Arrows of Detonation? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Arrows of Detonation? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rashomon
02-11-06, 08:13 AM Is there a way to make arrows which set off a (large) area of effect damaging effect when they hit? I was playing Baldur's Gate, and the Arrows of Detonation (fireballs in arrow form) amused me in badwrong ways.

Preferably, these arrows should be able to keep for a long time...
Lyinginbedmon
02-11-06, 10:41 AM Try the Explosive special ability from Heroes of Battle. Or, Imbue Arrow from Arcane Archer
lostone
02-12-06, 12:03 PM Just build it as a custom magic item: spell level x caster level x 50 for a single use arrow. I presume fireball is what you want, so 3x10x50 = 1500gp for a 10th level fireball arrow of detonation. Pretty pricey.

Ten arrows of detonation...15,000gp.
One group ten trained of archers...3gp per day.
The look on your enemy's face when his entire army is laid to waste in a single volley...priceless.
Caelic
02-12-06, 01:09 PM The easiest solution is subject to DM approval. Does your DM rule Spell Storing to be a melee only weapon ability (since it doesn't appear on the missle enhancements determination chart,) or can it be added to missile weapons as well (since it doesn't specifically say that it can only be added to melee weapons, unlike many other melee-only enhancements?)

If your DM does allow Spell Storing arrows, there you go: all you need to do is charge them with fireball.

Be warned that this is likely to REALLY unbalance a campaign that's not prepared for it. A group of archers equipped with such arrows can quickly dish out enough damage to annihilate just about anything that's not immune to fire, successful saves or no.
neilthrun
02-12-06, 02:33 PM On the same topic, there was another type of magic arrow from baldurs gate/icewind dale. The Arrow of Teleporation, whatever the arrow hit was transported right next the archer.
lostone
02-12-06, 02:44 PM On the same topic, there was another type of magic arrow from baldurs gate/icewind dale. The Arrow of Teleporation, whatever the arrow hit was transported right next the archer.You better not fire those at a Telflammar Shadowlord...could ruin your day. :D
Lyinginbedmon
02-12-06, 03:25 PM I was considering that myself, I can't think of many archers that would actually want someone they just shot at to appear next to them...
tsuyoshikentsu
02-12-06, 03:30 PM I have one word that makes fireball arrows even more attractive:

Splitting.
Lafing Cat
02-12-06, 03:36 PM I'd say it would have to be a custom magic item. The text on spell storing states that "On a successful hit, the *wielder* may choose to release...." And no one is wielding a fired arrow. If you were using them as improvised melee weapons, sure... (Which I've actually had someone do)
DeadKeepWalking
02-12-06, 03:37 PM I prefer Fireball in a Bottle, aka FulBombs (for those who know of the old games DM and Chaos Strikes Back).

The rules state you can put any spell up to third level into a potion.
MorandirNailo
02-12-06, 03:52 PM The rules state you can put any spell up to third level into a potion.

Beware Enchanters bearing strange liquids... :D

Mor
neilthrun
02-12-06, 03:59 PM I was considering that myself, I can't think of many archers that would actually want someone they just shot at to appear next to them...

Thats the thing, you only got one of them, and you had to think of a good use for it. The game never presented a good situation, but in real D&D I can think of all sorts of things.

Catching a feeling enemy
teleporting your warhorse/elephant/OgreBarbarianPC over a chasm, up a cliff, through a narrow passage
Retrieving a hard to reach item(magic sword at the bottom of volcano)
Grounding flying creatures
Saving another character from worse danger than an arrow wound
Stealing things long distance.
Lokiyn
02-12-06, 04:11 PM Beware Enchanters bearing strange liquids... :D

Mor

The party rogue never steals my cure potions more than once....

At least the same rogue anyway :P
HotSake
02-12-06, 04:44 PM You better not fire those at a Telflammar Shadowlord...could ruin your day. :D

Nah, Shadow Pounce only triggers when they use a teleportation effect themselvs.
Caelic
02-12-06, 04:45 PM I'd say it would have to be a custom magic item. The text on spell storing states that "On a successful hit, the *wielder* may choose to release...." And no one is wielding a fired arrow. If you were using them as improvised melee weapons, sure... (Which I've actually had someone do)

I personally agree with you, but others see it differently--I was just trying to present both sides. It really comes down to what the individual DM decides.
Rashomon
02-12-06, 06:38 PM Just build it as a custom magic item: spell level x caster level x 50 for a single use arrow. I presume fireball is what you want, so 3x10x50 = 1500gp for a 10th level fireball arrow of detonation. Pretty pricey.

Ten arrows of detonation...15,000gp.
One group ten trained of archers...3gp per day.
The look on your enemy's face when his entire army is laid to waste in a single volley...priceless.

You CAN have it at 5th level for big discounts - 3 x 5 x 50 for 750 gp. If the "halve cost for creation" comes into play, it's 375gp, and if your DM allows them to receive a 10% discount because you have to deliver the thing through a bow attack and not a thrown attack, that's 338 or so gp. Incidentally, I'm using the single-use, use activated rules for this from the d20 SRD.

Does my reading of the rules hold water?

Also, what happens if you miss? Scatter rules?
Thydon
02-12-06, 08:28 PM If i told you, that you were lvl 40 and in a pvp arena facing people ONE on ONE, what how would u make this character. The dm allows these fireball arrows and the point of the character would be to be invisible yet rain down exploding arrows in large quanities. O, and you have 12 million gold :D
X-Codes
02-12-06, 08:52 PM Three Words: Javelin of Lightning.

Instead of turning into a lightning bolt when thrown, it detonates on impact.

Same cost as said Javelin: 5d6 -> 1,500 gp.
Caelic
02-12-06, 09:53 PM If i told you, that you were lvl 40 and in a pvp arena facing people ONE on ONE, what how would u make this character. The dm allows these fireball arrows and the point of the character would be to be invisible yet rain down exploding arrows in large quanities. O, and you have 12 million gold :D

To be honest, I probably wouldn't bother. Any decently designed level 40 character is going to be immune to fire.
xerofire
02-13-06, 02:00 AM If i told you, that you were lvl 40 and in a pvp arena facing people ONE on ONE, what how would u make this character. The dm allows these fireball arrows and the point of the character would be to be invisible yet rain down exploding arrows in large quanities. O, and you have 12 million gold :D

Make it a neg energy explosion at least so they might not expect that damage type (and work in some undead synergy)

Manyshot + Bow with Splitting quality

But if i was really doing this tactic I'd choose arrows of horzical's cough (spelling) level 0 spell 1 sonic damage no save, with the fell drain metamagic tagged on. Get a bow that already level drains as well, and just suck the life energy out of them. Then make them into your pet Juju zombie!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rashomon 02-11-06, 08:13 AM	Is there a way to make arrows which set off a (large) area of effect damaging effect when they hit? I was playing Baldur's Gate, and the Arrows of Detonation (fireballs in arrow form) amused me in badwrong ways. Preferably, these arrows should be able to keep for a long time...
Lyinginbedmon 02-11-06, 10:41 AM	Try the Explosive special ability from Heroes of Battle. Or, Imbue Arrow from Arcane Archer
lostone 02-12-06, 12:03 PM	Just build it as a custom magic item: spell level x caster level x 50 for a single use arrow. I presume fireball is what you want, so 3x10x50 = 1500gp for a 10th level fireball arrow of detonation. Pretty pricey. Ten arrows of detonation...15,000gp. One group ten trained of archers...3gp per day. The look on your enemy's face when his entire army is laid to waste in a single volley...priceless.
Caelic 02-12-06, 01:09 PM	The easiest solution is subject to DM approval. Does your DM rule Spell Storing to be a melee only weapon ability (since it doesn't appear on the missle enhancements determination chart,) or can it be added to missile weapons as well (since it doesn't specifically say that it can only be added to melee weapons, unlike many other melee-only enhancements?) If your DM does allow Spell Storing arrows, there you go: all you need to do is charge them with fireball. Be warned that this is likely to REALLY unbalance a campaign that's not prepared for it. A group of archers equipped with such arrows can quickly dish out enough damage to annihilate just about anything that's not immune to fire, successful saves or no.
neilthrun 02-12-06, 02:33 PM	On the same topic, there was another type of magic arrow from baldurs gate/icewind dale. The Arrow of Teleporation, whatever the arrow hit was transported right next the archer.
lostone 02-12-06, 02:44 PM	On the same topic, there was another type of magic arrow from baldurs gate/icewind dale. The Arrow of Teleporation, whatever the arrow hit was transported right next the archer.You better not fire those at a Telflammar Shadowlord...could ruin your day. :D
Lyinginbedmon 02-12-06, 03:25 PM	I was considering that myself, I can't think of many archers that would actually want someone they just shot at to appear next to them...
tsuyoshikentsu 02-12-06, 03:30 PM	I have one word that makes fireball arrows even more attractive: Splitting.
Lafing Cat 02-12-06, 03:36 PM	I'd say it would have to be a custom magic item. The text on spell storing states that "On a successful hit, the wielder may choose to release...." And no one is wielding a fired arrow. If you were using them as improvised melee weapons, sure... (Which I've actually had someone do)
DeadKeepWalking 02-12-06, 03:37 PM	I prefer Fireball in a Bottle, aka FulBombs (for those who know of the old games DM and Chaos Strikes Back). The rules state you can put any spell up to third level into a potion.
MorandirNailo 02-12-06, 03:52 PM	The rules state you can put any spell up to third level into a potion. Beware Enchanters bearing strange liquids... :D Mor
neilthrun 02-12-06, 03:59 PM	I was considering that myself, I can't think of many archers that would actually want someone they just shot at to appear next to them... Thats the thing, you only got one of them, and you had to think of a good use for it. The game never presented a good situation, but in real D&D I can think of all sorts of things. Catching a feeling enemy teleporting your warhorse/elephant/OgreBarbarianPC over a chasm, up a cliff, through a narrow passage Retrieving a hard to reach item(magic sword at the bottom of volcano) Grounding flying creatures Saving another character from worse danger than an arrow wound Stealing things long distance.
Lokiyn 02-12-06, 04:11 PM	Beware Enchanters bearing strange liquids... :D Mor The party rogue never steals my cure potions more than once.... At least the same rogue anyway :P
HotSake 02-12-06, 04:44 PM	You better not fire those at a Telflammar Shadowlord...could ruin your day. :D Nah, Shadow Pounce only triggers when they use a teleportation effect themselvs.
Caelic 02-12-06, 04:45 PM	I'd say it would have to be a custom magic item. The text on spell storing states that "On a successful hit, the wielder may choose to release...." And no one is wielding a fired arrow. If you were using them as improvised melee weapons, sure... (Which I've actually had someone do) I personally agree with you, but others see it differently--I was just trying to present both sides. It really comes down to what the individual DM decides.
Rashomon 02-12-06, 06:38 PM	Just build it as a custom magic item: spell level x caster level x 50 for a single use arrow. I presume fireball is what you want, so 3x10x50 = 1500gp for a 10th level fireball arrow of detonation. Pretty pricey. Ten arrows of detonation...15,000gp. One group ten trained of archers...3gp per day. The look on your enemy's face when his entire army is laid to waste in a single volley...priceless. You CAN have it at 5th level for big discounts - 3 x 5 x 50 for 750 gp. If the "halve cost for creation" comes into play, it's 375gp, and if your DM allows them to receive a 10% discount because you have to deliver the thing through a bow attack and not a thrown attack, that's 338 or so gp. Incidentally, I'm using the single-use, use activated rules for this from the d20 SRD. Does my reading of the rules hold water? Also, what happens if you miss? Scatter rules?
Thydon 02-12-06, 08:28 PM	If i told you, that you were lvl 40 and in a pvp arena facing people ONE on ONE, what how would u make this character. The dm allows these fireball arrows and the point of the character would be to be invisible yet rain down exploding arrows in large quanities. O, and you have 12 million gold :D
X-Codes 02-12-06, 08:52 PM	Three Words: Javelin of Lightning. Instead of turning into a lightning bolt when thrown, it detonates on impact. Same cost as said Javelin: 5d6 -> 1,500 gp.
Caelic 02-12-06, 09:53 PM	If i told you, that you were lvl 40 and in a pvp arena facing people ONE on ONE, what how would u make this character. The dm allows these fireball arrows and the point of the character would be to be invisible yet rain down exploding arrows in large quanities. O, and you have 12 million gold :D To be honest, I probably wouldn't bother. Any decently designed level 40 character is going to be immune to fire.
xerofire 02-13-06, 02:00 AM	If i told you, that you were lvl 40 and in a pvp arena facing people ONE on ONE, what how would u make this character. The dm allows these fireball arrows and the point of the character would be to be invisible yet rain down exploding arrows in large quanities. O, and you have 12 million gold :D Make it a neg energy explosion at least so they might not expect that damage type (and work in some undead synergy) Manyshot + Bow with Splitting quality But if i was really doing this tactic I'd choose arrows of horzical's cough (spelling) level 0 spell 1 sonic damage no save, with the fell drain metamagic tagged on. Get a bow that already level drains as well, and just suck the life energy out of them. Then make them into your pet Juju zombie!