New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 31 to 51 of 51
  1. - Top - End - #31
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    put it down a mine. if it is more than a couple hundred yards deep (even horizontally) you'd be pretty much fine. Rock absorbs a huge amount of energy.

  2. - Top - End - #32
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Alex12's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2007

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by S@tanicoaldo View Post
    Interesting.
    More details: The weapon is dormant. It was meant to be activated to destroy that region but something happened and it did not explode. So it is very unstable. Moving it or just being near it may cause its delayed explosion to trigger, killing everything around it and corrupting the area.

    None of the PCs are Magic users. Since it is a low magic world the only people capable of doing the teleport it somewhere else and detonate it thing(a very unethical thing if think about it) Are:
    -The lich himself
    -Black mages who are evil but powerful spellcasters.
    -The archmages, leaders of cabals that control the number of mages around the world who have their own agenda and if they ever entered in contact with such powerful magical artifact they would likely try to copy it and mass produce it later.
    - The demi-gods themselves who created the "bomb" to kill each other.
    -The high priests of the temples who would try to use that as excuse to make their religion the official religion and with that gain a lot of political power.
    Hm, that's tricky.
    Maybe they could call on one of the demi-gods for help? I mean, if they made it, then presumably they know how to unmake them. Find a god who doesn't want the area the bomb is in to get exploded. After all, unstable nuclear-grade devices are bad even without a lich involved. If it's as unstable as you say, even a good storm might be enough to set it off. Which would obviously be bad.

    Or they could try and lure the lich into range of the blast, keep him from leaving somehow, then threaten to detonate the bomb (which would both kill him and destroy the phylactery in one go) unless he either disarmed the bomb, made it not-a-phylactery, or disposed of it somewhere safely (Teleport it a billion miles straight up should do it).

    If it's made of metal, you might be able to get a Rust Monster or druid or something to deal with it.


    It is a bomb meant to corrupt the area around the destructive blast. Controlled explosion may be possible but would still cause a lot of damage because of the "evil magic radiation" right?
    It's entirely possible to "disarm" a modern nuclear weapon by blowing it up with conventional explosives. Modern nukes require a bunch of controlled explosions going off in a specific pattern to compress the fissile material enough to undergo fission. If you disrupt that pattern by blowing it up from outside, you'll end up spilling radioactive stuff around and contaminating a much smaller region than the nuke would destroy. Gun-type nukes can be set off this way, but those are way less effective in general.
    It's honestly pretty hard to convince a nuke to explode, even before you factor in that they usually have safety systems because nobody wants a nuke going off before it's supposed to.
    Quote Originally Posted by Time Blossom View Post
    And then you wrote about it on your livejournal, dyed your hair black and started taking warlock levels.

  3. - Top - End - #33
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    aspi's Avatar

    Join Date
    Aug 2013

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    So, to recap the situation:
    • You want a phylactery that will explode with the effect of a nuclear bomb
    • You want it to be non-defusable
    • You have powerful black magic in your world


    If you ask me, you're not doing yourself a favor with the whole nuclear-bomb-approach. As others have mentioned, it's actually quite hard to get a nuclear bomb to detonate, since they are designed that way... nobody wants one of them to explode by accident after all. You have the means to simply create a magic macguffin that will behave in exactly the way you describe and there is no need to actually make it a nuclear bomb! By doing that, you add nothing to the story (as far as I can see) and invite this entire line of argument which your players are likely to come up with as well. All this will do is cause frustration if they come up with ideas that you don't want to work.

    Just make it an instable source of black magic (maybe the source of black magic that will contaminate the entire realm of destroyed) that they can't defuse and be done with it. Save yourself (and your players) the trouble of that argument if it isn't really necessary.
    Inuit avatar with cherry banana on top by Yanisa

  4. - Top - End - #34
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Ravens_cry's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2008

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Indeed, I was about to make it a similar point. If you have some Phlebotinum based MacGuffin of Doomy Doom, making it something that actually exists is going to make some players, especially the more knowledgeable ones, expect it to act like that thing. On the other hand, if you make it something fictional, you can tailor those fictional properties to the scenario you want without pulling people out of the world and story when you make a mistake.
    And atomic bombs (as opposed to thermonuclear devices) have (comparatively) low limits on their yield because they are made of sub-critical pieces of fissionable material. They'd take out a whole, large, by quasi-medieval, low magic standards, city, (the largest was 500 kilotons), but an 'area'? Doubtful.
    Quote Originally Posted by Calanon View Post
    Raven_Cry's comments often have the effects of a +5 Tome of Understanding

  5. - Top - End - #35
    Troll in the Playground
     
    sleepyphoenixx's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2012

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Kill the Lich with a Thinaun weapon (CW). Then use one of the available methods to destroy the soul (BoVD has a few iirc). Problem solved.

  6. - Top - End - #36
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    S@tanicoaldo's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Gender
    Female

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    I guess the atomic bomb analogy was a bad one since my knowledge on the subject is limited to "A big thing that goes boom" luckily my players are also that limited and they did not brought mechanical and technical arguments to the table.

    The teleport it somewhere else and detonate it was also the idea and they asked a High priest to that. Now that religion is the oficial one and next session they will have to fight a horde of Mutant zombie demons with radioactive and corrupting powers. (Who said teleport it to hell and detonate would be consequence free?)


    Quote Originally Posted by Tvtyrant View Post
    " The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40.

    Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items."

    So if we are talking about a D&D Lich this doesn't work. If we ignore the "tiny items" designation then just have the Lich turn the Moon/Sun into its phylactery so that killing it would cause an extinction event.
    The moon is not a object. And a bomb is nothing but a big box:

    Spoiler: BOMB
    Show


    Quote Originally Posted by Lord Torath View Post
    If this is so unstable, be prepared to explain how the lich managed to insert his phylactery inside it without detonation.

    Also, the ethics of teleporting the device to another location to detonate depends on that target location (assuming you can ensure the black mage won't send it to his rival's livingroom instead). If you could ensure that the device was "teleported" to a region of space far from any planets, there's no ethical dilemma. Detonating the device one Astronomical Unit (Earth-Sun distance) directly above the planet's north pole should cause no harm to anyone other than the lich.
    One reason: Magic!

    The idea of corrupting magical radiation floating in the space near our planet does not sound like a good idea to me.

    Quote Originally Posted by sktarq View Post
    put it down a mine. if it is more than a couple hundred yards deep (even horizontally) you'd be pretty much fine. Rock absorbs a huge amount of energy.
    Good idea but since I'm evil i whould just make the corrupting magical energy create radioative golems made of stone and gems.


    Quote Originally Posted by aspi View Post
    So, to recap the situation:
    • You want a phylactery that will explode with the effect of a nuclear bomb
    • You want it to be non-defusable
    • You have powerful black magic in your world


    If you ask me, you're not doing yourself a favor with the whole nuclear-bomb-approach. As others have mentioned, it's actually quite hard to get a nuclear bomb to detonate, since they are designed that way... nobody wants one of them to explode by accident after all. You have the means to simply create a magic macguffin that will behave in exactly the way you describe and there is no need to actually make it a nuclear bomb! By doing that, you add nothing to the story (as far as I can see) and invite this entire line of argument which your players are likely to come up with as well. All this will do is cause frustration if they come up with ideas that you don't want to work.

    Just make it an instable source of black magic (maybe the source of black magic that will contaminate the entire realm of destroyed) that they can't defuse and be done with it. Save yourself (and your players) the trouble of that argument if it isn't really necessary.

    I guess I should have said they were MAD Demi-gods trying to kill each other. If the whole world burns in the process they simply do not care.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ravens_cry View Post
    Indeed, I was about to make it a similar point. If you have some Phlebotinum based MacGuffin of Doomy Doom, making it something that actually exists is going to make some players, especially the more knowledgeable ones, expect it to act like that thing. On the other hand, if you make it something fictional, you can tailor those fictional properties to the scenario you want without pulling people out of the world and story when you make a mistake.
    And atomic bombs (as opposed to thermonuclear devices) have (comparatively) low limits on their yield because they are made of sub-critical pieces of fissionable material. They'd take out a whole, large, by quasi-medieval, low magic standards, city, (the largest was 500 kilotons), but an 'area'? Doubtful.
    Wow... I'm speechless. I feel so dumb. I guess I should have used "Mass destruction artifact created by mad demi-god that corrupts all around its explosion radius" instead of "Atomic bomb like artifact".
    Last edited by S@tanicoaldo; 2014-09-21 at 11:28 AM.
    I'm not a native english speaker and I'm dyslexic(that doesn't mean I have low IQ quite the opposite actually it means I make a lot of typos).

    So I beg for forgiveness, patience and comprehension.

    Quote Originally Posted by Max_Killjoy View Post
    It's like somewhere along the way, "freedom of speech" became "all negative response is censorship".
    Quote Originally Posted by 2D8HP View Post
    "Gosh 2D8HP, you are so very correct (and also good looking), and your humility is stunning"

  7. - Top - End - #37
    Colossus in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    right behind you

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Teleport it to the tomb of horrors. Noone will be able to notice any change if it goes off there.
    "Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
    Translation: "Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe."

    Quote Originally Posted by Nerd-o-rama View Post
    Traab is yelling everything that I'm thinking already.
    "If you don't get those cameras out of my face, I'm gonna go 8.6 on the Richter scale with gastric emissions that'll clear this room."

  8. - Top - End - #38
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Lord Torath's Avatar

    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Sharangar's Revenge
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by S@tanicoaldo View Post
    The idea of corrupting magical radiation floating in the space near our planet does not sound like a good idea to me.
    Nah, it'd never get through the planet's magnetosphere. Plus, the solar wind would push it out into interstellar space before it could do any harm.

    I suppose it depends on what cosmology you're using. If you're using something like real world cosmology, there's nothing up there to corrupt. And the "background" cosmic radiation is worse than anything a nuclear weapon can unleash. If you're using spelljammer-esque cosmology, detonating the device three-quarters of the way to the crystal sphere directly below the sun's "south pole" would put it in such a location that, even assuming the cloud of corruption was the size of the entire earth, the odds of anything ever going through it are infinitesimal. All the traffic, and thus all the activity of space denizens that prey on that traffic, occurs near the ecliptic, which is where all the planets are. Of course, depending on the DM, Probability has been known to service Drama on occasion.

    Still, it sounds like things turned out more or less according to plan. Well, your plan, anyway.
    Last edited by Lord Torath; 2014-09-21 at 05:33 PM.
    Warhammer 40,000 Campaign Skirmish Game: Warpstrike
    My Spelljammer stuff (including an orbit tracker), 2E AD&D spreadsheet, and Vault of the Drow maps are available in my Dropbox. Feel free to use or not use it as you see fit!
    Thri-Kreen Ranger/Psionicist by me, based off of Rich's A Monster for Every Season

  9. - Top - End - #39
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    S@tanicoaldo's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Gender
    Female

    Exclamation Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by Lord Torath View Post
    Nah, it'd never get through the planet's magnetosphere. Plus, the solar wind would push it out into interstellar space before it could do any harm.

    I suppose it depends on what cosmology you're using. If you're using something like real world cosmology, there's nothing up there to corrupt. And the "background" cosmic radiation is worse than anything a nuclear weapon can unleash. If you're using spelljammer-esque cosmology, detonating the device three-quarters of the way to the crystal sphere directly below the sun's "south pole" would put it in such a location that, even assuming the cloud of corruption was the size of the entire earth, the odds of anything ever going through it are infinitesimal. All the traffic, and thus all the activity of space denizens that prey on that traffic, occurs near the ecliptic, which is where all the planets are. Of course, depending on the DM, Probability has been known to service Drama on occasion.

    Still, it sounds like things turned out more or less according to plan. Well, your plan, anyway.
    Well there is stuff living in the dark corners of space that are best left alone:

    Spoiler
    Show


    Eldritch abominations are bad enough the way they are. They don't need to become mutant eldritch abominations.
    I'm not a native english speaker and I'm dyslexic(that doesn't mean I have low IQ quite the opposite actually it means I make a lot of typos).

    So I beg for forgiveness, patience and comprehension.

    Quote Originally Posted by Max_Killjoy View Post
    It's like somewhere along the way, "freedom of speech" became "all negative response is censorship".
    Quote Originally Posted by 2D8HP View Post
    "Gosh 2D8HP, you are so very correct (and also good looking), and your humility is stunning"

  10. - Top - End - #40
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    MonkGuy

    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    SW England
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by Slipperychicken View Post
    How big is it? They could do one of the following:
    My favorite solution? Incapacitate the lich (using antimagic shenanigans as appropriate), and strap him to his phylactery-bomb (or at least within the blast radius). Tell him that if he wants to survive, he must tell the PCs how to defuse the bomb. If the bomb detonates, the lich is destroyed forever. If the bomb doesn't detonate, tell the lich he gets to live in prison or have some chance at continuing his existence. You could also try Mindraping or Probe Thoughts-ing* the lich if he won't tell you.
    No, what you want to do is incapacitate the lich and strap him to the phylactery-bomb, then gate/portal/teleport them into the Abyss, and detonate it. While making an appropriately cheesy one-liner, like "You're fired!"

  11. - Top - End - #41
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Imp

    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Sweden
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by S@tanicoaldo View Post
    None of the PCs are Magic users. Since it is a low magic world the only people capable of doing the teleport it somewhere else and detonate it thing(a very unethical thing if think about it) Are:
    -The lich himself
    -Black mages who are evil but powerful spellcasters.
    -The archmages, leaders of cabals that control the number of mages around the world who have their own agenda and if they ever entered in contact with such powerful magical artifact they would likely try to copy it and mass produce it later.
    - The demi-gods themselves who created the "bomb" to kill each other.
    -The high priests of the temples who would try to use that as excuse to make their religion the official religion and with that gain a lot of political power.
    I'd just get one of those to deal with it, the archmages and high priests seem far less dangerous than the lich. The black mages and demi-gods are probably dangerous even to approach though

    It's unclear that the archmages actually could replicate the bomb if they had it in their possession, though they might be able to defuse it and use its parts for lesser artifacts.
    The priests making their religion the official religion? I don't see the problem, unless it's some kind of malicious religion.

    From what you say it seems that even fiddling with the bomb might set it off, so it might actually be worse to try to stop the bomb than to let the Lich roam free. That's why I'd contact someone who's actually capable of handling the situation.

    You've basically taken a very tricky situation and given it to PCs not remotely equipped to deal with it.
    Black text is for sarcasm, also sincerity. You'll just have to read between the lines and infer from context like an animal

  12. - Top - End - #42
    Spamalot in the Playground
     
    Psyren's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by S@tanicoaldo View Post
    If the players want to kill the Lich emperor who is terrorizing the realm they will destroy a big part of it in the process.
    Here's a thought - what if the realm being terrorized simply agrees that this is an acceptable sacrifice to remove such a vile immortal being from power for good?

    Obviously the heroes would try to evacuate the area as much as possible and take the bomb-lactery to the most deserted area they can, but if you truly make the casualties unavoidable they cease to be evil.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
    Plague Doctor by Crimmy
    Ext. Sig (Handbooks/Creations)

  13. - Top - End - #43
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Imp

    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Sweden
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by Psyren View Post
    Here's a thought - what if the realm being terrorized simply agrees that this is an acceptable sacrifice to remove such a vile immortal being from power for good?

    Obviously the heroes would try to evacuate the area as much as possible and take the bomb-lactery to the most deserted area they can, but if you truly make the casualties unavoidable they cease to be evil.
    While your forces are focused on evacuation the Lich goes on a rampage killing spree against unguarded subjects killing more than the bomb would've.
    Black text is for sarcasm, also sincerity. You'll just have to read between the lines and infer from context like an animal

  14. - Top - End - #44
    Spamalot in the Playground
     
    Psyren's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by Mastikator View Post
    While your forces are focused on evacuation the Lich goes on a rampage killing spree against unguarded subjects killing more than the bomb would've.
    Why would the PCs be doing that? That's a ludicrous waste of resources; NPCs can evacuate just fine. Get the town mayor or the resistance leader to coordinate that while the PCs keep Xykon contained.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
    Plague Doctor by Crimmy
    Ext. Sig (Handbooks/Creations)

  15. - Top - End - #45
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Imp

    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Sweden
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by Psyren View Post
    Why would the PCs be doing that? That's a ludicrous waste of resources; NPCs can evacuate just fine. Get the town mayor or the resistance leader to coordinate that while the PCs keep Xykon contained.
    Assuming they could keep the lich contained. The lich is an emperor after all. The PCs wouldn't just be going up against an immensely powerful spell caster, they'd also be going up against the armed forces of the realm. Unless the PCs are on par with the lich in terms of individual power and social influence, the task of defeating the lich is insurmountable.
    Black text is for sarcasm, also sincerity. You'll just have to read between the lines and infer from context like an animal

  16. - Top - End - #46
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    S@tanicoaldo's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Gender
    Female

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by Mastikator View Post
    I'd just get one of those to deal with it, the archmages and high priests seem far less dangerous than the lich. The black mages and demi-gods are probably dangerous even to approach though

    It's unclear that the archmages actually could replicate the bomb if they had it in their possession, though they might be able to defuse it and use its parts for lesser artifacts.
    The priests making their religion the official religion? I don't see the problem, unless it's some kind of malicious religion.

    From what you say it seems that even fiddling with the bomb might set it off, so it might actually be worse to try to stop the bomb than to let the Lich roam free. That's why I'd contact someone who's actually capable of handling the situation.

    You've basically taken a very tricky situation and given it to PCs not remotely equipped to deal with it.
    Well it is kind of a Dark fantasy(I don't really like that world because everybody have been abusing of it latter) So yeah all the gods are at best neutral and all the priests are evil. They use religion to get money from the followers and the gods give them powers cause the more followers they have the more faith energy(that they need to feed on to survive) they will acquire.

    So yeah the High priest they choose is a fat greedy bastard who distorts the writings of the Goddess of healing to gain power, money and influence. And he just got more of it.

    But it is true both the High priests and the archmages (who are insane because of magic that is also corrupted and kind of evil) are safer choices.

    I know and that is why it is fun. And they are the ones responsible for putting themselves in that situation.

    Quote Originally Posted by Psyren View Post
    Here's a thought - what if the realm being terrorized simply agrees that this is an acceptable sacrifice to remove such a vile immortal being from power for good?

    Obviously the heroes would try to evacuate the area as much as possible and take the bomb-lactery to the most deserted area they can, but if you truly make the casualties unavoidable they cease to be evil.
    Because the place is not that large and a big chuck of the continent is already a wasteland because of the demi god war in the north so where are you planning to put all that human waste refugees?

    Imagine in real life, a entire population of a country. All of them losing home, job and rights. Having to live as a favor in another place where they will be discriminated and segregated. There will not be jobs for everybody and the jobs available will be very bad. So many will turn to crime. Who in their right mind would accept the refugees to live in their realm?
    I'm not a native english speaker and I'm dyslexic(that doesn't mean I have low IQ quite the opposite actually it means I make a lot of typos).

    So I beg for forgiveness, patience and comprehension.

    Quote Originally Posted by Max_Killjoy View Post
    It's like somewhere along the way, "freedom of speech" became "all negative response is censorship".
    Quote Originally Posted by 2D8HP View Post
    "Gosh 2D8HP, you are so very correct (and also good looking), and your humility is stunning"

  17. - Top - End - #47
    Spamalot in the Playground
     
    DigoDragon's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by MReav View Post
    This scenario make me think of The Lich from Adventure Time.
    I had recently started playing Fallout 3. This thread suddenly took on a new level for me.
    Digo Dragon - Artist
    D&D 5e Homebrew: My Little Pony Races

  18. - Top - End - #48
    Spamalot in the Playground
     
    Psyren's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by Mastikator View Post
    Assuming they could keep the lich contained. The lich is an emperor after all. The PCs wouldn't just be going up against an immensely powerful spell caster, they'd also be going up against the armed forces of the realm. Unless the PCs are on par with the lich in terms of individual power and social influence, the task of defeating the lich is insurmountable.
    Well if they can't win against the lich himself anyway, isn't the question of dealing with its phylactery purely academic then?

    It's like worrying about trying to find space on your wall to mount a dire lion's head when you're a level 1 commoner armed with a twig.

    Quote Originally Posted by S@tanicoaldo View Post
    Because the place is not that large and a big chuck of the continent is already a wasteland because of the demi god war in the north so where are you planning to put all that human waste refugees?

    Imagine in real life, a entire population of a country. All of them losing home, job and rights. Having to live as a favor in another place where they will be discriminated and segregated. There will not be jobs for everybody and the jobs available will be very bad. So many will turn to crime. Who in their right mind would accept the refugees to live in their realm?
    Without getting into real-world politics - when has "they might not want us there" ever deterred refugees fleeing a significant disaster?

    Even assuming the fallout from this thing is indeed so bad that the entire population has to move, and that they know that ahead of time - if the alternative is dying anyway at the angry lich's hands, many will roll the dice on freedom.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
    Plague Doctor by Crimmy
    Ext. Sig (Handbooks/Creations)

  19. - Top - End - #49
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Lord Haart's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2012

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    On a side note, this lich is freakin' stupid. Like, intelligence 8 post-template. Sorcerers these days…
    When you decide to exist indefinitely, respawning no matter what and having nothing to fear from any kind of opposition that isn't either extremely high-level or optimised, with a single caveat of all of it going away if you fail to keep a single little item intact, you do not, i repeat, YOU DO NOT bet on assumptions like "every being that ever arises in this world or the next will be aware of the bomb's destructive potential and absolutely unwilling to risk it". I'm not talking about all the ways to avoid countryside blowing up which were discussed in this thread; i'm talking about the fact that world is rife with madmen, deities, evil races and evil individuals, kenders, elves, trolls, fanatics willing to crush some eggs in order to get rid of you, avengers who won't care how many beings you hold hostage, people with pool impulse control, people with poor memory and/or poor attention to whom the connection between "boom" and "big red button" won't occur until they press it… The list goes on and on, and assuming none of those will ever happen to be amongst your enemies is highly dumb.
    And you do not, under any circumstances, decide that "item that provides me with eternal immortality and near-inkillability for as long as it is not destroyed" and "item that self-destructs during proper execution of its main designated function, which is easy to trigger, easily recognisable and widely known" combine well. You know, i retract my statement about intelligence 8; int 4 post-template sounds a bit more like it.



    All that being said, leading the world to mistakenly believe the bomb is your phylactery can lead to a good laugh.
    Last edited by Lord Haart; 2014-09-25 at 05:03 AM.
    Spoiler
    Show
    Quote Originally Posted by Elitarismo View Post
    Complaining about martial characters dipping many different classes is like complaining that the sun is hot.
    Quote Originally Posted by ArqArturo View Post
    When I first wanted to build a gish, I wanted to be the guy that threw fireballs, lightning bolts, wore spiked fullplate and reigned death and destruction (…)

    So I rolled a cleric.

    To everyone i played with in a certain campaign: i'm sorry i've dropped off without a warning, but a sudden case of twin daughers is a very solid reason, trust me.

  20. - Top - End - #50
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Imp

    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Sweden
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Quote Originally Posted by Psyren View Post
    Well if they can't win against the lich himself anyway, isn't the question of dealing with its phylactery purely academic then?

    It's like worrying about trying to find space on your wall to mount a dire lion's head when you're a level 1 commoner armed with a twig.
    Yes exactly. That's what I'm saying. The DM has set up a situation where the only ones who are able to deal with the BBEG is a few evil gandalf NPCs. The PCs roles isn't to deal with the emperor but to choose which NPC becomes the new emperor, possibly gaining favor.

    Or just go on a suicide mission to destroy the phylactery and become an even bigger villain than the emperor.
    Black text is for sarcasm, also sincerity. You'll just have to read between the lines and infer from context like an animal

  21. - Top - End - #51
    Troll in the Playground
     
    RogueGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2014

    Default Re: Atomic bomb as a Phylactery

    Set the rules for the bomb. What amount of tampering makes it go off. Build a way for PCs to get at these rules (adventure time!). Then let them figure it out. Thats what you want anyway.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •