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View Full Version : Immovable Rodchucks (3.5)



Frog Dragon
2010-05-11, 02:56 PM
I read a link from the worst rules interpretation thread about Immovable Rods and their weapon potential and decided I could pull this on my players. Changing the move action to a command word and making a nunchuk out of them would prove to be an interesting weapon, but what are it's potential uses?
I've figured out:
Very effective trips, cavarly dismounting, usual immovable roddery. And some nice mobility with the right skill points. Anything else you playgrounders could come up with?

lsfreak
2010-05-11, 03:08 PM
Command Word isn't what you want. It takes a standard action to activate a Command Word-activated item. Don't ask why or how, it just does :smallconfused:

jiriku
2010-05-11, 04:11 PM
Command Word isn't what you want. It takes a standard action to activate a Command Word-activated item. Don't ask why or how, it just does :smallconfused:

You have to say the command word r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w-l-y.

Irreverent Fool
2010-05-11, 04:13 PM
Doesn't the MIC have items that are activated via command words as swift action as well?

obnoxious
sig

IonDragon
2010-05-11, 04:18 PM
You have to say the command word r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w-l-y.

Or the 'Command Word' is actually reeaaaaaaalllllyyyy loooooooooongggggg.

Volthawk
2010-05-11, 04:30 PM
Or the 'Command Word' is actually reeaaaaaaalllllyyyy loooooooooongggggg.

Like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious :smallbiggrin:

raitalin
2010-05-11, 04:34 PM
Assuming you can activate them as a swift action, I think you want a longer chain than nunchucks. More like spear length. Then you can use it to set against a charge or change your elevation in combat if you've got enough climb or balance.

lsfreak
2010-05-11, 04:38 PM
Doesn't the MIC have items that are activated via command words as swift action as well?

obnoxious
sig

They're not Command Word. As far as I remember, MIC doesn't use 'Command Word' at all. There's things that are Standard (command), Move (command), Swift (command), and Free (command), but none are Command Word, which is the SRD/DMG phrasing and is exclusively a standard action.

So I was wrong/right. Just make sure you don't go by the SRD's definition of command word, which is exclusively a standard action.

alisbin
2010-05-11, 05:04 PM
its not rodchucks, but i'd make crossbow bolts with shafts made of immovable rods that activate just after they hit. a little damage AND sorry you won't be moving until you tear that thing out (add lots of nasty barbs for added effect), probably be an evil act to use one but DAMN if it wouldn't be useful.

jindra34
2010-05-11, 05:10 PM
Assuming you can activate them as a swift action, I think you want a longer chain than nunchucks. More like spear length. Then you can use it to set against a charge or change your elevation in combat if you've got enough climb or balance.

So like a three section staff made of immovable rods?

Eldan
2010-05-11, 05:12 PM
If you could activate them as swift actions or even faster, preferably free actions, you could tie one to each shoe and use them to walk on air.

Irreverent Fool
2010-05-11, 06:08 PM
If you could activate them as swift actions or even faster, preferably free actions, you could tie one to each shoe and use them to walk on air.

In that case, I think the swift verbal commands would need to be "left foot" and "right foot".

obnoxious
sig

awa
2010-05-11, 08:33 PM
with swift action you could only move one foot per round which is probably not really worth it.

Godskook
2010-05-11, 08:54 PM
Immovable tridents would be plain wrong.

Darius Rae
2010-05-11, 09:34 PM
I am planning on using a harpoon with an immovable rod in the next campaign that I am playing in... As for the Rodchucks , I feel that they would make an awesome weapon in a grapple as far as pinning is concerned.

Divide by Zero
2010-05-11, 09:55 PM
I once considered making a monk-like prestige class centered around immovable rods (including the ability to summon them, so it's not totally item-dependent), but I suck at homebrew, so it never got anywhere.

Ashram
2010-05-11, 10:27 PM
Immovable Rods have a button on them. It's not a command word, you just press the button (Still a move action, it must be a hard button to find) and wherever you have the rod, it stops.

Frog Dragon
2010-05-11, 11:02 PM
Ashram: I know that. However, changing it to a free action command word is no trouble, seeing as I'm the GM of that particular game.

Lycanthromancer
2010-05-11, 11:25 PM
Give each rod a button for the other rod (in addition to its own). If you have a nice long chain to go between them, you can swing one out, hit the button, swing across a chasm or pull yourself up, then release. Likewise, you could swing one rod around on the chain, wrap it around an enemy, hit the button, and entangle (and anchor) your foe.

It encourages creativity.

BobVosh
2010-05-11, 11:54 PM
Bonus points for making them Immovable Flindrods.

Frog Dragon
2010-05-12, 12:12 AM
Is there a nunchuk like weapon with a long chain. If not..

Exotic Two Handed Weapon
Name|Cost|Damage|Critical|Weight|Type|Special
Longchuck|15gp|1d8|x2|4lb|Bludgeoning|Finesse, +4 Trip, Trip weapon, Monk Weapon, Reach 10ft, Can attack adjecent

How's that?

Yora
2010-05-12, 04:42 AM
What use would rodchucks be? Except twisting the chain around a wrist and locking the rods in place. But how do you attack with them?

Eldan
2010-05-12, 05:01 AM
I like the idea of an immovable harpoon. Make a barbed harpoon difficult to remove from the body without extensive damage. Impale your enemy. Make it immovable.

Alternatively: immovable crossbow bolts.

Frog Dragon
2010-05-12, 05:24 AM
What use would rodchucks be? Except twisting the chain around a wrist and locking the rods in place. But how do you attack with them?
As normal. The Rod parts would function as the smashy parts. It's simply that the immovability option allows for great versatility.

Lycanthromancer
2010-05-12, 09:24 AM
It could make for some new and interesting grapple options, and would grant really high bonuses to pin checks. And if you're swallowed whole, you can anchor the critter that ate you in place while you jaunt out via a teleportation effect.

And if you had buttons on both ends, and/or had a button on either end that also controls the opposite end (as I mentioned earlier), you could effectively climb the sky without anything else to anchor to; just toss one end up, hit the button to anchor it, climb up, pull up the chain, throw the other rod and anchor it, release the bottom rod, and so on.

Ravens_cry
2010-05-12, 09:40 AM
Ashram: I know that. However, changing it to a free action command word is no trouble, seeing as I'm the GM of that particular game.
But by making it an item, that means your players can loot it. Just remember that.:smallbiggrin:

Lycanthromancer
2010-05-12, 09:56 AM
But by making it an item, that means your players can loot it. Just remember that.:smallbiggrin:...Aaaaand...now it's time for them to start hiding from those rust monsters stalking them.

subject42
2010-05-12, 10:05 AM
And if you had buttons on both ends, and/or had a button on either end that also controls the opposite end (as I mentioned earlier), you could effectively climb the sky without anything else to anchor to; just toss one end up, hit the button to anchor it, climb up, pull up the chain, throw the other rod and anchor it, release the bottom rod, and so on.

Not only that, but by pressing the button for one end at the right time and using it as a pivot point, you could probably justify changing direction during a charge by swinging around on it without losing any momentum.

ZeroNumerous
2010-05-12, 10:11 AM
[Idea for climbing the sky with chains]

You know... That idea sounds a lot like webslinging. I think you've created Spiderman.


But by making it an item, that means your players can loot it. Just remember that.:smallbiggrin:

Sure, but if it's only usable by the third son of a baker's wife and a half-orc with 10 skill points in Profession(Thumb Twiddling) and Perform(Evil Laughter)...

Frog Dragon
2010-05-12, 10:14 AM
Actually, part of the point of this thread is finding the potential uses for this thing so the players don't throw an absolute curveball at me at some point after they get it.

Lycanthromancer
2010-05-12, 10:20 AM
Actually, part of the point of this thread is finding the potential uses for this thing so the players don't throw an absolute curveball at me at some point after they get it.As was mentioned above, grab hold of one end, swing the other, anchor it, swing from it, let it go, toss it out again, anchor it, swing from it, and so on. You can cross very long distances with a 10' or 15' chain, and you can change horizontal direction just from the direction you toss it in.

It'd also make a good way to tie up an enemy. Wrap the chains around it, then anchor them using the rods.

Ravens_cry
2010-05-12, 10:20 AM
Sure, but if it's only usable by the third son of a baker's wife and a half-orc with 10 skill points in Profession(Thumb Twiddling) and Perform(Evil Laughter)...
Are you a doctor?
UMD.

ZeroNumerous
2010-05-12, 12:59 PM
Are you a doctor?
UMD.

No, I am not.
Ironically, UMD cannot be used to activate a magical item requiring a specific skill. Nor can it be used to emulate a specific class. Hence the best lock for any item is always a Skill combined with a specific Class.

EDIT:


It'd also make a good way to tie up an enemy. Wrap the chains around it, then anchor them using the rods.

In that vein: It would also make a very good makeshift tripline or a nice way to clothesline someone running toward you.

subject42
2010-05-12, 01:25 PM
If it were a free action to activate the rodchucks, they would pair nicely with the paladin tactical feat "Awesome Smite". You could hit somebody so hard that you smash them prone, then immediately activate the rod. At that point they would be pinned to the ground until you let them up or until they moved the rod.