Tewligan said:
So...I guess it would be pointless to point out again that this never HAS been a problem, right?
Now, I thought I had covered this already.
Back in the old days, it was a serious problem. And it was a serious problem, whether it was using Houserules or the Canon rules.
I have already told you how a 1st level thief took out 6 giant spiders with oil. How a 3rd level party took out a hydra. Both of those, under the standard rules (according to the DMs of those scenarios!)
I saw characters win initiative, and hurl multiple oil flasks before the monsters could act.
I saw Hasted characters autofire large numbers of oil flasks like machine guns, before the monsters could act.
I saw a character lose +4 plate armor, a +4 shield, a +3 sword, his Bag of Holding, his Girdle of Giant Strength, and Gauntlets of Ogre Power, all in one fell swoop from a Fireball.
And best of all, I once saw a Helm of Brilliance detonate. That resulted in a TPK.
If this is how you *think* fire should be handled, how it should go, then that's fine.
But I think some players might have a problem with this approach. And so I wonder how WOTC is going to handle the matter.
When you lose a Bag of Holding that was carrying the contents of everything the entire party gained in the entire adventure, even though it was hidden under your plate armor - because your plate armor melted from the Fireball and then the Bag of Holding was destroyed and everything in it spilled into the Ethereal Plane, THAT is one specific way of addressing fire attacks ... a way that some players will agree is the proper way to address fire, and which other players will agree is not the proper way to address fire.