3.5 Land Mine?

[Tibbaerrohwen]

Hi,

I was wondering if there was an alchemical item or spell that functions as a landmine would (ie: You apply pressure, when pressure is released it explodes). I've looked around a bit, but haven;t found anything.
Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

[Zaq]

Offhand, Blasting Pellets (Races of Stone) sort of do this, though not amazingly well.

There are a few decent magical tricks for this, of course. Earthbound Spell (PHB2) leaps to mind, but I'm pretty sure that there are others.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

Offhand, Blasting Pellets (Races of Stone) sort of do this, though not amazingly well.

There are a few decent magical tricks for this, of course. Earthbound Spell (PHB2) leaps to mind, but I'm pretty sure that there are others.

I'm looking for something I could set/cast as move action or less, preferably. It is has to be a standard action or full-round action I'll live with it.
Earthbound could work, but I'll need a low level spell that either deals stupid damage or paralyzes.

[Zaq]

Paralyzes, eh? Is a second level spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/holdPerson.htm) low enough?

[Teron]

There are exploding caltrops in an issue of Dragon (I can check which one tomorrow, if you want). Is the part about going off when pressure is released important? I doubt you'll find anything with a trigger more detailed than "when a creature enters the trapped square", but if you explain what it's for, someone might be able to offer an alternative.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

Paralyzes, eh? Is a second level spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/holdPerson.htm) low enough?

Hold Person works, but I'm not a primary caster; can you suggest anything to up the save? I'm actually trying to stop a caster, so I'll need to boost the Will save DC (currently would be 18). I'm 10th level.


There are exploding caltrops in an issue of Dragon (I can check which one tomorrow, if you want). Is the part about going off when pressure is released important? I doubt you'll find anything with a trigger more detailed than "when a creature enters the trapped square", but if you explain what it's for, someone might be able to offer an alternative.

Entering a square is cool. knowing what issue would be fantastic, thanks. I actually can't tell you; I want it to be a surprise for my group, who frequent the boards.

[druid91]

Blast discs, In the Magic item compendium.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

Blast discs, In the Magic item compendium.

Blast discs could work. Mix it with a Quickened Earthbound Spell and you're looking at a fun trap. Thanks.

[Uhtred]

Wouldn't Exploding Spikes, also in the Magic Item Compendium, be the better choice? You plant the spike in the ground, it turns invisible, and when somebody comes too close, it explodes, dealing something close to maxed-out fireball damage. Pricey, but the thing comes in Exploding, Stunning, and Sleeping varieties. The Will saves on Stunning and Sleeping, and the Reflex save for Exploding are all relatively low, though.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

Wouldn't Exploding Spikes, also in the Magic Item Compendium, be the better choice? You plant the spike in the ground, it turns invisible, and when somebody comes too close, it explodes, dealing something close to maxed-out fireball damage. Pricey, but the thing comes in Exploding, Stunning, and Sleeping varieties. The Will saves on Stunning and Sleeping, and the Reflex save for Exploding are all relatively low, though.

But the Exploding Spike can be reused. That is an excellent idea. The Ref is the same as the Blasting Disc and considering it's reusable, it's not actually that expensive. The invisibility isn't necessary but still useful. Thanks.

[Mango Fox]

But the Exploding Spike can be reused. That is an excellent idea. The Ref is the same as the Blasting Disc and considering it's reusable, it's not actually that expensive. The invisibility isn't necessary but still useful. Thanks.

Actually, in the item description it specifically says that the explosion destroys the spike. You can only retrieve it for further use if it hasn't exploded yet and less than one round has passed.

[EnnPeeCee]

Combat Trapsmith in CS has a couple traps that act like landmines.

[Darrin]

Glyph Seal or Greater Glyph Seal (1000 GP/4000 GP, MIC p. 161) makes a much better re-usable "land mine" style trap. They can be set to trigger by height/weight, creature type/subtype, alignment, religion, etc.

Blasting Pellets (50 GP, Races of Stone p. 159): Requires a failed Ref save DC 15 to set off, although you may be able to kitbash them together with some other alchemical item or spell that damages objects to provide a more reliable trigger. For example, blast disk (MIC), screaming flask (Complete Mage), sleeping fire (Oriental Adventures), Glyph Seal + shatter, explosive runes, fire trap, etc.

Crystal Caltrops (150 GP, Races of Faerun p. 159): Works like normal caltrops, except they release a dose of sleep gas: Fort save DC 12, primary sleep 1 minute, secondary sleep 1d4 minutes.

Emerald Caltrops (166 GP, A&EG p. 106). Rather than a Ref save, the caltrops make an attack roll (+1 enhancement bonus), successful hit does 2 damage + 1d6 acid damage in addition to the normal caltrop effects.

Sleeping Fire (40 GP, Oriental Adventures p. 78): Triggered by "temperature changes", but this isn't described adequately enough to be useful. As-written, just applying it to an object could set it off.

Explosive Pack (200 GP, Secrets of Sarlona p. 138): Set to go off with a 1-10 round delay. Doesn't do fire damage... I think it does bludgeoning/piercing? Can't recall the specifics.

Ditherbomb (100/300/1000 GP, Races of the Dragon p. 122): Activated with a move action, but has a random 1d3 round delay, so difficult to use effectively.

Chardalyn (1000/3500/8000 GP, Silver Marches Web Enhancement p. 3 and Lords of Darkness p. 181): Another spell-storing item that can be thrown/broken. Can take up to 9th level spells, although a Greater Glyph Seal can do that and still be reused for half the cost.

Spell Storing Arrow +1 (166 GP, DMG). Use your iterative attacks to cast targetted spells. Doesn't have to be an arrow... for example, pair this up with a Glyph Seal + launch bolt cantrip. Or shurikens, which can be drawn as a free action (cast master's touch as a swift action to get rid of the non-proficiency penalty).

Skull Talisman (Frostburn). Another spell-storing item, similar to a potion, but no target/spell level restrictions. The tricky part is trying to figure out how to get another creature to break the skull, or throw/plant it somewhere and break it from a distance. Glyph Seal should probably help there.

Spell Vial (Magic of Eberron). Potions you can throw, ranged touch attack.

Shalantha's Delicate Disk (200 GP, Lost Empires of Faerun p. 33). Oh, how I love this spell... creates a 200 GP ceramic disk as a spell-storing item, up to any 5th level spell. Disk can be broken (standard action, 1 damage or Str check DC 5), thrown, dropped, Glyph Seal + shatter, etc.


Many of these can be deployed with a move action by directing an unseen servant (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8235936&postcount=8) to set them up or trigger them. While an unseen servant can't make an attack roll, it can fly above a particular square and drop objects (which take falling damage), use a sprayer (A&EG p. 25, area effect, no attack roll, no save) + alchemist's fire, set a blast disk/exploding spike, break a ceramic disk/skull talisman, activate/drop a ditherbomb or explosive pack, etc.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Heroes of Battle has them, though I'm not sure what they're called. May be the aforementioned blast discs.

[gbprime]

For sheer overkill, I prefer the Boom Box (TM).

Step 1 - Party Wizard prepares Explosive Runes over several weeks of spare time.

Step 2 - Place 20 sheets of paper with Explosive Runes inside a box.

Step 3 - Place Glyph of Warding on the box. Glyph can be set to activate however you want.

Step 4 - When Glyph is activated, it sets off a Dispel Ward at caster level 1. Statistically it should fail to dispel 19 out of 20 of those Explosive Runes.

Step 5 - Nineteen explosive runes go off under the target. Boom Box.

[Uhtred]

Nah, Exploding Spikes aren't reusable unless they fail to go off. REUSABLE, however, are Blasting Globes. While they're an 18,000gp investment, they do a ton of fire damage, sonic damage, and will knock folk prone, once a day. As near as I can tell, they're like the Aeon Flux ball bearings, in that you activate them with a command word and they run off after a target you specify, surround it and explode, at which point they reform in your hand or at your feet. VERY handy if you already know the layout of a place or you've got a scryer around who can see places you can't. They aren't line-of-sight either, I don't think, so if you know where you want them to go, they go there and explode.

[Marnath]

For sheer overkill, I prefer the Boom Box (TM).

Step 1 - Party Wizard prepares Explosive Runes over several weeks of spare time.

Step 2 - Place 20 sheets of paper with Explosive Runes inside a box.

Step 3 - Place Glyph of Warding on the box. Glyph can be set to activate however you want.

Step 4 - When Glyph is activated, it sets off a Dispel Ward at caster level 1. Statistically it should fail to dispel 19 out of 20 of those Explosive Runes.

Step 5 - Nineteen explosive runes go off under the target. Boom Box.

Do the target's friends have to save vs. shrapnel damage from bits of his shredded gear? :smalltongue: :smallbiggrin:

[Uhtred]

If they don't already, they definitely should. That sounds MEAN. On one occasion, our group mined the entrance to a cave full of undead with exploding spikes and called the necromancer inside out to do battle with us. He hit the first and set all the others off. Our DM said that he'd been reduced to a "Fine, red mist that dispersed with greasy smoke." One of his better bits of imagery. It was kinda anticlimactic for a fight with a BBEG.

[JaronK]

The Trapsmith PrC is good for this (Dungeonscape). Another option is the Ghoul Glyph spell, which Factotums (and anyone else who can cast with a spell like) can cast as a standard action... combined with a pit trap it's instant death for living enemies. The various symbols spells can work, as can explosive runes with some creativity (tell an unseen servant to read the scroll when someone gets close?).

JaronK

[gomipile]

There is also just using a full caster with Craft Wondrous Item and Craft(Trapmaking.)

[panaikhan]

In one of the books, is a Potion variant that makes an item you break, as opposed to a liquid you consume.

So, using this mechanic, make fireball 'potions' as clay disks designed to break when stepped on or thrown.
Any area effect spell could be used - fireball is just a personal favorite :smallbiggrin:

[Tibbaerrohwen]

Thanks for al the input guys and gals. I didn't read Spike carefully; you're all right, not reusable.


For sheer overkill, I prefer the Boom Box (TM).

Step 1 - Party Wizard prepares Explosive Runes over several weeks of spare time.

Step 2 - Place 20 sheets of paper with Explosive Runes inside a box.

Step 3 - Place Glyph of Warding on the box. Glyph can be set to activate however you want.

Step 4 - When Glyph is activated, it sets off a Dispel Ward at caster level 1. Statistically it should fail to dispel 19 out of 20 of those Explosive Runes.

Step 5 - Nineteen explosive runes go off under the target. Boom Box.


I love this idea! How much would it cost to do this without the party wizard?

[gbprime]

I love this idea! How much would it cost to do this without the party wizard?

Well, without a party wizard, you have to pay an NPC to cast all those explosive runes. Assuming you find a 5th level wizard and you use all 20 runes, that's 150gp per casting, so it would cost 3000gp. Then you need 200gp for components for the Glyph of Warding... 3200gp total cost.

If you have a party wizard, the Explosive Runes are free, so it's just 200gp for the Glyph. And if you have a party wizard with 1 or more levels in Geometer (which was the case when I concocted this), you don't even need a cleric, since the PrC gets Glyph of Warding as an Arcane spell.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

Well, without a party wizard, you have to pay an NPC to cast all those explosive runes. Assuming you find a 5th level wizard and you use all 20 runes, that's 150gp per casting, so it would cost 3000gp. Then you need 200gp for components for the Glyph of Warding... 3200gp total cost.

If you have a party wizard, the Explosive Runes are free, so it's just 200gp for the Glyph. And if you have a party wizard with 1 or more levels in Geometer (which was the case when I concocted this), you don't even need a cleric, since the PrC gets Glyph of Warding as an Arcane spell.

I like the idea and there is a possibility that the party wizard would be willing to help, but several of the player in my group, myself included, like to keep our plans to ourselves and then spring them on the rest of the party. 3200gp is expensive but, in the long run, it's not that bad at all.

[Apophis775]

Like... Glyph of Warding set to blast?

[gbprime]

Like... Glyph of Warding set to blast?

Exactly like it. Except that the Glyph would do 3d8 damage once, whereas the Boom Box (TM) does 6d6 damage NINETEEN TIMES. :smallamused: