Fire as a Monster...

[Scribble]

So my players will most likely be encountering a fire soon... The BBEG's goons will set their home base inn ablaze...

While reading about Ptolus the other day I noticed Monte Cook mention rules for fire as a creature to make it more interesting... I decided to give it a shot. I used the "ooze" type because I felt it was closest to what I needed. (A mindless dangerous amorpheous blob...)

I haven't assigned it a CR... Anyone notice any glaring problems? I haven't proofread too much, as I'm at work.


Fire (CR )
N Medium Ooze (Fire)
Init +9; Senses none
Aura Fiery
Languages None

AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
Special Fire is always considered Flat footed for AC purposes
HP 11; DR (Special)
Vulnerability Cold
Immune Fire, Most Weapons
Fort --, Ref --, Will --

Speed 5ft, Climb 5ft (special)
Melee (Special)
Space 5ft (Special); Reach 5ft (Special)
Base Atk --; Grp --
Atk Options Burn, Fiery Aura
Special Actions: Growth

Abilities Str --, Dex 20, Con 10, Int --, Wis --, Cha --
SQ Always Flat-Footed
Feats Improved initiative
Skills
Possessions
__________________________

Burn (Ex): Any creature standing in the area where a fire multiplies into must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 15) or catch fire. On a successful save the Creature can move to the nearest non-burning area. This movement counts against the character's next movement action. The flame (on the creature) burns for 1d4 rounds if not extinguished sooner. A burning creature can use a full-round action to put out the flame.

Fiery Aura (Ex): Anyone within 5 feet of a fire must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 6) or take 1d6 points of heat damage per round from the intense heat. The save DC is Dexterity-based. (The area of effect and damage increases as the fire grows. “Large” 10 feet DC 7 2d6, “Huge” 15 feet DC 10 4d6, “Gargantuan” 20 feet DC 13 8d6, “Colossal” 30 feet DC 18 10d6)

Growth (Ex): Any fire in contact with a flammable area for one round will set that area ablaze as well. (Magic items save as normal.) Each new section created is a 5x5 section. The new and old sections of fire are considered as one “creature” for purposes of size, aura, and reach; however, each new section has its own HP total, and must be “attacked” as a separate creature. A fire does not increase in space/reach until it’s 5x5 sections fill the entire space of a new size category. (example fire is not considered ‘large” until there are 4 5x5 sections.) A fire need not conform to space restrictions as per normal (a 20’ line of fire is still considered a “large” fire.)

Smoke (Ex): A fire fills twice as many squares worth of smoke for every square of fire. Characters within this area suffer the effects of smoke, as per rules in PHB. A character that breathes heavy smoke must make a Fortitude save each round (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or spend that round choking and coughing. A character who chokes for 2 consecutive rounds takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage.
Smoke obscures vision, giving concealment (20% miss chance) to characters within it.

Putting out a fire: Fire is immune to most weapons, save those with the “cold” descriptor. Weapons with a “cold” descriptor will do their cold damage only.

Every gallon of water will do 1d6 points of damage to a fire. Smaller amounts such as a bottle of holy water, will do 1d3 dmg.

For purposes of Armor class, treat fire as if it were flat footed at all times.

 

[Bad Paper]

That looks interesting. Note that the DMG calls a forest fire a CR 6, I think, and gives it movement.

 

[MarkB]

I like the concept. Just out of a sense of consistency, I'd be tempted to assign it hit dice and a hit dice progression according to size category, then base the DCs for all saves upon hit dice using standard rules (with fixed modifiers to saves you want to make easier or harder).

 

[Scribble]

I like the concept. Just out of a sense of consistency, I'd be tempted to assign it hit dice and a hit dice progression according to size category, then base the DCs for all saves upon hit dice using standard rules (with fixed modifiers to saves you want to make easier or harder).

Well, I pretty much did.

It has 2 HD. d10 as per ooze...

 

[Nightfall]

Scribble,

Not a bad idea...

 

[Fieari]

For purposes of critiquing, it's always nice to include every detail, and the breakdown, for each of the abilities. I also second statting out saves and things for each size category.

I'm somewhat concerned at the speed the fire spreads. I'd prefer something like dealing the fire damage to all unattended objects adjacent to it, and if any object's hitpoints are reduced to 0, then the fire spreads there. This means that brushfires will spread rapidly, but house fires, with walls and floors of slightly sterner stuff, won't spread as fast.

 

[Scribble]

For purposes of critiquing, it's always nice to include every detail, and the breakdown, for each of the abilities. I also second statting out saves and things for each size category.

I'm somewhat concerned at the speed the fire spreads. I'd prefer something like dealing the fire damage to all unattended objects adjacent to it, and if any object's hitpoints are reduced to 0, then the fire spreads there. This means that brushfires will spread rapidly, but house fires, with walls and floors of slightly sterner stuff, won't spread as fast.

yeah... sorry about no breakdown... I'm at work, sooo it was more of a slack off from work thing.

It's an Ooze with the fire subtype... 2HD 5.5 +5.5 = 11hp...

The saves are based off of its dexterity and HD (mainly. there are some that use the PHB saves like smoke...)

I gave it a high dex, not because it actually has dexterity, but more to simulate the speed and fluidity of fire? (if that makes sense...) but I didn't want it to "avoid being attacked" so i listed it as flat footed all the time...

I thought about dealing fire damage to see how it spreads... but I decided it might get a little too complicated durring the fight... So I opted for the more cinematic approach... Where you're ok if you put it out relatively quickly, but if not... (sort of grows exponentially...)

 

[Scribble]

Scribble,

Not a bad idea...

thanks... I'm not going to take credit for the idea though! As I said, I saw the thought on Monte Cook's website...

This is just my take on that idea.

 

[szilard]

I'd model it as a swarm of tiny oozes to better model its movement and attack.

-Stuart

 

[Nightfall]

thanks... I'm not going to take credit for the idea though! As I said, I saw the thought on Monte Cook's website...

This is just my take on that idea.

I understand but it's a nice idea nonetheless.