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 In case you wanted to know how pit traps work
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crazedventurers
Master of Realmslore

United Kingdom
1073 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  10:35:50  Show Profile  Visit crazedventurers's Homepage Send crazedventurers a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17827983

And this is why you need a ten foot pole with you whilst adventuring

Cheers

Damian

So saith Ed. I've never said he was sane, have I?
Gods, all this writing and he's running a constant fantasy version of Coronation Street in his head, too. .
shudder,
love to all,
THO
Candlekeep Forum 7 May 2005

Edited by - crazedventurers on 25 Apr 2012 10:45:58

Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7981 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  14:00:22  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The humble 10' pole serves me as a rough indicator about the condition/playability of the game, much like car lots are a rough economic indicator and frog populations are a rough ecological indicator ...

D&D (I: Men & Magic) - 10' Pole - 1GP*
D&D Basic (Moldvay) - Pole, Wooden (10' long, 2" thick) - 1GP*
D&D Expert (Cook, Mentzer) - Pole, Wooden (10' long, 2" thick) - 1GP*
AD&D PHB - Pole (Wooden), 10' - 3CP
AD&D 2E PHB - Pole, 10' - 3CP**
D&D 3E PHB - Pole, 10' - 2SP***
D&D 3.5E PHB - Pole, 10' - 2SP***
D&D 4E - *item gone*

* OD&D prices all in GP because non-gold coinage hadn't yet been invented. Simpler times.

** 10' poles were conspicuously missing in the original 2E PHB printings, but this unforgivable typo oversight was corrected in subsequent reprintings. For a while, PCs had to make do with clumsy and overpriced 6-22' staves/spears/polearms (PHB, DMGR3, PO:C&T), 10-12' long spears (PHBR1, PO:C&T), or the so-called 8-12' "Acrobatic Balancing Poles" (PHBR2). Resourceful players were able to convince their DMs that their beloved older-edition 10' poles somehow survived the Time of Troubles in the Realms.

*** You could, however, sidestep WotC's greedy 3E/3.5E price gouging on the 10' pole market by instead purchasing Ladder, 10' for 5CP, effectively giving you two 10' wooden poles and 8-9 wooden stakes (useful as firewood, ghetto torches, pitons/wedges, or for vampire slaying).

And don't forget about this masterpiece!

[/Ayrik]

Edited by - Ayrik on 25 Apr 2012 15:06:01
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader

USA
3131 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  15:02:33  Show Profile Send Artemas Entreri a Private Message  Reply with Quote
SOLID Chinese construction!

Some people have a way with words, and other people...oh, uh, not have way. -Steve Martin

Amazon "KindleUnlimited" Free Trial: http://amzn.to/2AJ4yD2

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Diffan
Great Reader

USA
4431 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  15:07:25  Show Profile Send Diffan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ouchy!

As far as the 10' pole thing, never used it in my 2E, 3E, or 4E games. Guess my DMs just aren't big on pit traps.
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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7981 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  15:32:01  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well, good thing she didn't drop her phone - with a little luck she'll get a strong enough signal to be able to call emergency services from the bottom of that hole.

But I suppose that just what people with no reflexes or situational awareness have to do. I mean, there's nothing more startling than having the ground suddenly shift or disappear underfoot, any of us could just as easily get sucked into this trap. Still, you'd think a teenager would at least make some kind of frantic flailing grasp-miss attempt or something. Hesitation astonishes and frustrates me.

[/Ayrik]
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Kilvan
Senior Scribe

Canada
894 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  15:36:12  Show Profile Send Kilvan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Missed her reflex save that one.
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  16:02:39  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I saw this, and the first word that came to my mind was "Mole Man"...I swear to you!

Now...if those pesky Drow could make a bunch of Molemen to destabilize before they attack...

Seriously though...that cab driver deserves a medal...the next girl walking up didn't even see the hole! If he hadn't went over, I think she might have blindly fallen in as well!

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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Kilvan
Senior Scribe

Canada
894 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  16:09:34  Show Profile Send Kilvan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden

Seriously though...that cab driver deserves a medal...the next girl walking up didn't even see the hole! If he hadn't went over, I think she might have blindly fallen in as well!



Like Lemmings. Indeed, Kudos to the cab driver.

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Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  16:40:08  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Anyone ever had a wizard carry a ten foot pole and say it was his quarterstaff?

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36784 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  18:11:51  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by entreri3478

SOLID Chinese construction!



Actually, something like that could happen anywhere in the world. It's all about soil conditions, not the quality of the construction. And the soil conditions can change, after construction...

Down here in Florida, sinkholes are not at all uncommon, and have been known to swallow buildings or portions of buildings. I once discovered a place where a hole three or four feet deep had opened right next to a sidewalk -- the opening was only a few inches wide, but the interior of the hole was over a foot in diameter, and extended partway under the sidewalk. If left alone, that hole could have easily gotten larger and swallowed some innocent bystander.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!

Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 25 Apr 2012 18:12:53
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader

USA
3131 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  18:21:21  Show Profile Send Artemas Entreri a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

quote:
Originally posted by entreri3478

SOLID Chinese construction!



Actually, something like that could happen anywhere in the world. It's all about soil conditions, not the quality of the construction. And the soil conditions can change, after construction...

Down here in Florida, sinkholes are not at all uncommon, and have been known to swallow buildings or portions of buildings. I once discovered a place where a hole three or four feet deep had opened right next to a sidewalk -- the opening was only a few inches wide, but the interior of the hole was over a foot in diameter, and extended partway under the sidewalk. If left alone, that hole could have easily gotten larger and swallowed some innocent bystander.



She's lucky she didn't fall into a pile of asbestos or toxic children's toys.

Some people have a way with words, and other people...oh, uh, not have way. -Steve Martin

Amazon "KindleUnlimited" Free Trial: http://amzn.to/2AJ4yD2

Try Audible and Get 2 Free Audio Books! https://amzn.to/2IgBede
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36784 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  19:16:34  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Okay, we can do with a little less bashing of real-world nations, please.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!
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crazedventurers
Master of Realmslore

United Kingdom
1073 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  19:39:26  Show Profile  Visit crazedventurers's Homepage Send crazedventurers a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik

T
*** You could, however, sidestep WotC's greedy 3E/3.5E price gouging on the 10' pole market by instead purchasing Ladder, 10' for 5CP, effectively giving you two 10' wooden poles and 8-9 wooden stakes (useful as firewood, ghetto torches, pitons/wedges, or for vampire slaying).



Now that is an awesome buy - a multi functional dungeon tool for any occasion, now bring on the vampires!

Cheers

Damian


So saith Ed. I've never said he was sane, have I?
Gods, all this writing and he's running a constant fantasy version of Coronation Street in his head, too. .
shudder,
love to all,
THO
Candlekeep Forum 7 May 2005
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  21:17:41  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I guess the Ankheg wasn't hungry.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone

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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7981 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  21:27:50  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Dalor Darden

Anyone ever had a wizard carry a ten foot pole and say it was his quarterstaff?
Quarterstaves are traditionally thought to be 6' long, but anywhere from 5-8' was fairly common and the item descriptions (in AD&D 1E/2E and Wikipedia) specify any length from 6-9'. Usage (and our understanding) of the terminology varies, but 6' or less was generally a "short staff" while a "long staff" could be 11-12' long. Ask the PC how long his quarterstaff is, he'll probably look it up or just say 6'.

My players are typically more fond of spears, typically about 8' long and really basically just a staff with a big pointy knife stuck on one end, maybe some metalshod bands or langets; far more useful than a plain staff for poking traps and "dead" things, reversible, magnetic, or conductive as needed! Some types of magical staves (including the often ignored humble Staff-Mace and Staff-Spear) can change their length (up to 12') on command.

[/Ayrik]
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2012 :  23:31:37  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

Okay, we can do with a little less bashing of real-world nations, please.



Very true. Aside from having many friends INSIDE China and out (I tutor Chinese students seeking to better their english skills); much worse has been recorded on tape here in the United States...where in fact an entire car was swallowed by a hole.

My own Dad nearly died driving his truck...nearly fell into a hole that caused a gaping maw on a bridge!

It may be true that some nations don't have the same building codes that we do; but I promise you Chinese architecture is actually top notch!

Just follow this link and you will see that the TOP FIVE longest bridges in the world are all in China...and of very high caliber:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest_bridges_in_the_world

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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