Have you ever used the 10-foot pole?

[dead]

Was the 10-foot pole ever an *essential* item for the D&D adventurer?

I've played D&D since 1E but my PCs have never bought a 10-foot pole.

Did the 10-foot pole appear in the 3E PHB?

Maybe I might come up with a Prestige Class: the 10-foot Pole-Vaulter, or something.

Tell me your 10-foot pole stories.

 

[Whisper72]

Oh.. back in the 1e days it was definately among the essentials in dungeoneering. Used to cross pits when rope could not be tied on anything on the other end, used to put pressure on the ground, looking for triggers for traps, used as a ram of sorts to open up rusted-shut doors and sometimes even to bash through thin walls, surprising the monsters / creatures on the other side of the wall...

Very useful..... hmm.... maybe should make a .pdf 'one thousand and one uses for the 10 foot pole'???

 

[Creamsteak]

I remember a player (drunk) who's character (drunk) used a 10 foot poll for a schtick. He sure thought it was funny. I just found it tedious.

A 10 foot poll can be used to set off traps, brace a door or collapse, and I'm sure there are some interesting stories of creative use of such items.

When I was playing some boxed set edition, players seemed a lot more innovative with the use of simple tools like the 10-foot poll. I remember makeshift bridges and using a number of them lined up across the ground to "roll" the oversized treasure chest out the door. In 3e, I have yet to see one used for anything besides a quick tool to set off a trap if the rogue spotted it and it is a simple trap (DC 20 or disable device I'd guess) that can be set off once and then passed.

 

[Gez]

I've one character who's got a couple of them in his portable hole, amidst a myriad of other miscellaneous items. The portable hole is itself stored into a glove of storing (more precisely, the left sleeve of a kimono of storing), so that I can pull random weird bulky items from my sleeve.

Yes, I'm easily amused.

But no, the poles have never been of use for now.

 

[Whisper72]

In response to creamsteak: I think the reason players nowadays do not use the 10 foot pole is cuz:
- there is no miniature for it,
- there are no feats using it,
- there are no combat moves detailed using it.....

Thus, it has no place in the game anymore....

 

[Starglim]

My character has one to pole his small boat along and probe the ground in swamps. Generally mage hand is better and much less hassle.

 

[Gez]

In addition, finding 10-ft. Poles is kinda hard. You'll be happy if you find one that is 7-ft tall.

 

[Numion]

Oh.. back in the 1e days it was definately among the essentials in dungeoneering. Used to cross pits when rope could not be tied on anything on the other end,

But aren't the old-school pit traps 10x10ft pits? You probably might notice a problem when using a 10ft pole for crossing. Or did you pole vault over pit? That's a bit risky too .. polevaulting with a 10ft pole in a 10ft high corridor..

 

[Gnarlo]

Plus, they were useful for measuring out the dungeon for mapping on the 10' to a square graph paper. Thus, the replacement in 3E of the 10' pole with the 5' pole.

 

[Whisper72]

But aren't the old-school pit traps 10x10ft pits? You probably might notice a problem when using a 10ft pole for crossing. Or did you pole vault over pit? That's a bit risky too .. polevaulting with a 10ft pole in a 10ft high corridor..

Yup.... since the pits were also 10' deep, you'd strap a 10' pole under each boot, and so walk to the other side....

Also, made for a good 'trap' in those 10' wide corridors, just put one pole sideways at chest-height, jam a dagger between wall and pole to set it tight, sprinke invisibility dust on the pole, and run away from monsters....