Half-orc go boom!

[Thurbane]

I had a weird dream last night…about a half-orc warrior riding into an enemy camp pretending to surrender, and then exploding! (Yes, I have odd dreams like this all the time).

It got me thinking, how would you achieve this in game? Necklace of Fireballs? Some other method?

Cheers - T

[Alchemistmerlin]

I had a weird dream last night…about a half-orc warrior riding into an enemy camp pretending to surrender, and then exploding! (Yes, I have odd dreams like this all the time).

It got me thinking, how would you achieve this in game? Necklace of Fireballs? Some other method?

Cheers - T

Depends on the game's tech level.

Necklace of fireballs would work.

Gunpowder under pressure in kegs strapped to the horse/whatever he was riding would work in a higher tech level game I guess.

[Deth Muncher]

It got me thinking, how would you achieve this in game? Necklace of Fireballs? Some other method?

Cheers - T

So long as the Necklace belongs to someone else and you eat it? Mhm. It works.


For example, our party's Rogue/Sorc gave a guard a bead from the Necklace, saying it was a concentrated Strength potion. Bluffed really well. The guy eats it. After the guy got 70 ft away? Boom.

[BRC]

Whats better, if he knows they will kill him, cast Fatal Flame from Complete scoundrel on him, it causes people to explode when they die dealing damage according to their hit dice.

[RTGoodman]

He was actually a Half-Orc Wizard/Warblade/Jade Phoenix Mage. You just didn't see him reform 1d6 rounds later.

EDIT: Or if he really looked like a "warrior" I guess he could have been a Duskblade/Warblade/JPM, giving him some armored spellcasting.

[kirbsys]

Yay for exploding orcs! As far as game terms, delayed blast fireball would work so long as the wizard was close by.

[Chronicled]

Several Necklaces of Fireballs+a Fireball to set them off, of course.

Like here.

[BRC]

Maybe some sort of complex spell

Unseen Servant+Silent Image+Delayed Blast Fireball

[Charlie Kemek]

He prepared explosive runes that morning. (or explosive runes field)

[Chronicled]

He prepared explosive runes that morning. (or explosive runes field)

Or a whole book of Explosive Runes + Dispel Magic.

[its_all_ogre]

psionics: energy burst fire, although user does not explode

[Person_Man]

Ug. The idea of suicide bomber orcs is very distasteful. This is obviously just my personal opinion, but unless you're running a very dark and gritty Battlestar Galactica-esqe game world, perhaps its best avoided.

[BRC]

It might work as a spell that uses both Illusion and evocation, summon a couple illusions of yourself that explode when destroyed. Somthing like this

Trapped Decoy

Summons 1d4 illusionary doubles of the caster, these doubles each have 1 hp and AC 10 (not including size modifers). If a decoy is destroyed it explodes dealing 1d6 fire damage per caster level (max 6d6) to all creatures within a 20 foot radius (Reflex save for half).

[Illiterate Scribe]

Ug. The idea of suicide bomber orcs is very distasteful. This is obviously just my personal opinion, but unless you're running a very dark and gritty Battlestar Galactica-esqe game world, perhaps its best avoided.

You're running a game with self-righteous religious fanatics who carry out a blood-libel-driven campaign of murder, pillaging, and genocide, who wouldn't commit a single evil deed to keep their own souls spotless while thousands of innocents die around them; who, despite the vast array of genuinely non-violent means of enforcing a peace, ignore them in favour of the mutilation and torture of their enemies using sulphuric acid, burns, necrosis of flesh, and good old fashioned bludgeoning and evisceration. These are held up by the gods as the highest examples of good, and blessed with even more horrific power.

You think that kamikaze orcs are too gritty and distasteful?

[Frosty]

As long as the orc isn't driving a bulldozer, I'm happy.

[Person_Man]

You're running a game with self-righteous religious fanatics who carry out a blood-libel-driven campaign of murder, pillaging, and genocide, who wouldn't commit a single evil deed to keep their own souls spotless while thousands of innocents die around them; who, despite the vast array of genuinely non-violent means of enforcing a peace, ignore them in favour of the mutilation and torture of their enemies using sulphuric acid, burns, necrosis of flesh, and good old fashioned bludgeoning and evisceration. These are held up by the gods as the highest examples of good, and blessed with even more horrific power.

You think that kamikaze orcs are too gritty and distasteful?

A kamikaze or suicide bomber has some very specific connotations in the real world. I'm a New Yorker who lives in DC, and I have a lot of active and veteran military in my family. I won't go into real world events or politics because its against board rules. But yes, I personally find it too gritty and distasteful to include such material in a role-playing game. And it is my belief that it is not equivalent to fantasy violence that you would see in a movie, video game, or your average D&D game. Similarly, I wouldn't include genocide, rape, violence against children, WMD, etc.

I understand that it's far less realistic that way. It's only logical that those thing would occur in a world that includes religious zealotry, destructive magic, and literal demons and other agents of utter Evil that such things would occur. I get that.

But its a game. Including such things invites direct comparisons to real world politics, emotions, and lives. It could potentially destroy the escapist and fun nature of the game, and turn it into a something entirely different. As DM, you need to draw a line somewhere in the gray area and stick to it, otherwise it ceases to be a game. I respect your contrary opinion. But that is where I would choose to draw my line.

To give a lighthearted example, in American football you have dozens of professional athletes who ritualistically beat the tar out of each other in front of thousands of cheering fans in an attempt to move a ball into a designated goal area. It would seem seem logical that the players should be allowed to use weapons, armor, steroids, teflon or oil coated uniforms, and that their fans should be able to use laser lights, stereo amps, snowballs, and whatever else they can to help their local team. In fact, all of these things have happened at one point or another. (Frequently, if you're a fan of the Eagles). But when the refs find out about it, they do their best to toss it out to maintain the decorum of the game. Yes, we all know that football is about drinking, making a spectacle of violence, and regional prejudices. But if we want the game to stay a game, we have to draw a line somewhere.

[Collin152]

Stop saying kamikaze!
It's very impolite to say God so brashly, and that is what kami means.
That, and it's a rather specific kind of suicide bomber that gets the title of kamikaze.

[Flickerdart]

Repeat the same thing, but with undead. It's not a suicide bomber anymore, now it's a guided mine.

[Innis Cabal]

Stop saying kamikaze!
It's very impolite to say God so brashly, and that is what kami means.
That, and it's a rather specific kind of suicide bomber that gets the title of kamikaze.

for one, it can mean more then that, as the common romazation is Divine Wind, Kami(Spirit, God, Divine) Kaze(Wind). The japanese never called their bombers that, it was an american term, and the actual Kamikaze had absolutly nothing to do with bombing what so ever.

[Collin152]

for one, it can mean more then that, as the common romazation is Divine Wind, Kami(Spirit, God, Divine) Kaze(Wind). The japanese never called their bombers that, it was an american term, and the actual Kamikaze had absolutly nothing to do with bombing what so ever.

I just don't like people using the word.
Any justification I give for it is whatever my sleep-addled mind came up with.
Also:
Shhh! They're on to me now!

[Frosty]

A kamikaze or suicide bomber has some very specific connotations in the real world. I'm a New Yorker who lives in DC, and I have a lot of active and veteran military in my family. I won't go into real world events or politics because its against board rules. But yes, I personally find it too gritty and distasteful to include such material in a role-playing game. And it is my belief that it is not equivalent to fantasy violence that you would see in a movie, video game, or your average D&D game. Similarly, I wouldn't include genocide, rape, violence against children, WMD, etc.

I understand that it's far less realistic that way. It's only logical that those thing would occur in a world that includes religious zealotry, destructive magic, and literal demons and other agents of utter Evil that such things would occur. I get that.

But its a game. Including such things invites direct comparisons to real world politics, emotions, and lives. It could potentially destroy the escapist and fun nature of the game, and turn it into a something entirely different. As DM, you need to draw a line somewhere in the gray area and stick to it, otherwise it ceases to be a game. I respect your contrary opinion. But that is where I would choose to draw my line.

To give a lighthearted example, in American football you have dozens of professional athletes who ritualistically beat the tar out of each other in front of thousands of cheering fans in an attempt to move a ball into a designated goal area. It would seem seem logical that the players should be allowed to use weapons, armor, steroids, teflon or oil coated uniforms, and that their fans should be able to use laser lights, stereo amps, snowballs, and whatever else they can to help their local team. In fact, all of these things have happened at one point or another. (Frequently, if you're a fan of the Eagles). But when the refs find out about it, they do their best to toss it out to maintain the decorum of the game. Yes, we all know that football is about drinking, making a spectacle of violence, and regional prejudices. But if we want the game to stay a game, we have to draw a line somewhere.

I understand your feelings, but some people don't want an escapist game all the time. Some games are *meant* to explore deep emotions, psychological issues, dark and nitty-gritty details. It's kinda like the difference between watching The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and watching Evangelion. Sometimes people want mind-**** and want to wrestle with their emotions.

[kamikasei]

It's very impolite to say God so brashly, and that is what kami means.

Sorry.......

[shadow_archmagi]

Potion of Delayed Fireball. Potions are officially one of the coolest uses of magic ever.










Yes, yes I know a potion has to be a targeted, not an area spell. I always try to get that rule removed for the sheer epic of having a potion of black tentacle.

[Illiterate Scribe]

A kamikaze or suicide bomber has some very specific connotations in the real world. I'm a New Yorker who lives in DC, and I have a lot of active and veteran military in my family. I won't go into real world events or politics because its against board rules. But yes, I personally find it too gritty and distasteful to include such material in a role-playing game. And it is my belief that it is not equivalent to fantasy violence that you would see in a movie, video game, or your average D&D game. Similarly, I wouldn't include genocide, rape, violence against children, WMD, etc.

I understand that it's far less realistic that way. It's only logical that those thing would occur in a world that includes religious zealotry, destructive magic, and literal demons and other agents of utter Evil that such things would occur. I get that.

But its a game. Including such things invites direct comparisons to real world politics, emotions, and lives. It could potentially destroy the escapist and fun nature of the game, and turn it into a something entirely different. As DM, you need to draw a line somewhere in the gray area and stick to it, otherwise it ceases to be a game. I respect your contrary opinion. But that is where I would choose to draw my line.

To give a lighthearted example, in American football you have dozens of professional athletes who ritualistically beat the tar out of each other in front of thousands of cheering fans in an attempt to move a ball into a designated goal area. It would seem seem logical that the players should be allowed to use weapons, armor, steroids, teflon or oil coated uniforms, and that their fans should be able to use laser lights, stereo amps, snowballs, and whatever else they can to help their local team. In fact, all of these things have happened at one point or another. (Frequently, if you're a fan of the Eagles). But when the refs find out about it, they do their best to toss it out to maintain the decorum of the game. Yes, we all know that football is about drinking, making a spectacle of violence, and regional prejudices. But if we want the game to stay a game, we have to draw a line somewhere.

I can certainly see your point; I'm just having trouble drawing a line for 'too much' that included acts of genocide (which many 'purge the kingdom of goblins'-esque quests would count as, in some cases crashingly obviously, and with quite disturbing moral dissonance) but excludes suicide attacks of this sort.

Nonetheless, I may come at it from a different perspective; as a predominant player of DH and Inq, a lot of the games that our group plays in are grim and dark. Still, medieval mystery plays could handle the existence of difficult moral issues, in an albeit abstracted and slightly contrived way, while remaining not utterly soul-crushing for the audience.

[Collin152]

Potion of Delayed Fireball.

It tastes like... Burning!

[Frosty]

Potions can also only go up to level 3 spells.

[Hal]

Hm, this might be a good use for the Chicken-infested commoner.

1) Have him spawn a bunch of chickens.
2) Feed your chickens beads from your necklace of fireball.
3) Under the guise of a merchant, sell your enemies all these chickens for food.
4) Profit.
5) Detonate chickens.
6) Profit again.

Heh.

[EndlessWrath]

so my buddy and i were in a game... and he caught a cute little bunny (his character is about 7 years old?)... then released it and sent it on its way... the enemies saw the bunny as an ordinary thing... but then the bunny exploded.

Moral of this story? CE is the most enjoyable and unpredictable alignment.

anyways.

-If the half-orc is willing to blow up: Explosive runes... 1 that triggers the rest.

-if the half orc is unwilling you cast dancing lights or flare... something shiny ought to distract them long enough for you to write an explosive rune on them.

that or you put lots of ranks in Craft(magic bomb) and Disguise/bluff check.
Disguise it as a cake and bluff him into eating it. EVEN IF ITS A PC
ESPECIALLY IF ITS A PC

[Siosilvar]

What potion of delayed blast fireball? It's a vial. Never mind that they use exactly the same mechanics, it's a wondrous item.

Hal; you forgot the question marks.

[AmberVael]

I can one up Delayed Fireball.

In the PHB II, there is a spell called "Detonate." It's level 9. The target makes a fortitude save. If it fails the save, it explodes (instant death) and then there is an area of fire damage around it that deals 1d6 per caster level. If it succeeds on the save, it takes 7d6 damage (and if it dies from that, it explodes anyways).

If you want to get nasty, you can add in an item of Death Throes (Spell Compendium, level 5). Deals 1d8 damage per caster level when you die in a radius.

Now imagine an orc that swallows a pill of Detonation and Death Throes and explodes for about 20d6+20d8 damage. Ouch.