D&D 5E Ignite flammable objects

[firstkyne]

I would be interested to know what people's rulings are for creatures with vulnerability to fire. If you hit a twig blight with a flaming torch (doing 1 point of fire damage, doubled due to their vulnerability, as per RAW), might the twig blight catch fire and continue to take damage over subsequent rounds?

I can't find rules for how much damage a creature should take if it is on fire.

 

[Satyrn]

I would be interested to know what people's rulings are for creatures with vulnerability to fire. If you hit a twig blight with a flaming torch (doing 1 point of fire damage, doubled due to their vulnerability, as per RAW), might the twig blight catch fire and continue to take damage over subsequent rounds?

I can't find rules for how much damage a creature should take if it is on fire.

You could use Alchemist's Fire as inspiration for a ruling on all this.

If I was inclined to have the twig blight catch fire, I'd probably have it work just like that. It'd catch fire automatically on a hit from the torch, then give it a save if it takes an action to extinguish the flames.

 

[i_dont_meta]

Watched a three-month campaign end in 5 minutes when the Wild Magic sorcerer cast Fly in the bowels of a ship (your guess is as good as ours!) and WHOOPS! here comes a Wild Magic Fireball right behind it...Davy Jones sends his regards...

 

[Ovinomancer]

Flammable has a definition, and it's not "can burn" it's "ignites readily."

Good rule of thumb -- imagine using pine of those butane hand blowtorches. I'd you think that less than a second of being exposed to the flame of that torch would ignite something, your good to go. Wood doesn't catch, paper does. Oil ignites. Almost anything damp won't.

Twig blights might, is a judgement call. Ships and carts won't.

 

[Anakzar]

Fire intense enough to cause hit point damage is pretty intense. I'd say an object takes 1d6 fire damage per round. On a 6, the fire spreads to another nearby object or space (like, if the floor is on fire). A creature moving through a fiery space or starting its turn there might be able to make a Dexterity saving throw for half damage.

I pulled these rules directly out of my butt, although similar rules have worked well for me in the past.

Sounds painful!

 

[77IM]

Sounds painful!

If you want to be a truly great DM, you need to eat half a box of FiberOne cereal every morning.

 

[Ancalagon]

Flammable has a definition, and it's not "can burn" it's "ignites readily."

Good rule of thumb -- imagine using pine of those butane hand blowtorches. I'd you think that less than a second of being exposed to the flame of that torch would ignite something, your good to go. Wood doesn't catch, paper does. Oil ignites. Almost anything damp won't.

Twig blights might, is a judgement call. Ships and carts won't.

I second this and urge this approach - think about it. Yes, fire hurts a lot, but humans are pretty freaking vulnerable to fire. Stick a piece of wood over a candle. Now stick you arm... you'll damage your arm waaay sooner than wood!

Dampness matters a ton. A fireball in a forest is bad right? Well... it depends. in late spring when it's been raining for 3 weeks? Pfff, you'll singe a few leaves, startle rabbits and create a lot of steam. The same forest in the middle of a drought? Instant forest fire.

Another aspect to consider though is varnish and tar. Ships in particular were exposed to the elements a lot, and strenuous efforts had to be taken so that the wood wouldn't rot too fast. Historicaclly, we know that fires on ships were dangerous. If hit by a fireball, the sails would catch easy, so would the rigging, and the wood would be more vulnerable than ordinary wood. The weather, once again, could affect this significantly.

 

[Ancalagon]

Oh - and as a GM, I think "does it catch fire" is a ruling where fairness is super important. "haha you set a fire you fools!" is not a great feeling, and it should only be used when warranted... it *will* happen, no need to exaggerate