Acheronian/Kothic Demon Fire and Armour DR

[Crymia]

Greetings everyone, this is my first post!

I was thinking wheter the DR from armour should be applied to damage from Acheronian/Kothic Demon Fire or not. I can understand if it is applied to Kothic Demon Fire, since it's basically a flammable mixture that burns on top of your armour, but I think it gets tricky with Acheronian Demon fire. The fire damage of ADF is very low, so a character in just breastplate can shrug it off. Also what to do with the incapacitating effect?

 

[Lucius]

I'm not really familer enough with the D20 system to answer your question, but I just wanted to give you a huge welcome to the boards! :wink:

 

[Yogah of Yag]

Greetings everyone, this is my first post!

I was thinking wheter the DR from armour should be applied to damage from Acheronian/Kothic Demon Fire or not. I can understand if it is applied to Kothic Demon Fire, since it's basically a flammable mixture that burns on top of your armour, but I think it gets tricky with Acheronian Demon fire. The fire damage of ADF is very low, so a character in just breastplate can shrug it off. Also what to do with the incapacitating effect?

Subject: Acheronian Demon-Fire, 228 [AE]; 338 [CRp]; Kothic Demon-Fire, 228 [AE]; 339 [CRp]

I would only offer DR in these cases if the armour was composed significantly/predominantly of metal, with the exception of chainmail. Breastplates, metal helms, etc. would protect the wearer enough, IMHO, but the substance(s) could splash into and through the tiny holes in chain, burning into whatsoever is underneath. Leather armour should be burned by the fire, as well as cloth. A PC ducking behind a shield should be well-protected enough to avert most -- if not all -- damage.

If the target is not struck by the projectile, I would house-rule that the blast (or shock-wave) of heated air around the impact would stun and/or blind people within a reasonable radius.

I can't find the mechanics-definition for "incapacitated". I'll check the SRD in a while.




Edit: ...and welcome!

 

[Yogah of Yag]

Incapacitated doesn't appear to be a game-term described exactly in the mechanics.

Some conditions which may be applied, taken from the SRD:

Blinded
The character cannot see. He takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class (read: DV), loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) (read: DV), moves at half speed, and takes a -4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) to the blinded character. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.

Dazed
The creature is unable to act normally. A dazed creature can take no actions, but has no penalty to AC (read: DV).
A dazed condition typically lasts 1 round.

Dazzled
The creature is unable to see well because of overstimulation of the eyes. A dazzled creature takes a -1 penalty on attack rolls, Search checks, and Spot checks.

Deafened
A deafened character cannot hear. She takes a -4 penalty on initiative checks, automatically fails Listen checks, and has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components. Characters who remain deafened for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.

Knocked Down
Depending on their size, creatures can be knocked down by winds of high velocity. Creatures on the ground are knocked prone by the force of the wind. Flying creatures are instead blown back 1d6 × 10 feet.

Stunned
A stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a -2 penalty to AC (read: DV), and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) (read: DV).


I would also have the PCs make a Terror of the Unknown check [313, AE], if they have never been exposed to explosive attacks as these.

 

[Crymia]

I would only offer DR in these cases if the armour was composed significantly/predominantly of metal, with the exception of chainmail. Breastplates, metal helms, etc. would protect the wearer enough, IMHO, but the substance(s) could splash into and through the tiny holes in chain, burning into whatsoever is underneath. Leather armour should be burned by the fire, as well as cloth. A PC ducking behind a shield should be well-protected enough to avert most -- if not all -- damage.

Hmm, maybe I could allow the DR from leather armour, but the fire would eat through, making the DR lower or just plain zero.

If the target is not struck by the projectile, I would house-rule that the blast (or shock-wave) of heated air around the impact would stun and/or blind people within a reasonable radius.

Makes sense. Didn't think about breathing etc. Silly me.

 

[argo]

Energy damage (Fire, Cold, Acid, Sonic and Force) bypass DR. To protect against those you need Energy Resistance of the appropriate type.

Hope that helps.

 

[High Lord Dee]

Welcome Finland!

HLD

 

[Zul Daire]

I wonder if the rules really underpower the alchemal items such as these two and flame powder.

I look to certain stories for examples.

Spoiler


Black Colossus: REH

CoCtC pg. 177

I omitted a bit of the text for revelence sake.

"From the extreme wing rushed a chariot...the other occupant was a tall figure whose robe flowed spectrally on the wind. He held in his arms a great vessel of gold and from it poured a thin stream...Across the whole front of the desert horde the chariot swept... leaving a long thin powdery line...like a phosphorescent track of a serpent."

Here a description when a heavy calvary charge crosses the line.

"In that instant the whole foremost line of knights was seen enveloped in that flame, horses and steel-clad riders withering in the glare like insects in an open blaze."

In Scroll of Skelos the said Sorcerer, Natohk, has 20 doese of Flame Powder under equipment.

Flame Powder (Poor Man's Demon Fire) fills up a 5' area when thrown or when poured upon the ground. A weight of 200' or more triggers it doing 1d4 fire damage as well as potentially starting fires.

Even if DR was not taken into account the description in the story would not come near this result with this damage range. And with DR forget about it! You might as well put on a tux and pull a rabbit out of your top hat for a living and that's if you survive the battle!

Does this seem under powered to anyone else? And if Flame powder is under powered what about the other two?

 

[Raven Blackwell]

From the entry on the Fire Elemental in the core rulebook I belive that it suggested Natohk used one of those creatures to consume the knights. You have to admit a Fire Elemental would easily consume a standard knight and horse rather quickly. Perhaps the Flame Powder was Natohk's doggie treats for the creature? 8)

 

[ricardo440]

the material component of his summoning spell.

Makes sense you would need fire to summon a fire being.

 

[Zul Daire]

Well that would make perfect sense. I will have to look it up.

Thanks for the explanation as that always bugged me!