Joe Average - on fire!

[Quasqueton]

I saw a short article in a small press game magazine many years ago that compared the rules of several games. The comparison stuck to just one, very small aspect each issue, such as getting set on fire and burning to death. The article was titled something like "Joe Average".

In the one article I read, it showed how long it took for Joe Average to burn to death, by the rules of the game system. I don't remember the systems covered, but I do remember that one set of rules had Joe Average burn to death in something like 5 minutes. In another game, Joe Average could not burn to death because there were no rules for catching fire.

I'd like to take this article concept and discuss the various D&D rules, just for fun. Let's start with burning to death, as discussed in that original article.

How long (in RL time units [seconds, minutes]) does it take Joe Average to burn to death.

D&D 3.X

AD&D2

AD&D1

BD&D

OD&D

Anyone up to the comparisons? If this proves interesting, I'll post similar threads for Joe Average in other situations to compare the editions of our favorite game.

Quasqueton

 

[Quasqueton]

I'll start by saying it looks like a D&D3.X "Joe Average" (commoner 1 with 2 hit points) would burn to death in 6 seconds. 1d6 damage per round.

I'd have to open my older books at home to remember what the rules were for catching on fire and burning in the earlier editions.

Quasqueton

 

[kigmatzomat]

I thought even NPCs got max hp at 1st level. Regardless, that's to unconsciousness; death is at -10. At average damage (3.5hp/round) it takes 1st level commoner either 3 or 4 rounds to burn to death, depending on 1st level hps, or 18-24 seconds. At maximum burn rate you're looking at 18 seconds and a slow, painful death of around a minute and a half for the minimum.

 

[diaglo]

OD&D... Joe Average has 3.5hp

fire does 1d6 = 3.5hp of damage

death = 0hp

so 1 round

1 round = 1 minute

 

[JoeGKushner]

You're actually talking about Joe Genro and the magazine was Shadis. Ah, the good old days when we had several print magazines to choose from...

 

[Quasqueton]

I thought even NPCs got max hp at 1st level. Regardless, that's to unconsciousness; death is at -10. At average damage (3.5hp/round) it takes 1st level commoner either 3 or 4 rounds to burn to death, depending on 1st level hps, or 18-24 seconds. At maximum burn rate you're looking at 18 seconds and a slow, painful death of around a minute and a half for the minimum.

Silly me, I forgot death comes at -10, not 0. I should not have missed that, with as many stablization rolls I've made for enemies the PCs have knocked down.

Only PC classes get max hit points at first level.

So, yeah, on average, Joe dies by burning in 24 seconds with the D&D3.X rules.

Quasqueton

 

[Hand of Evil]

To pimp a thread...

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=98883&highlight=torch

 

[Voadam]

1e, 2e, and basic all had 1 minute rounds.

3e has six second rounds.

How they are on fire matters. Oil does a certain amount each round usually d6 or 2d6 then 1d6 depending on edition but Fireball is instantaneous in all editions and can kill joe commoner in one shot.

 

[Scribble]

I assume it just means if you were to just grab a torch and just set poor Joey A. ablaze.