D&D 5E (2014) Does fire resistance protect you from smoke inhalation?

[Saeviomagy]

In D&D, the traditional/historical answer to this question is 'No'.

Yeah, but the historical/traditional answer is "blindside your players with something that kills their character without giving them a chance to prepare or fight back, they can always roll a new character".


That said: fire resistance should protect you against the "your lungs get burnt and you cough up blood" half of smoke inhalation, leaving you with the "it's hard to see and breathe" bit. As long as you make it clear that characters are going to need air, I think that's fine: don't just silently tick off rounds and then say "Surprise! You suffocate!"

Clouds of sulphur on the other hand? You'd need to decide if they're poison or acid. Probably poison, since demons, devils and elementals are handily immune to it, and D&D seems to reserve "acid" for things which literally make your entire body dissolve rather than things which kill you by dissolving very tiny bits of you.

 

[Cyan Wisp]

I'd use suffocation and vision rules. This gives some time pressure to save all the kids, grannies, cats, and possessions. Hold your breath, go on in, don't take too long, and make sure you can backtrack in time!

Though the image of a tiefling emerging from a cloud of smoke and fire, taking a deep breath of the smoke and exhaling with a wistful "Ahhhh. Reminds me of me old grandad's house in Dis." is pretty cool, too.