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Message: <blockquote data-quote="phindar" data-source="post: 3358927" data-attributes="member: 37198">You have a good point re: Lightning Bolts but reality is only so much help in a discussion of game mechanics.  If there are Instantaneous Fire spells on the list that don't start fires, how does an Instant Elec spell make it?  (And what about Call Lightning, which isn't mentioned?)  My larger point is that any time a book tries to outline a long list of specific effects, its a bad sign.  One because we're never going to be able to remember it, and two, because its inelegant.  (Just reading over the list I can hear play grinding to a halt.)  The rule should be simple and easy to remember, (even if its just something like DC Damage for Fire, DC half Damage for Elec), and it should apply across the board.  If Shocking Grasp does 5d6 Elec, and a Lightning Bolt does 5d6 Elec, they shouldn't have two radically different effects that require seperate adjudication.  Other spells exisit and are going to be cast at ships.  Unless they are going to be a line of description in every spell from now on "When cast at a boat:", they would be better off making the magic vs ship rules as concise as possible.  Further, boats are made of wood, as are many other stuctures.  Now Fireballs start fires on boats, but not inside hay-filled barns (if you go by the SRD).  No book will ever be able to outline what will happen in every situation, why not just give the GM some tools to deal with the unexpected, and not bog us down with unnecessary exposition.  Starting fires should be one table, one roll, and not a headache.</blockquote>

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