Community

first i should note that this is my first D&D game ever
so while i was looking through the stuff that you could buy and i noticed that you could buy some intresting stuff like: copper, aluminum, and acid. i asked the DM what kind of acid it was, and not knowing where the conversation was going, he said probably sulphiric.
i also noticed that one could buy sulpher and saltpeter.
so after a little argument with the DM i had my self a battery and a barrel full of blackpowder and caltrops. 
do you think i should be aloud to do this
do you think it is worth it and what could i do with this stuff (i am a rogue) 
i cant sell them b/c well all i made was expensive magic but it could be intreasting in combat
also are there any other cool things that would be worth making
i guess the question here is what do you think 
thank you for reading
kimba
 

Oct 29, 2012 -- 7:27PM, Salla wrote:

Well, I would have required you to make a skill check of some sort for starters.  You can't just randomly pour a bunch of stuff together and make gunpowder or a battery.

Very true.

An important thing to keep in mind is that knowing how to make gunpowder does not mean one actually knows how to make gunpowder. As shown on something like Mythbusters, it is not like mixing kool-aid.

Oct 29, 2012 -- 7:30PM, YagamiFire wrote:

Oct 29, 2012 -- 7:27PM, Salla wrote:

Well, I would have required you to make a skill check of some sort for starters.  You can't just randomly pour a bunch of stuff together and make gunpowder or a battery.

Very true.

An important thing to keep in mind is that knowing how to make gunpowder does not mean one actually knows how to make gunpowder. As shown on something like Mythbusters, it is not like mixing kool-aid.

Lol. I can just see two stoners or jocks (not to say people like that are dumb, they are just as smart as the rest of you. ) having the formula and one of them says, "c'mon bro! This stuff, its just like mixin' drinks!" *Goes to mix.* BOOOOM!

In all seriousness though the handling of explosives, even some of their ingredients, can be quite dangerous. If your DM uses any kind of critical failure variant, you may end up losing a testicle or something. Now, what will really be interesting is if you find a way to make something that is in a state of permanent instability, like Composition Four. I don't think people realize that even lugging that stuff around is dangerous as hell.

Oct 29, 2012 -- 7:40PM, Salla wrote:

Oct 29, 2012 -- 7:33PM, kimba117 wrote:

ya i made a skill check and got a natural 20 ont the gun powder cant remember what i got for the batter but i passed it using nack. i also think i had to make some kind of intellegince test or something.

A natural 20 is not an automatic success on skill checks.  Without some kind of training or background, something pertaining to alchemy, your odds of success are slim to none.

Remember, in most D&D worlds, science is not common knowledge.  YOU know that saltpeter etc etc makes gunpowder, but how did your character come to that conclusion?  Most of the time, nobody has invented gunpowder, not even the oldest, wisest, most educated sages and alchemists and wizards in the world.  How is your guy, who doesn't even know 2Hs plus an O make water, going to do it?

Indeed.

Similarly, even if you did make it once by COMPLETE accident and happenstance, that offers no ability to repeat that success with any sort of guarantee.

Oct 29, 2012 -- 7:46PM, kimba117 wrote:

i know that i probibly should not know how to make do this but the DM seemed cool about it as long as i made the roles 
and as to the danger of making and handeling the stuff. two words
slave labour. 

Well if the DM is cool with it then more power to ya. Go blow up the wall guarding Helm's Deep!