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The Vorpal Tribble
2010-06-30, 01:14 PM
Alright, I'm working on sprucing up a class feature for a PrC and wanted some feedback.

Explosion Expert (Ex):
A demolisher knows well the power and make of the substances he uses to remove obstacles. As well, as he advances he learns how to mix up a number of explosive substances himself and apply them skillfully to his calling. It takes 1/10th the normal time for a demolisher to craft explosive and acidic items, and base materials at a corresponding reduction in price. The explosives may only be sold at 1/4th their normal price as only a demolisher's special training allows him to use it to full affect.

It takes a minute to properly place an explosive. At 4th level a demolisher may place them as a full-round action, and 8th a standard action. Throwing an explosive is a standard action, and if detonated by shock, or strikes a material designed to react to, explodes in a burst.

These mixtures deal force damage, though the demolisher may craft them so that up to half the damage is instead Acid, Fire, or Sonic. Electrical damage may also be done, but its halved with fire damage (on uneven halves, the extra point goes to electricity. A successful reflex save (DC equal to Craft check) halves the damage.

The amount of damage is equal to 1/2 your Craft (alchemy) roll d6 (round down). For example, you have 8 ranks in Craft (Alchemy) and roll a 10 for a total of 18, your mixture will now deal 9d6 points of damage if set off. You may deal up to 2d6 points of damage per character level (maximum 40d6).

Area
The placement of your mixture is crucial for its affect. You must make a Profession (Demolition) before each placement. You decide upon placement which affect you wish to make. You do not however roll the Profession check until the explosion is triggered. If the check does not succeed on the exact area wished, the result corresponds with below.

Burst
A result of 1-14 allows you to set off the explosion as a Burst.

Cone
A result of 15-29 allows you to direct it in a cone. This cone focuses the energy of the blast, doubling the amount of damage dealt. In the damage example above the damage dealt would be 18d6.

Line
A result of 30 gives you the option of focusing it even further into a line, and acts as the Disintegrate spell.


Mixture Type
There are three different types of mixtures he may mix.

Solid: A solid mixture may be stuck to an object, even against gravity, poured into an object or sprinkled. However, it does not readily dissolve in other mixtures.

Liquid: A liquid mixture can be absorbed by a porous object, hidden in a drink, or poured through a thin opening. When absorbed or ingested the reaction is transferred to the subject.
Example #1: If a log were soaked with a liquid mixture that has a reaction to fire and was then thrown in an oven the log would explode with the noted damage.
Example #2. If a subject drank the liquid that reacted to shock and was then damaged they would then explode partially. A creature that is damaged from internal explosion takes double the indicated damage. If this would kill them, subtract the hit point total from the total damage rolled. Half this damage. The resulting damage is dealt to all objects and beings within 1/4th the normal range of that mixture.
Note: A liquid used in this fashion cannot be direct and defaults to a Burst affect.

Gaseous: This mixture fills an area equal to 10 feet per application. The explosion may only be directed as a burst regardless of Profession check. You may choose the mixture to be either Odorless or Colorless. A gaseous mixture cannot be detonated through shock.

Detonation Method
You may also choose in which way it may be set off:

Energy: This mixture can only be set off with a type of energy, chose from the following: Acid, Electricity, Fire or Sonic. You must specify the particular energy required to set it off.

Reaction: This mixture can only be set off when coming in contact with another specified substance. You can be as broad or as vague as necessary. One substance may only require water, while another only the scales of a golden dragon reacts.

Shock: By dealing physical, force or falling damage to the mixture you set it off.

Note: Only someone with ranks in Profession (demolisher) or Craft (alchemy) may properly set an explosive. It deals the indicated damage, but only as a Burst, and even then only does half damage.

Siosilvar
2010-06-30, 01:19 PM
No love for Cold damage?

The Vorpal Tribble
2010-06-30, 01:20 PM
No love for Cold damage?
As these are not supernatural I'm not sure how you could manage a cold-based explosion.

Temotei
2010-06-30, 01:25 PM
As these are not supernatural I'm not sure how you could manage a cold-based explosion.

Poor catgirls.

Siosilvar
2010-06-30, 01:26 PM
As these are not supernatural I'm not sure how you could manage a cold-based explosion.
Very carefully. How do you manage any other kind of explosion?

Strictly speaking, it wouldn't be an explosion, but using the fungus that sucks the heat out of everything around it (the name/color escapes me; brown mold, I think) and throwing that all over the place with a shockwave would work. I'm imagining that an acid "explosion" would be similar.

Maren
2010-06-30, 01:31 PM
Something similar to the endothermic reaction that makes chemical cold packs work?

Also, the rapid expansion of a compressed gas also makes things cold. Up to you of course, it's always difficult to merge real-world chemistry and d20 alchemy anyway. Anyone know the chemical formula for alchemist's fire?

DracoDei
2010-06-30, 02:24 PM
Anyone know the chemical formula for alchemist's fire?
I am tired enough that I don't trust myself not to say too much, and chemistry is not my strong suit, so I will simply say that it would be very possible to get very close to alchemist's fire with modern chemistry (probably with a mixture, rather than a single substance)... alchemist's FROST is probably much more of a stretch (don't know if there is much that would get THAT cold), and as for alchemist's SPARK I would be mildly surprised if there were any real world analogy to that wasn't simply a taser-bullet (as opposed to two chemicals that when mixed unleash the zappage on their surroundings).

The little tiny baby brothers to Thunder-stones should be available at your local fireworks store in the form of the "snap pops" that are tiny pebbles inside a paper cover.

Don't know if anyone has come up with a super-charged enough glowstick to match the effect of a sunrod (the fluff about the gold ball would make it... very inefficient if not impossible to create), but if they have the major reason it hasn't replaced carbide lamps could simply be an extreme cost issue.