How to dig

[Hironomus]

A simple dilhemma. I am making a dwarf rogue character at the moment. I want him to be skilled at burrowing and digging tunnels. Are there any feats/ items/ anything that can help me to this end?

[Fyermind]

It is probably slower than you want, but profession (mining) from races of the dragon is a good place to start

[JaronK]

Alter Self would let you turn into an Earth Mephling, which has a burrow speed. Manual of the Planes has that race. You just need to get a way to cast that.

JaronK

[Hironomus]

How about a magical item involving stoneshaping? Anything good like that?

[Hirax]

A lyre of building from the DMG will dig tunnels easily. It costs 13,000 GP though, so it's not something you'd be able to buy at low levels.

[Hironomus]

Is there any way short of shape changing that can give you a burrow speed?

[Killer Angel]

Is there any way short of shape changing that can give you a burrow speed?

In pathfinder there's the spell Burrow. 3rd level, I think.

[nedz]

Is there any way short of shape changing that can give you a burrow speed?

Play a race which has a borrow speed ?

More seriously most of the good tricks are, no surprise, only available to casters. Moreover most the of the relevant spells are 4th level or higher.
The best route, for a rogue, is probably to take UMD and acquire the spells on scrolls/wands/staffs.

Alternatively: take leadership, and acquire plenty of miners as followers.

[Friv]

There is a prestige class in Dragon Magazine called the Mole that gives you a dig speed.

It was in Dragon #310. I dunno if you've got a legal way of finding Dragon #310, but it's somewhere to look if you do.

[JaronK]

Is there any way short of shape changing that can give you a burrow speed?

Yes, as I stated earlier, Alter Self will do it. Just turn into an Earth Mephling.

JaronK

[Darrin]

Yes, as I stated earlier, Alter Self will do it. Just turn into an Earth Mephling.


Earth Mephlings don't leave tunnels. He could burrow, yes, but it would be the equivalent of "earth glide". If you want to dig tunnels, then you'd want to change into a dire badger or thoqqua.

There's also the "attack the earth" method. This thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=265801) has some calculations on using Mountain Hammer or an adamantine greatsword to create a tunnel.

[Fouredged Sword]

Druid could do it. High wis for spells and prof miner. Wildshape into a dire badger for quick digging. There are better shapes at higher level for plowing through rock as well.

[Chilingsworth]

A lyre of building from the DMG will dig tunnels easily. It costs 13,000 GP though, so it's not something you'd be able to buy at low levels.

Actually, a question about the lyre: It says it does the work of 600 mandays of labor every hour (100 humans 3 days of work per half hour.) How much... stuff does this actually amount to? Especially since it doesn't specify the abilities of the workers in question. Also, do they mean a full three days (i.e. 72 hours) or three work days (i.e. 24 hours)?

[Hironomus]

Thanks all, I have looked into it and ended up going with the profession miner/ magic devices route. might try to get a lyre of building eventually. As a final question. would it be possible to just invent a ring or something which gave me a burrow speed? and if so what would it be like? Oh! and which book would I look in for rules abut gunpowder and other explosives? And can Acid breath, or otherwise corrosive weapons be used to dissolve rock? I guess that was quite afew more questions sorry.

[Frathe]

Forgotten Realms appears to have smokepowder (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Smokepowder). It's like gunpowder.

You could homebrew a ring of stone shape. It would cost you, though; how much would depend on uses per day.

[Darth_Versity]

Feat: Martial Study (Mountain Hammer)

Thats how real Dwarfs dig!

[andromax]

Feat: Martial Study (Mountain Hammer)

Thats how real Dwarfs dig!
Except you couldn't refresh it till you killed the mountain.

[Darth_Versity]

Except you couldn't refresh it till you killed the mountain.

Damn those mountains and their hit points :smallfurious: