3d6
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 62
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Post by 3d6 on Oct 22, 2011 6:33:00 GMT -6
Well, last night I did two things, reread a Conan story, and did most of the prep work for a mini-dungeon for a "by the book" LL game, but...
There are two areas I just can't quite live with btb, one is thrown oil. (The other area is spotting traps, but that's a very minor tweak). I've never been a big fan of the "Molotov cocktail" in dungeon adventuring. Maybe that's just me.
The rule states, in part: "Oil flasks... must be lit on fire and thrown... Damage from thrown oil is dealt for two rounds." 1d8 each round (p. 54 of my book). I don't care for Holmes or AD&D 1(e) oil either.
I allow the victim a Save vs. Death each round, before taking damage. If successful, then the no damage is taken (so no damage at all if successful on first round), representing victim putting out the fire, or it going out on its own, etc. Also, it takes one round to light (so can be only be thrown on second round, after one round of "prep"), and if thrower takes damage or fails a save before throwing, then the flask is dropped.
These are my frankly somewhat anti-thrown-oil rules, and they are supposed to dissuade it. I'm wondering if you have any comments, and how you might use or not use thrown, lit oil. Is it prevalent in your game/do you like to use it?
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jasmith
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 316
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Post by jasmith on Oct 22, 2011 7:52:40 GMT -6
Well, last night I did two things, reread a Conan story, and did most of the prep work for a mini-dungeon for a "by the book" LL game, but... There are two areas I just can't quite live with btb, one is thrown oil. (The other area is spotting traps, but that's a very minor tweak). I've never been a big fan of the "Molotov cocktail" in dungeon adventuring. Maybe that's just me. The rule states, in part: "Oil flasks... must be lit on fire and thrown... Damage from thrown oil is dealt for two rounds." 1d8 each round (p. 54 of my book). I don't care for Holmes or AD&D 1(e) oil either. I allow the victim a Save vs. Death each round, before taking damage. If successful, then the no damage is taken (so no damage at all if successful on first round), representing victim putting out the fire, or it going out on its own, etc. Also, it takes one round to light (so can be only be thrown on second round, after one round of "prep"), and if thrower takes damage or fails a save before throwing, then the flask is dropped. These are my frankly somewhat anti-thrown-oil rules, and they are supposed to dissuade it. I'm wondering if you have any comments, and how you might use or not use thrown, lit oil. Is it prevalent in your game/do you like to use it? On those rare occasions when I play instead of DM, I usually run an MU. And at low levels, Oil is my friend. ;D |
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3d6
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 62
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Post by 3d6 on Oct 22, 2011 9:43:33 GMT -6
On those rare occasions when I play instead of DM, I usually run an MU. And at low levels, Oil is my friend. ;D A good point! Oil _is_ a 1st lvl mus friend, especially! Do the orcs, or whatever, ever throw it at you? Or did you ever do that as DM? Quite possibly, I should just lighten up in my sort-of-prejudice against oil.  By the way, 1st level mu (dex 3, yes, 3) was the hero of the day the other day. A very opportune use of Sleep and then, later, a very, very lucky thrown dagger (with that -3 missile att mod). |
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jasmith
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 316
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Post by jasmith on Oct 22, 2011 10:20:09 GMT -6
On those rare occasions when I play instead of DM, I usually run an MU. And at low levels, Oil is my friend. ;D A good point! Oil _is_ a 1st lvl mus friend, especially! Do the orcs, or whatever, ever throw it at you? Or did you ever do that as DM? Quite possibly, I should just lighten up in my sort-of-prejudice against oil. By the way, 1st level mu (dex 3, yes, 3) was the hero of the day the other day. A very opportune use of Sleep and then, later, a very, very lucky thrown dagger (with that -3 missile att mod). 'Tis a happy day in dungeon-land, when all the players have to worry about is a little bit of flaming oil. It's usually more like demon possessed orcs, with breath weapons composed of flesh burrowing maggots , vomiting into the PC's faces. Or, goblins riding lobotomized trolls, an idea I yoinked from Zak S. dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/ But, the goblins usually have some form of explosive, or another. If you don't like the oil, no harm in disallowing it. The MU's will get over it. As a player, one of my favorite 1st level AD&D MU moments, was when our party was fighting a wererat and none of us had a magical weapon. I tackled him and everyone piled on! ;D |
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Post by bigjackbrass on Oct 22, 2011 10:43:40 GMT -6
Do your adventurers ever return to a dungeon? or are any of the intelligent monsters in communication with outside groups?
If so, I'd be inclined to let the PCs lob their burning oil and have it work as written, but in future games the orcs and goblins may have heard about what an effective weapon they are up against. Not only would they be keen to try it for themselves, they might also look into ways to counter it. A flask of an alchemical "fire extinguisher" might be an option, or simply strategically located water barrels. That way you don't have to veto a classic weapon outright, but it's not a guaranteed success in future adventures. The players learn and adapt to new tactics, so why shouldn't the opposition?
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3d6
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 62
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Post by 3d6 on Oct 22, 2011 14:37:51 GMT -6
A good point! Oil _is_ a 1st lvl mus friend, especially! Do the orcs, or whatever, ever throw it at you? Or did you ever do that as DM? Quite possibly, I should just lighten up in my sort-of-prejudice against oil. By the way, 1st level mu (dex 3, yes, 3) was the hero of the day the other day. A very opportune use of Sleep and then, later, a very, very lucky thrown dagger (with that -3 missile att mod). 'Tis a happy day in dungeon-land, when all the players have to worry about is a little bit of flaming oil. It's usually more like demon possessed orcs, with breath weapons composed of flesh burrowing maggots , vomiting into the PC's faces. Or, goblins riding lobotomized trolls, an idea I yoinked from Zak S. dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/ But, the goblins usually have some form of explosive, or another. If you don't like the oil, no harm in disallowing it. The MU's will get over it. As a player, one of my favorite 1st level AD&D MU moments, was when our party was fighting a wererat and none of us had a magical weapon. I tackled him and everyone piled on! ;D ;D ;D all just awesome stuff. Do your adventurers ever return to a dungeon? or are any of the intelligent monsters in communication with outside groups? Thanks, those are all absolutely great questions, and your ideas, they're excellent. Yes, the PCs return. The orcs (most of 'em) serve a cabal of evil mages. Goblins in upper levels work with evil dwarves, deeper down, who commune with purple worms, and clash with the mages, for control of certain of the dungeon's most enchanted areas, areas potent in ancient magicks, especially weird gravity and time travel effects. And so on, etc., etc... ....ordinarily, but.... ...this particular thing (back to the LL btb and oil) is a separate thing, and so I'm going back to the book, instead of saying, "I've chosen rules from different editions plus rules I've made up," I want to go btb Thanks! |
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Post by aldarron on Oct 26, 2011 17:49:25 GMT -6
I don't mind the effects of the rule, as is, but it's a tricky thing to attempt. Thing is kerosene or sperm whale oil - which is the oil the rules are refering to - is not as flammable as people think. You take a glass kerosene lamp, light the wick and throw it against a rock and I'd bet 8 times out of ten it will just go out and splash oil everywhere. Worse chances with the vegetable and animal fat oils of a medieval setting. this I think is why the OD&D rules were to pour it and light it, not light it and throw it.
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