Midnight Bomb

Midnight Bomb: Unleash Darkness and Panic!

The midnight bomb is a unique and enigmatic weapon designed to sow chaos and panic among enemies rather than causing outright destruction. While it shares the basic construction of other bombs, it carries a special payload that harnesses the power of darkness to disorient and blind foes.

Design and Construction

Encased in a wooden shell, the bomb features a hinged opening at its top, allowing it to be loaded with precision at the last moment before being dropped from the air. This makes it a valuable asset for aerial assaults, where timing is critical. The bomb relies on the use of darkness spells, which are strategically integrated into its design.

Payload and Execution

The payload of the midnight bomb consists of a cluster of hard rubber balls, each about an inch in diameter. Each ball is enchanted with a darkness spell, empowering it with an aura of magical darkness. Once enchanted, the rubber balls are sealed within the bomb’s wooden case, safely containing the darkness until the bomb is deployed.

The number of rubber balls in the bomb depends on the number of available darkness spells, but it cannot exceed 50. When the bomb is detonated, it inflicts the normal bomb damage, dealing 2d6 points of damage to all creatures within a ten-foot radius. A successful Reflex save allows them to halve the damage.

Chaotic Aftermath

Upon detonation, the rubber balls are unleashed with great kinetic force, shooting out from the point of impact and flying 10 to 100 feet in random directions. The Games Master determines the path of each ball by rolling 1d8. As they move, the rubber balls create 20-foot radius hemispheres of magical darkness, shrouding the enemy ranks in obscurity.

Unpredictable Trajectories

Intriguingly, this bomb introduces an element of unpredictability. If a rubber ball strikes an unyielding object such as a wall or a tree at a 90-degree angle, it will reverse its course, moving back towards the point of detonation for the rest of its journey. When the ball hits an object at an angle, it bounces off with identical momentum, continuing its trajectory.

Tactical Potential

The bomb’s strategic use in massed enemy formations can effectively blind and disorient foes within 60 feet of the blast. It presents a unique challenge for adversaries trying to navigate the darkness-laden battlefield. Additionally, Games Masters may vary the probability of a rubber ball not detonating upon impact, depending on the consistency of the terrain.

Magical Arsenal

The midnight bomb is a specialized and valuable part of a nocturnal arsenal. Priced at 200 gp, excluding the cost of the darkness spells, it weighs 20 lb and is a favored choice for those seeking to create chaos amidst the enemy ranks during nighttime warfare.

3.5 Edition Version

Ultimate Equipment Guide II

Author Greg Lynch, J. C. Alvarez

Publisher Mongoose Publishing

Publish date 2005

Unlike other bombs, this bomb is designed less to deal damage than to instill panic in an enemy. It shares the same basic construction as other bombs, but carries a unique payload. The top of the wooden shell of the bomb has a hinged opening in it, enabling it to be opened and loaded at the last minute before the rider intending to drop it takes to the air, a vital asset, considering that this bomb makes use of the darkness spell.

The payload is a cluster of hard rubber balls, each one an inch or so in diameter, and each with a darkness spell cast on it. Once enspelled, the balls are sealed inside the bomb’s wooden case, which contains the darkness from the balls until the bomb is used. The number of balls in the bomb, obviously, depends on the number of darkness spells available, but in any case cannot exceed 50.

When the bomb detonates, it deals normal bomb damage (2d6 points of damage, Reflex save for half) on all creatures within ten feet of the detonation. The rubber balls, freed from the wooden case and empowered by the kinetic force of the explosion, are fired out from the point of impact, travelling 10 to 100 feet in a random direction (Games Masters should roll 1d8 to determine the path each ball follows), establishing 20-foot radius hemispheres of magical darkness throughout the ranks of the enemy.

If a ball happens to impact an unyielding object, such as a wall or a tree, its trajectory is altered. For the sake of simplicity, if the ball hits such an object at a 90-degree angle, it will reverse its course, traveling back toward the point of the bomb blast for the remainder of its ten to 100 foot movement. If the ball hits the unyielding object at an angle, it will bounce off the object at an identical angle and continue moving.

Midnight Bomb: 200 gp (not including price of darkness spells, if any); 20 lb.