Thunderwave caltrops?

[MarauderX]

A camouflaged caltrops trap is set with a striker at the end of the hall, encouraging the melee types to charge into the trap. The party spots the caltrops. Could the wizard use Thunderwave to scatter them down the hall, 3 squares at a time?

 

[James McMurray]

It's always up to the GM to determine when a spel can target objects. In this case I'd definitely allow it.

 

[cdrcjsn]

It's always up to the GM to determine when a spel can target objects. In this case I'd definitely allow it.

Me too...especially since it's a great way to warn every other creature in the dungeon that the party is headed their way =)

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

A camouflaged caltrops trap is set with a striker at the end of the hall, encouraging the melee types to charge into the trap. The party spots the caltrops. Could the wizard use Thunderwave to scatter them down the hall, 3 squares at a time?

So long as they're happy to make a huge noise to avoid a trap, then, yeah, why not?

 

[James McMurray]

I believe this trap is part of a combat, else there would be no need to charge anywhere.

 

[darkadelphia]

yeah, 4e design philosophy says no traps outside of combat. Also, unless you are arbitrarily punishing wizards, thunderwave should be no louder than any other combat sound, btb. The sound of combat (which should include thunderwave and other Thunder powers) is DC 0 to hear, no better nor worse than attacking the skirmisher at the end of the hall.

 

[DracoSuave]

Mage Hand? It's not exactly a hard trap to evade.

 

[James McMurray]

Mage Hand? It's not exactly a hard trap to evade.

*ahem* In combat.

How many minor actions do you have to spend on moving the caltrops?

 

[WhatGravitas]

Well, even after sweeping them away, the caltrops end up somewhere, so it's more like caltrop moving than caltrop sweeping. And while thunderwave allows you to control the place where enemies end up, controlling dozens of caltrops is a bit harder. I'd say the player should roll for Arcana (pg. 42 for DCs) to exactly place them, otherwise I'd some end up around the blast.

Hell, with a good and hard roll on Arcana, I'd allow the player to blast the caltrops into enemies! (provided they're in range).

Cheers, LT.

 

[DracoSuave]

*ahem* In combat.

How many minor actions do you have to spend on moving the caltrops?

As a wizard? What -else- are you doing with your minor actions at that point? Light? Prestitidigitation? This trap is an opener, not a closer, so you're not sustaining anything.

Spending a minor action to remove an obstacle for your melee seems like a great use of a minor action.

But that's just me. YMMV.