Calling all Mad Bombers!!!

[Storyteller01]

First off: 'ello folks. How's it goin'?

Now to the good stuff:
I have a player creating a demo expert for our campaign (we even found a demolitionist PrC for him to focus on!).

I know there are a variety of things a demo expert can do with the right tools (Sea Bee's can make dams from a hillside and cut steel accurately. SWAT and Fast Response teams can create "C" charges with cardboard or water charges with an IV bag to open or weaken doors). My question to you folks is, what things can be done and, more importantly, what DC should I give to such attempts?

 

[Storyteller01]

*bump*

 

[Ymdar]

As one of my players said during an action scene: "You can solve everything, you only need more TNT."
And for blowing up big things I'd say a DC18- 25 would be appropriate.
For blowing up smaller things and using specialised equipement I'd put the DC 5-15. There ya go.

 

[Tonguez]

As one of my players said during an action scene: "You can solve everything, you only need more TNT."
And for blowing up big things I'd say a DC18- 25 would be appropriate.
For blowing up smaller things and using specialised equipement I'd put the DC 5-15. There ya go.

Actually I'd reverse that since making small directed explosions (the kind that knocks out a single column so it falls in a southwesterly direction) is MUCH harder than big area effect explosions (the kind that blast whole buildings to the four winds)

 

[Storyteller01]

Depends on what your after. If your blowing up a small object in the middle of an open field, you'll need a lower DC.

But this illustrates my problem (btw, Thanks for the responses ). What DC's would I use for controlled effects?

Here's an example to get the ball rolling. What DC would you give this:

The IRA reportedly makes an explosive device with a styrofoam cup and water. They place it on top of a car roof a few seconds before it goes off. When it does the water (science trivia fact: did you know that water cannot be compressed by physical force?) is blown through the roof.

The effect: one target dead and everyone else in the car covered with blood, brains, and water.

 

[Psion]

Mad Bombers what bombs at midnight?

 

[Storyteller01]

ehhh...???

 

[Psion]

ehhh...???

Not a Tick fan, I see.

One of the villains in The Tick is the "Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight". The episodes in which he appeared had some hilarious rambling.

A sampling:
http://www.geocities.com/crimemonkey/embwbam/index.html

 

[Storyteller01]

Nah (at least, I was never home when ole Blue Boy was on). I'll check out the link. Thanks!!

 

[tjoneslo]

But this illustrates my problem (btw, Thanks for the responses ). What DC's would I use for controlled effects?

Take advantage of the normal combat rules. To hit a target requires hitting the AC, +4 to +10 curcumstance for not being able to see them, plus modifiers for Defense and so on. Character needs to make a to-hit roll, using Demolitions skill instead of BAB. To get a ball rolling (for example) requires a strength check. Using explosives requires making a demolitions check instead. Failing the demolitions check means either the explostive didn't go off (miss the roll by more than 5) or did, but didn't have the effect you wanted exactly.

Can you seen how to extend the subsitiution of explosives for other skills. Open a lock? Disable device with explosives. Remove a stump? Strength check with explosives. Getting a car out of a snowbank? Strength check with explosives. There are just so many problems that can be solved with the proper application of TNT.