"I tuck the sunrod in my belt".

[Chronosome]

Hi. Fun conversation-inspiration below (I hope):

Since the olden days of OD&D light, PCs have shoved magical glowing objects into their belts to free up their mitts for heroing. Please confirm or refute, by answering the above poll, whether or not I'm a crazy person who just made that up.

Now to the real, fourthy questions:

• Are sunrods and their ilk (glowing things) "meant" to be hand-held -- must they claim a "hand" slot to function fully?
• If no, then howboutta "belt" slot?
• Is a tightened belt secure enough to hold a sunrod over the course of an encounter?
• If that's all good, wouldn't the glow-belted PC have an arc of darkness behind him?

Ultimately, these aren't real concerns -- our game runs just fine, thank you. It's just that these questions have often popped into my head any time a player (me, for example) has done the "belt trick". I'm curious as to what others' experiences are.

Yep.

 

[caudor]

I've wondered the same thing too.

This is how I tend to handle it:

If the PCs choose to place the sunrod in certain places...belt, head-strap, etc., I sometimes allow monsters that are annoyed by light to attack the light source. Of course, the attack must be a success to disrupt the light source. Oops...everything just got pitch black.

If the PCs are holding the light source properly, I always have the monster disregard the light source and focus on the PCs (unless there is a very good reason).

 

[renau1g]

One of my PC's asked if he (or an NPC) could create a holster-type sheath for his sunrod. Other than that they try belt, boots, even their teeth when they needed 2 hands to climb.

 

[weem]

When my players have them, they find ways to carry them so as to maintain free hands, and I'm fine with that really.

 

[Piratecat]

I'd say sure, but it halves the distance that the light travels. Seems like a reasonable tradeoff.

 

[Nytmare]

The only reason why my group doesn't use them is because they have light options that they like better. Light spells, Delver's Lights, and Gauntlets of Brilliance can all be put out as free actions. Worn sunrods would be a minor to grab, and a minor to put away.

 

[BobTheNob]

I'd say sure, but it halves the distance that the light travels. Seems like a reasonable tradeoff.

This is probably a reasonable compromise.

There has to be some sense "price" in everything. If the "price" of such an item is that it must be held(price of aquisition means nothing), then arguing that it should be able to be put in the belt is just trying to avoid the price. Effectively having your cake and eat it to.

Players should be able to take initiative and find ways to solve problems, but when is it "cleverness" and when is it just a cheap con to get out of paying?

When our campaign started, I typed up a criteria my decision process would be based upon and gave it to the players and made sure they read it. One of them was this very point. If a price must be paid, then pay they must.

Its a balancing act, but the more you let them "get away with" cheesy solutions, the more that the game ceases to challenge, and becomes not worth playing

 

[renau1g]

Yeah the 1/2 distance solution works well, although with the nuclear sunrods it's not much of a cost. 20 squares radius? There's not a ton out on the market today that could provide that light for that amount of time for such a cheap price (for an adventurer).

Now I usually just give a delver's light as one of the first treasure items or floating lantern it's easier that way.

 

[Nytmare]

There has to be some sense "price" in everything.

I honestly don't see wearing sunrods or everburning torches as trying to get something for nothing.

Would you have a problem with someone throwing a sunrod into a room to light it? Tying it to an arrow and firing it into a wall? Dangling it from a rope to see into a flooded cavern?

None of these are expressly written into the rules, would you consider any of them to be bending said rules?

 

[caudor]

I honestly don't see wearing sunrods or everburning torches as trying to get something for nothing.

Would you have a problem with someone throwing a sunrod into a room to light it? Tying it to an arrow and firing it into a wall? Dangling it from a rope to see into a flooded cavern?

None of these are expressly written into the rules, would you consider any of them to be bending said rules?

I don't believe these approaches are bending the rules. However, if one dangles a sunrod down to see into a chasm, I don't see why some annoyed creature down there would decline to take a swat at it.