Put a Symbol on a shield?

[Crothian]

This is why you should always have Contingency: Swarm of Kittens. They'll do a great job of triggering those symbols...

Are you trying to get killed by the Catlord?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

That's why I also always carry the alchemical product, Distilled Curiosity.

 

[TheClone]

This is why you should always have Contingency: Swarm of Kittens. They'll do a great job of triggering those symbols...

Don't tell me you found a situation where that damned back of tricks where all those furry things come out has finally become a usefull thing

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

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[Alzrius]

I'm certain this has been addressed before in these forums. I tried the search function here but it it wouldn't let me use it.

It's here: Can I wear a symbol of death on my armor?

 

[WheresMyD20]

Strictly by RAW, it seems you can. 3e allows the spell to be cast on a surface (including a doorway).

I suspect, though, this may be a loophole they forgot to specifically rule out. They did specifically rule out putting it on a weapon and striking with it ("You can’t use a symbol of death offensively"). The fact that it has specific rules for use as a trap also suggests to me it was intended to be used as a trap, not on a mobile device.

Out of curiosity, I decided to check older versions of the spell.

The 2e arcane spell allows it to be cast "on a surface or a portal" (portal in the broader sense which includes mundane doors). The divine version allows it to be cast "on a surface or in the air", making it useful in different ways.

The 1e divine spell "air or any surface". The 1e arcane spell could only be cast on a portal.

The Rules Cyclopedia ("BECMI") says "The rune may be placed on an object (such as a door or wall) or placed in mid-air. The rune cannot move; if placed on a creature or moving object, it will remain at that point when the surface moves (possibly floating in mid-air)."

So, did the RC intentionally narrow the spell, or just clarify an unintended loophole? Was it sloppy writing from 1e that carried through? Was it originally intended to allow it to be cast on a mobile object? Unfortunately, the guy who originally wrote it is no longer with us. Interestingly, older versions allowed the spell to be cast in mid-air, which 3e dropped.

Just to add to this:

Supplement I of OD&D, where the spell first appeared, simply says that it's an "inscribed rune".

The D&D Companion Set, which the RC is complied from, has the same description as the RC.

The guy who originally wrote the spell in OD&D (Gary Gygax) is gone, but the guy who wrote the Companion version (Frank Mentzer) is still around. He posts pretty often at Dragonsfoot. If you want to know whether the Companion/RC was intentionally tightening the spell or just covering a loophole, you could try asking Frank.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Wizard, Ranger, Cleric with the right domain, Druid, Bard.

Ah, forgot the Bard. Clerics with the right domain don't count, as that could be the answer to just about anything otherwise.