BisectedBrioche
2007-06-27, 01:44 PM
In my opinion caltrops (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm) are one of the most underrated weapons throughout the whole SRD (and just about any RP, video game, etc they appear in). So I've listed some new items, enhancements and even artifacts related to caltrops.
Alternative Rules
Avoiding Caltrops To avoid caltrops PCs and NPCs must be aware of them. Anyone who comes within 10 feet of a square containing caltrops may make a DC 15 spot check (the DM should role this secretly) to notice them. Characters who are expect caltrops to be present need only make a DC 10 spot check (the DM should role regardless of if there are any nearby) if characters stop and search the floor for caltrops the DC drops to 5. The DCs may be modified by certain caltrops and effects.
Secretly Placing Caltrops Any intelligent creature who sees another placing caltrops may realise what they are doing with a spot check equivalent to the caltrop's spot DC. If they fail this by 5 or less they still realise something has been dropped on the ground. A character who is aware of the presence of other's may attempt to place caltrops secretly with a sleight of hand check. They get a -1 penalty on this check for each intelligent creature within 10 feet.
Clearing Caltrops A character may clear away a single square (5 ft.) of caltrops as a full round action (doing so requires no real skill as it is simply a case of picking them up and throwing them away). If the caltrops have some enhancement (poison, magic damage etc) they must take a DC 15 check or scratch themselves and take the damage from the poison or spell.
Terrain Modifiers To function caltrops must be placed on reasonably hard ground (e.g. Stone, hard earth, etc).
Damage Reduction Creatures with DR are not harmed by caltrops unless they meet the same criteria a weapon would need to to overcome it.
Poisoning Caltrops Caltrops may be poisoned like any other weapon. One bag (20 caltrops) requires 5 doses of poison. Properly mixed poison will last for 1d6 days or until the caltrops are destroyed. Poison will only effect the first 1d2+1 creatures to step on a square of caltrops.
Duration Caltrops will last either until 5 creatures have stood on them or they have rotted, rusted or otherwise deteriorated.
Caltrops and Charging A creature that fails to notice caltrops and is struck by one while charging immediately stops, and must make a reflex save (DC = 10 + 1/5ft speed) or fall prone.
Caltrops and Tripping If a creature falls prone in an area covered in caltrops, they immediately suffer attacks from 1d4 caltrops, against which they cannot apply their dexterity bonus to AC. The caltrops geyt a +1 bonus to the attack roll from the creature's velocity. These attacks do not affect the target's speed. Any slippery effect, such as a Grease spell, imposes a -5 penalty to all caltrop attacks in the area.
Throwing Caltrops You may throw an open bag of caltrops at a square, as a splash weapon, instead of spreading them around. To do so, you must attack the square (AC 10). If you miss this square, it still hits, but is also spread throughout all directly adjacent squares (the caltrops are only 1/5 as effective in any square on a miss). If the attack hits, treat the square as if you spread the caltrop bag over it.
Feats
Shoot the Glass
Req: Precise shot or Sunder
You are able to destroy objects in order to impede movement. Any time you destroy an object of small size or larger you may choose to do so in such a way that that its shards fill the square it occupies. That square is treated as though it had caltrops distributed therein.
Caltrop expertise
If you spend two full rounds placing caltrops on the ground, they deal bonus non-lethal damage equal your character level + your int modifier. Caltrops you place now make their attack as though at your base attack bonus.
Special: This ability can be taken by a fighter as a bonus feat.
Caltrop Mastery
Req: Caltrop Expertise, dex 15+
You may move freely though any area in which you have placed caltrops. Additionally, you now gain the benefits of caltrop expertise to any caltrops you place, regardless of the time spent doing so.
Special: This ability can be taken by a fighter as a bonus feat.
Subtle Placement
Req: Int +13, Cha +13
You are able to place caltrops in such a way as to disguise their nature. Characters must make a DC 20 spot check to notice the presence of caltrops you have placed in a square. Any creature that fails this check and attempts to charge through the space occupied by the caltrops takes double the normal damage and falls prone in that square.
Special: This ability can be taken by a fighter as a bonus feat.
Materials
The base price for 20 iron caltrops is 5 gp. Some materials cost more or less than this. The default craft check for creating a caltrop is a DC of 10 and may not be made untrained (there are some exceptions to both) it may use the skills craft(armour and weapons) or another craft skill related to the material used. The weight of the caltrops + 10% of material is needed.
Wood Wooden caltrops are made of sticks tied together with string. The craft DC is 5 and the check may be made untrained. Wooden caltrops have a DC of 5 higher than usual to spot them on woodland ground (or ground covered with large amounts of dirt, twigs etc). They break as soon as they are stepped on and rot away after 1d4 days (-1 in wet conditions, 0 means that they rot within a day of being dropped). They weigh and cost half as much as iron caltrops. Their poor quality gives them -2 to hit.
Iron Iron caltrops are the "standard" caltrops. They survive being stepped on and rust away after 1d6 months (-1 in wet conditions, 0 means that they rust within a week of being dropped). One bag of iron caltrops weighs 2lb and costs 5gp to purchase.
Stone Stone caltrops are made of shards of stone bound together or (more rarely) chipped from a block of stone. They weigh and cost twice as much as iron caltrops. They survive being stepped on and wear away after 1d2 years. The DC for spotting a stone caltrop in a rocky area is increased by 5. Their limited sharpness gives them -1 to hit.
Other Caltrops may be made of any material a weapon may be made of (particularly to overcome DR). The weight and base cost are up to the DM.
Improvements
Any caltrop may, once it is made, have one improvement added to it. The craft DC for an improved caltrop is increased by 5 and the price by 50% (unless otherwise stated).
Barbed The caltrop has tiny barbs on it causing it to stay in a wound. The heal DC for the damage is increased by 5 (to pull it out). A failed heal check causes 1 point of damage but still removes the caltrop (returning the DC to normal).
Bladed Bladed caltrops have a three bladed spike designed to punch through armour. They are more effective at punching through shoes and reduce the AC bonus provided by footwear by -1.
Knife Edged Each point is replaced by a single serrated blade. This causes a deep wound and does 1d4 bleeding damage a round for 1d4 rounds. The DC and cost increases are doubled.
Hollow The caltrops are hollow (similar to a syringe). Any poison applied only requires 3 doses and the amount of creatures which can be poisoned are maximised to 3. The DC for crafting hollow caltrops is increased by 10 and the price doubled.
Magic Caltrops
Caltrop Bag
The caltrop bag is the bag caltrops are stored in, they are made of toughened leather or similar and weigh 0lb or 2lb when filled with standard metal caltrops. Magical enhancements placed on this bag apply the advantage to their caltrops (as projectile weapons would to their ammunition). The default cost for a caltrop bag is 2gp, a new one is generally filled with iron caltrops. One bag holds approx 20 caltrops which is sufficient to cover one 5 ft. square. Enchanted caltrop bags are considered wondrous items. An empty bag may be refilled, caltrops will not gain the enhancement from a magic bag until they are dropped on the ground from it (i.e they can not be put in, removed and put in another bag). Caltrops may be transferred from one bag to another as a full round action. A bag may be used to place no more than 2 sets of caltrops at once, after that the first set loses its enchantment to the most recent.
Invisible Invisible caltrop bags appear translucent. Caltrops dropped from this bag are invisible and cannot be seen unless they are in an anti-magic field or an invisibility dispelling effect is used (either of these removes the effect permanently). They become visible after 1d10 hours.
Moderate illusion; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, greater invisibility; Price 600 gp.
Homing Caltrops dropped from a bag with this enchantment will try to move beneath a target's feet, granting them a +2 BAB for determining whether or not the victim steps on them.
Moderate transmutation; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, animate objects; Price 500gp
Burning Burning caltrop bags are coloured red, their caltrops appear to be made of bits of burning wood (regardless of the material used). Creatures who step on them will take 1d6 points of fire damage in addition to normal penalties. The DC for spotting a burning caltrop is reduced by 5.
Moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item and flame blade, flame strike, or fireball; Price 200gp
Frozen Frozen caltrop bags are coloured white, their caltrops appear to be made of shards of ice (regardless of the material used). Creatures who step on them will take 1d6 points of cold damage in addition to normal penalties. The DC for spotting a frozen caltrop is reduced by 5.
Moderate evocation; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, chill metal or ice storm; Price 200gp.
Electric Electric caltrop bags are coloured yellow, their caltrops appear to be made of tiny lightning bolts (regardless of the material used). Creatures who step on them will take 1d6 points of shock damage in addition to normal penalties. The DC for spotting an electric caltrop is reduced by 5.
Moderate evocation; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, call lightning or lightning bolt; Price 200gp.
Artifact: The 20 raiders
Background
Almost 200 years ago, while lost on a journey to visit some relatives, a nameless carpenter stumbled upon a cave which he decided to sleep in for the night. In the morning he looked around the cave to see if there were any features he could use to distinguish it as a landmark. What he found was a sprawling cavern full of undead creatures and almost limitless amounts of gold and a multitude of magical items and artifacts. Barley escaping with his life and tale The Carpenter managed to spread the news and disappeared into the world. When this news got around many fortune seekers, adventurers and villains tried to find the carpenter's home for the night. Hundreds died on the journey through poor navigation, fighting with other groups and simple bad luck, others lost enthusiasm and turned back long before they came close. Despite this 33 of the hardier lot managed to find their way to the mouth of the cave, subsequent fighting among the parties destroyed one group completely and dwindled the numbers to 22 (all 11 of these fatalities were thought to be a large group of necromancers, although some sources claim they were thieves or clerics). The remaining 22 agreed to co-operate and split the loot fairly, set up camp and began to plan. It was decided that the 2 weakest party members would stay behind and maintain the camp while the rest would explore the caverns and deal with any monsters within.
The details of the fighting and the plan were found in the journals of one of these campers whose last entry was dated the evening after the exhibition entered the cavern, his (or her) name was never written in the journal (some scholars believe that there may be missing pages);
The other's have not yet returned to the camp. Just me and that other guy are here waiting. If they are not back by nightfall I'll go in to see what's keeping them. The other guy's been acting strangely.
A nearby city had recently established a law which requires all loot from dungeons to be reported and after the exact location of the cave was established a group of guards were sent to record whatever loot the recent expeditions found.
Accounts of what the guards actually came across vary. Some say the camp was empty, others say there were bodies. Some say it was quiet, others say there were screams from the cavern. Some say all the guards returned, others say all but one disappeared. What all the sources agree on is that a bag of caltrops which, according to a scholar accompanying the guards, was almost certainly magical. What happened to the explorers, their loot and the remainder of the bard's journal are a mystery and no such caltrop bag has ever been found.
The 20 raiders is a bag containing 20 iron caltrops. When someone steps on one roll a d20 and consult the following table to determine the effect. The caltrops suddenly return to the bag after 1 hour;
{table=head]d20|Effect
1-10|2d10 points of damage
11|Stunned for 1d10 rounds
12|Ages 1d10 years (Will save, DC 15)*
13|Heal DC increased to 25
14|Shrunk one size category for 1d6 days*
15|1d6 con damage
16|1d6 Wis damage
17|1d6 dex damage
18|1d6 char damage
19|1d6 int damage
20|Instant Death (Fort negates, DC 15)[/table]
*Make appropriate stat changes
It also has the following ability's;
Undead Bane Does 2d6 damage ot any undead creature which steps on a caltrop.
Destroy Undead Every time an undead creature steps on a caltrop it is instantly destroyed. Intelligent undead get a DC 15 will save to prevent this. For every undead creature destroyed one of the caltrops becomes a pale white colour, as if it was a ghost. After 20 caltrops have been destroyed the bag will stop refilling itself and become a normal leather bag.
The bag itself is an intelligent artifact with a chaotic neutral alignment. It may communicate via empathy and has an ego score of 4. It seeks to destroy 20 undead creatures (preferably powerful ones) and will encourage the owner to use it against them as much as possible.
Other details are up to the individual DM.
Contributers
Bisected8
Joltz
Poppatomus
Callix
JackMage666
Alternative Rules
Avoiding Caltrops To avoid caltrops PCs and NPCs must be aware of them. Anyone who comes within 10 feet of a square containing caltrops may make a DC 15 spot check (the DM should role this secretly) to notice them. Characters who are expect caltrops to be present need only make a DC 10 spot check (the DM should role regardless of if there are any nearby) if characters stop and search the floor for caltrops the DC drops to 5. The DCs may be modified by certain caltrops and effects.
Secretly Placing Caltrops Any intelligent creature who sees another placing caltrops may realise what they are doing with a spot check equivalent to the caltrop's spot DC. If they fail this by 5 or less they still realise something has been dropped on the ground. A character who is aware of the presence of other's may attempt to place caltrops secretly with a sleight of hand check. They get a -1 penalty on this check for each intelligent creature within 10 feet.
Clearing Caltrops A character may clear away a single square (5 ft.) of caltrops as a full round action (doing so requires no real skill as it is simply a case of picking them up and throwing them away). If the caltrops have some enhancement (poison, magic damage etc) they must take a DC 15 check or scratch themselves and take the damage from the poison or spell.
Terrain Modifiers To function caltrops must be placed on reasonably hard ground (e.g. Stone, hard earth, etc).
Damage Reduction Creatures with DR are not harmed by caltrops unless they meet the same criteria a weapon would need to to overcome it.
Poisoning Caltrops Caltrops may be poisoned like any other weapon. One bag (20 caltrops) requires 5 doses of poison. Properly mixed poison will last for 1d6 days or until the caltrops are destroyed. Poison will only effect the first 1d2+1 creatures to step on a square of caltrops.
Duration Caltrops will last either until 5 creatures have stood on them or they have rotted, rusted or otherwise deteriorated.
Caltrops and Charging A creature that fails to notice caltrops and is struck by one while charging immediately stops, and must make a reflex save (DC = 10 + 1/5ft speed) or fall prone.
Caltrops and Tripping If a creature falls prone in an area covered in caltrops, they immediately suffer attacks from 1d4 caltrops, against which they cannot apply their dexterity bonus to AC. The caltrops geyt a +1 bonus to the attack roll from the creature's velocity. These attacks do not affect the target's speed. Any slippery effect, such as a Grease spell, imposes a -5 penalty to all caltrop attacks in the area.
Throwing Caltrops You may throw an open bag of caltrops at a square, as a splash weapon, instead of spreading them around. To do so, you must attack the square (AC 10). If you miss this square, it still hits, but is also spread throughout all directly adjacent squares (the caltrops are only 1/5 as effective in any square on a miss). If the attack hits, treat the square as if you spread the caltrop bag over it.
Feats
Shoot the Glass
Req: Precise shot or Sunder
You are able to destroy objects in order to impede movement. Any time you destroy an object of small size or larger you may choose to do so in such a way that that its shards fill the square it occupies. That square is treated as though it had caltrops distributed therein.
Caltrop expertise
If you spend two full rounds placing caltrops on the ground, they deal bonus non-lethal damage equal your character level + your int modifier. Caltrops you place now make their attack as though at your base attack bonus.
Special: This ability can be taken by a fighter as a bonus feat.
Caltrop Mastery
Req: Caltrop Expertise, dex 15+
You may move freely though any area in which you have placed caltrops. Additionally, you now gain the benefits of caltrop expertise to any caltrops you place, regardless of the time spent doing so.
Special: This ability can be taken by a fighter as a bonus feat.
Subtle Placement
Req: Int +13, Cha +13
You are able to place caltrops in such a way as to disguise their nature. Characters must make a DC 20 spot check to notice the presence of caltrops you have placed in a square. Any creature that fails this check and attempts to charge through the space occupied by the caltrops takes double the normal damage and falls prone in that square.
Special: This ability can be taken by a fighter as a bonus feat.
Materials
The base price for 20 iron caltrops is 5 gp. Some materials cost more or less than this. The default craft check for creating a caltrop is a DC of 10 and may not be made untrained (there are some exceptions to both) it may use the skills craft(armour and weapons) or another craft skill related to the material used. The weight of the caltrops + 10% of material is needed.
Wood Wooden caltrops are made of sticks tied together with string. The craft DC is 5 and the check may be made untrained. Wooden caltrops have a DC of 5 higher than usual to spot them on woodland ground (or ground covered with large amounts of dirt, twigs etc). They break as soon as they are stepped on and rot away after 1d4 days (-1 in wet conditions, 0 means that they rot within a day of being dropped). They weigh and cost half as much as iron caltrops. Their poor quality gives them -2 to hit.
Iron Iron caltrops are the "standard" caltrops. They survive being stepped on and rust away after 1d6 months (-1 in wet conditions, 0 means that they rust within a week of being dropped). One bag of iron caltrops weighs 2lb and costs 5gp to purchase.
Stone Stone caltrops are made of shards of stone bound together or (more rarely) chipped from a block of stone. They weigh and cost twice as much as iron caltrops. They survive being stepped on and wear away after 1d2 years. The DC for spotting a stone caltrop in a rocky area is increased by 5. Their limited sharpness gives them -1 to hit.
Other Caltrops may be made of any material a weapon may be made of (particularly to overcome DR). The weight and base cost are up to the DM.
Improvements
Any caltrop may, once it is made, have one improvement added to it. The craft DC for an improved caltrop is increased by 5 and the price by 50% (unless otherwise stated).
Barbed The caltrop has tiny barbs on it causing it to stay in a wound. The heal DC for the damage is increased by 5 (to pull it out). A failed heal check causes 1 point of damage but still removes the caltrop (returning the DC to normal).
Bladed Bladed caltrops have a three bladed spike designed to punch through armour. They are more effective at punching through shoes and reduce the AC bonus provided by footwear by -1.
Knife Edged Each point is replaced by a single serrated blade. This causes a deep wound and does 1d4 bleeding damage a round for 1d4 rounds. The DC and cost increases are doubled.
Hollow The caltrops are hollow (similar to a syringe). Any poison applied only requires 3 doses and the amount of creatures which can be poisoned are maximised to 3. The DC for crafting hollow caltrops is increased by 10 and the price doubled.
Magic Caltrops
Caltrop Bag
The caltrop bag is the bag caltrops are stored in, they are made of toughened leather or similar and weigh 0lb or 2lb when filled with standard metal caltrops. Magical enhancements placed on this bag apply the advantage to their caltrops (as projectile weapons would to their ammunition). The default cost for a caltrop bag is 2gp, a new one is generally filled with iron caltrops. One bag holds approx 20 caltrops which is sufficient to cover one 5 ft. square. Enchanted caltrop bags are considered wondrous items. An empty bag may be refilled, caltrops will not gain the enhancement from a magic bag until they are dropped on the ground from it (i.e they can not be put in, removed and put in another bag). Caltrops may be transferred from one bag to another as a full round action. A bag may be used to place no more than 2 sets of caltrops at once, after that the first set loses its enchantment to the most recent.
Invisible Invisible caltrop bags appear translucent. Caltrops dropped from this bag are invisible and cannot be seen unless they are in an anti-magic field or an invisibility dispelling effect is used (either of these removes the effect permanently). They become visible after 1d10 hours.
Moderate illusion; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, greater invisibility; Price 600 gp.
Homing Caltrops dropped from a bag with this enchantment will try to move beneath a target's feet, granting them a +2 BAB for determining whether or not the victim steps on them.
Moderate transmutation; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, animate objects; Price 500gp
Burning Burning caltrop bags are coloured red, their caltrops appear to be made of bits of burning wood (regardless of the material used). Creatures who step on them will take 1d6 points of fire damage in addition to normal penalties. The DC for spotting a burning caltrop is reduced by 5.
Moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item and flame blade, flame strike, or fireball; Price 200gp
Frozen Frozen caltrop bags are coloured white, their caltrops appear to be made of shards of ice (regardless of the material used). Creatures who step on them will take 1d6 points of cold damage in addition to normal penalties. The DC for spotting a frozen caltrop is reduced by 5.
Moderate evocation; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, chill metal or ice storm; Price 200gp.
Electric Electric caltrop bags are coloured yellow, their caltrops appear to be made of tiny lightning bolts (regardless of the material used). Creatures who step on them will take 1d6 points of shock damage in addition to normal penalties. The DC for spotting an electric caltrop is reduced by 5.
Moderate evocation; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, call lightning or lightning bolt; Price 200gp.
Artifact: The 20 raiders
Background
Almost 200 years ago, while lost on a journey to visit some relatives, a nameless carpenter stumbled upon a cave which he decided to sleep in for the night. In the morning he looked around the cave to see if there were any features he could use to distinguish it as a landmark. What he found was a sprawling cavern full of undead creatures and almost limitless amounts of gold and a multitude of magical items and artifacts. Barley escaping with his life and tale The Carpenter managed to spread the news and disappeared into the world. When this news got around many fortune seekers, adventurers and villains tried to find the carpenter's home for the night. Hundreds died on the journey through poor navigation, fighting with other groups and simple bad luck, others lost enthusiasm and turned back long before they came close. Despite this 33 of the hardier lot managed to find their way to the mouth of the cave, subsequent fighting among the parties destroyed one group completely and dwindled the numbers to 22 (all 11 of these fatalities were thought to be a large group of necromancers, although some sources claim they were thieves or clerics). The remaining 22 agreed to co-operate and split the loot fairly, set up camp and began to plan. It was decided that the 2 weakest party members would stay behind and maintain the camp while the rest would explore the caverns and deal with any monsters within.
The details of the fighting and the plan were found in the journals of one of these campers whose last entry was dated the evening after the exhibition entered the cavern, his (or her) name was never written in the journal (some scholars believe that there may be missing pages);
The other's have not yet returned to the camp. Just me and that other guy are here waiting. If they are not back by nightfall I'll go in to see what's keeping them. The other guy's been acting strangely.
A nearby city had recently established a law which requires all loot from dungeons to be reported and after the exact location of the cave was established a group of guards were sent to record whatever loot the recent expeditions found.
Accounts of what the guards actually came across vary. Some say the camp was empty, others say there were bodies. Some say it was quiet, others say there were screams from the cavern. Some say all the guards returned, others say all but one disappeared. What all the sources agree on is that a bag of caltrops which, according to a scholar accompanying the guards, was almost certainly magical. What happened to the explorers, their loot and the remainder of the bard's journal are a mystery and no such caltrop bag has ever been found.
The 20 raiders is a bag containing 20 iron caltrops. When someone steps on one roll a d20 and consult the following table to determine the effect. The caltrops suddenly return to the bag after 1 hour;
{table=head]d20|Effect
1-10|2d10 points of damage
11|Stunned for 1d10 rounds
12|Ages 1d10 years (Will save, DC 15)*
13|Heal DC increased to 25
14|Shrunk one size category for 1d6 days*
15|1d6 con damage
16|1d6 Wis damage
17|1d6 dex damage
18|1d6 char damage
19|1d6 int damage
20|Instant Death (Fort negates, DC 15)[/table]
*Make appropriate stat changes
It also has the following ability's;
Undead Bane Does 2d6 damage ot any undead creature which steps on a caltrop.
Destroy Undead Every time an undead creature steps on a caltrop it is instantly destroyed. Intelligent undead get a DC 15 will save to prevent this. For every undead creature destroyed one of the caltrops becomes a pale white colour, as if it was a ghost. After 20 caltrops have been destroyed the bag will stop refilling itself and become a normal leather bag.
The bag itself is an intelligent artifact with a chaotic neutral alignment. It may communicate via empathy and has an ego score of 4. It seeks to destroy 20 undead creatures (preferably powerful ones) and will encourage the owner to use it against them as much as possible.
Other details are up to the individual DM.
Contributers
Bisected8
Joltz
Poppatomus
Callix
JackMage666