Sly's marvellous mundane survival knife

[Noxangelo]

How to make the most AMAZING! adventuring tool ever, the adamantine dagger, even MORE! amazing.


what is this for?
Troacctid let me copy the WIP list of useful items she is working on (its fantastic, ask her if you haven't seen it) and add to my own copy for my own use. One of my additions was the AMAZING! adamantine dagger, that when i was browsing realmshelp a saw the hilt hollow and had an epiphany. D&D survival knife! I was excited, such limited space, how was i going to choose what to put in? Then i started and after five min i had a list that went almost unchanged. so what have i missed?

also as i fan of survival, camping and military, i am big on concept of lines which is a way of prioritising gear, that i use building any character. short description:
line 1: essentials. think shax's handy haversack
line 2: combat gear. spell pouch, quiver of ehlonna, wand bracers and so on.
line 3: everything else.
why tell you this? the survival knife is line 0 (don't get into bed without it, and no, not a typo) the bare essentials to survive anything.
(note: its not meant to be a primary weapon, its an all purpose tool to use when you have nothing else)

the rules:

no magic. mundane only. special materials, alchemy and special masterwork enhancements are fine. (the magic dagger is the next one)

anything is fair game, though if its from a mag, pathfinder or a third party say so. otherwise i'm not fussed.


limitations:

must fit in or on the dagger or its sheath.

be reasonable and realistic, yes you could tie 50 feet of rope to the sheath, but that is going to be damn awkward.
this is essential gear, it needs to be as compact and unobtrusive as possible.

as space conservative as possible, less is more, this set-up should have as little as possible.


the framework:

one masterwork (+300gp) dagger (2gp) with hilt hollow (200gp 6in x1in diameter).
sheath with false scabbard tip (10gp; fine, 2in x2in x2in)
optional, (acceptable but not preferred) double sheath with extra knife (small rather than medium) and pouch on the front


my build so far
masterwork adamantine dagger
adamatine saw on false edge (600gp)
flat metal pommel for use as hammer or to be hammered on. is the cap for the hilt hollow.
small magnet (10gp; A&EG) stuck to bottom of the cap.
5 sewing needles (5sp each), magnetise to make a compass, bend to make a fishhook and so on
small candle (1cp)
tindertwigs (1gp each)
fishing line (in fishing kit)
signal whistle tied to cord at base of handle.
as much twine wrapped around handle as will fit.
flint in small pouch on sheath (1gp)
masterwork (50gp) vial (1gp) of angel radiance (20gp) in false tip. twist knob at base illuminates as bullseye lantern, twist case illuminates as torch.


Ps. sorry if i rambled on a bit, it was after midnight when i finished.

[daremetoidareyo]

Put it in a shield sheath! Make it an iron shield, and you got yourself a frying pan.

[Vizzerdrix]

I remember seeing some metal that gave a save bonus of some sort just for carrying a bit of it. I think it was in an Eberron book. Maybe weave some as wire into the edge of the sheath.*

Oh, and you can put shapesand into the hilt hallow and shape what ever small tools you need.

*Targath is the metal. Gives a +2 on fort saves vs. Diseases.

[TheCount]

Damn, you went and said mundane, when a bag of holding would be just the right size...

Shapesand was mentioned already....

So, I propose Chaos flask from planar handbook.
A
lso, there is torchbug paste from either races of stone or complete scroundel, and liquid sunlight, which I don't know at the moment, in the way of light source.

[RNightstalker]

I would consider an empty vial or two (you can put your matchsticks in those). Ink and ink pen could come in handy too.

[Khedrac]

There is a strong argument for adding a wand chamber (+100gp) which is non-magic even if what you eventually put in it will eb magic.

Likewise either an oil chamber (+1000gp) or, more practically, fit a weapon capsule retainer and get a range of weapon capsules to go with it.

[Afghanistan]

Why Adamantine when Starmetal is basically the same, and deals an additional 1d6 damage to Extraplanar creatures?


I remember seeing some metal that gave a save bonus of some sort just for carrying a bit of it. I think it was in an Eberron book. Maybe weave some as wire into the edge of the sheath.

Cyrite, page 117 Player's Guide to Eberron. And it wouldn't work because Cyrite because the bonus only applies to armors. Maybe if you applied it to a shield of some sort? But I also can't remember if the bonus works for shields either.

[One Step Two]

Since the idea is to be purely non-magical, why not add Oerthblood, which can be alloyed to any metal (Dragon Mag 351), which adds a +1 Luck bonus to Hit and Damage, so it can be used as a backup weapon in a pinch? Admittedly, +6000gp is a steep price

There's weapon templates out there like Dwarvecraft from Races of Stone which will make it a little more hardy. If you don't mind a third party sources consider the Item of Legend. Made by a Master, a class found found in the Legends of the Twins sourcebook for Dragonlance. This can give the Dagger a mundane +5 bonus to Hit, and +10 to skill checks (survival perhaps?) Though this costs +1500gp.

[Noxangelo]

Put it in a shield sheath! Make it an iron shield, and you got yourself a frying pan.

lol, my plan was to make it a bayonet for a light crossbow



Oh, and you can put shapesand into the hilt hallow and shape what ever small tools you need.

very nice, would probably be a good idea to have the double sheath but with a flask of shapesand rather than a second knife.



Damn, you went and said mundane, when a bag of holding would be just the right size...

don't worry, sly's marvelous magical survival knife will be the next one :P



So, I propose Chaos flask from planar handbook.

ooh, tough call between that and shapesand



Also, there is torchbug paste from either races of stone or complete scroundel, and liquid sunlight, which I don't know at the moment, in the way of light source.

got angel radiance :)



I would consider an empty vial or two (you can put your matchsticks in those).

great idea :D



Ink and ink pen could come in handy too.

though about that one but figured i could use charcoal from the fire.



Why Adamantine when Starmetal is basically the same, and deals an additional 1d6 damage to Extraplanar creatures?

true, and make it oerthblooded pure ore



There is a strong argument for adding a wand chamber (+100gp) which is non-magic even if what you eventually put in it will eb magic.

lol, belongs on sly's marvelous magical survival knife.



Likewise either an oil chamber (+1000gp) or, more practically, fit a weapon capsule retainer and get a range of weapon capsules to go with it.

i saw those but couldn't thing of anything worthwhile to put in them except maybe ghostblight and quickflame for when i REALLY need a fire RIGHT NOW!



Since the idea is to be purely non-magical, why not add Oerthblood, which can be alloyed to any metal (Dragon Mag 351), which adds a +1 Luck bonus to Hit and Damage, so it can be used as a backup weapon in a pinch? Admittedly, +6000gp is a steep price

There's weapon templates out there like Dwarvecraft from Races of Stone which will make it a little more hardy. If you don't mind a third party sources consider the Item of Legend. Made by a Master, a class found found in the Legends of the Twins sourcebook for Dragonlance. This can give the Dagger a mundane +5 bonus to Hit, and +10 to skill checks (survival perhaps?) Though this costs +1500gp.

that item of legend sounds awesome.

[Vizzerdrix]

Cyrite, page 117 Player's Guide to Eberron. And it wouldn't work because Cyrite because the bonus only applies to armors. Maybe if you applied it to a shield of some sort? But I also can't remember if the bonus works for shields either.

Nope. Wrong material. I was thinking of targath from ECS. Says even a tiny bit carried on you gives a +2 fort vs disease.

[Noxangelo]

to answer my own thread.

lockpicks and clearwater tablets

[Afghanistan]

to answer my own thread.

lockpicks and clearwater tablets

Lockpicks aren't necessary when your knife ignores the hardness of most locks meaning you can just bust it open.

Clearwater Tablets, and Dried Trail Rations OR a Trail Bar as emergency food/bait for hunting if need be.

[Noxangelo]

Lockpicks aren't necessary when your knife ignores the hardness of most locks meaning you can just bust it open.

true, that was the point of making it adamantine, but sometimes discretion is the better part of valor and 2 or 3 don't take up much room.



Dried Trail Rations OR a Trail Bar as emergency food/bait for hunting if need be.

probably too bulky without making it into the double sheath with pouch, in which case one or two definitely, besides, the survival skill check is pretty easy to make.

[Maat Mons]

Do you keep the knife with you when you bathe? Maybe make it out of something rust-proof? (Pearlsteel?) And use a rubber O-ring to keep the hilt hollow watertight?

[el minster]

Damn, you went and said mundane, when a bag of holding would be just the right size...

Shapesand was mentioned already....

So, I propose Chaos flask from planar handbook.
A
lso, there is torchbug paste from either races of stone or complete scroundel, and liquid sunlight, which I don't know at the moment, in the way of light source.
Torchbug paste is in complete scoundrel.