :smalltongue:

Zaq
2009-07-20, 08:31 PM
I once tried to create a character using this precise trick. The problem I encountered is that it is a move action to either activate or deactivate an immovable rod. [...]

You use up your entire round's worth of action activating and deactivating the rods.

This is precisely what a familiar is for.

Greengiant
2009-07-20, 09:15 PM
This is precisely what a familiar is for.

Okay, so I'm looking at a Human Exemplar with Brachiation, stretching the rules a bit to make this work shouldn't be hard, since I'm going to implement some sort of magical trigger for the bars and that'll (with some help from me being the DM) move it down to be a free action.

Also, on another note, maybe I can attach immovable rods to a shield securely somehow, and press the button (from behind the shield) at precisely the time I am blocking the attack, that should give the character wielding it some sort of advantage.

Blue Warlock
2009-07-20, 09:18 PM
At 8th level a factotum can get you an extra standard action for every 3 inspiration points you spend, and you get to refill your points every encounter.
Would let you swing around a little bit anyway.

Signmaker
2009-07-20, 09:19 PM
Also, on another note, maybe I can attach immovable rods to a shield securely somehow, and press the button (from behind the shield) at precisely the time I am blocking the attack, that should give the character wielding it some sort of advantage.

+A LOT vs Bull Rush attempts.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-07-20, 11:30 PM
Okay, so I'm looking at a Human Exemplar with Brachiation, stretching the rules a bit to make this work shouldn't be hard, since I'm going to implement some sort of magical trigger for the bars and that'll (with some help from me being the DM) move it down to be a free action.

Also, on another note, maybe I can attach immovable rods to a shield securely somehow, and press the button (from behind the shield) at precisely the time I am blocking the attack, that should give the character wielding it some sort of advantage.Not really. Shields are in part supposed to redirect the opponent's weapon and move them around, not just stop the attack completely. Not to mention that you may well have the shield destroyed by doing that against someone with a larger weapon, since you can't absorb any of the force.

WeeFreeMen
2009-07-21, 12:39 AM
On the note of cool / nifty things to do with the Immobile Rods

Link:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6543650&posted=1#post6543650