Explosives

[Laharal]

Hi there!

I need suggestions and ideas for explosives in a 3.5 setting without going into Modern books. Are there alchemical / magical items that could serve as explosives (mainly vs buildings for sabotage purposes).

Are my only options Renaissance's Explosive weapon [bomb] and Modern era [dynamite] (145-146) ?

[Snowbluff]

Necklace of Fireballs can get a pretty big bang. I don't remember if it harms objects, though.

Alchemist's Fire is a nice, cheap fire bomb. Good for burning things down.

[God Imperror]

Explosive packs (secrets of sarlona): might be what you are looking for :smallsmile:

It even comes with profession (siege engineer) for extra damage.

[Kelb_Panthera]

They're not explosives per se, but there's dither bombs in races of the dragon. Great if you like wildly variable damage.

[Arcanist]

They're not explosives per se, but there's dither bombs in races of the dragon. Great if you like wildly variable damage.

Ditherbombs are explosives (I'm not exactly sure what defines an explosive weapon, but I'm sure it has an AoE). Unfortunately there damage is unpredictable but, in mass quantities can legitimately explain why "Rocks fall, eveeryone dies" is actually a hilariously legal way to kill the party :smalltongue:

Just set up a few through out your local Kobold hideout and if push comes to show use a quick earthquake spell (or whatever spell you can use to shake up an area) and boom... Everyone is dead... unless of course one of them is a Wizard :smalltongue:

[rweird]

Alchemist's Fire is a nice, cheap fire bomb. Good for burning things down.

I'm pretty sure that by RAW, alchemists fire can't damage anything as hard or harder than wood. The same goes for things being on fire, so not very good. Of course it could be ruled otherwise, the rules even mention that at the DMs option.

[Wyntonian]

I'm pretty sure that by RAW, alchemists fire can't damage anything as hard or harder than wood. The same goes for things being on fire, so not very good. Of course it could be ruled otherwise, the rules even mention that at the DMs option.

Quoting the SRD:


Vulnerability to Certain Attacks

Certain attacks are especially successful against some objects. In such cases, attacks deal double their normal damage and may ignore the object’s hardness.

[manyslayer]

Also, the blast disk from MiC (originally Heroes of Battle). Can be set either for proximity or on a ten round timer.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Flour.

Any fine substance, packed tightly, can explode with terrific results if there's enough heat.

[Lateral]

Any fine substance, packed tightly, can explode with terrific results if there's enough heat.

I'm pretty sure that a dust explosion requires dispersed particles to ignite, not packing. The reason it can explode like this is that dust particles have an extremely large surface area for their mass, and packing it together negates that.

[Kuulvheysoon]

I'm pretty sure that a dust explosion requires dispersed particles to ignite, not packing. The reason it can explode like this is that dust particles have an extremely large surface area for their mass, and packing it together negates that.

Nine Hells, but you're right. Serves me right for foruming while working on a physics paper.

[Seharvepernfan]

Forgotten realms has smokepowder, which you could just lump together large quantities of and light a tinderwig, though I don't know of any actual rules for "bombs" besides what you do.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

There's also the metamagic feat Explosive Spell. An Artificer can apply that to just about any item he cares to use...

[jaybird]

I suppose the Pathfinder Alchemist, if you're okay with that?

[rweird]

Quoting the SRD:

True, even with both of those, Alchemists fire only does 2d6 damage, and 1 inch of wood has 10 HP, though some things like stone are unlikely to be vulnerably to fire. I mentioned that it can be overcome, though it is at the DMs opinion.

[Deophaun]

There are some spells that can be turned into explosives with some creativity.

Make a custom small chest where the lid is actually made out of wax. Cast fire trap or sign of sealing on it, turn it upside down, and have someone not you light a candle under it. Candle melts the lid, which opens the chest, which triggers an explosion. You can try a greater sign of sealing, but you're going to have to deal with the additional 10 hardness.

You could also use explosive runes plus a spyglass for safe long-range detonation.

[Twilightwyrm]

I'm pretty sure that by RAW, alchemists fire can't damage anything as hard or harder than wood. The same goes for things being on fire, so not very good. Of course it could be ruled otherwise, the rules even mention that at the DMs option.

It CAN, but hardness can typically negate most of its damage. Plus, given that it catches things on fire, anything that can catch fire it potentially susceptible. That being said, you won't be burning a hole through an Iron Door with alchemist's fire. Note however, that many items otherwise made from stone or metal tend to have more, shall we say, flammable parts to them (hinges on a door, etc), which may be vulnerable.

[Anxe]

Staff of Power and Staff of the Magi can also do some explosive stuff.

[rweird]

It CAN, but hardness can typically negate most of its damage. Plus, given that it catches things on fire, anything that can catch fire it potentially susceptible. That being said, you won't be burning a hole through an Iron Door with alchemist's fire. Note however, that many items otherwise made from stone or metal tend to have more, shall we say, flammable parts to them (hinges on a door, etc), which may be vulnerable.

I know it could in certain circumstances, that is what my point is. It's like saying that the average 1st level commoner can't hurt a balor. It can hit, though DR prevents the balor from taking damage. for the fire thing, doesn't being on fire only deal d6? d3? For stone I was thinking about a wall, like that to a castle. I'm not quite sure what the point you're trying to make is.

[alanek2002]

well, if it is for sabotage... The Magic item compendium has one item of note (i think) that might fit. The Exploding spike. 1500 gold. stick it in the ground, it becomes invisible. After one round, if a creature comes withing ten feet of it, it explodes in a ten d6 fireball, dc 14 reflex half, for 20ft radius. one time only, but it is a BIG boom. :smallbiggrin:

[Nizaris]

True, even with both of those, Alchemists fire only does 2d6 damage, and 1 inch of wood has 10 HP, though some things like stone are unlikely to be vulnerably to fire. I mentioned that it can be overcome, though it is at the DMs opinion.

I give to you the Gnome Saboteur (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/core-races/gnome/saboteur-alchemist-gnome). Bomb deals only 1 point of damage per level (so max 20) before adding Int modifier (Throw Anything feat). Ignores half hardness and if it damages something past the 1/2 HP mark, 5ft-by-5ft hole opens up. Place on support beams and with Delayed Bomb and run for the hills.

*edit* not sure why I quoted you, probably because I saw "Alchemists" and then just went to the class by default. Curse the fact people don't read every word but instead read most of the words and fill in the blanks.

[Seharvepernfan]

Anybody want to try to come up with a simple system for explosives?

Created via alchemy skill, comes in two varieties:

1. Hand Grenades
2. Bombs

Also, fireworks, smokebombs, and flashbombs, but we can get to those later.

Hand Grenades are clay pots filled with smoke/blackpowder (and possibly shrapnel) with a fuse sticking out. They require flame to be lit, then are thrown as a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10ft. (like an alchemists fire), exploding upon contact, otherwise exploding at the end of the round. Perhaps they can be fitted with a throwing-stick, similar to WW2 german grenades for extra range?

I think they should start out at 1d6 damage, and go up to a max of 5 or 10d6.

Then we have bombs, which are larger, not-so-portable containers (of any type, really) that are placed, lit, then exploded. These can range in size from 1d6 to however-much-you-can-afford-d6. The size of the explosion depends on how many d6's it deals in damage.

The hand grenades should cost an exponentially higher amount for each d6 of damage, the bombs should cost Xgp/d6.

Good starting point?

How much should they cost?

What happens if you are hit with a fire attack while carrying them?

Thoughts?

[Uhtred]

MIC also has Blast Globes, which we always pictured as the search-and-destroy explosive ball-bearings in Aeon Flux. 8k, and you get a fist-sized glass globe made up of dozens of smaller glass globes. You give them a target and they separate and start circling each other, then next round you designate a target, they go there and deal gnarly damage, deafen, and knock back. We paired a set with blast discs and exploding spikes to make it almost impossible for a Necromancer to leave his cave.

[Starbuck_II]

Anybody want to try to come up with a simple system for explosives?

Created via alchemy skill, comes in two varieties:

Thoughts?

I like the 4E pitch casks: casks deals 3d6* fire, area 10 ft, 50 ft range to throw. Area hit set on fire, that spreads each round (According to 3.5 DMG standing in fire deals 1d6 fire besides smoke issues).

*Granted, in 4E the ogre is throwing so thaty might lower the damage if a med size creature did to 2d6 fire.

The fire sets the area on fire because it is full of pitch (tar-like substance according to Wikipedia used for houses), but strangely does not set PCs on fire.