Archery Damage Question - Explosive Runes \ Bullets \ Splitting

[Kasz]

In a homebrew setting we have access to muskets, flintlocks and the like.

I've built a sniper who does fine at ranges outside of regular combat but obviously in regular combat he's a bit gimped.

"Great you shot that guard in the eye what about the other 5 as they charge you?"

I was just curious when it came to explosive runes... relevant parts of the spell pasted in.
[spoiler]"Target: One touched object weighing no more than 10 lb.
Duration: Permanent until discharged (D)

 The runes detonate when read, dealing 6d6 points of force damage. Anyone next to the runes (close enough to read them) takes the full damage with no saving throw; any other creature within 10 feet of the runes is entitled to a Reflex save for half damage. The object on which the runes were written also takes full damage (no saving throw).

You and any characters you specifically instruct can read the protected writing without triggering the runes. Likewise, you can remove the runes whenever desired. Another creature can remove them with a successful dispel magic or erase spell, but attempting to dispel or erase the runes and failing to do so triggers the explosion. "[/spoiler]

So ammo is lighter than 10lbs, my party can read my ammo without triggering the trap... maybe just me if I'm paranoid they're going through my stuff.
My question is, what happens to the runes if they're destroyed? do they trigger? if so... and I shot someone with a bullet would it add an extra 6d6, and then create a 10ft AoE?

If I put splitting on the ammo would it double the runes? and thus the damage?

Either way, killing a guard & wounding a few more is better than just killing the one guard.

[Cephid Arcanis]

Don't know answer but to wound several try exit wound enhancement (+2 ability) which lets you shoot through enemies.
Or use a PHB2 feat that turns your shots to 60' line attacks.

[SneeR]

Yes, ER turns your bow into a grenade launcher. No, the splitting ability would not duplicate the spell; only one arrow would get the benefit of the ER, otherwise the implication that the duplication can replicate spells could break the setting.

But only the reading of the ER that destroying the surface the runes are on counts as trying to remove the runes will let ammo become grenades. Check with your DM, especially since this technique is a little cheesy.

[Cephid Arcanis]

...since this technique is a little cheesy.

...because you could put 100 runes on an arrow in down time...

"Great you shot that guard in the eye what about the other 5 as they charge you?"

* Make sure you are behind cover so you can't get charged.
* 5' step behind full cover after a shot if you can.
* Put a blade on your gun, wear a pair of steadfast boots and you count as set vs. chargeing.
* Take a level of Swordsage for sidestep charge (and heaps of other cool stuff)
* Start shooting further away.

[SneeR]

What I did was make a gentlemen's agreement with my DM that I could put up to 3 ER on any one arrow. However, I have a few death arrows allowed where I can put as many ER as I want on them for emergencies. If you hit with the arrow, they get no save, if you miss, the rules of missed projectiles states that it lands in a square adjacent to them, so they get a save for half. Beautiful.

When you roll dozens of d6s several times a round, other people at the table might become disgruntled if not optimized. With great power comes great responsibility.

[Cephid Arcanis]

What I did was make a gentlemen's agreement with my DM that I could put up to 3 ER on any one arrow. However, I have a few death arrows allowed where I can put as many ER as I want on them for emergencies. If you hit with the arrow, they get no save, if you miss, the rules of missed projectiles states that it lands in a square adjacent to them, so they get a save for half. Beautiful.

When you roll dozens of d6s several times a round, other people at the table might become disgruntled if not optimized. With great power comes great responsibility.

I've got to say, that is a broken as bullshit ruling. No save infinate damage arrows. That's like powerword kill as a level 1 spell. What a joke.

[BruceLeeroy]

Yea, i would allow my players to do that with the understanding that the enemies will do it too.

Ponder the implications a bit....

Yea, same reason why we don't play with Mordenkainen's Disjunction.

[SneeR]

What I did was make a gentlemen's agreement with my DM that I could put up to 3 ER on any one arrow. However, I have a few death arrows allowed where I can put as many ER as I want on them for emergencies. If you hit with the arrow, they get no save, if you miss, the rules of missed projectiles states that it lands in a square adjacent to them, so they get a save for half. Beautiful.

When you roll dozens of d6s several times a round, other people at the table might become disgruntled if not optimized. With great power comes great responsibility.

I've got to say, that is a broken as bullshit ruling. No save infinate damage arrows. That's like powerword kill as a level 1 spell. What a joke.

Dude, like you said, you can put as many as you want on one arrow. How does your DM do it?

Also, it's not like having a powerful spell as a first-level. You know that that is a gross exaggeration. It takes all one's third-level spells for days to get just a few shots that powerful. Most of my arrows only have one ER.

Keep your inflammatory comments to yourself, bub. I was just trying to illustrate that one should come to an understanding with one's DM about the use of the spell.

[Lammler]

[Lycanthromancer]

I've seen engraved bullets, and it's not hard to write letters on a dowel made of wood.

[Lammler]

[Lycanthromancer]

One of the ways to disarm a trap is to break it.

[Lammler]

Hmm .. Hmm.. I think this has room for interpretation and lies in the hands of the your DMs decision or your begging. Perhaps washing your DMs car will make him tend towards your side. If I were your DM it would take a lot of cleaning and scrubbing to get this passed me.

[Lycanthromancer]

Hmm .. Hmm.. I think this has room for interpretation and lies in the hands of the your DMs decision or your begging. Perhaps washing your DMs car will make him tend towards your side. If I were your DM it would take a lot of cleaning and scrubbing to get this passed me.

You are perfectly free to use Rule 0 all you like, sir.

Though I must admit that archers need all the help they can get. If allowing one Explosive Rune per arrow can help them get reasonable damage, then that's a good thing in my book.

[Cephid Arcanis]

Dude, like you said, you can put as many as you want on one arrow. How does your DM do it?

Also, it's not like having a powerful spell as a first-level. You know that that is a gross exaggeration. It takes all one's third-level spells for days to get just a few shots that powerful. Most of my arrows only have one ER.

Keep your inflammatory comments to yourself, bub. I was just trying to illustrate that one should come to an understanding with one's DM about the use of the spell.

Sorry mate, just getting silly. Yeah, it was an exaggeration. I do find the idea of putting those runes on arrows very overpowered thou.
You're getting that normally takes a lot of resources and effort (greatly increasing arrow damage) almost for free. (down-time spell slots).

A bane arrow does +9 damage and costs gold, yours does +21 damage or +infinate if you stack them.

You can increase arrow damage with: splitting enhancement, hunters mercy+acidic burst, oversized greatbow, manyshot etc.

Maybe for what you want, some sort of arcane archer would be good. Launch fireball arrows or Anti Magic Field.

[Kasz]

I've spoken to my GM and we've come to the agreement that the sorceror can enchant my ammunition with explosive runes.

We play in a very home-brew world, I mean my character is using a musket type rifle and is a sniper. Cragtop Archer + Deepwood Sniper - edited for gun use. - DM ruling.

The side rule of 1 explosive rune per bullet has been issued, as basically I carve a symbol into each of the runes and the sorceror places the rune on top of that.... infinate runes would not fit onto a bullet - my DM's and my reading of it.

The party like it, The DM likes it... It makes the sorceror smile when I do AoE damage as he feels useful on his "off days"

Yeah you could theoretically optimise a Collosus hulking hurler who throws LIBRARIES at the enemies with a bajillion explosive runes... but this is an actual campaign where my actual sorcerer can only cast X a day, and only on an off day or at the end of a day. It's also limited to one per bullet.

Also due to our called shot houserule, a called shot to the face for example is basically an instant kill.
-this rule works both ways-
As a result we're CAREFUL as hell.

So generally I kill things in a round, so adding 1 explosive rune onto a bullet means the guards 2 buddies tend to take 3-6d6 damage when their friends head explodes. I then spend a round reloading and moving. Rinse and repeat.

Addendum:
To the "destroy count to trigger ER" My DM rules if someone tries to erase the text, it's an attempt to destroy the runes and they explode - if the bullet is destroyed when it hits, the runes are contorted/twisted and the same ruling applies.

Addendum:
To the players suggesting I fight further away / start somewhere I cannot be charged.
My effective range is 8820ft, at that distance I can called shot to the eye still... the rest of the party gets a bit bored though.
- I use a modified spyglass of distance to spot targets... it's actually in the form of a false eye.

Sometimes you get surprised and combat starts when you're not ready, so you can't "just start in an unchargable location"

Addendum:
I looked into those abilities that allow you turn your shot into a penetrating line... whilst good, it's very tricky to position I imagine, I don't think I'd use it... but it is excellent.

Whats the ruling comboing splitting with bullets that penetrate? do both hit the next target etc?

-Thank you to those who answered.