PDA

View Full Version : Fun with an Immovable Rod



jagadaishio
2009-07-20, 10:37 PM
One of my friends, doubting the awesome might that is an immovable rod, is of the opinion that an immovable rod is useless as anything other than a door jam or a single stepping stone if used in quantities less than two. So, tell me, what creative things have you/would you do with a single immovable rod?

Berserk Monk
2009-07-20, 10:39 PM
Question: what happens when an unmovable rod meets an unstoppable wand?

WeeFreeMen
2009-07-20, 10:47 PM
I made a character for a 1 time session that revolved largely around arial combat.

Nothing says awesome like activating a immobile rod while being pursuit only to watch the rider of the opposing dragon (or even the dragon itself) slam into it full force.

ah good times.
Alternately, you can jump, activate, acrobatic jump, activate again. Until you reach the sky ;p
Fun for rouges with the drop cut or for snipers.
"Is that man standing on a cloud AND plugging an entire tree into my chest?"

:D

jagadaishio
2009-07-20, 11:08 PM
I made a character for a 1 time session that revolved largely around arial combat.

Nothing says awesome like activating a immobile rod while being pursuit only to watch the rider of the opposing dragon (or even the dragon itself) slam into it full force.

ah good times.
Alternately, you can jump, activate, acrobatic jump, activate again. Until you reach the sky ;p
Fun for rouges with the drop cut or for snipers.
"Is that man standing on a cloud AND plugging an entire tree into my chest?"

:D

Hah, those are fantastic. Does anyone have any more?

Signmaker
2009-07-20, 11:21 PM
A particularly crafty rogue can perch from one while invisible to snipe his enemies in to oblivion, while remaining out of range of scary swords and such.

Additionally, binding someone behind their back to the non-button end and then pushing the button. While hanging off a cliff.

The possibilities are ENDLESS.

Shinizak
2009-07-20, 11:29 PM
This is only a bit of DM fluff, but you could make a castle (tower) with an all important weight focal point that keeps up the castle up. So your tower is taken by enemy forces, So what? You simply deactivate the rod and watch the tower crush your foes to death, EVERYONE'S HAPPY!!!

DDRNick
2009-07-20, 11:30 PM
Get eaten by a dragon or any large+ monster that engulfs. Activate and escape.

Hat-Trick
2009-07-21, 12:10 AM
Alternate on someone else's:

Activate to black a charge.

You can hang a rope from it to rappel up (if you're really good with a ranged weapon to hit the button) or down a cliff. Use it to hold up the ceiling so your adventurers are crushed if they try to take it. Someone said acrobatic jumps up, but if done right, it might slow a fall, might need a roll to do it.

Ravens_cry
2009-07-21, 12:19 AM
This is only a bit of DM fluff, but you could make a castle (tower) with an all important weight focal point that keeps up the castle up. So your tower is taken by enemy forces, So what? You simply deactivate the rod and watch the tower crush your foes to death, EVERYONE'S HAPPY!!!
You would likely need more then one, as an immovable rod can 'only' support 8000 pounds (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#immovableRod).

Sitzkrieg
2009-07-21, 12:27 AM
Grapple and pin a foe, press the rod into its wrists, and press the button! Permanent pin is perfect for interrogations.

jagadaishio
2009-07-21, 12:42 AM
You would likely need more then one, as an immovable rod can 'only' support 8000 pounds (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#immovableRod).

Unless it's only holding up the 7,000 lb keystone to the arch integral to the building's structural integrity. With its removal, the keystone slides free and the building comes tumbling down.

Milskidasith
2009-07-21, 12:48 AM
The problem with the immovable rod is that it requires a move action to activate/deactivate, so you can't really do much in the way of acrobatics.

However, with a homebrew "activating rods is a free action" thing (which kind of makes sense; pressing a button doesn't take as much time as running a few dozen feet), it would be awesome.

Ravens_cry
2009-07-21, 12:57 AM
Unless it's only holding up the 7,000 lb keystone to the arch integral to the building's structural integrity. With its removal, the keystone slides free and the building comes tumbling down.
I am no engineer, but isn't there more force pushing on the keystone then simply it's weight?

Shadowbane
2009-07-21, 12:58 AM
Question: what happens when an unmovable rod meets an unstoppable wand?

Nice.

I used the "make someone smash into it" trick in an aerial battle.

WeeFreeMen
2009-07-21, 01:13 AM
I am no engineer, but isn't there more force pushing on the keystone then simply it's weight?

Ironically enough, not really.
Think of an Arch, the only forces present on the keystone is the downward pull of gravity, which in turn puts an outward force on the corners of the arch / stones. The break down of this comes to the downward but horizontal thrust of forces on the arch. So theoreticaly it could be possible to do the Keystone + Rod trick, however holding up the keystone wouldnt make much sense, as gravity / friction / mortar does the job just find.

Setting off a charge (Explosive Runes) on a Keystone would more than likely be the best option.

Now if were talking about Box's that is a whole different lesson.
Ciao.

1stEd.Thief
2009-07-21, 01:18 AM
As an engineer (seriously) I can say that one could make an immovable rod support a keystone brick that holds a structure together. Perhaps not the traditional archway keystone (I havn't done a FBD or any other "Knowledge (Engineering)" tasks) but definately possible.
Think of a mouse trap, and how much less force is required to hold the hold-down-bar than to hold the spring-loaded-mouse-killer-bar.

Enguhl
2009-07-21, 01:19 AM
For the keystone trick, it would have to be rectangular, instead of the normal shape of a keystone (trapezoid? not sure on this). Or even upside-down from its normal shape/position for a guaranteed success.

Vaynor
2009-07-21, 03:44 AM
You can use it to fall from very high up, just continuously activate and deactivate it until you're on the ground.

Talic
2009-07-21, 03:59 AM
You can do a keystone/rod combo.

20,000 pound stone (yes, I know it's more than 8,000 pounds)

Weight split evenly between 2 architectural supports, and the rod (6667 or so pounds on each).

Architectural supports are able to support 8000 pounds. Any greater amount, and they'll (bow out/collapse in), allowing the keystone to fall, and then collapsing the structure. (Onset delay trap - 2 round delay, Never miss feature, cave-in)

Now, as long as the rod's in place, everything's fine. As soon as the rod is removed, each support must support 10,000 pounds, which it cannot do.

Yuki Akuma
2009-07-21, 04:28 AM
Question: what happens when an unmovable rod meets an unstoppable wand?

The unstoppable wand bounces off the immovable rod and changes direction without altering its momentum.

Which is physically impossible, which is why there's no such thing... >.>

(Alternatively, the unstoppable wand exerts more than 8,000 pounds of force and the immovable rod turns out to not be quite so immovable.)


You can use it to fall from very high up, just continuously activate and deactivate it until you're on the ground.

You can only press the button once per round, as it's a standard action..

You fall 150 feet in the first round and 300 in the second.

You would rip your arms out of their sockets. :P

Vorpal Soda
2009-07-21, 04:35 AM
Fire it out of a bow at someone who is running at you, button first. If it hits, it will stop them, and probably hurt.*



* I accept no responsibility for any character or player death that may arise from attempting the above action.

SilverSheriff
2009-07-21, 04:45 AM
Teach him a lesson by shoving the Rod up his character's arse and activating it.:smallbiggrin:

Vaynor
2009-07-21, 04:46 AM
You can only press the button once per round, as it's a standard action..

You fall 150 feet in the first round and 300 in the second.

You would rip your arms out of their sockets. :P

Pfft, logic. It would have been a cool use, oh well.

Pika...
2009-07-21, 04:50 AM
1. Get the rogue to sneak into the sleeping dragon's lair while it is asleep on it's horde.
2. Have him tie it's tale to the rod.
3. Proceed to loot quietly.
4. If/When the dragon awakes, run, then momentarily look back to laugh and ridicule.

MichielHagen
2009-07-21, 05:09 AM
1. Get the rogue to sneak into the sleeping dragon's lair while it is asleep on it's horde.
2. Have him tie it's tale to the rod.
3. Proceed to loot quietly.
4. If/When the dragon awakes, run, then momentarily look back to laugh and ridicule.

5. Then proceed to bleed and cry as you realise the dragon is eating you after he has pressed the button to the rod.

BTW, i find the rules quite stupid.
The rod cannot hold a 8000 lbs rock.
An adult dragon can carry a 8000 lbs rock.
An adult dragon can drag along 5 x 8000 lbs rock.
But an adult dragon cannot move the rod.

Ravens_cry
2009-07-21, 05:27 AM
5. Then proceed to bleed and cry as you realise the dragon is eating you after he has pressed the button to the rod.

BTW, i find the rules quite stupid.
The rod cannot hold a 8000 lbs rock.
An adult dragon can carry a 8000 lbs rock.
An adult dragon can drag along 5 x 8000 lbs rock.
But an adult dragon cannot move the rod.
He can make a DC 30 strength check to move it 10 feet in a round. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#immovableRod) Which if he can do the above feats of lifting, he could do easily. So hoard snatcher isn't quite as safe as he may think.

MichielHagen
2009-07-21, 06:04 AM
He can make a DC 30 strength check to move it 10 feet in a round. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#immovableRod) Which if he can do the above feats of lifting, he could do easily. So hoard snatcher isn't quite as safe as he may think.

A huge creature with 32 STR has a heavy load of over 8000 lbs.
But he only has a 10% to move 10 feet per round. That does not sound "easily" to me.

Talic
2009-07-21, 06:37 AM
Does that factor in the bonus that a dragon gets by virtue of being a quadruped?

Lolzords
2009-07-21, 07:05 AM
You can only press the button once per round, as it's a standard action..

You fall 150 feet in the first round and 300 in the second.

You would rip your arms out of their sockets. :P

Actually you can press it twice a round, it's a move action. But your point still remains, his arms would dislocate if not get ripped off entirely.

Dogmantra
2009-07-21, 07:20 AM
To keep people in the same spot, cut a hole in their stomach, place the rod inside, activate it, then cast regeneration on them. They can never move.

seventhearl
2009-07-21, 07:22 AM
Actually you can press it twice a round, it's a move action. But your point still remains, his arms would dislocate if not get ripped off entirely.

Are but if you took multiple rounds to go down stopping every 9ft you could manage it without any damage

Yuki Akuma
2009-07-21, 07:24 AM
Are but if you took multiple rounds to go down stopping every 9ft you could manage it without any damage

In the first six seconds of a fall you fall 150 feet.

You would need to tap the button within 0.37 seconds of the start of your decent.

No, you can't do that.

seventhearl
2009-07-21, 07:36 AM
This is Dnd why shouldn't you be able too? It doesn't take that long to press a button and these are meant to be people with above human characteristics.

True if they weren't prepared for the fall they wouldn't be able to but they could ready an action to activate the rod if they fell couldn't they?

ericgrau
2009-07-21, 09:59 AM
To catch a ledge while falling is a DC 30 or 35 climb check. Some characters could pull it off. If the character readied an action to do it immediately upon falling then having the DM lower the DC a great deal (to 10 or 15 plus penalty) as an ad hoc decision sounds reasonable too.

jagadaishio
2009-07-21, 10:24 AM
Of course, an acrobatic person wouldn't just grab on to the rod and jerkily fall. They would grab the rod and use their downward momentum to spin around the rod a few times, like a kid who went too high on a swing or a gymnast swinging on bars. Sure, even then it would be really difficult, a little painful, and frankly suck way more than a ring of featherfall. But it could be done.

mistformsquirrl
2009-07-21, 11:45 AM
Hope this hasn't been mentioned yet...

As an archer, get a Tower shield and use the Immovable Rod as the handle at the center.

When combat arises, set your shield in position and hit the button.

Instant hands-free cover while you snipe. >.>

(Not the most fantastically out-there idea I admit)

Shinizak
2009-07-21, 12:03 PM
Hope this hasn't been mentioned yet...

As an archer, get a Tower shield and use the Immovable Rod as the handle at the center.

When combat arises, set your shield in position and hit the button.

Instant hands-free cover while you snipe. >.>

(Not the most fantastically out-there idea I admit)

Couldn't you do that already with an Animated tower shield?

Darcand
2009-07-21, 12:18 PM
You've all missed the single most important use for immovable rods. With two of them you can hang a hammock absolutely anywhere.

Signmaker
2009-07-21, 12:27 PM
You've all missed the single most important use for immovable rods. With two of them you can hang a hammock absolutely anywhere.

"And the peasants did stare, and pointed their gnarled and dirt-covered fingers to the sky, at the lone figure who, high in the sky, rested. And they did think 'Wow, wish I was that guy.'"

paladin_carvin
2009-07-21, 12:33 PM
I once DMed where I gave two immovable rods to the rogue. The big boss of that part of the campaign was a white dragon. What did the rogue decide to do? Shove the rod inside the dragon's mouth and turn it on. It worked, but the rogue lost his arm in the process. The dragon killed itself in a violent, bloody struggle to remove the rod.

mistformsquirrl
2009-07-21, 12:51 PM
Couldn't you do that already with an Animated tower shield?

Yeah, but this way you can always detach the rod for all of it's useful goodness <^_^> The shield doesn't even have to be magical either.

(Obviously, it's not an amazing tactic or anything <,< but it works)

SirKazum
2009-07-21, 01:02 PM
Well yeah, but for all the rod costs, you're probably better off planting a stake into the ground behind the shield or whatever. I'm just saying, that sounds like a rather modest use for such a handy item as the immovable rod.

Darcand
2009-07-21, 01:14 PM
I just reread the original post and realized we were asked for uses for a single IR. Try these.

-You can tie up your mount to it at night.

-It can function as an anchor on a boat.

-Use with knowledge (engineering) in a lever, or pulley system.

-To stop an Indiana Jones style slowly crushing room trap, or to hold open a heavy gate.

-With the light spell it becomes a portable, hands free lamp.

-With some slight of hand it could be used to embarrass/ intimidate dim witted giants.

-Keep it tied to a length of rope and lasso runaways....okay, that one is a stretch, but since it is a move action to activate and a standard action to use rope, possible.

-Find out exactly what happens if you stick one inside a bag of holding and activate it?

SSGoW
2009-07-21, 01:31 PM
what does happen you place one inside a bag of holding? i think nothing since its in a different dimension and in that dimension it is staying still...


kinda the same process of putting the rod anywhere... the earth is still spinning and moving through space sooo i guess it should be called tenslers reletive IR :p

Hzurr
2009-07-21, 01:41 PM
Step 1: Pick a class or item that gives you some sort of teleportation ability
Step 2: Get swallowed whole by a large monster
Step 3: While in the stomache, activate the rod
Step 4: Teleport out.

Just remember, there's a big difference between "I can pull 8000 lbs" and "I have to excerpt 8000lbs of pressure on an object in my stomache."


Other quick thoughts:
- Save yourself when you fall in a pit trap
- Brace a door shut
- Keep from getting swept out to sea/down a river

Also remember that mage hand can push a button and activate this, so you don't necessarily need to have the rod in your hand to use it.

Croverus
2009-07-21, 01:46 PM
what does happen you place one inside a bag of holding? i think nothing since its in a different dimension and in that dimension it is staying still...


kinda the same process of putting the rod anywhere... the earth is still spinning and moving through space sooo i guess it should be called tenslers reletive IR :p

Witha group of friends we've made house rules on such events. For a bag of holding, activatin the rod inside the bad actually exerts the effects on the whole bag, so the bag will ahng motionless. We've used this to put just the rod in the bag, place the bag in the center of a clearing, activate button, clsoe bag, then find cover. First person to come across the bag lying on the ground tries to move it, and can't. The time it takes to untie the bag and reach inside is more than enough for the party to rain aroowy/bolty/bullety/spelly death upon the poor sap.

Random832
2009-07-21, 01:48 PM
what does happen you place one inside a bag of holding? i think nothing since its in a different dimension and in that dimension it is staying still...

If that's the case then what if you put it halfway in and out of a bag of holding - or try to put a bag of holding over it while it's active?

Darcand
2009-07-21, 01:53 PM
how about setting it horizontally at ankle height in a busy city street and then casting invisibility....

hanging a pinata has never been more convenient!

Jade_Tarem
2009-07-21, 02:02 PM
1. Airship Hand Brake: take that baby into tight turns.

2. Plug the hole in a dam: why should some Dutch kid suffer?

3. Obscuring Mist + Single Rod + Bluff Check: stand off a cliff and convince bad guys that there's ground between you and them.

4. Floor Section + Single Rod: Booby Trap! An enemy's weight depresses the button, and as the rod was the only thing holding up this particular part of the floor...

5. Decanter of Endless Water + Single Rod: can be turned into an impromptu projectile weapon - jam the button end of the rod into the neck of the decanter, and activate the decanter. When the water pressure goes high enough, the button will depress and the rod will fire spectacularly.

6. Gate Spell + Single Rod: because nothing is funnier than a clotheslined Balor.

7. Temporal Jump Extender: get some real airtime!

SSGoW
2009-07-21, 02:04 PM
well teh bag would fall off from around the rod since the rod aint all the way in it... or if the bag is above the rod with the bag of holding whole pointed downward with the rod going up into it... the bag would fall down and concume the rod

Random832
2009-07-21, 02:18 PM
Homebrew feat idea...

Immovable Rod Acrobat:
Prerequisites: Dex 17, Str special*, +14 two of Jump/Tumble/Balance (+12 in the other), +10 Climb.

May swing through the air and maneuver with immovable rod(s) without serious risk of failure. for particularly difficult tricks, a skill roll may still be required; a failure means you catch yourself and hang in an an awkward position, requiring 1d4 full rounds to recover, but will not cause you to fall to the ground if the rod is positioned more than 9 feet off the ground. You may still choose to drop to the ground in response to a failure - you are entitled to a tumble check as normal to reduce damage. Treat this as a fall from your height below the rod's position.

*Maximum medium load must be less than character weight.

Inspired by thoughts of how disastrous some of these tricks would be if you rolled a one.

Edit: Changed prerequisites to allow more flexibility (get it earlier by taking Agile and Acrobatic feats, for instance, or by having Dex >= 20)

SSGoW
2009-07-21, 02:53 PM
niiice :3

hmmm there should be a rogue build around this IR Rogue :D

BenTheJester
2009-07-21, 09:44 PM
Teach him a lesson by shoving the Rod up his character's arse and activating it.:smallbiggrin:

Unless it's a paladin. I don't think there's enough room in there for a second one.

Raum
2009-07-21, 10:59 PM
A few single rod uses:
- hold a door open or shut.
- hold one end of a rope.
- use as a stepping stone to cross a river / chasm / whatever.
- use as a handhold to cross treacherous surfaces.
- hang your cloak.
- hold up the sentry you just killed.
- hold down the sentry you're drowning.
- hang a chair from it and have a comfortable seat anywhere.
- hold down the bladder of air while you're swimming underwater.
- hang your food up so the bears don't get it while you sleep.
- hang anything (including your food) up just out of the halfling's reach.
- lean against it when your feet are tired.
- set it at chest level on the courier's night route.
- tether anything to it.
- bet the dumb barbarian he can't lift it.
- hang out of the dumb barbarian's reach after he lifts it in spite of not finding the button.

DragonBaneDM
2009-07-21, 11:06 PM
I can't resist.

Defeat villain.

Activate rod whilst vertical.

Make villain sit on top of rod.

Aaaand rotate 360 degrees. :P

Callista
2009-07-21, 11:54 PM
In the first six seconds of a fall you fall 150 feet.

You would need to tap the button within 0.37 seconds of the start of your decent.

No, you can't do that.Yeah you can... if you activate the first button as a ready action, and place the second rod down only a few feet, deactivate the first... you know, ladder-fashion. Only works if you either knew you were going to fall or else "deliberately falling" counts the same as dropping prone and still leaves you the action to push the button.

The dragon who swallows the immovable rod can deactivate it with a quick Dispel Magic. Any of the older dragons can do this pretty easily, and it's always a good idea to keep a scroll or two of that around even if it isn't one of the spells they happen to know. Plus, any dragon with class levels is going to take that spell, as any decent wizard should... Meaning that any dragon worth its salt which is actually big enough to swallow a PC will also be prepared for the Immovable Rod trick.

This is beside the point, though. Most dragons are not stupid enough to swallow an adventurer whole. It's a valid strategy for big, stupid monsters, but not for big, smart monsters.

ChrisDemilich
2009-07-21, 11:57 PM
You know, for a minor additional fee, most DM's would probably allow the creation of a custom made Immovable rod, with two buttons. One being a delayed use button. After being pressed, the rod takes 6 seconds to activate it's function, allowing it to be thrown before activation.

The benefit of course, allowing you to easily send a rope across a river of gorge up to your throw distance. of course, people would likely think up their own ideas.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-07-22, 12:07 AM
The dragon who swallows the immovable rod can deactivate it with a quick Dispel Magic. Any of the older dragons can do this pretty easily, and it's always a good idea to keep a scroll or two of that around even if it isn't one of the spells they happen to know. Plus, any dragon with class levels is going to take that spell, as any decent wizard should... Meaning that any dragon worth its salt which is actually big enough to swallow a PC will also be prepared for the Immovable Rod trick.The dragon's body blocks LoE and LoS. It can cut it's belly open to cast it, but that's about it. And even if he could Dispel it, he still has to cough it up before it reactivates, which is not good to try to pull in-combat.

Jade_Tarem
2009-07-22, 12:12 AM
I can't resist.

Defeat villain.

Activate rod whilst vertical.

Make villain sit on top of rod.

Aaaand rotate 360 degrees. :P

He's screwed now!


An immovable rod can also be used as a practical joke/money making device. Find a tree of less than 8,000 lbs., climb to near the top, drill deep into the tree and plant the rod there, vertically (button down), and finish by disguising the hole (healing the plant would probably do it).

Then, find the greatest lumber guild in the lands and tell them marvelous tales about how this tree is the toughest tree ever! Bet them a significant quantity of gold that their best guy can't fell this tree in under three hours.

Hilarity ensues.


The dragon's body blocks LoE and LoS. It can cut it's belly open to cast it, but that's about it. And even if he could Dispel it, he still has to cough it up before it reactivates, which is not good to try to pull in-combat.

Fortunate, then, that Dispel can affect an area with everything in it in addition to targeting various things - and even if blocking LoE stops this, then the dragon can simply stretch out his neck and swallow when the spell goes off, since that will open his gullet to his stomach, reopening LoE (Hey, the DM can be picky too! :smalltongue:). Also, induced vomiting is generally as simple as deliberately failing a fortitude save.

But the key problem has been pointed out already - no dragon is going to eat adventurers when said PCs are obviously packing magic loot.

jagadaishio
2009-07-22, 10:44 AM
He's screwed now!


An immovable rod can also be used as a practical joke/money making device. Find a tree of less than 8,000 lbs., climb to near the top, drill deep into the tree and plant the rod there, vertically (button down), and finish by disguising the hole (healing the plant would probably do it).

Then, find the greatest lumber guild in the lands and tell them marvelous tales about how this tree is the toughest tree ever! Bet them a significant quantity of gold that their best guy can't fell this tree in under three hours.

Hilarity ensues.



Fortunate, then, that Dispel can affect an area with everything in it in addition to targeting various things - and even if blocking LoE stops this, then the dragon can simply stretch out his neck and swallow when the spell goes off, since that will open his gullet to his stomach, reopening LoE (Hey, the DM can be picky too! :smalltongue:). Also, induced vomiting is generally as simple as deliberately failing a fortitude save.

But the key problem has been pointed out already - no dragon is going to eat adventurers when said PCs are obviously packing magic loot.

So then the tree would just hang there after it's been severed from below. As long as the tree is less than four tons in weight, it would be hilarious. As for dragons eating things with magic, I disagree. I was always of the opinion that after eating adventurers, the dragon would excrete their bones and loot owl pellet-style, break it apart, and add it their their horde.

Fixer
2009-07-22, 01:41 PM
"And the peasants did stare, and pointed their gnarled and dirt-covered fingers to the sky, at the lone figure who, high in the sky, rested. And they did think 'Wow, wish I was that guy.'"
Until it rained.... ;)

Random832
2009-07-22, 02:09 PM
Until it rained.... ;)

Isn't there a tent that can hang between two trees in some book?

Of course - getting them actually hung up a distance apart greater than your height plus maybe the length of the rod is tricky if you have no means of getting up there other than climbing the rods.

Darcand
2009-07-22, 02:14 PM
Isn't there a tent that can hang between two trees in some book?

Of course - getting them actually hung up a distance apart greater than your height plus maybe the length of the rod is tricky if you have no means of getting up there other than climbing the rods.

Ahhh, but with four more rods....

Ravens_cry
2009-07-22, 02:18 PM
Ahhh, but with four more rods....
Make sure you have good strong canvas for the floor of the tent. Otherwise, riiipp.

EleventhHour
2009-07-22, 02:20 PM
Fun with an Immovable Rod?

... :smallredface:

Oh, you meant acrobatics. See, this is what I get for reading titles, and not the OPs.

hamishspence
2009-07-22, 02:23 PM
I'm surprised somone else hasn't made the "Is that an immovable rod in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" joke. :smallamused:

Random832
2009-07-22, 02:45 PM
Make sure you have good strong canvas for the floor of the tent. Otherwise, riiipp.

The tent I'm thinking of (I can't remember what book) was specifically shown hanging from a rope between two trees. It was some sort of Elven thing, I think.

jagadaishio
2009-07-23, 12:27 AM
I'm surprised somone else hasn't made the "Is that an immovable rod in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" joke. :smallamused:

"I'm just happy to see you" would be worse than an immovable rod. Think about it. Worst magical STD ever.

"Old man Johnson has been standing in that same spot for fifteen years now. We have to bring him food or he'll starve. Some say he's just senile and a bit soft. Others, though, say that he has... THE IMMOVABLE ROD!"

Skorj
2009-07-23, 01:51 AM
One immovable rod = meh.

Two immovable rods + custom boots = awesome. You can climb anywhere, cross seas, laugh at rivers of flaming lava, enter castles and towers at a whim, walk up to orbit and back down (with a ring of sustenance) to dispose of those really annoying monster remains, really go all sorts of annoying places.

Kylarra
2009-07-23, 01:57 AM
Make sure you have good strong canvas for the floor of the tent. Otherwise, riiipp.Just bring a small house

:smallbiggrin:

Ripped Shirt Kirk
2009-07-24, 05:24 AM
Tie a rope to the immovable rod, throw it across a chasm or something of the like, then activate using mage hand, and swing across a la Indiana jones style.

Malfunctioned
2009-07-24, 05:56 AM
In my first session as a player I used an Immovable Rod tied it to a Thinuan shortsword with a sling I found in my inventory, teleported directly in front of the ancient green dragon that was chasing and pressed the button, one round later I had a new shiny sword with the soul of a dragon inside.

The_Pyre
2009-07-24, 07:12 AM
1 Immovable Rod + 1 manacles (preferably MW) + Sovereign Glue

'Nuff said. :smallbiggrin:

jagadaishio
2009-07-24, 08:39 AM
1 Immovable Rod + 1 manacles (preferably MW) + Sovereign Glue

'Nuff said. :smallbiggrin:

Beautiful.

Roderick_BR
2009-07-24, 09:24 AM
In the first six seconds of a fall you fall 150 feet.

You would need to tap the button within 0.37 seconds of the start of your decent.

No, you can't do that.
How many seconds you have to pull a cord in a parachute?

jagadaishio
2009-07-24, 10:22 AM
How many seconds you have to pull a cord in a parachute?

That's different. With a parachute, you have a specially designed harness, and it's designed to slow you down, not stop you. An immovable rod stops INSTANTLY and you have only the grip of your hand to stay upon it.

Random832
2009-07-24, 10:46 AM
That's different. With a parachute, you have a specially designed harness, and it's designed to slow you down, not stop you. An immovable rod stops INSTANTLY and you have only the grip of your hand to stay upon it.

Technically it doesn't say "instantly" anywhere - that pressing the button is a move action (which is ridiculous for pressing a button) could be taken to imply that the rod takes half a round to come to a stop.

Plus couldn't you have a specially designed harness tying you to the immovable rod? Maybe with some sort of elastic

robgrayert
2009-07-24, 12:12 PM
I had a crazy thought this morning: immovable rod of wonder. With only one button. Push the button and the thing is immovable, but it also sets off the rod of wonder. Let the fun ensue.

Alejandro
2009-07-24, 03:09 PM
What you'll need:

1 frenzied berserker PC
1 PC who can cast mage hand a lot
1 immovable rod
1 sovereign glue

Use the sovereign glue to permanently attach the rod to the frenzied berserker. If possible (you will obviously need to render them totally helpless first, as this will involve hit point damage) cut away some skin and flesh and attach the rod along their spine, taking care to leave the button visible from outside their body.

Adventure as normal. If the frenzied berserker goes into a frenzy and you need to control them, cast mage hand and press the button. Now the frenzied berserker cannot move around to reach anyone. You may not want to give the frenzied berserker throwing weapons. Also, they might try to rip the rod out of their body, but this will probably damage their spinal cord and paralyze them.

Random832
2009-07-24, 03:48 PM
Mage Hand target: One nonmagical, unattended object weighing up to 5 lb.

It's not nonmagical, and it's probably not unattended. It's also not clear from the spell description that you can use this for fine manipulation like pressing a button. (I researched this earlier when considering getting a wand of MH for my own concept)

Kalirren
2009-07-24, 03:48 PM
Immovable Rod + (improved) mage hand + rope + seat = elevator was the first combo I thought up.

But I think you could do better. You could probably make a truly gigantic siege engine very quickly. I just need to think up exactly how. Immovable Rod + fabricate would give you the materials, that's for sure...oh, I've got it. Summon Monster for the weight.

Plant the immovable rod some good distance above the ground, fabricate a strong beam on it with a caged platform on the short end and a giant sling for your ammunition (say a 200 lb. stone,) load ammunition, summon a monster (say a celestial bison) into the cage to fire. The bison's weight flings the ammunition into the air, and then you dismiss the bison, causing the beam and sling to fall back to the ground ready for loading again. Voila! an instant trebuchet! takes less than 5 minutes to set up, fires faster than once every minute! no need to wait for the construction of siege weapons against castles anymore!

Edit: gf points out that summoning a bison is a 3rd level spell to fire the trebuchet. Enlarge person on a large person in full plate (or a jotunbrud from FR) and having him walk up a ramp and ride the trebuchet down would be more efficient use of spell power. The Giant's houseruled Suppressible Spell metamagic feat would make it even more efficient - just turn it on on the way down. And make sure he doesn't have motion sickness problems...

Alejandro
2009-07-24, 04:04 PM
A bison powered siege weapon should be in every game.

Lysander
2009-07-24, 04:36 PM
A few more uses:


*Put a wheel on it and you can make a pulley and rope suspended from nothing.

*Use it to improve balance checks by giving yourself a tiny segment of railing to grip

*Tie it to a strong belt with a strong cord so if you ever want to stop yourself from falling you don't need to make a strength check to hold onto the rod

And my favorite:

*Build an item using the rod as a handle. For example, as the handle of a shield. If an enemy tries to bull rush you just activate it and they'll need to push on the shield strong enough to move the rod to move you.

nutz0110
2009-07-28, 02:45 PM
Ive always been a fan of crafting a weapon with one of these babys as the handle! Lance, Greatsword... Awkwardly long handled dagger. itll stop anything in its tracks! And does nicely for pinning a dragon to the ground. rogue on back of dragon stabs in dragon gets pissed and spreads wings thinking to shake him off, roge presses button and boom dragons got a brand new hole in him and a shortsword tearing apart his insides whenever he moves!!!

Random832
2009-07-28, 02:58 PM
My houserule for damage from this would be 2x (automatically a critical hit) regular shortsword damage with +20 STR bonus (amount for which you could take ten to move an immovable rod, and therefore the effective strength of the immovable rod) or the dragon's own STR bonus whichever is less.