Uses for a strange magic item

[FocusWolf413]

I have a 3'×3' silk handkerchief that can gain the hardness and hit points of inch thick steel or revert back to normal with a command word. It doesn't actually become steel.
I'm a TWF ranger that also uses lots of poison. Besides applying contact poison to it and hardening it over someone's face, using it as makeshift handcuffs, or using it as makeshift armor, how should I use it? My DM allows a lot of stuff based on the "rule of cool."

[inuyasha]

Well, how sharp are the edges, this could add some utility

Also if you shove it in someone's mouth and harden it that would hurt a lot, not to mention the possibility of other orifices

Do you have a means of getting more of these things? This is a really cool magic item by the way.

[FocusWolf413]

I have the technical capability, but they aren't cheap at my level. I mostly got it because it was cool.

I could roll it up, harden it, and use it as a baton/nightstick.
The edges aren't really anything to speak of, but I could get a nice, pointy corner. I guess I could stab with it.
Placing it in someone's mouth is a good idea. Just add a swift kick...

[MesiDoomstalker]

Stuff in a door frame, activate it for an impormptu door sticking... probably. You can use it as a makeshift bowl in some complicated water-based puzzle. Wrap it around your and harden before punching out glass. Could also be done for sticking your hand into mystery substances, though its inflexibility and small size would be less than useful. Can also be used to store small, valuable loot (like gems) and be nearly unpickpocketable... unless they lift the entire bit of silk.

[Hiro Quester]

The size is limiting. 3x3 inches is too small for handcuffs and such.

The best use I can think of is to tie it to the end of a whip. Activate the command word just before the whip strikes, to create a steel hammer on the end of your whip as it strikes for extra bludgeoning damage.

I have no idea how to calculate the damage that could do, though. But it would definitely be cool.

[Knaight]

If it also acquires the stiffness of 1 inch steel, there are a lot of options for using it to hold in a material then release it from a distance. Cover the open bottom of a hanging tube of poisonous gas/nasty liquid/gelatinous monster then give the command word to drop it and whatever it's holding into a room as a trap. Fold it into a container, fill it with something, then turn it back into silk to drop it. Let a pursuer step on it while silk, turn it into steel-hard, then use that to flee while they're slowed down, then let them leave later.

Still assuming stiffness, there are other options. Use it for information gathering by placing it inside things which are etched, turning it to steel, then carrying that around as an imprint for a while. If you can get a second one and they stay light, fold them around your feet into flippers before entering water (or snow shoes before walking over thin snow), then use them to swim better. Make it bigger through any of the numerous spells for that, fold it into a very strong very light boat. Use it to drastically strengthen a small shield without adding any real mass. Use it to roll it up, make it into specialized hook shapes, and reach things a bit out of reach. So on and so forth.


The size is limiting. 3x3 inches is too small for handcuffs and such.
3" is three inches, the original post used 3'. That would be 3 feet, which is more than enough for handcuffs. Heck, you could get hand to elbow on most medium sized humanoids.

[Hiro Quester]

Oh. Right. I grew up in metric, I always get those confused. Apologies.

3 feet square does open up all kinds of possibilities I had not considered.

Putting it on the end of a small whip could also be an auto-trip whip/bolas/-steel-tanglefoot-device when whipped at the enemy's feet just before activating.

Trapdoor trap (covering a hole with drowning-deep water at the bottom). Command word springs the trap as enemy steps on it. Then activate it back into steel immediately after the enemy hits the water. Instant cement shoes prevent them from surfacing.

Tie all four corners into a parachute, and launch an arrow into the air. The arrow auto-drops (with the momentum of a big piece of steel behind it) when you shout the command word.

Hmmm.. I'm going to be thinking about possibilities for a while. I'll probably be back with more later on. Fun item.

[Sapreaver]

if you can get more of them you could build a ladder or build a shelter when traveling fairly quickly..
I'd animate it and try and get it to suffocate people like that. at the very least it might blind them

[Knaight]

Oh. Right. I grew up in metric, I always get those confused. Apologies.

Trust me, even those of us used to the system have to look things up occasionally. No need to apologize.

[nedz]

It depends upon the circumstances but here are some obvious ideas


Waterproof container for strange shaped objects
Interrogation hood
Blocking up an arrow-slit or murder-hole
Protection device used whilst disabling a trap

[FocusWolf413]

I'm absolutely loving these. Keep them coming!
One thing: it doesn't actually become steel. It only changes the stiffness, hardness, and hit points. I'm adding that to the original post.

[mabriss lethe]

Jamming mechanisms in various traps.

[ExLibrisMortis]

It would be great stuff for a suit, at least a vest, I imagine. Wear it tucked into your collar when dining with unreliable folks.

[Knaight]

I'm absolutely loving these. Keep them coming!
One thing: it doesn't actually become steel. It only changes the stiffness, hardness, and hit points. I'm adding that to the original post.

At least in my case, I've been using that as short hand for acquiring the stiffness, hardness, and HP; I suspect that's true for everyone. There's probably a reason that things like situational mirrors never showed up. Additional options:

Make a hand wrap with it, and use it for grappling. Once you've got a grab, lock it in place.
If you can breathe and see through it, using it as a very full covering armored mask might not be a bad idea.
Using it as an attachment point to thin walls might work. You stab it through while hardened, let it fall flush against the back wall, then re-harden it.
It also works as a rope attachment to loops. Stick it through, shape the top to cover the loop, then rappel down. With a command word, it then drops loose.

[FocusWolf413]

At least in my case, I've been using that as short hand for acquiring the stiffness, hardness, and HP; I suspect that's true for everyone. There's probably a reason that things like situational mirrors never showed up.

Some people have suggested doing things with it that would imply it gaining the mass of a sheet of steel. For example, there's no way I could do the cement boots thing.

[Hiro Quester]

Some people have suggested doing things with it that would imply it gaining the mass of a sheet of steel. For example, there's no way I could do the cement boots thing.

You still could if you covered the silk in heavy stones (camouflage) before springing the trap. They would be trapped in the silk with the victim's feet, then held there by reactivating the steel-like hardness and stiffness.

But yeah, I have been imagining also the mass of steel.

[FocusWolf413]

You still could if you covered the silk in heavy stones (camouflage) before springing the trap. They would be trapped in the silk with the victim's feet, then held there by reactivating the steel-like hardness and stiffness.

But yeah, I have been imagining also the mass of steel.

As I said before, it was a bit expensive. Anything that'll destroy it or render it irretrievable is off limits.

[Jay R]

In the right situation, it's the front of a breastplate, but much lighter and hidden under a shirt. (Or put it on your back for protection from backstabbing.)

[AeonsShadow]

Okay for starters you have a staff, a greatclub, a spear, and a battlehammer and BATTLE FIST all in one.

You can fashion it into a cape, instant defense against an unwary fist or tooth. And it retains its propeties of silk while having the hardness of STEEL you say? do I hear PARAGLIDER?

http://image.dek-d.com/27/0392/9265/116868284

Not only that, if you learned to bind with rope you could replace the rope with the silk then harder it to make it impossible for them to get out! especially nice if you are capturing a mage and need to keep them from gesturing.

Add a weighted ball on one end and you have Tennyo from the O-parts hunter(also known as 666 satan) manga, in this chapter (http://kissmanga.com/Manga/666-Satan/666-Satan-Chapter-35?id=54243) specifically. LOCK THAT WHIP IN PLACE! DRAG THEM IN!

Also works well as a bola! catch their legs than seal their doom by hardening it.

[MisterKaws]

Paint it red and go fight a bull.

[Jack_Simth]

3" is three inches, the original post used 3'. That would be 3 feet, which is more than enough for handcuffs. Heck, you could get hand to elbow on most medium sized humanoids.
The OP also described it as a "handkerchief" which usually are pretty small. 3 inches by 3 inches vs. 3 feet by 3 feet is quite a difference in utility, and the OP could use clairification on that aspect.

But yeah, if that handkerchief is more of a halfling's blanket, mostly it's almost any tool (if slightly crude, and limited to about four feet in length along the diagonal). Need a shovel? Wrap most of it into a shaft, keep the rest a bit open, then harden. Crowbar? Roll it up, add a bend or two. There's a few ways to use it for traps, containing a disabled opponent, and other things.

If it's nine square inches, on the other hand, that's a lot harder.

[FocusWolf413]

The OP also described it as a "handkerchief" which usually are pretty small. 3 inches by 3 inches vs. 3 feet by 3 feet is quite a difference in utility, and the OP could use clairification on that aspect.

It was described to me as a very large handkerchief, but it's really more of a bandanna.
I did indeed specify that it's three feet on a side. It's common knowledge that an apostrophe is shorthand for feet.

I'm loving all of these ideas. The crowbar one was pretty cool. I bet I could fold it into a hammer too, as long as I put a rock in it for weight.

[Inevitability]

Wrapping anything you don't want to get damaged (spellbooks, potions, scrolls) in it and then hardening the cloth might be useful. Put some other cloths there to prevent the hardness from damaging anything.

[Jay R]

Use it like a fighting cloak. Whip it around the opponent's slashing weapon and harden. The weapon is now dull.

[Jack_Simth]

It was described to me as a very large handkerchief, but it's really more of a bandanna.
I did indeed specify that it's three feet on a side. It's common knowledge that an apostrophe is shorthand for feet.

It is. It's also fairly common for someone to miss hitting shift a few times when typing.


I'm loving all of these ideas. The crowbar one was pretty cool. I bet I could fold it into a hammer too, as long as I put a rock in it for weight.Most simple tools are viable, yes, although the DM would be well within rights to demand a craft check of some kind (possibly with a penalty) for anything particularly complex. You can make it into a breastplate, a shield, a helmet, several types of weapons... it's an item where the use is primarily limited by player and DM imagination. It's particularly useful if you need to go into an area with nothing that's clearly offensive in nature. It's just a cloth (and will pass Detect Magic or Arcane Sight with the addition of a [Nystul's] Magic Aura (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicAura.htm) spell). It's a good 'in case of capture' item, if you keep it looking mundane.

[nedz]

You could use it as a clipboard.

[Jay R]

An unarmed person with this item has a mace anytime he wants to.

[Abithrios]

If you wrap it tightly around an enemy's neck and say the magic word, it should strangle them for you. I am not sure what rules should be used to resolve it, so I wouldn't try it on anyone your DM would object to you killing with one action. That seems like the sort of tactic that could be cool to use against a mook with just a roll or two to resolve it, but would be too powerful to allow against a boss enemy.

[FocusWolf413]

If you wrap it tightly around an enemy's neck and say the magic word, it should strangle them for you. I am not sure what rules should be used to resolve it, so I wouldn't try it on anyone your DM would object to you killing with one action. That seems like the sort of tactic that could be cool to use against a mook with just a roll or two to resolve it, but would be too powerful to allow against a boss enemy.

He's fine with pretty much anything as long as it makes sense. I was actually planning on doing that to someone.

[Theodred theOld]

Place valuable objects in the center and tie the corners up like a bindle sack. Speak the key word and you now have a lightweight, portable safe.

[Keltest]

Use it to cover a pit trap. Stand on it while its stiffened, then use the command word to drop it once your target is standing on it. Camouflage as necessary.

[Flashkannon]

I feel like you could get a lot of bait-and-switch use out of it, maybe as curtains or a rug? People have come up with a lot of ideas where you have it hard then reset it to being soft, but I feel like that could work well the other way around too. It could also probably make a good replacement for mechanical parts on the fly, if you're good enough at folding.

[nedz]

... if you're good enough at folding.

Of course — Hard Origami. You just need Animate Object to go with it and you have an attack frog.

[FocusWolf413]

Murderous oragami is probably most farcical thing I've read all day. You beautiful, glorious bastard.

[Jack_Simth]

Of course — Hard Origami. You just need Animate Object to go with it and you have an attack frog.
Go with a Crane. It might fly.

[AeonsShadow]

I have a 3'×3' silk handkerchief that can gain the hardness and hit points of inch thick steel or revert back to normal with a command word. It doesn't actually become steel.

wait, does it become stiff when activated? if not then you basically have a cheaper mythril armor!

[FocusWolf413]

As mentioned before, yes.