Other uses for lamp oil? a question for DMs

[Kablump]

Alright so I figure this would be a more houserule thing so i need a way to work it out.

I was thinking of using oil, an empty wine bottle and a small piece of rope to make a Molotov, I mean by reason it works but how legal would it be? the table I play it is really open but this is a whole new thing all together.

so to get my DM to agree, I need to like... Figure out a way to calculate the damage that covering an enemy with burning oil would do.

I had similar Ideas with tying a length of oil-soaked rope to an arrow which would either add fire damage or convert the physical damage to fire damage.

Before you get on about legality of this, Let it be known that at the table I play at the DM encourages thinking outside the box, so he'd allow it if I can find some sort of way to calculate it.

any suggestions?

 

[On Puget Sound]

A lot depends on whether this is fantasy oil or real medieval lamp oil. Actual unrefined lamp fuel was typically tallow (sheep fat) or fish or whale oil. All will sustain combustion if carefully lit, but if you throw a jar of flaming lamp oil it will probably just go out.

However, D&D has relied on flaming oil for efficient troll control since shortly after Chainmail (in Chainmail we instead relied on flaming tar-daubed pigs). As far as damage is concerned, look at alchemist's fire level 1 (cost 20 gold):

area burst 1 within 10, +4 vs reflex for 1d6 fire, half on miss.

Giving it this much power would be very generous, since lamp oil costs much less and has other uses that alchemist's fire lacks (it provides light when used with a lamp, might provide a bonus to Thievery checks by lubricating a mechanism, and could even be used to make an area of floor slippery).

I would either allow lamp oil to function as alchemist's fire once, on a "cool improvisation" basis, or if someone wants to use it repeatedly I would make it single target, ranged 5, treat as improvised weapon basic ranged attack, 1d6 fire, no miss effect.

 

[Geoff Watson]

If you want a Molotov, get Alchemist's Fire.

Lamp Oil burns slowly and cooly, so it'll last a long time. Not hot enough to be useful as a weapon.

Geoff.

 

[Obryn]

This is the sort of thing a Level 1 character would be doing, so I'd look at that row on Page 42, and make it an area burst 1 attack in the low damage category.

-O

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

As far as making a fire arrow there is a consumable magic fire arrow in AV2. Realistically attaching a burning bit of rope or cloth to an arrow would probably do zilch except make it fly poorly. Now, if you say carefully made a 'fire arrow' I'm sure that's possible since they were apparently used historically but I think you'd need pitch or pine tar etc.

In game I'd probably allow a character to make a fire arrow with lamp oil that would have a chance to set something on fire (a house, a tapestry, etc). I'd probably give a small bonus if the player shot a monster with it, like allowing it to do an extra point of fire damage. A well -prepared fire arrow might add the fire keyword to its damage, which would be pretty handy in some cases.

 

[Kablump]

Thanks again, I'll scrap this strategy for everything except burning down a town haha. I'll look into the alchemist flame thing. that seems like a more logical outcome (I really am just looking for an excuse to lob molotovs and fire arrows so finding a good way to do so would be amazing)

 

[Starfox]

The main use for lamp oil IMC (outside of lamps) is for making locks and door hinges silent. Another use (tough rare) is to make floor slick.

 

[On Puget Sound]

If you want to throw serious fire around, just build a sorcerer and describe your spells as throwing various fluids and powders. Or build an artificer, and let the rules describe your spells as throwing various fluids and powders.

 

[lukelightning]

Combine it with vinegar and powdered kobold horn for a delicious salad dressing. Or, if you are more adventurous, combine it with chaos dust for a delicious slaad dressing.