carroll42's page

Caltrops would work...

Mage Hand wouldn't activate it, but gloves, blanket, cloak, etc would...

Nothing mentions in the spell caster doesn't set it off, so it would be armed as soon as you cast the spell but wouldn't go off unless you left your hand on it. So, Mage Hand or some form of telekinesis would be the easiest.

We ruled it couldn't be used offensively based on...

- Node of Blasting "...6d6 points of damage to the creature touching the object..."
From Symbol of Death: "You can't use a symbol of death offensively; for instance, a touch-triggered symbol of death remains untriggered if an item bearing the symbol of death is used to touch a creature. Likewise, a symbol of death cannot be placed on a weapon and set to activate when the weapon strikes a foe."

*emphasis mine

Also, I think it is worth noting that it is one of the very, very, very few spells that you cast on an object (not a target) that has both a permanent duration and no material cost.

Ok, further research indicates...

- Node of Blasting does mental damage not force (oops) 6d6 Mental damage
- Node of Blasting "...6d6 points of damage to the creature touching the object..."
From Symbol of Death: "You can't use a symbol of death offensively; for instance, a touch-triggered symbol of death remains untriggered if an item bearing the symbol of death is used to touch a creature. Likewise, a symbol of death cannot be placed on a weapon and set to activate when the weapon strikes a foe."

So, that reduces the damage and makes it unusable as a projectile weapon; though if they step on it, it triggers.

Last part is the original question, material cost for permanent spells cast on objects.

Following spells have material costs: Symbols, Continual Flame, Glyph of Warding, Fire Trap, Arcane Lock, Phantom Trap, Forbiddance, Magic Mouth, Sepia Snake Sigil, Instant Summons, Hex Glyph, and of course Permanency.

Following do not have material costs: Arcane Mark, Charge Object, Secret Page

While we're at it, can you telekinetically fling a Node of Blasting at someone? Would it detonate when it hits them?

The proposed scenario is

Kineticist (Aether) 1 / Psychic 6
Uses Focused Force and spends 1 from his phrenic pool to charge an object with a Node of Blasting (6d8 Force damage). He makes 20-30 of them and keeps them in a bag (or Bag of Holding). He uses Telekinetic Blast (and loosens the strands of aether to get the affect of the Node of Blasting) he flings the little charged objects at opponents for 6d8 force damage plus improvised weapon damage plus constitution modifier.

Granted, he can only make 3 or so per day of downtime, but he can stockpile them as long as he's careful about not touching them. Anyone else see issues with this?

Most spells you cast on an object that have a permanent duration have some type of material cost. (Fire Trap, Glyph of Warding, Continual Flame, etc) Should Node of Blasting have a material cost?