Explosive Runes Insta-Gib? 3.5

[Dark Kerman]

Hey, let's say an enterprising young wizard has an idea for keeping someone under control, and decides to cast explosive runes on the back of a persons skull, do you think that should earn extra damage, or even a fatality with a failed fortitude save?


Just for your information, my character is chaotic good, so I could justify this.

[Thespianus]

But the spell description doesn't allow a person's skull as the target of the spell.

[Lateral]

Umm, that doesn't seem very effective; if someone reads it randomly, he'll die.

Well, since anyone close enough to read (and the paper it's on) get no save, it probably just does full damage (no save).

Also, Thespianus, if their head (which is an object) weighs ≤10 lb, then it works.

[woodenbandman]

Step 1:

Invisible spell explosive runes tattooed on the person's eye

Step 2: Threaten to cast See Invisibility on them.

[Thespianus]

Also, Thespianus, if their head (which is an object) weighs ≤10 lb, then it works.

RAW separates between "object" and "creature" as . (PHB p 176)

If you don't agree, "Shrink Item" becomes a very powerful spell indeed.

[Lateral]

RAW separates between "object" and "creature" as . (PHB p 176)

If you don't agree, "Shrink Item" becomes a very powerful spell indeed.

It was a joke.

[Dark Kerman]

Step 1:

Invisible spell explosive runes tattooed on the person's eye

Step 2: Threaten to cast See Invisibility on them.

I'm sending my DM that.
As a serious suggestion.
:D

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Eh, why not go whole hog?

Buy up a blank spellbook. In your off-time, when you have spare spell slots left over from the day, start putting explosive runes on every page.

Then, when you really want to send someone off with a bang, toss it at their feet with an area-effect dispel magic and find a way to reduce your effective CL so you blow your CL check.

KABOOM!

[Thespianus]

It was a joke.

Bah, and I spent almost a minute looking up the page. ;)

[Soren Hero]

i don't think its feasible as a method of control because there's very few ways to prevent it from being read prematurely...maybe a suggestion that the fake tattoo u just placed on them is a explosive rune...im guessing ur using this instagib against non-tier 1/2 targets? a lesser geas will help their attitude adjustment...or a bestow curse...bestow curse as per SRD is permanent, 1 standard action to cast, and one creature touched...that might make a better method of control

[Anxe]

Eh, why not go whole hog?

Buy up a blank spellbook. In your off-time, when you have spare spell slots left over from the day, start putting explosive runes on every page.

Then, when you really want to send someone off with a bang, toss it at their feet with an area-effect dispel magic and find a way to reduce your effective CL so you blow your CL check.

KABOOM!

Assuming that they would all go off simultaneously. If they don't, then the first explosion would destroy the other runes.

[Lateral]

...im guessing ur using this instagib against non-tier 1/2 targets?

I read this as 'Tier 1/2'. Like, 'Tier 0.5'.

...I assume you meant 'Tier 1 or Tier 2', right?

[Godskook]

Eh, why not go whole hog?

Buy up a blank spellbook. In your off-time, when you have spare spell slots left over from the day, start putting explosive runes on every page.

Then, when you really want to send someone off with a bang, toss it at their feet with an area-effect dispel magic and find a way to reduce your effective CL so you blow your CL check.

KABOOM!

1.Iirc, you automagically succeed at all your own caster level checks to dispel your own spells.

2.Again, iirc, you can willingly lower your caster level when casting a spell. You don't need to blast everything at full tilt unless you want to go that route.

Thus, blowing the CL check is incredibly easy, but only if done by someone other than the caster who cast the spell.


And...........remembered #1 half-wrong, while #2 is dead-on. Dispel magic is not required to be automatic if done as an Area effect. So, yeah, incredibly easy as long as:

1.You know both Dispel Magic and Explosive Runes
2.Your CL is at least 15 for Explosive Runes.

[Dark Kerman]

i don't think its feasible as a method of control because there's very few ways to prevent it from being read prematurely

@Soren Hero
If you put it under a shawl or some such? When you read it, I assume also means read aloud in there prescense, in effect acting like a command word for detonation.

[Soren Hero]

@Soren Hero
If you put it under a shawl or some such? When you read it, I assume also means read aloud in there prescense, in effect acting like a command word for detonation.

reading a rune doesn't mean "reading aloud"...but "reading" isn't explicitly explained in the SRD...explosive runes says "detonate when read"...but another rune type spell (the various symbols) define reading as "any attempt to study it, identify it, or fathom its meaning"...however, this is case-specific to symbol spells...as a dm, i would rule that that interpretation works for any rune type traps, unless explicitly stated otherwise

u can cover up a rune to prevent its activation, but it would be impractical for what the OP intends...the OP wants to use an explosive rune as a method of "you do this, or else"...plus, if the person "knows" that they have a rune on them, and they could afford it, they might go find some magician to erase it..explosive runes is a pretty good trap, but as for means of control, not so much.

[Quote]I read this as 'Tier 1/2'. Like, 'Tier 0.5'.

...I assume you meant 'Tier 1 or Tier 2', right? [Quote]

yes...i meant tier 1, and tier 2

[AnswersQuestion]

Assuming that they would all go off simultaneously. If they don't, then the first explosion would destroy the other runes.

As part of the same spell, they go off simultaneously for the sake of simplicity.
Also, you always suceed dispelling your own spells, so no need to fudge CLs.


Don't the explosive runes explode if their surface break too?

[Soren Hero]

As part of the same spell, they go off simultaneously for the sake of simplicity.
Also, you always suceed dispelling your own spells, so no need to fudge CLs.


Don't the explosive runes explode if their surface break too?

well..if u always "succeed" at dispelling your own spells, doesn't that mean that the explosive runes don't go off? you have to "fail" at dispelling or removing them in order to detonate them..so in order for this to work, we have to find a way to get around this little fact...would a wand of dispel magic or erase made by another wizard count? with a low enough CL, they would succeed at failing to dispel. but logic gets in my way here.

Facts: Wizard A always succeeds at dispelling spells cast by wizard A.
Wizard B creates a wand of dispel magic. Wizard A casts explosive runes.
Scenario: Wizard A uses wand of dispel magic created by Wizard B to dispel runes cast by Wizard A.
Question: Does casting from Wizard B's wand count as Wizard A's spell?

[Kylarra]

You only auto succeed on targeted dispels, area dispels you roll normally, and given enough explosive runes in the box, successfully dispelling some of them is irrelevant.

[Soren Hero]

You only auto succeed on targeted dispels, area dispels you roll normally, and given enough explosive runes in the box, successfully dispelling some of them is irrelevant.

orly? that solves my conundrum then...just saw that clause on area dispel in dispel magic.

still, it doesn't solve the OP's original problem of using explosive runes as a control method

[Curmudgeon]

You only auto succeed on targeted dispels, area dispels you roll normally, and given enough explosive runes in the box, successfully dispelling some of them is irrelevant.

You know, that really doesn't work. You target each object in the area individually, not containers full. So the DM will handle your area Dispel Magic by iterating through each scrap of parchment bearing an Explosive Rune. As soon as the first dispel check fails and triggers one ER, it destroys all the others.

No, for this to work properly you've got to either

• space the Runes far enough apart that they don't destroy each other (but will deal overlapping damage to creatures between them); or
• put them on surfaces that won't be destroyed by a nearby blast (stone blocks, for instance).

The ideal combination would be a tight maze of stone pillars, each with multiple Explosive Runes inscribed.

[Anxe]

Didn't we answer the OP's question? The person takes full damage. If they're a normal person that kills them. Heroes would survive it. That's just by RAW though. Homebrew is always allowed though.

[Teron]

Didn't we answer the OP's question? The person takes full damage. If they're a normal person that kills them. Heroes would survive it. That's just by RAW though. Homebrew is always allowed though.

Actually, the RAW answer (which was indeed given) is "you can't put explosive runes on a living creature."

[JackMage666]

BUT you could inscribe it on a collar, and put it on them. Slave collars from Fallout anyone?

[2xMachina]

Hmm, how about putting the Runes on something with a very high hardness? I think there's a metal that has 40 hardness. If the explosion is iterative, it takes 0 damage from each runes, while anyone else gets blasted with a lot of 6d6's

Reusable boom book.

EDIT: Obdurium has 30 hardness.

[FelixG]

BUT you could inscribe it on a collar, and put it on them. Slave collars from Fallout anyone?

yes but then anyone who reads the collar (IE looking for a name, price, owner ect) would set it off and kill the slave, that would be unwanted.

[Bayar]

yes but then anyone who reads the collar (IE looking for a name, price, owner ect) would set it off and kill the slave, that would be unwanted.

Put it on the inside of the collar then. No more accidental reading.

[Dark Kerman]

I was unaware it couldn't be used on living beings, I might just have to think of a way round that. :P

[Vistella]

I was unaware it couldn't be used on living beings, I might just have to think of a way round that. :P

but them onto a helmet and glue that helmet onto the head of your slave

[Anxe]

Aren't their better options for keep slaves under control? Less severe threats than death I mean. Lesser Geas would work. Or a sleep item just like the Runes item. The death threat will only work for so long.

[true_shinken]

Aren't their better options for keep slaves under control? Less severe threats than death I mean. Lesser Geas would work. Or a sleep item just like the Runes item. The death threat will only work for so long.

This. Like OOTS frequently lampshades, death is cheap enough in D&D that killinh someone is at times better for them in the long run.