{"id":67,"date":"2026-09-05T19:15:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T19:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/?p=67"},"modified":"2026-09-05T23:46:25","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T23:46:25","slug":"hand-held-thermonuclear-devices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/hand-held-thermonuclear-devices\/","title":{"rendered":"Hand-Held Thermonuclear Devices"},"content":{"rendered":"
by Robert Plamondon<\/h5>\n

First published in Different Worlds<\/em> #16, November, 1981.\"Cover<\/em><\/p>\n

Players In fantasy role-playing games constantly search for new and more potent weapons. In any long-running campaign, the players will eventually work their characters up in power to a point where they can have just about anything they want. In some campaigns, a preferred weapon by high-level characters is a hand-held nuclear fusion device, called by weapons buffs the “thermonuclear hand grenade” (THG).<\/p>\n

This paper discusses the proper role of the thermonuclear hand grenade in a fantasy role-playing setting.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

Typical Applications<\/h2>\n

Although thermonuclear hand grenades (THGs) have only one mode of operation, they are useful in many applications. One popular use of thermonuclear hand grenades is in dueling. The two duelists walk fifteen paces, turn, and chicken out. Usually.<\/p>\n

Another interesting application of THGs is in sailing. When a ship is becalmed, a crew is sent a few miles behind the ship to set a THG on a long timer. The hurricane resulting from the blast usually puts the ship in port ahead of schedule, if charred around the stern.<\/p>\n

Players in dungeon adventures find THGs convenient. When the encounter becomes hopeless or boring, a player will have his character detonate his thermonuclear hand grenade, thus saving a grueling overland adventure and the boring necessity of counting experience points.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Description<\/h2>\n

The thermonuclear hand grenade is usually a small cylinder, six inches (15.2 cm) tall and four inches (10.2 cm) in diameter. It is often mistaken for a can of hot chili. A THG typically weighs around three pounds. THG’s glow in the dark, as do people who remain near them for more than twelve hours. The metal cas<\/p>\n

A typical thermonuclear hand grenade (THG).<\/em><\/center>e is made of cheap iron; the inside is of unknown composition\u2014opening or piercing the case is an effective way of detonating the device.<\/p>\n

Thermonuclear hand grenades are used whenever a huge explosion, massive heat flash, or fatal radiation dose is desired over a reasonably large area. Uses include pest control and practical jokes.<\/p>\n

The blast from a THG will obliterate everything in a 600 foot (182.8 m) sphere, and will knock the blank<\/em> out of anybody within ten miles (35,200 cubits) with no saving throw. People further away will be thankful.<\/p>\n

Conclusions<\/h2>\n

Few dungeon campaigns have given thermonuclear hand grenades the attention they deserve. It is my opinion that Game Masters should encourage the use of these fascinating devices by making them available to characters for about the price of a six-pack of ale, to promote the study of this vital gaming resource.<\/p>\n

Appendix: Best Practices<\/h2>\n

Thermonuclear hand grenades are easy to use. Detonation occurs when the metal case is pierced. There is no discernible delay between the time the case is penetrated and the explosion. There are two methods of detonating the THG which allow the owner to survive. They are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Let someone else do it.<\/li>\n
  2. Devise a time-delay can opener, and be far away before the explosion.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Note:<\/strong> Thermonuclear devices are not reusable or recyclable.<\/p>\n

    \n

     <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    by Robert Plamondon First published in Different Worlds #16, November, 1981. Players In fantasy role-playing games constantly search for new and more potent weapons. In any long-running campaign, the players will eventually work their characters up in power to a point where they can have just about anything they want. In some campaigns, a preferred … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-magazine-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81,"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67\/revisions\/81"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/through-dungeons-deep.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}