Creative ideas and tricks

[Shmaloshefer]

Disclaimer: this is my first thread.

This thread is dedicated for creative ideas and tricks for PC's to use. They do not necessarily have to have rules for them.

Example: Buying a lot of waterskins (for 1 gp each), inflating them and tying them before going scuba diving with your heavily armored dwarf. When the dwarf starts to run out of air he opens one of them and inhales the air in it.

[Fitz10019]

This thread is dedicated for creative ideas and tricks for PC's to use. They do not necessarily have to have rules for them.

This requires DM approval, of course.

An alchemist's fire burns for 2 rounds. To save money, you can 'improvise' an achemist's fire from a flask of oil, taking a full-round action to set up the fuse. Note the savings: Alchemist's fire 20gp; Oil (flask, pint) 1sp. The oil option has a 50% chance to fail to ignite properly when it hits, so it's hardly ideal.

If you start an enemy burning with an alchemist's fire, it goes for 2 rounds. The 'clever' idea is, during those two rounds, just nail him with regular oil flasks, skipping the fuse, because the enemy is already lit. As long as you're successful each round, you can do it again the cheap way the next round.

This is really a low-level thing when saving 19.9gp might be important, and where sometimes 1d6 fire damage per round is your best option against some enemies, like those with DR you're just not equipped for.

[Story]

Get your Autohypnosis check up to +5, cast Scholar's Touch. Suddenly you can memorize one nonmagical book a round just by touching it. It has no mechanical effect, but it's a flavorful trick - why shouldn't Wizards be able to memorize entire libraries when they're bored?

[XmonkTad]

If you're playing a ranged character who doesn't want to be charged, sow a bag of marbles upside down to the inside of your pant leg near the ankle. Tie the drawstring to a shiruken. Drawing the shiruken is a free action, and it spills the marbles out around you. Now you can't be charged.
If you are a ninja, you can do the same with smoke bombs (although eggshell grenades are usually thrown at the enemy for no-save blindness reasons).

Fishhooks are a great way to use mage hand to pick up small magic items. A Hand of the Mage gives you unlimited mage hand for 900gp.

Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments can paint doors and windows into solid walls. It can also paint new walls, if you bring canvas. It solves mazes!

[(Un)Inspired]

There's always the classic of casting shrink item on a cone large enough to cover your body then hiding the shrunken cone under you hat.

If someone tries to put you in an anitmagic field then the cone grows back to normal size and surrounds you blocking the field's line of effect to you.

You can then just teleport away to plot your revenge on whoever was foolish enough to try and antimagic you.

[Equinox]

Give your Unseen Servant 20 vials of acid (his maximal load). During battle, send him into the thick of combat and command him to drop the vials. Everyone within 5' radius of his square (ie. 15'x15' area) takes 20 splash damage, no save. Not bad for a 1st level spell.

It is however a bit pricey. For better budgeting, combine with the "Alchemist Fire and Oil" trick by a previous poster.

[Slipperychicken]

Be an archer, have ranks in Ride, and ride a horse. Now you can full-attack people while moving incredibly quickly, allowing you to skirmish melee'rs to death without many issues.

Use a tower shield to give yourself Total Cover. Now you're for all intents and purposes invulnerable to nonmagical opponents. When you're in a 5ft wide corridor, do this while an ally behind you uses a reach weapon to strike enemies in front of you. They will have a hard time retaliating.

Cast Shrink Item on a heavy thing. Drop it on someone and command it to enlarge.

If you have a few hundred gold laying around, just pick up a bunch of Masterwork Tool kits for any skill check you plan to make. You can even justify knowledge skill kits as being authoritative texts and encyclopedias. It's a hilariously easy way to get a +2 to to any skill check you can think of a tool for.

Remember that characters may use Aid Another to boost your skill checks by +2 per participant who can score 10 or higher on the relevant check. Have as many people as possible helping out with every skill check.

Having higher ground than your opponent (like standing on a table, being higher up a hill, or riding atop a horse) grants you a +1 on melee attack rolls against your opponent.

Shapesand (Sandstorm) allows you to mentally shape it into any tool you could ever want. No more fiddling around with whether you have the correct crowbar or winch or whatever; you want it, you have it.

A polearm such as a longspear can easily serve as a 10ft pole in a pinch.

When mounted, use a Lance to deal double damage to enemies when charging.

Nets are effective weapons for their ability to Entangle foes, preventing them from fleeing easily.

A vial of Liquid Light (Complete Scoundrel, 20gp) sheds light as a torch, but isn't magical (and thus isn't vulnerable to dispelling), and is only 1/5th the price of an Everburning Torch. This is a pretty good deal if I've ever seen one. Sew one onto your hat to serve as a head-light.

[Equinox]

Be an archer, have ranks in Ride, and ride a horse. Now you can full-attack people while moving incredibly quickly, allowing you to skirmish melee'rs to death without many issues.The Complete Adventurer errata specifically killed mounted Skirmish. Unfortunate.

[TuggyNE]

The Complete Adventurer errata specifically killed mounted Skirmish. Unfortunate.

You can skirmish, you just can't Skirmish for xd6 damage.

[Venger]

Lassos are one of the gems in BoED.

they're exotic, imposing a -4 to attacks, but they're a touch attack, so who cares?

once you nab someone with them, they are entangled (no save!), and you can control them with an opposed str check by holding the rope.

forces an (admittedly flat DC 15) concentration check to cast spls

requires a DC 20 EA or DC 23 str check (both fullround) to get out, got 2hp,

can trip (and drop it to avoid being revenge-tripped)

all from 30 feet away for the low low price of 1gp (expensive rope or something)

an absolute lifesaver at very low levels. getting 2+ party members to yank an enemy around can seriously hamper his mobility without expending a single spell slot

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A one pound bag of flour is 2 cp, and it's one of the most effective items you'll ever have.

Always carry a net, masterwork if you can afford it. The -4 for nonproficiency isn't very relevant due to making touch attacks. Carry Tanglefoot Bags for the same reason. Don't forget you can ready an action to throw either of those for when the enemy flies in close. Craft: Alchemy can get you those plus many other items at 1/3 cost, and don't forget about taking ten on the checks.

On an arcane spellcaster, get one rank in each Knowledge skill that identifies a creature based on its type (Arcana, Dungeoneering, Local, Nature, Religion, the Planes). Make a note card listing each creature type (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#types), which Knowledge skill identifies it, its natural BAB, and what base saves are good/poor for racial hit dice of that type, as well as natural type-granted immunities. Every time you encounter an opponent you're entitled to a Knowledge check to try to identify it, so ask its creature type and what the DC is. The DC is always 10 + racial hit dice, so you'll know how many racial hit dice it has and what its poor base saves should be. Prepare spells to attack each type of saving throw, and use whichever one would be the most likely to attack its weakest save. Such spells include Wall of Smoke (Fort), Grease (Reflex), Color Spray (Will), Web (Reflex), Glitterdust (Will), Stinking Cloud (Fort), Slow (Will), Black Tentacles (Grapple/BAB), Solid Fog (no save), etc. Keep in mind that the typical Wizard is considerably smarter than any person you will ever meet, so this type of (metagame) knowledge would actually be something that he could deduce on his own due to his unnaturally high intellect.

[Xuldarinar]

If you are a spellcaster and out if spells, your enemies dont necissarily know that.
I recall a friend of mine telling me about a time they were playing d&d and being chased by orcs. The orcs had seen him cast spells and knew to get out of the way. So, he turned and starting gesturing and yelling as if he was going to cast some sort of spell, making a show about it. The orcs ducked for cover and the group escaped.

Keep in mind, this story is probibly from AD&D or 2nd edition.

[Milo v3]

Acid, Alchemist's Fire, and Holy Water are all lighter than air. If you get enough holy water, you should be able to make an amazingly cheap airship.

[Xuldarinar]

Acid, Alchemist's Fire, and Holy Water are all lighter than air. If you get enough holy water, you should be able to make an amazingly cheap airship.


To be exact:
An empty flask is 1.5 lb.
A flask of Acid, Alchemist's fire, or Holy water is 1 lb.

Given that a flask contains 1 pint of liquid, each of these fluids are effectively -.5 lb per pint. If you can manage a vehicle light enough and that could hold enough.. you could have something lighter than air to ride in. Since acid is the cheapest option, 10gp per flask, you want the portion containing the acid to be unaffected by acid.

[Epsilon Rose]

Fishhooks are a great way to use mage hand to pick up small magic items. A Hand of the Mage gives you unlimited mage hand for 900gp.

Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments can paint doors and windows into solid walls. It can also paint new walls, if you bring canvas. It solves mazes!

I'm afraid I don't quite get these two.

[TuggyNE]

I'm afraid I don't quite get these two.

Mage hand can't affect magical objects, but if you hook one onto a fishhook or similar, you can lift that instead.

Marvelous pigments (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#marvelousPigments) seems fairly self-explanatory.

[Curmudgeon]

There's always the classic of casting shrink item on a cone large enough to cover your body then hiding the shrunken cone under you hat.

If someone tries to put you in an anitmagic field then the cone grows back to normal size and surrounds you blocking the field's line of effect to you.
Of course there's the problem that D&D doesn't have facing, even to the extent of knowing which way your head is pointed. Since you're assumed to be constantly checking in all directions, the open end of your cone could be pointing sideways or up rather than down. Or the edge could crush your arm or leg if the cone is slightly tilted when it expands to full size.

[Epsilon Rose]

Mage hand can't affect magical objects, but if you hook one onto a fishhook or similar, you can lift that instead.
Ah. I didn't realize mage hand had that restriction.


URL="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#marvelousPigments"]Marvelous pigments[/URL] seems fairly self-explanatory.
I didn't quite realize how versatile the pigments are. Still, I'm not entirely sure how they solve mazes. Are you paining doors/arches?

[Deca4531]

Never underestimate the effectiveness of s simple wooden log. i remember some time ago reading about a party that used a log for a lot of things that normaly a rogue would do. whenever they needed to get in a door they would say "rogue pick the lock" then battering ram the door down with log. in hallways they would say "rogue go look for traps" then roll it down the hall. even in battle they would send the log in first "rogue to in and sneak attack them" then they would hurl the log at the bad guy yelling "SNEAK ATTACK!"

I just wish i could find the link for it, it was so amazing lol.

[Slipperychicken]

The Complete Adventurer errata specifically killed mounted Skirmish. Unfortunate.

I meant the real-world tactic (i.e. stay out of range and slam enemies with ranged attacks), not the Scout class feature. While mounted, the former is arguably much more effective, as it renders one essentially immune to most melee opponents.


in hallways they would say "rogue go look for traps" then roll it down the hall.

This reminds me of another good one:


You don't need to search for traps to find them. Usually, if you send any heavy object (including the aforementioned logs, summoned creatures, mounts, dogs, surrendered enemies, corpses, annoying party members, and annoying NPCs) down a hall, that will usually trigger whatever traps were laying about. Attaching a pole to your "bait" and pushing it through the dungeon like a janitor's broom is a decent approach.

A ten foot pole (or similarly long stick) can potentially find traps which you would not. Prod a suspicious object from a safe distance -that might trigger traps you didn't see before.

[John Longarrow]

A magic item that can cast Mount at will works really really really good for finding traps and delaying enemies.

Nothing like giving a pack of ghouls a nice, tasty horse to snack on while the party runs. Course it is fast food, since as soon as they eat the horse, it disappears.

[Slipperychicken]

Nothing like giving a pack of ghouls a nice, tasty horse to snack on while the party runs. Course it is fast food, since as soon as they eat the horse, it disappears.

Horses don't like being eaten, so it'll likely try to flee. Just hope it doesn't manage to outrun you :smallbiggrin:

[Deca4531]

Horses don't like being eaten, so it'll likely try to flee. Just hope it doesn't manage to outrun you :smallbiggrin:

was it Sun Tzu who said

"You don't have to be faster than your enemy, only faster than the person next to you."

[Invader]

To be exact:
An empty flask is 1.
A flask of Acid, Alchemist's fire, or Holy water is 1 lb.

Given that a flask contains 1 pint of liquid, each of these fluids are effectively -.5 lb per pint. If you can manage a vehicle light enough and that could hold enough.. you could have something lighter than air to ride in. Since acid is the cheapest option, 10gp per flask, you want the portion containing the acid to be unaffected by acid.

A flask isn't a set size though. It could be 5oz. 10oz. or whatever, the only reason to assume a flask of acid is lighter than an empty flask is munchkinism.

[Yawgmoth]

There's always the classic of casting shrink item on a cone large enough to cover your body then hiding the shrunken cone under you hat.

If someone tries to put you in an anitmagic field then the cone grows back to normal size and surrounds you blocking the field's line of effect to you.

You can then just teleport away to plot your revenge on whoever was foolish enough to try and antimagic you.
This explains why wizard hats are shaped the way they are.

[Xuldarinar]

A flask isn't a set size though. It could be 5oz. 10oz. or whatever, the only reason to assume a flask of acid is lighter than an empty flask is munchkinism.

It assumes consistency. It assumes that if you fill an empty flask with holy water, it is now a flask filled with holy water, and that the same principal would follow for acid or alchemist's fire.

To assume acid (flask) is lighter than flask (empty) is strictly RaW, it says it quite plainly. Now, did they intend for acid or holy water to be lighter than air? I doubt it, and abuse of this notion would be difficult to manage. It is not munchkinism, as there are few practical applications to such a thing and such an aspect of the rules wouldn't really benefit a competitive player (munchkin).

It does, however, present an amusing notion. That if you were to cast Bless Water on a water balloon (which is something you cannot do as a ballon is not a flask), it would begin to float upwards. Though, not bothering with precise calculations, it might have more lifting force than helium.

[Deca4531]

im a little confused by something, everyone is saying that X liquid is lighter than air, but it cant be. in gas form it can be, but the solid liquid should not be.

[John Longarrow]

im a little confused by something, everyone is saying that X liquid is lighter than air, but it cant be. in gas form it can be, but the solid liquid should not be.

Poor Poor cat girl, we knew you not very well.. But you are gone now, sacrificed to the gods of reality...

[Xuldarinar]

im a little confused by something, everyone is saying that X liquid is lighter than air, but it cant be. in gas form it can be, but the solid liquid should not be.

Realistically perhaps, but according to the player's handbook, an empty flask is 1 1/2 lb. A flask filled with acid, a flask filled with holy water, and a flask filled with alchemist's fire are all listed as 1 lb.

[(Un)Inspired]

Of course there's the problem that D&D doesn't have facing, even to the extent of knowing which way your head is pointed. Since you're assumed to be constantly checking in all directions, the open end of your cone could be pointing sideways or up rather than down. Or the edge could crush your arm or leg if the cone is slightly tilted when it expands to full size.

You just need to have it sewn into the inside of your pointy wizard's hat so it's always point side up. Then just have the sides of the cone be a very wide, gradual curve so that when it expands the sides don't fire straight down dramatically guillotining your arms off.

Also I just bookmarked this thread. There's some great stuff here.

[Deca4531]

Realistically perhaps, but according to the player's handbook, an empty flask is 1 1/2 lb. A flask filled with acid, a flask filled with holy water, and a flask filled with alchemist's fire are all listed as 1 lb.

so how to shop keepers keep them from floating away lol?

also a neat trick:

my party was having trouble getting through an iron door, we all tried knocking it down and failed. so i have my pack mule kick it, crited, and blew it off its hinges. i decided to take the door with me strapped to the mule, then asked if it could be counted as a tower shield.

summery: doors make for a cheap shield in a pinch.

[Curmudgeon]

You just need to have it sewn into the inside of your pointy wizard's hat so it's always point side up.
But that would require the Wizard's head to always have the top pointing up, rather than sideways as they look at the ground to check for roots, caltrops, or whatever. Because the rules guarantee that all characters look in all directions constantly — including up and down — there's no way to keep the character's head in any particular orientation.

Pointy hats always come with ties to keep them on the Wizard's head.

[John Longarrow]

But that would require the Wizard's head to always have the top pointing up, rather than sideways as they look at the ground to check for roots, caltrops, or whatever. Because the rules guarantee that all characters look in all directions constantly — including up and down — there's no way to keep the character's head in any particular orientation.

Pointy hats always come with ties to keep them on the Wizard's head.

Not at all. You just need some of that floating acid at the top to keep it pointing up....

[Deca4531]

Not at all. You just need some of that floating acid at the top to keep it pointing up....

or holy water, so you dont accidentally burn a hole in your hat.

[Allanimal]

If you're playing a ranged character who doesn't want to be charged, sow a bag of marbles upside down to the inside of your pant leg near the ankle. Tie the drawstring to a shiruken. Drawing the shiruken is a free action, and it spills the marbles out around you. Now you can't be charged.


the problem with this is when the opponent charges you before you have released your marbles. a free action can only be performed on your turn, and AFAIK, you rarely get charged on your own turn.

[Equinox]

Solution: take a single level of Wizard. Get a familiar to reside in your pocket. Have the familiar constantly ready an action to draw the Shuriken when you're charged.

Actually, come to think of it, take ALL your levels at Wizard. Is there any problem it can't solve?

[Curmudgeon]

Solution: take a single level of Wizard. Get a familiar to reside in your pocket. Have the familiar constantly ready an action to draw the Shuriken when you're charged.
How is the familiar going to know when you're being charged if they're in your pocket? The cloth blocks line of sight. Ready is merely a plan, not divination magic, and uses the character's senses to decide when the triggering action occurs.

Next, drawing or sheathing a weapon requires a hand. No standard familiar has a hand.
Draw or Sheathe a Weapon

Drawing a weapon so that you can use it in combat, or putting it away so that you have a free hand, requires a move action. One of the creatures available with the various Improved Familiar lists might have a hand, but that's not going to work with just a single level of Wizard.


Edit: The problem with a lot of these "creative" tricks is that some of the creativity goes into ignoring various aspects of the game rules. :smallannoyed:

[Equinox]

How is the familiar going to know when you're being charged if they're in your pocket? The cloth blocks line of sight. Ready is merely a plan, not divination magic, and uses the character's senses to decide when the triggering action occurs.

Next, drawing or sheathing a weapon requires a hand. No standard familiar has a hand. One of the creatures available with the various Improved Familiar lists might have a hand, but that's not going to work with just a single level of Wizard.

Fair objections. Let's see...

1. He can sit in the pocket with his head poking out.
2. Fair enough, he can't draw a weapon. You can rig some kind of contraption - a wire tied to his leg that he can pull, for example, or a thread he can bite through, that will release the marbles. .

[Menzath]

Why not have your familiar be a swarm on animate marbles that just roll around you?

Or you know just have a weasel. they have articulate hands as long as things are sized for them, which I am sure string is.
Besides who knew that decorative fur scarf was ALIVE?!

[TuggyNE]

But that would require the Wizard's head to always have the top pointing up, rather than sideways as they look at the ground to check for roots, caltrops, or whatever. Because the rules guarantee that all characters look in all directions constantly — including up and down — there's no way to keep the character's head in any particular orientation.

Who says their head actually changes orientation except around the vertical axis? :smallwink: It's perfectly practical to look up or down moving only your eyes, and a wizard with this tactic would doubtless put some practice into ensuring that.

[Chronos]

People sometimes cast spells on objects and throw them at an enemy, instead of casting them directly on an enemy (Silence against an enemy caster, for instance). That's already well-known. My trick is this: Don't just use a rock. Collect a few burs, and use those instead, so it sticks to your enemy's clothing.

Speaking of Silence, one drawback to using it for sneaking is that your enemy might notice the sudden cessation of background noise when you get close. So cast it on the end of a 14-foot long rope.

[Venger]

so how to shop keepers keep them from floating away lol?

also a neat trick:

my party was having trouble getting through an iron door, we all tried knocking it down and failed. so i have my pack mule kick it, crited, and blew it off its hinges. i decided to take the door with me strapped to the mule, then asked if it could be counted as a tower shield.

summery: doors make for a cheap shield in a pinch.

best in tandem with a silent portal disk. turn the party's brute into the party's rogue for 300gp

[Curmudgeon]

Who says their head actually changes orientation except around the vertical axis? :smallwink:
Who says their head is allowed to not change orientation? That's the inherent limitation in a game without facing: the rules don't allow specification, either for any particular orientation or not for any particular orientation. As a consequence, anything dependent on facing is outside of the scope of the RAW.

[TuggyNE]

Who says their head is allowed to not change orientation? That's the inherent limitation in a game without facing: the rules don't allow specification, either for any particular orientation or not for any particular orientation. As a consequence, anything dependent on facing is outside of the scope of the RAW.

… which means that any specific game consequences for this are highly suspect: the rules do not require or imply them, and neither does simple common sense, so all that's left is straight-up fiat.

[XionUnborn01]

I always buy/acquire corks. I use them to check for traps in keyholes/handles. Just push the cork into the keyhole or into the doorhandle.

Shovels are always handy. I have nothing else to add, they're a freaking shovel.

Grappling hooks with rope are always useful for getting across places, moving equipment, or various other things.

Pitons, chalk, and chisels are useful for directions, as well as chalk being usable for finding fine wires, or invisible things similar to flour. Chisels and pitons can make holes in weak material, or many various uses.

[Deca4531]

one trick i used on my ninja quite often was to take the quick draw feat then before we entered battle i would go invisible, sprint across the room and draw (as a free action) then drop (another free action) several Blast Disks (or other form of explosive) then return to the party without ever taking a standard action.

so to them all they saw was the ninja vanish, then the whole room explode, then the ninja reappear without a scratch.

[Der_DWSage]

Cast Permanent Shrink Item on various boulders of Medium size, (Between 60-500 lbs) making them Fine. Put them into your pocket. Make the command word something very easy to remember.

In the end, your wizard can now solve many problems by simply reaching into their pocket, shouting 'POCKET SAND!' and suddenly burying their enemy in rocks the size of the wizard.

[XmonkTad]

I didn't quite realize how versatile the pigments are. Still, I'm not entirely sure how they solve mazes. Are you paining doors/arches?

It doesn't say this in the SRD, but in the DMG p263 it explicitly says you can draw pits and rooms. There is some debate as to this space being extra -dimensional, but the result is non -magical, so I think not.
So yes. As I read it, drawing a door/window/archway into a solid wall lets you get through. If your DM rules that the space is extra-dimensional, then paint extra rooms into your stronghold for cheep!

Note: the most liberal reading of the pigments I've ever heard said that they could paint a hole in a wall of force. It takes 10 minutes to do, so it's not an in-combat trick. Your DM will have to work out how it works, but as long as it's consistent, you can do many cool things.

[lytokk]

Feeding a +1 Holy Adamantine Dagger to an evil dragon. that's 2d6 damage per round and if the DM is agreeable, the -2 levels for being an evil creature holding onto the weapon.

The situation was my ninja being alone. Dragon ate me, I stabbed my dagger into his guts and etherealed my way out of his stomach. After that it was just a matter of running an hiding til he dropped.

[Allanimal]

Feeding a +1 Holy Adamantine Dagger to an evil dragon. that's 2d6 damage per round and if the DM is agreeable, the -2 levels for being an evil creature holding onto the weapon.

The situation was my ninja being alone. Dragon ate me, I stabbed my dagger into his guts and etherealed my way out of his stomach. After that it was just a matter of running an hiding til he dropped.

Wait... How is a dagger left inside a Dragon's gullet making attacks?

Edit:
And the bit about the holy causing negative levels - should never work.

The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded.
A weapon lodged in a stomach left behind by its wielder is not "in hand" and definitely is "no longer wielded."

[lytokk]

Kind of like swallowing a shard of glass, or a screw. Its pointy, in your stomach, and can really cut up your insides. Or was I, and my DM, completely wrong with the approach.

[Allanimal]

Kind of like swallowing a shard of glass, or a screw. Its pointy, in your stomach, and can really cut up your insides. Or was I, and my DM, completely wrong with the approach.

Maybe not completely - there's no rules about it that I know of.
A creature with swallow whole, I would rule, would not as this is what the creature does - swallow things. For a dragon big enough to swallow a PC and still have the PC survive & able to act, Best case the dagger would do damage as an improvised weapon. And the dragon is intelligent enough to minimize movement that causes the damage + use its magic and items in its hoard to prevent the few HP/round from killing it.

[lytokk]

It was a fang dragon, so it didn't really have a lot of options. Could have been the DM's method of helping my character survive a situation he got into after a really good plan going bad.

[(Un)Inspired]

My wizard actually wears a constant neck brace to prevent him from attempting the dangerous act of looking up or down.

Also does anyone know how I can get my urban druid's animated object companion to be a swarm of marbles?

[nedz]

one trick i used on my ninja quite often was to take the quick draw feat then before we entered battle i would go invisible, sprint across the room and draw (as a free action) then drop (another free action) several Blast Disks (or other form of explosive) then return to the party without ever taking a standard action.

so to them all they saw was the ninja vanish, then the whole room explode, then the ninja reappear without a scratch.

Unfortunately you can only Quickdraw weapons. Are Blast Disks weapons ? Which book are they from ?

[Deca4531]

Unfortunately you can only Quickdraw weapons. Are Blast Disks weapons ? Which book are they from ?

MIC, and I don't know if they are considered weapons or just magic items. their whole purpose it to explode so they are a kind of weapon I guess, in much the same way caltrops are a weapon I guess.

[GutterFace]

The Rubber Ball. best mundane object of all time. Throw it, bounce it, test depths, distance, or use as a distraction. and its rubber so it will come back to you :)

its only an Ac 5 to hit a square so heave it around as you will to test to traps, etc.

its also the best way to get an explosive rune around a corner or over an obstacle. ( i know this is a bit stretching it, but it's fun)

[Deca4531]

a bit of lamp oil and flint can go a long way, burn down door, fill a room with smoke, or breaking it on the ground for a quick oil slick (that you can light on FIRE!) you coat your weapons in it for a short flaming buff, just make sure your wearing thick gloves.

[gooddragon1]

Of course there's the problem that D&D doesn't have facing, even to the extent of knowing which way your head is pointed. Since you're assumed to be constantly checking in all directions, the open end of your cone could be pointing sideways or up rather than down. Or the edge could crush your arm or leg if the cone is slightly tilted when it expands to full size.

On this note: I once made a TES3 Morrowind mod with an NPC skeleton who was unable to move from where you summoned him (he could buy and sell stuff and do other stuff and you could summon him). The funny part was when you moved up to his left or right... his skull would rotate faster than a blade on a helicopter does. I'd love to re-install the game just to take a video of that.

As for a useful trick:
Liquid light is cheap but some DM's are core only... continual light can be cast on a marble for those who are worried about carrying capacity.

[Abaddona]

Prestidigation -> make something harmful look, smell and taste like something definetely not-harmful (for example hide taste of the poison).

When enemies barickaded themself and only entrance is heavily guarded remember that your fighter can make another. If you can't break through a wall by attacking it or using strength checks remember about craft - your wizard will be probably pretty angry when you make him into stonemason and it will take some time but it still can be better than storming heavily guarded positions, also you may provoke your enemies into leaving their positions and attack you instead.

Fire, and by the extension: lamp oil are your best friends - by RAW it's in small bottles but nothing prevents you from combining several of them into one bigger bottle, put inside bottle of alchemist fire and you have mundane wall of fire.

[ItWasFutile]

I've always been a fan of using Etherealness to leave presents for my enemies inside their bodies. Such as an immovable rod. Or poison. Or small carnivorous animals. Or small carnivorous animals with poison. Or sovreign glue. I've had entire characters where every combat option consisted of going ethereal and leaving gifts.

[Chronos]

Like that scene in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie where the bomb-throwing guy got what was coming to him?

[Shmaloshefer]

Fair forum users.
This is my first published thread and I am astonished at the speed, quantity and quality of your replies. I just want to say thank you and keep up the good work.

[GutterFace]

I've always been a fan of using Etherealness to leave presents for my enemies inside their bodies. Such as an immovable rod. Or poison. Or small carnivorous animals. Or small carnivorous animals with poison. Or sovreign glue. I've had entire characters where every combat option consisted of going ethereal and leaving gifts.

amazing idea. how would a DM rate the damage if i left a handful of caltrops inside someone?

[ItWasFutile]

Fair forum users.
This is my first published thread and I am astonished at the speed, quantity and quality of your replies. I just want to say thank you and keep up the good work.

Not a problem. Happy to help.


amazing idea. how would a DM rate the damage if i left a handful of caltrops inside someone?

I would call it half damage. That's just me. I left a portable hole in a Great Wyrm's belly and then got him to swallow a bag of holding. I was 12th level. My DM was not ammused. I don't know why.

[Fitz10019]

one trick i used on my ninja quite often was to take the quick draw feat then before we entered battle i would go invisible, sprint across the room and draw (as a free action) then drop (another free action) several Blast Disks (or other form of explosive) then return to the party without ever taking a standard action.

so to them all they saw was the ninja vanish, then the whole room explode, then the ninja reappear without a scratch.

The Blast Disk's description says standard action to activate, and says nothing about being set off when they're dropped. What are other explosives this could work with?

[Captnq]

Give your Unseen Servant 20 vials of acid (his maximal load). During battle, send him into the thick of combat and command him to drop the vials. Everyone within 5' radius of his square (ie. 15'x15' area) takes 20 splash damage, no save. Not bad for a 1st level spell.

It is however a bit pricey. For better budgeting, combine with the "Alchemist Fire and Oil" trick by a previous poster.

Here's the problem. You have to make an attack roll at AC 5 to hit the ground. If you fail, then the attack is roll 1d8 go a random direction and it goes the distance of 1 range increment.

However, an unseen servant cannot make an attack roll. No attack roll, no attack. He just drops all 20 vials on acid on the ground, nothing happens. Your enemy is very puzzled why your unseen servant just sent him 20 vials of acid.

[nedz]

The Blast Disk's description says standard action to activate, and says nothing about being set off when they're dropped. What are other explosives this could work with?

Does it say if it's a weapon or a misc item ?
If it's not a weapon then you can't use Quickdraw anyway.

Assuming he has one in hand, since he can Quickdraw his weapons later, what this should look like is:

Move Action: Move across the room
Standard Action: Activate one disk
Free Action: Drop
Free Action: Quickdraw: Draw Weapons (Optional)

Then trust to evasion when it goes off.

[Milo v3]

Does it say if it's a weapon or a misc item ?
If it's not a weapon then you can't use Quickdraw anyway.

Can't nearly anything be a weapon, because it can be used as an improvised weapon?

[Equinox]

It doesn't say this in the SRD, but in the DMG p263 it explicitly says you can draw pits and rooms. There is some debate as to this space being extra -dimensional, but the result is non -magical, so I think not.
So yes. As I read it, drawing a door/window/archway into a solid wall lets you get through. If your DM rules that the space is extra-dimensional, then paint extra rooms into your stronghold for cheep!
Marvelous expenditure of resources - spending 4,000 gp to add a 10'x10'x10' room to our stronghold. For comparison, a "trained hireling" costs 3 sp/day, so for the same cost we could have 100 stonemasons working for over 4 months.

My creative trick: sell the pigments, use the cash to hire stonemasons.

[Cassidius]

I don't know if anybody has tried this, but I've been considering it for when the time is right.

Buy a bunch of caltrops and a couple of bear traps, I can't recall the cost but they are relatively cheap.

Now spread them out in a room near where you know a bunch of enemies are with the bear traps in the middle.

Now have someone cast silent image or some other illusion over the bunch of them to make the caltrops look like spiders rearing up to bite and the bear traps to look like pulsating spider egg sacks with spiders coming out of it.

Now just lure your enemies into the room... They should try to start stomping on the spiders and the egg sacks, and probably won't be surprised by the little pricks they get while stomping on them.

Now just enjoy your enemies reduced movement speed and bleed damage while you pick them off.

[Curmudgeon]

Can't nearly anything be a weapon, because it can be used as an improvised weapon?
It can be an improvised weapon, but Quick Draw only works on weapons, not improvised weapons.

You don't get to just interject modifiers wherever you like. For instance, instead of adding the modifier "improvised ", you could add the modifier "non-". The result is the same: you can't Quick Draw a non-weapon, and you can't Quick Draw an improvised weapon.

[Milo v3]

It can be an improvised weapon, but Quick Draw only works on weapons, not improvised weapons.

You don't get to just interject modifiers wherever you like. For instance, instead of adding the modifier "improvised ", you could add the modifier "non-". The result is the same: you can't Quick Draw a non-weapon, and you can't Quick Draw an improvised weapon.

But it's current use is weapon, it just wasn't designed for that use. It's not the same as non-weapon. Sickles and Scythes aren't designed as weapons, but they are still counted as weapons.

If you pick up a stick and it someone with it, I think you should be able to count yourself using a bludgeon weapon. It's an improvised one but it's still a weapon.

[Curmudgeon]

If you pick up a stick and it someone with it, I think you should be able to count yourself using a bludgeon weapon. It's an improvised one but it's still a weapon.
I'm afraid you're incorrect on that point. From page 115 of Player's Handbook:
Club: A wooden club is so easy to find and fashion that it has no cost. You're using a club, which happens to be one you found rather than fashioned. That's not an improvised weapon. Now, if you managed to break off the leg of a table, that would be an improvised weapon.

[Milo v3]

I'm afraid you're incorrect on that point. From page 115 of Player's Handbook: You're using a club, which happens to be one you found rather than fashioned. That's not an improvised weapon. Now, if you managed to break off the leg of a table, that would be an improvised weapon.

Wait, so if the stick and the leg of the table were the same size and everything. You'd still say that the table leg is improvised and the stick isn't?
Even when they are physically the same?

[Chronos]

Quoth Equinox:

Marvelous expenditure of resources - spending 4,000 gp to add a 10'x10'x10' room to our stronghold. For comparison, a "trained hireling" costs 3 sp/day, so for the same cost we could have 100 stonemasons working for over 4 months.
How long does it take 100 skilled stonemasons to carve out an extradimensional space?

[Dr. Azkur]

Disclaimer: this is my first thread.

I nominate you to the Best First Thread award!

[Curmudgeon]

Wait, so if the stick and the leg of the table were the same size and everything. You'd still say that the table leg is improvised and the stick isn't?
If the table leg still has a bracket attached to the top, throwing off the balance but leaving a sharp metal spike, then it's an improvised bludgeoning and piercing weapon.

Even when they are physically the same?
If you've broken off the bracket from the table leg to make it physically the same as the stick off the ground, you've fashioned yourself a club.

[Milo v3]

If the table leg still has a bracket attached to the top, throwing off the balance but leaving a sharp metal spike, then it's an improvised bludgeoning and piercing weapon.

If you've broken off the bracket from the table leg to make it physically the same as the stick off the ground, you've fashioned yourself a club.

I've got tonnes of tables around me and I have to say, none of them have a bracket on it's legs. But that's beside the point... :smallsigh:

Improvised Weapons are a category of weapons. It's in the weapons section, it's in the weapon categories section. They just didn't specifically stat up improvised weapons individually, because that would take forever.

[riccaru]

It can be an improvised weapon, but Quick Draw only works on weapons, not improvised weapons.

You don't get to just interject modifiers wherever you like. For instance, instead of adding the modifier "improvised ", you could add the modifier "non-". The result is the same: you can't Quick Draw a non-weapon, and you can't Quick Draw an improvised weapon.

Where exactly is "non-weapon" located as a term in the rules? Improvised weapon is a game term which means it is a weapon. It's the same as a "simple" weapon, it's a modifier to a noun which has a clear meaning. This doesn't help the fact that the disc takes a standard action to activate.

So technically you can quick-draw any item whatsoever (as long as it's within reach).:smallamused:

There's a trick which should work according to RaW using heighten turning and divine spell power. You can reduce your damage on the turning check used for divine spell power (it doesn't matter) in order to boost your turning check for divine spell power.

[Curmudgeon]

Improvised weapon is a game term which means it is a weapon.
That's exactly the opposite of what the rules say.
Improvised Weapons

Sometimes objects not crafted to be weapons nonetheless see use in combat.

[Milo v3]

That's exactly the opposite of what the rules say.

No... That says they were designed to be used as weapons.... Not that they aren't weapons. I think it was dynamite that wasn't designed to be used as a weapon or for war, but it is definitely a weapon.

[riccaru]

That's exactly the opposite of what the rules say.

That's a very selective way of reading it, and note that it specifically does not say they are not, in fact, weapons. It says they're not crafted to be weapons, but that would mean a quarterstaff isn't a weapon either since you don't have to craft one. Or something which isn't crafted at all like an item made through a wish.

Would a drunken master not be able to quickdraw an improvised weapon? It's a pretty big part of the prestige class.

[Milo v3]

Would a drunken master not be able to quickdraw an improvised weapon? It's a pretty big part of the prestige class.

His +5 Corrosive Surge Sizing Beer Mug would be his weapon of choice of course. :smalltongue:

[Epsilon Rose]

...but that would mean a quarterstaff isn't a weapon either since you don't have to craft one.

I would just like to take a moment to point out how ridiculous the notion that a proper quarterstaff does not need to be crafted is.

More relevantly, I remembered a rather creative thing an old party of mine did.

We used an ice ship as our preferred method of transport. But not just any ice ship mind you; we had a land ice ship. How was this managed you ask? Why, through a combination of create water, control water, and the liberal application of ice breath.

First we would use create water to create a lot of water. Then we'd use control water to shape some of it like a ship and freeze it like that with the ice breath. Finally, we'd use the control water, again, to position the rest of the water as a pillow beneath the ship and would constantly raise the water in the back and lower the water in the front (some internal cycling may have been involved) to propel the ship forward at high speeds.

[Jon_Dahl]

It seems that some players have a very, very narrow view what is loot, or they just have limited carrying capacity.

If neither above is an actual problem to your PC, then take a look at this table and pause to think for a moment: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/wealthAndMoney.htm#wealthOtherThanCoins

For instance, iron is worth 1 sp per 1 lb. Of course you will never get rich by collecting iron, but if you're heading back to town, then why not take the maximum amount of loot with you?

The positive thing about selling trade goods is that they are an exception of the half price rule.
The worth of a user dagger in free market = 1 gp
The worth of a scrap-metal dagger = 9 cp

Like I said, you won't get rich, but if you can just haul massive amount of stuff, take the scrap metal too. Take everything you can get! Trade goods are sweet.

[Equinox]

No matter how much you loot, you'll always somehow end up at WBL... :smallannoyed:

[Jon_Dahl]

No matter how much you loot, you'll always somehow end up at WBL... :smallannoyed:

You're right about that.

[Red Rubber Band]

No matter how much you loot, you'll always somehow end up at WBL... :smallannoyed:

The inverse should be the same, then.

No matter how much you try to ignore the loot you'll always end up at WBL.

:smalltongue:

[TuggyNE]

No matter how much you loot, you'll always somehow end up at WBL... :smallannoyed:

And no matter how far you teleport, there you are.

Yogi Berra, D&D edition. :smallwink: ("I didn't say all the things I said.")

[Epsilon Rose]

No matter how much you loot, you'll always somehow end up at WBL... :smallannoyed:


The inverse should be the same, then.

No matter how much you try to ignore the loot you'll always end up at WBL.

:smalltongue:

Why I've decided to just use a wealth mechanic. Now you have NO incentive to loot every mook you drop.

[Curmudgeon]

No matter how much you loot, you'll always somehow end up at WBL... :smallannoyed:
I've never found that to be the case. It's the DM's job to populate the game with enough treasure to satisfy the treasure/encounter tables (on average), but after that it's entirely up to the PCs how much of it each of them holds on to. I've been known to encourage the whole party to abandon the DM's railroad mission to instead go on a quest to swap treasure we can't use for gear that we need, rather than live with the standard 50% gp return for selling that treasure.

I doubt I'd ever play in a game where the DM considered using the Wealth by Level table for anything other than starting cash for PCs created above 1st level.