[3.5] Caltrops rules

[SapereAude1490]

If a horse moves into four 5x5 squares with caltrops, do caltrops make 4 attacks or just one?

Does this mean that you should be putting caltrops like a chess board and thereby need half as much to effectively block cavalry?

[Greasy]

If a horse moves into four 5x5 squares with caltrops, do caltrops make 4 attacks or just one?

Does this mean that you should be putting caltrops like a chess board and thereby need half as much to effectively block cavalry?Well, caltrops are sharpened metal spikes and all, but most horses have shoes on, and have thick hoofs that are there for stepping on sharp things, or at least to protect from such things.

I don't think I would allow Caltrops to really do much damage to the horses. If you were to give them each an attack, I would do a minimal amount of damage sort of thing instead of normal damage.

[Fouredged Sword]

The caltrops would effect the horse, it's a inch tall metal nail. They are originally an anti Calvary weapon. Horseshoes are only a metal rim and horse hoofs are fairly soft, and full of soft tissue.

The horse should be attacked by the caltrops each time it moves and the square they are in is occupied, so twice for crossing in a straight line, three or more times if you can force the horse to make a right turn.

Horseshoes grant a +2 to it's AC for avoiding the attack.

If the horse is hit by a caltrop it stops though, so they can only hit once.

[stack]

'Realistically' horseshoes shouldn't provide any particular protection. The horseshoe is nailed to the hard hoof (think fingernail) which would take the least damage from a caltrop. The soft 'frog' would be greatly damaged, giving you a lame mount very quickly.

[SapereAude1490]

So let's say you have six bags of caltrops and you throw them about like this:

http://imageshack.us/a/img248/8843/turn1.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/248/turn1.jpg/)

The rules say


Each time a creature moves into an area covered by caltrops (or spends a round fighting while standing in such an area), it might step on one. The caltrops make an attack roll (base attack bonus +0) against the creature.

So that's two attacks, right?

http://imageshack.us/a/img43/5836/turn2a.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/43/turn2a.jpg/)

and

http://imageshack.us/a/img692/9642/turn2b.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/692/turn2b.jpg/)

[RedDragons]

Eh let the horseshoe cound as a DR/ whatever on the damage role, as AC is not befitting and let it overcome damage and ad up in small bits instead of large strokes.

[Artillery]

Eh let the horseshoe cound as a DR/ whatever on the damage role, as AC is not befitting and let it overcome damage and ad up in small bits instead of large strokes.

No, caltrops have a defined thing. They also only do 1 dmg if they hit anyways.



Each time a creature moves into an area covered by caltrops (or spends a round fighting while standing in such an area), it might step on one. The caltrops make an attack roll (base attack bonus +0) against the creature. For this attack, the creature’s shield, armor, and deflection bonuses do not count. If the creature is wearing shoes or other footwear, it gets a +2 armor bonus to AC. If the caltrops succeed on the attack, the creature has stepped on one. The caltrop deals 1 point of damage, and the creature’s speed is reduced by one-half because its foot is wounded. This movement penalty lasts for 24 hours, or until the creature is successfully treated with a DC 15 Heal check, or until it receives at least 1 point of magical curing. A charging or running creature must immediately stop if it steps on a caltrop. Any creature moving at half speed or slower can pick its way through a bed of caltrops with no trouble.


Caltrops have +0 to hit. They need to roll a 14 or better to hit a heavy warhorse. Each square you pass through gets an attack roll. Since its not clearly defined for large creatures we rule that there is an attack when they enter the square initially, but not when a different part of the body passes through the square. So a large creature running through a 2x2 area of caltrops has 4-attacks total made on it by caltrops. If it walks completely through the that area.

[IamL]

Yeah...Horseshoes don't cover the entire hoof, only part of it, so the caltrops would hit the horses.

[Fouredged Sword]

I was going by the statement that shoes grant a +2 to the targets AC. Horseshoes are shoes by definition. QED horseshoes grant +2 AC vs caltrops. Reality be darned to heck, RAW is RAW.

[TuggyNE]

I was going by the statement that shoes grant a +2 to the targets AC. Horseshoes are shoes by definition. QED horseshoes grant +2 AC vs caltrops. Reality be darned to heck, RAW is RAW.

Of course, since shoes are stated to give a +2 armor bonus, and since all armor bonuses are explicitly negated, the point is technically irrelevant.

Not, of course, that that was at all intended.

[AntiTrust]

Well, caltrops are sharpened metal spikes and all, but most horses have shoes on, and have thick hoofs that are there for stepping on sharp things, or at least to protect from such things.

I don't think I would allow Caltrops to really do much damage to the horses. If you were to give them each an attack, I would do a minimal amount of damage sort of thing instead of normal damage.


Caltrops were invented for the purpose of slowing down cavalry, war elephants, camels, etc. A huge nail to the foot is a huge nail to the foot.

That being said I would count horseshoes as armor for your feet so this line here from the caltrop entry of the srd would apply

"For this attack, the creature’s shield, armor, and deflection bonuses do not count. If the creature is wearing shoes or other footwear, it gets a +2 armor bonus to AC."

[Pancritic]

So that's two attacks, right?
Judgement call, really. Since the rules say "area", it could be argued that multiple adjacent squares covered by caltrops qualify as only one "area". If the rules said "square" instead of "area", the question would be moot.

For the lawyering-minded, it would seem that to effectively caltrop an area against cavalry, you'd place your caltrops in single squares, with no adjacent caltrop-squares. Since horses are large and occupy a 10ft by 10ft space, every time they enter a caltrop square they are also entering a new area and are attacked by the caltrops.

Also note that caltrops only force you to stop if you are charging or running.

[SapereAude1490]

Also note that caltrops only force you to stop if you are charging or running.

Good enough for me. It's exactly what I need.