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blade020877
Seeker
Ireland
72 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Jan 2014 : 02:48:08
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I am Playing a military game where I am going to be a saboteur. I am going to Blow up bridges, building and people. On some missions I have to try this without magic as detection is quite high... so question is what could I use as a non magical explosive??
And oil isnt what I am looking for as damage is too low
Thanks for your input
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4694 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2014 : 03:14:23
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Well that certainly can be a tall order for sudden results. Smoke powder of course comes to mind, that does not detect as magical IIRC. There might though be effective use of acid or alchemist’s fire that can cause damage enough for purpose of disabling target.
Improvised explosives also might include a rum keg bomb, a larger version of a Molotov cocktail.
There might be a few other options, but not many truly explosive items come to mind that are not magic. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2014 : 04:45:34
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| Nitroglycerin...nuff said |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1155 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2014 : 07:07:16
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A bag of flour. If you throw it and then somehow set the flour cloud on fire it could create an explosive. Collecting marsh gas in glass bottles, throwing it and then shooting it with a flaming arrow might also work.
But if you're going to try to detroy buildings and fortifications, you may have to resort to sapping. Dig a long tunnel underneath the structure until you get to the point below the bit you want to damage. Get some fattened pigs and trap them there then set the pigs on fire. Pig fat burns so hot the heat should be sufficient to destroy the foundations of a castle wall, causing the section just above the fire to collapse.
Alternatively, the Dwarves of Ascore were known to trade nonmagical explosives with some low-netheril cities that they used to help with mining. Guess that'd be roughly equivalent to dynamite but the secret of creating it could well be lost and require your players to reseach it first. |
When life turns it's back on you...sneak attack for extra damage.
Head admin of the FR wiki:
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Derulbaskul
Senior Scribe
Singapore
408 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2014 : 08:10:25
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| I would simply run with alchemist's fire as something that already exists in the rules across all editions. Alternatively, there was some stone-burning alchemical substance used in the Spider Queen series during the attack on Ched Nasad. That's another option even if it's not explosive (and I'm sure it's written up somewhere). |
Cheers
D
NB: Please remember: A cannon is a big gun. Canon is what we discuss here. |
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blade020877
Seeker
Ireland
72 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2014 : 15:53:23
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thanks for help
for a simple question its not a simple answer,
as i remember in 2nd edition there was muskets so they would some type of gun power but i play 3.5 now so is there any like that now? |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1155 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2014 : 17:06:18
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| Yes, you still have smokepowder in the realms which functions exactly like gunpowder but isn't made of the same stuff. It's also rare and almost always a controlled substance. |
When life turns it's back on you...sneak attack for extra damage.
Head admin of the FR wiki:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/ |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2014 : 17:28:58
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How about monsters? Some have abilities that could prove useful. An Umber Hulk could probably make short work of a stone bridge, etc.
I was actually thinking about a tesla-like 'disintegrator gunnne' using sonics, but I don't know of any monsters with sonic capabilities that powerful.
There's always maltov cocktails. Spread enough accelerants around and one good throw can take out a building (or a whole block). As hashimashadoo said, even simple flour bags burst open in an area would make an excellent accelerant for a flash-fire. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Derulbaskul
Senior Scribe
Singapore
408 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2014 : 23:34:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay (snip) I was actually thinking about a tesla-like 'disintegrator gunnne' using sonics, but I don't know of any monsters with sonic capabilities that powerful. (snip)
Destrachan. |
Cheers
D
NB: Please remember: A cannon is a big gun. Canon is what we discuss here. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2014 : 03:01:50
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| Just take a beholder, cut out all of its eyes but the disintegration ray...encase it in a bondage getup, and then uncap the one eye it has left when you need it. ;) |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36892 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2014 : 04:53:55
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| Does it have to be an explosion? There are some critters that if directed could be highly destructive... You'd not have the bang, but giant termites could bring down a bridge, and a bulette could bring down a building... A purple worm could do either... |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4694 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2014 : 05:18:49
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Wooly as far as it goes, a good saboteur is well away from the scene when target is hit. If the saboteur is too close certainly might become collateral damage, a little further away survivors after a few attacks might describe a same person being there.
However explosions are clearly more exciting then sapping a bridge. I suspect the request (desire?) is for the more dramatic then the more effective. Doing any demolition well requires planing, it does however not require a bang. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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a big bang with out magic!!!
