Grenade Weapon Specialization Because everybody is considered to be proficient in throwing grenade-like weapons, a character of any class needs only to spend one weapon proficiency slot to specialize. Hurling various containers of liquid is a common tactic in dungeon adventures in particular. Most grenade-like missiles are items of opportunity or necessity-flasks of oil, vials of holy water, or beakers of acid, for example. As such these items are not listed on equipment tables for range, ROF, and damage. The range each can be thrown varies with the Strength of the character and the weight of the object. A character with this specialization, usually purchases special spherical containers (sometimes with a small tube or spout protruding) of a breakable material like glass. These spherical grenades are more professional and aren't as clumsy as flasks, vials, and beakers (this is why the specialization is referred to as grenade rather than grenade-like missiles). Some characters have glass-blowing as a non- weapon proficiency because this weapon specialization tends to be expenses when throwing a lot of glass grenades happens. The standard grenade-like missile is less than five pounds. The longest range is 30 feet plus the thrower's Strength. Medium range is 20 feet. Short range is 10 feet. Heavier items have reduced ranges, but aren't discussed here because they don't factor into this specialization. Once a container hits, it normally breaks immediately. However, this not always true. Some missiles, like soft leather flasks or hard pottery, are particularly resistant. If there is doubt about whether or not a thrown object will break, the GM can require an item save to see if it shatters or rips, spewing its contents everywhere. Most characters with this specialization will arm himself with missiles that will break, but some circumstances may cause him to improvise with something more sturdy. Unlike standard missiles, which target a specific creature, a grenade-like missile is aimed at a point, whether this point is a creature or a spot on the ground. When the attack is announced, the player indicates where he wants the missile to land. This then becomes the target point and is used to determine the direction and distance of any scatter. Even throwing a grenade has a speed factor. For specialized characters the speed factor is a mere 2. Thus, character would add 2 to his initiative roll when attack with this specialization. Once the character chooses a target point, he makes a standard attack roll with a +1 bonus to THAC0. Adjustments are made due to range. Because of the specialization, short-range and medium attacks suffer no range modifiers. Long-range attacks suffer a-3 penalty. If the attack is successful, then direct hit damage occurs. If a missile is off-target, it is important to know where it landed - an errant grenade could present a hazard to other characters, start a fire, or eat a hole in the floor, for example. The process of finding where it lands is known as scatter. First roll 1d12 and consult the following Scatter Diagram: 10-12 8 9 6 7 4 Target! 5 2 3 1 In other words: 1 - directly behind the target 2 - to the right and a bit behind the target 3 - to the left and a bit behind the target 4 - directly to the right of target 5 - directly to the left of target 6 - to the right and a bit in front of target 7 - to the left and a bit in front of target 8 - in front of and a bit to the right of the target 9 - in front of and a bit to the left of the target 10-12 - directly in front of the target Next determine how far off the mark the throw is. If the throw is at short range, use a 6-sided die. If the range is medium, use a 10-sided die. If thrown to long-range, roll 2d10. The number rolled is the number of feet away from the intended target the missile lands. The specialization allows the result to be halved. Thus a result of 6 feet away from the target would actually be only 3 feet. The damage taken from a grenade depends on what type of missile was used and whether a direct hit was scored or the target was in the splash area. The area of effect is the amount of space covered by a direct hit. Any creature in the area of effect will take damage accordingly. All creatures within' the 3' of the area of effect are subject to splash damage. TABLE: Grenade-Like Missile Effects Type of Typical Damage from Splash Missile Amount Area of Effect Direct Hit Damage Acid 8 oz. 1' diameter 2d4 hp 1 hp Holy Water 4 oz. 1' diameter 1d6+1 hp 2 hp Oil (lit) 16 oz. 3' diameter 2d6/1d6 hp 1d6/2 hp Poison 4 oz. 1' diameter special special Acid Acid is rare and thus expense, but very effect and powerful when used as contents of a grenade. Acid damage is particularly grim. Aside from the possibility of scarring, acid damage cannot be healed by regeneration. It must be healed normally. Thus, it is very useful against regenerating creatures such as trolls. The acid damage listed is for typical acid. Characters may find more potent acid. On the other hand, a diluted and less damaging acid could also be found. Holy Water Holy water affects most forms of undead and creatures from the lower planes. It has no effect against a creature in gaseous form or undead without material form. Unholy waster (essentially holy water used by evil priests) affect paladins, creatures whose purpose is to defend good (lammasu, shedu, etc.), and creatures and beings from the upper planes. Holy (or unholy) water affects creatures as does acid, causing damage that cannot be regenerated but must be healed normally. Oil Oil causes damage only when it is lit. Thus, the character must light the grenade (which must have some type of "fuse", i.e. cloth sticking out, etc.). The lighting of the flask will result in a +4 to the initiative (this is in addition to the +2 speed factor and any range modifiers). This also assumes that the character has an available source of fire close at hand. Most characters will light a cloth that is wrapped around the grenade so that the oil will not light prematurely, but allow the oil to burst into flame when the container is broken. Of course, those that desire an open connection to the oil may do so. In this case, vindictive GMs may have a percent chance equal to the character's initiative multiplied by 5 that the fire will get into the oil causing the character to drop it which would cause damage to him, for example. Another option of a character is that a character could make two separate attacks: the first to throw the oil on thew target, the second to throw fire on the target to light the oil. This is a much safer way, but harder way. In any case, most proficient characters opt to wrap a cloth around the grenade and light it before throwing it because this is the safest way. A direct hit from flaming oil burns for two rounds, causing 2d6 points of damage in the first round and 1d6 points in the second round. Poison Poisons that are only effective when injected or ingested are generally not effective as grenade contents. It is very hard to get the poison to splash into a targets mouth and a direct hit can't guarantee this. The exception is a huge creature that has a nice gaping mouth as a target. A direct hit into the mouth would suffice to cause the poison to be considered injected. Contact poison is the preferred type of poison because they have normal effects. The only problem with contact poison is that it is very expense (not to mention that poisons are illegal in most civilizations). In fact, to fill a whole grenade with contact poisons is very expense considering a small dose could be as little as a drop and cost a small fortune. So, characters may waver the splash effects of the grenade with the use of less poison and hope for a direct hit which would be enough to administer the poison.