Best improvised explosives using common items.

[Ertwin]

Going on a level 10 dragon hunt. I'm allowed up to 700 gold worth of common items.

Any ideas besides mixing gunpowder and caltrops to ruin a dragon's day?

[JoeJ]

Going on a level 10 dragon hunt. I'm allowed up to 700 gold worth of common items.

Any ideas besides mixing gunpowder and caltrops to ruin a dragon's day?

Definitely talk to your DM about this. There are no rules for mixing caltrops with gunpowder, and if you expect the DM to improvise something on the spur of the moment the chances are high the result will be different than you thought it would be.

Do you know what kind of dragon you'll be facing? Gunpowder does fire damage, per the DMG, so that's not going to work very well if it turns out to be red.

[Ertwin]

It's been hinted to be a white or silver dragon.

Also decided on just gunpowder so as not to annoy the dm.

[Keravath]

You need to check with your DM.

In a lot of D&D sources, especially Forgotten Realms, gunpowder does not work. The chemical reaction just doesn't happen. Why? Magic. The worlds of D&D often don't function like the real world. Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, Curse of Strahd and others that include a firearm also talk of smokepowder as an alternative to power these strange weapons. It is sufficient to launch a projectile but explicitly can't be make into explosives.

So .. if you are considering trying to build improvised explosive devices using gunpowder or fertilizer or whatever else and haven't discussed it with your DM in advance, don't count on it working (unless you already know that the world that you are in has explosives that are made of the materials you expect, can be acquired and function like they do in reality).

[AttilatheYeon]

700gp is like 7000 arrows. A few less if you have to buy a bow. I hear that can work really well.

[Emongnome777]

50 lbs of flour: 1gp
1 tinderbox: 5sp

I guess you'll need more than 50lbs, but it would work (https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/tools-and-techniques/question150.htm), depending on how the DM adjudicates it.

[JackPhoenix]

50 lbs of flour: 1gp
1 tinderbox: 5sp

I guess you'll need more than 50lbs, but it would work (https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/tools-and-techniques/question150.htm), depending on how the DM adjudicates it.

No, it would not. Dust explosions require enclosed area and proper fuel/air mixture. You can't just throw a bag of flour somewhere, set it on fire and hope it'll explode. That's a myth, just like setting wine or ale on fire.

Speaking of explosions, it's weird that black powder does just fire damage. In an open-air burn, sure, but actual explosion? Fire is not the problem, the shockwave is, and that would be thunder or bludgeoning damage, not fire.

[Emongnome777]

No, it would not. Dust explosions require enclosed area and proper fuel/air mixture. You can't just throw a bag of flour somewhere, set it on fire and hope it'll explode. That's a myth, just like setting wine or ale on fire.

Flour dust explosions aren't myths, just ask these people (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mill_City_Museum#Washburn_A_Mill). Of course combustion take fuel & air. I never said a bag of flour was combustible, but the dust certainly is. And requiring an enclosed area isn't really correct either, it's just much easier to maintain sufficient concentration in the air (the dust is more easily dispersed outside).

Of course, this is all pointless if it's a red dragon. I think the op was considering the gunpowder for the grenade effect with the caltrops, not so much the fire / explosion damage. Flour won't help with generating that effect in any event.

[JackPhoenix]

Flour dust explosions aren't myths, just ask these people (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mill_City_Museum#Washburn_A_Mill). Of course combustion take fuel & air. I never said a bag of flour was combustible, but the dust certainly is. And requiring an enclosed area isn't really correct either, it's just much easier to maintain sufficient concentration in the air (the dust is more easily dispersed outside).

It's more complex than just that. The explosions happen, but they requires rather specific circumstances, something hard to achieve without extensive preparation if all you have is a bag of flour and a box of matches (but worse).

[Ertwin]

The 20lb kegs of gunpowder were fairly effective (in fact the only damage my character did to the dragon). Not nearly as effective as a level 5 inflict wounds though.

[JackPhoenix]

The 20lb kegs of gunpowder were fairly effective (in fact the only damage my character did to the dragon). Not nearly as effective as a level 5 inflict wounds though.

Good for you! When my players tried to blow up a dragon (instead of caltrops, they've added extra bullets and random rock and scrap to the mix), the party fighter lost a leg and almost died, as he was the only one caught in the explosion... standing next to a powder keg as a bait is not a good idea when you're dealing with fire breathing dragon.

[ProsecutorGodot]

You need to check with your DM.

In a lot of D&D sources, especially Forgotten Realms, gunpowder does not work. The chemical reaction just doesn't happen. Why? Magic. The worlds of D&D often don't function like the real world. Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, Curse of Strahd and others that include a firearm also talk of smokepowder as an alternative to power these strange weapons. It is sufficient to launch a projectile but explicitly can't be make into explosives.

So .. if you are considering trying to build improvised explosive devices using gunpowder or fertilizer or whatever else and haven't discussed it with your DM in advance, don't count on it working (unless you already know that the world that you are in has explosives that are made of the materials you expect, can be acquired and function like they do in reality).
Dragon Heist did feature kegs of smokepowder that functions exactly as you'd expect a barrel of gunpowder to with the exception that it's considered magical and can be rendered completely harmless with a dispel magic.

[JoeJ]

Speaking of explosions, it's weird that black powder does just fire damage. In an open-air burn, sure, but actual explosion? Fire is not the problem, the shockwave is, and that would be thunder or bludgeoning damage, not fire.

I should think that dividing it up into Xd6 fire damage + Yd6 thunder damage would make it feel more like actual gunpowder, at the cost of a little extra complication, but the DMG calls it all fire. If gunpowder existed in my world I might think about house ruling that.

[stoutstien]

No, it would not. Dust explosions require enclosed area and proper fuel/air mixture. You can't just throw a bag of flour somewhere, set it on fire and hope it'll explode. That's a myth, just like setting wine or ale on fire.

Speaking of explosions, it's weird that black powder does just fire damage. In an open-air burn, sure, but actual explosion? Fire is not the problem, the shockwave is, and that would be thunder or bludgeoning damage, not fire.

i like using multiple damage types myself. blunt/thunder with maybe a flat fire damage tacked on depending on fuel in question.