High saves + Necklace of explosive decapitation + fire = suicide bomber?

[domino]

An idea I had. Start stockpiling a bunch of necklaces of fireballs. Be a paladin 2 for divine grace, and rogue to get improved evasion. If you were to willingly detonate that pile of fireballs, would you get a reflex save to lessen damage, or not?

It's not like the fireball actually was targeted at you, so that part doesn't come into effect, in my opinion. On the other hand, it's really dangerous, and you're effectively ground zero for a massive blast.

Opinions or thoughts?

 

[mvincent]

If you were to willingly detonate that pile of fireballs, would you get a reflex save to lessen damage

Yes

 

[Sejs]

Wait, wait, wait, let's back this one up a couple steps.


Paladin 2...


...suicide bomber.


Well, I'm glad to see that at least it's a well thought out concept.

 

[Jack Simth]

Well, with Evasion and Divine Grace, it's hardly suicide; pump up Reflex and Charisma, and you'll only fail a handful of the saves vs. the detonations (nat-1's). You need to voluntarily fail a handful of saves; one for the orinigal fireball (use a 2d6 from a necklace of Fireballs to set the rest off; this is the only voluntarily failed save you take damage from) and one per necklace you want to go boom (the save to keep the necklace from going off). Other than that, with sufficient Reflex Save pumping (vest of Resistance +5, Cloak of Charisma +6, Gauntlets of Dexterity +6) you'll only fail the saves on nat-1's (DC 14; think you can swing a reflex save of +12?), and take very little damage for that which you deal; if you have a spellcaster with a readied action for a Reach Protection From Energy to help with the damage from the chained fireballs, all you need to deal with is the 2d6 from the first.

 

[domino]

Wait, wait, wait, let's back this one up a couple steps.


Paladin 2...


...suicide bomber.


Well, I'm glad to see that at least it's a well thought out concept.

As long as he only blows up evil people, it's fine!

 

[dvvega]

Actually if I remember my Al-Quadim ... they had the equivalent of a holy fanatic didn't they? In fact if you ask most of those suicide bombers (before the act of course) they believe 100% that they are doing their god's will and that they are martyrs. Actually sounds like a Paladin to me. Just because your viewpoint doesn't match doesn't make it wrong.

Even Lawful Good means you follow the laws of your land ... what if their laws are different and so forth.

Aside from that ... personally I would rule there is no saving throw since they intentionally ground zero themselves. They are the central point (their head really) for the explosion. I might allow a Fortitude save to resist the damage, but definately not a reflex one.

 

[Felix]

they believe 100% that they are doing their god's will and that they are martyrs. Actually sounds like a Paladin to me.

A character can believe 100% that they are doing their god's will, and yet not rate paladinhood. Lawful Goodness is the restraining factor, not being an instrument of a god. After all, Evil gods also have their instruments, and those instruments are not paladins.

 

[dvvega]

One reason I find alignment silly in certain situations.

Good characters and creatures protect innocent life. Evil characters and creatures debase or destroy innocent life, whether for fun or profit.

"Good" implies altruism, respect for life, and a concern for the dignity of sentient beings. Good characters make personal sacrifices to help others.

So a Paladin born into a society that fosters suicide bombers ... believes in protecting the innocents who cannot defend themselves against the enemy. They see the enemy as the evil people destroying their way of life for fun/profit.

Their altruism and respect for life is limited to their own people first (its only natural) and they sacrifice themselves for others (suicide bomber).

Lawful characters tell the truth, keep their word, respect authority, honor tradition, and judge those who fall short of their duties.

They are truthful about themselves and their purpose, keep their word to bomb a location, respect the elders of their religion/culture, honour the tradition of self-sacrifice, and they definately are judging their targets as falling short of their duties.

In effect it is all point of view.

 

[domino]

Ok, just a bit more clarification. The idea is to NOT actually have him commit suicide. I'm wondering if the reflex save for half (or less) damage kicks in when he's wearing (or holding) the beads.

The idea is to do this as a last resort kinda thing, not stock up on necklaces and blow up a temple of a rival pantheon.

The question was, if he did this, would he be committing suicide? After all, if the idea is to not survive it, he could just be a wizard, and not worry about the saves or evasion.

 

[Tiberius]

After all, Evil gods also have their instruments, and those instruments are not paladins.

They are in my games, but then I use the Unearthed Arcana Paladins of Honor/Tyranny/Freedom/Slaughter variants. That the LG/NG/LN powers could have paladins while all the other alignments could not irked me. I dislike imbalance in that way.