A caltrop is a four-pronged or six-pronged device (which in
its latter form resembles a "jack" from the children's game of ball &&
jacks). It is about one-half foot in diameter, with three-inch-long, pick-like
points radiating at about 70° or 90° from each other. It is tossed or
placed on the ground to serve as an impediment to closing attackers.
Intelligent creatures aware of caltrops in their path can usually MOVE
them aside or otherwise avoid them, although this will surely {slow}
movement by one-half for a round. Unintelligent or unaware opponents
will MOVE through the field of caltrops at peril.

    Human AC considers only footwear and does not allow for a DEX bonus.
For each foot/paw/hoof of movement through an AREA of one
square yards of caltrops, a check must be made to see if a caltrop is
stepped on. This check is made as if each square yard crossed was a
1 + 1 HD monster attacking the foot armor of the character. Any hit
has a 25% chance of slowing movement by 25% for four days; hits on
two feet/paws/hooves indicate the possibility of virtually no movement
for eight days while healing takes place. (Spell use will, naturally,
mitigate this.) Caltrops of smaller size can be employed, but
these are not particularly effective if under a two-inch prong length,
and for game purposes they can be ignored. Because of their size
and composition, it is worthwhile to note that it is quite difficult to carry
caltrops; they tend to poke through packs and sacks, and falling while
carrying them could be disastrous! A box or similar container is usu.
necessary to transport them. These instruments require no proficiency
or special skill to USE.
 

Weapon Type	Approximate Weight in Pounds	Size S or M	Size L	Notes	Length	Space Required	Speed Factor	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Caltrop	0.2 - 0.4	1	1-2	Caltrop	n/a	n/a	n/a	-8	-7	-6	-5	-4	-3	-2	-1	0	+1	+2

   These are all official answers, as usual,
except for the first one, about caltrops.
You can use the details given there, but
the procedure may be modified by TSR
at a later date.

Q: What is a caltrop, and how do you
handle them? Don't tell me they don't
exist in the AD&D system; I've seen them
in the DMG (pg.216, Appendix G: Traps).
A: A caltrop behaves like a four-sided
die, as it always lands with one point up,
but it looks like a big four-pointed jack.
Ever play jacks?
Caltrops were used effectively as an
anti-cavalry defense in the middle ages.
Each point is sharpened, causing 1 point
of damage when stepped on. Many are
needed to be effective -- about 1 per 2-3
square feet (so you need 35-50 of them
to cover one 10' square area), and should
cost about 1 gp each or less. Creatures
stepping on them will act according to
their intelligence; movement is slowed to
normal at best, instead of charging. Be
advised: TSR may be explaining caltops
officially, with all the other weapons
used in fantasy combat, in a forthcoming
work. (You heard it here first, folks!)
(Polyhedron #3)
 

shadzar wrote:
thanks for answering such a dumb question. 

now i know which of my dice are heretics.

Actually, those aren't dice, they are caltrops, as well all know who have stepped upon one whilst unshod 

Cheerio,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by MerricB
Happy new thread, Gary! (wow, part 8... where does the time go?) 

Gary, thanks to D&D you have introduced many of us - of not most of us - to an unforgettable experience:

The use of the d4 as a caltrop.

Many has been the time that I've got out of bed at night, only to suddenly feel something sharp and painful digging into my foot. If my mind worked faster at such times, I might have been calling down imprecations on your name, but as it doesn't the most I can normally manage is "Ow!" (or some choice swearing).

Could you please tell me if you had any idea what you were unleashing on the world when you included the d4 as part of the standard D&D game (and whether you've ever experienced this exquisite sensation yourself)?

<big grin>

Best wishes,
Merric

Hi Merric

As the real old timers know, I was always an active gamer since I discovered there were fanzines offering a forum for one's gaming thoughts, opinions, and play offerings. In short, I've been balbbering thus for about 40 years, so it's no wonder a lot of my fellows are familiar with my name.

The d4 was one of the five Platonic solids sold by the school supply company in California from which I obtained the first of the new milti-sided dice that were introduced in the first edition of the D&D game, I have indeed stepped with stocking feet on one of those yelow caltrops--also a d8, that being back in the early 1970s. Thereafter I made a point of picking up all of my dice and keeping them off the floor.

Cats seem to love to play dith d20s, BTW, and a few were lost that way to various felines that resided in my house.

When I'd leave my dog "Bowser" (a bull mastiff) alone he would get revenge that included shredding my dice bag and leaving a minefield of milti-sided dice in my bedroom and in the kitchen...the devil know where I was sure to go :\

Cheers,
Gary