D&D 5E I'm the DM and a player is trying to abuse the Immovable Rod. Advice?

[SkidAce]

And from this point forth, should any one attempt to research an Immovable Rod, the sages shall reply "Oh you mean a 'Rod of Relativistic Positioning"

Fantastic.... [MENTION=93444]shidaku[/MENTION]

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Yeah. Make a DM ruling that he can't use it in combat that way. If it pisses him off, tough. What he's doing is absurd.

I'm with JackOfAllTirades. To heck with "Say yes or roll dice." It's an okay guideline in general, but this is a prime example of when the correct DM response is "Hell no."

its great advice here.

Forst, ask the following questions:

why hammers? How? You can't glue a hammer head on a stick and use it to beat up trolls. Why not just use it as a club? Or a bluegeoning sword, like many stick fighting schools do?

How can two sticks lock a person or creature in place, exactly?

It's gotta be a grapple check. You're grappling. There is a chance of failure. Grapple check. Not sure if disadvantage is the way to go, but it should be harder than grappling with your hands and limbs.

The action thing makes it hard, if it's possible at all. OTOH, It's absurd that it's an action to activate the rod in the first place.

Answer may end up being no anyway, but the DM should at least think it through first.

Maybe it takes a level of grace and timing represented by spending Ki, and the whole thing is basically a Ki maneuver that grapples the target instead of doing damage. But the enemy will still be able to grapple back, grab the rods, etc. many will be able to just spend an action to squeeze out of the hold.

 

[Lanliss]

You all act like this is some game breaking horrible thing that the player has come up with. In a fantasy game full of classes with truly powerful spells, this wouldn't even be a blip on my radar. He could have just taken the Wand of Paralyze which is a rare item instead of the 2 uncommon rods and it would have be far more game breaking then restraining some monsters. At this point this seems to be the player's Schtick, so adjust your encounters and roll with it. I see no reason to crush him with the DM fiat hammer because he came up with something clever.

I don't have a problem with the power level of two immovable rods. My problem is, do you really want to hear, every single time it comes around to one players turn "I use my immovable rods"?

 

[Maxperson]

You all act like this is some game breaking horrible thing that the player has come up with. In a fantasy game full of classes with truly powerful spells, this wouldn't even be a blip on my radar. He could have just taken the Wand of Paralyze which is a rare item instead of the 2 uncommon rods and it would have be far more game breaking then restraining some monsters. At this point this seems to be the player's Schtick, so adjust your encounters and roll with it. I see no reason to crush him with the DM fiat hammer because he came up with something clever.

Cheating is not something clever. He is defying the rules by using extra actions he doesn't have, and without allowing the save that the paralyzing wand would allow.

 

[MarkB]

I would agree that it is locked to a point relative to the current planet (or other large celestial body) on which you reside. That still begs the question of placing an Immovable Rod in high orbit over the Earth to stop the Moon, though I suspect the Moon would break the DC30 Str check.

It's also not an Invulnerable Rod. If it gets hit by a moon it's getting smashed to bits.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

I don't have a problem with the power level of two immovable rods. My problem is, do you really want to hear, every single time it comes around to one players turn "I use my immovable rods"?

A boring player being boring is boring, whether they are being boring with immovable rods or something else.

I find the best way to handle a boring player is get their boring turn over as quickly as possible so that the other players at the table, who hopefully aren't being boring, can make things more interesting. I also find that a boring player at a table of interesting players either becomes interesting over time, or realizes they don't actually have any interest in playing role-playing games and bows out - but either way, the problem of the boring player resolves itself without any need for DM intervention.

 

[Satyrn]

I don't have a problem with the power level of two immovable rods. My problem is, do you really want to hear, every single time it comes around to one players turn "I use my immovable rods"?

If it is boring, the player will stop, won't he?

And if it's fun for him, but boring for me, I'll just find my fun in other parts of the game.

 

[Lanliss]

A boring player being boring is boring, whether they are being boring with immovable rods or something else.

I find the best way to handle a boring player is get their boring turn over as quickly as possible so that the other players at the table, who hopefully aren't being boring, can make things more interesting. I also find that a boring player at a table of interesting players either becomes interesting over time, or realizes they don't actually have any interest in playing role-playing games and bows out - but either way, the problem of the boring player resolves itself without any need for DM intervention.

Yes, I am not arguing against anyone in particular in this thread. I am simply stating my thoughts. For the OPs current issue, it seems like this, or DM intervention is the only way it will end, unless the player finds his use of the rods delightfully witty and original, in which case I do not imagine it would end any time soon.

 

[Sunseeker]

It's also not an Invulnerable Rod. If it gets hit by a moon it's getting smashed to bits.

Only if the Moon succeeds on its attack roll.

 

[Satyrn]

Only if the Moon succeeds on its attack roll.

And If it's a 3rd Edition Moon, It's gonna have something like a -40 size penalty to attack. So it's gonna miss on anything but a natural 20.