Best use of simple equipment

[TracerBullet42]

Ok, I thought that a thread already existed on this topic, but after searching for it, I have given up...

In last week's game, the party was on a platform descending down a hole on chains. (think primitive elevator) There are some jarring noises, and it quickly becomes apparent to the group that something has severed the chains, and this platform will be falling very soon.

One of the characters (Painfully on these boards) used some quick thinking and a tanglefoot bag to stick himself to the side of the hole. He smashed it in his hands and just jumped to the wall and stuck. I thought this was a rather brilliant use of equipment in a way other than it is intended to be used.

What inventive ways have you seen equipment used?

 

[Jeff Wilder]

There are some jarring noises, and it quickly becomes apparent to the group that something has severed the chains, and this platform will be falling very soon.

One of the characters (Painfully on these boards) used some quick thinking and a tanglefoot bag to stick himself to the side of the hole. He smashed it in his hands and just jumped to the wall and stuck.

Not only is that brilliant, but it gets extra points because it evokes visions of Dave Letterman trampolining onto the Velcro Wall, which always makes me laugh.

 

[werk]

What inventive ways have you seen equipment used?

I had an evil character that raped a butter churn...that's probably not what you meant...

I had a necromancer that...no... There was a druid once that...no...

This one time, at band camp...no...

nope, sorry

 

[Whimsical]

Hold up a winter blanket in front of you. Ta-da! Total Concealment! This is good to do if you are totally screwed. Like if you are attacked while sleeping.

To cross a very sticky floor, a player put pages of paper down in places where we could step on them to cross the floor.

Wineskin as a holy water super soaker. This was back in 1st ed.

Throwing a dead body in front of us while exploring a dangerous dungeon to trigger pit traps or whatever.

As a 1st level character, I tied some pots & pans to the end of a rope, put the rope over a tree branch, then pulled on the rope so that the pots & pans were suspended. Then I held onto it while I was pulling guard duty. If I was one-shotted by damage or spell effect, I would let go of the rope when I went unconsious. Otherwise I could simply let go as a free action and spend my full round concentrating on the threat knowing that enough noise was made to wake up my friends.

 

[ken-ichi]

That pots and pans one is pretty ingenious, except when there is some wind, course then you get wind chimes. It probably works even better if you hang the pans over your sleeping companaions.

Using your large shield as a sled going downhill (ala Willow).

 

[jgsugden]

Tanglefoot Bag's make great instant door locks.

I had a character that stole a bowling ball from a bowling alley and used it to set off traps ... and as a weapon.

I used a waterskin as an airskin when my PC was unexpectedly submerged for a prolonged period.

It isn't nonmagical, but I love all the uses for those immovable rods. I had a character that collected 4 of them. Then, at night, he'd use them as ladders to climb up in the air and then used them to hang his hammock. Instant aerial resting place.

I use nonmagical fire as a weapon quite often. The DM had the bad guys living in a wooden fort in a cave. I just lit the fort on fire and cut them down as they tried to flee the cave.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Silk Rope is your pal

Our party was adventuring in a dungeon that was rather spread out, and we had already gotten past the initial 2 sentries. My Rogue detected some gnoll guards behind a door, gambling. He took 10' of his silken rope and gave one end to the mage and one end to the cleric, and had them crouch to either side of the door with the rope slack. The fighter types were also arrayed to either side.

Then he barged into the room- made sure he got their attention- and ran out.

The gnolls charged out, the cleric and mage pulled HARD on the rope, tripping the first guard and causing all of the guards to wind up in a big pile...which the warriors made into gnoll-hamburger.

Since they didn't raise the alarm, we got to use this trick a couple more times.

Also, admittedly borrowed from a James Bond movie, my Rogues have used threads sheared from silk rope to guide poison and other potions into the mouths of sleeping targets.

Silk rope threads also make excellent quick-burn fuses for alchemical, oil or even gunpowder explosive devices.

Because its stronger than steel, silken rope threads can also be used as a makeshift saw for soft material, and is a dandy garotte. (Note: legends notwithstanding, and despite its strength, you can't cut steel with it- not enough friction.)

Also, it can be used to make makeshift armor, if cunningly wrapped and knotted. Its not great, but its better than nothing. (Note: Despite it being silk, you should NOT give it the same bonus against arrows as a silk undershirt- that works because the silk goes into the wound with the arrow.)

 

[LeapingShark]

Use a Portable Ram to ram your opponent in the jewels.

 

[moritheil]

Bah, someone post the old "uses of a blanket" list!

 

[TracerBullet42]

Any more?

(To the tune of the Lone Ranger theme)
Bump buh duh bump buh duh bump bump bump
Buh duh bump buh duh bump buh duh bump bump bump
Bump buh duh bump buh duh bump bump bump
Buh duh buuuuuuuuuuump buh duh bump bump bump

Bump.