DeathCon 00 |
1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
As the topic states, is the grease created by the spell "Grease" flammable?
The question because a Elementalist (Fire) Sorcerer in my group wants to be able to cast 'Grease' in an area and then follow it up with a 'Ray of Frost' modified to the fire energy type to ignite the grease. Would this work, or would this ultimately be up to DM discretion?
Hank McCoy |
As the topic states, is the grease created by the spell "Grease" flammable?
The rules do not explicitly state that the grease is flammable, so I think it's really up to the DM.
I have had this conversation at my own game table and while it's not stated that Grease can be flammable, the name and the spell component imply a possibility. In defense of flammable Grease, the description of rope doesn't state that it can be turned into a lasso to choke someone, but it's possible. However, it was argued that butter/solid grease is actually more difficult to set on fire than commonly believed (one of my player's assured me of this, I don't actually have first hand knowledge myself).
I made a house rule that it could be lit and it would be treated as a normal flash fire for one round: 1d6 damage for all in the area that failed a DC 15 Ref save, but no chance of the victim catching on fire. After the initial burn the grease would be consumed and the spell would end prematurely. I wanted to encourage this kind of creative thinking but also didn't want to overpower the spell. In effect it became a Burning Hands spell sacrificing area of effect for increased damage.
Abraham spalding |
Yeah setting room temp grease on fire -- not an easy thing. Once it's up in the couple of hundred degree range? Well duh of course it burns.
As it stands nothing in the grease spell suggests that it should burn any better or worse than anything else. Considering that the burning hands spell already specifically talks about setting stuff on fire (including clothing) I don't see why you would need (or want) to grease them up before you do so.
Mark Thomas 66 RPG Superstar 2009 Top 16 |
James Jacobs Creative Director |
6 people marked this as FAQ candidate. Staff response: no reply required. 7 people marked this as a favorite. |
As the topic states, is the grease created by the spell "Grease" flammable?
The question because a Elementalist (Fire) Sorcerer in my group wants to be able to cast 'Grease' in an area and then follow it up with a 'Ray of Frost' modified to the fire energy type to ignite the grease. Would this work, or would this ultimately be up to DM discretion?
Nope.
It's a 1st level spell, and a really good one at that. Allowing it to explode into fire at the slightest spark makes it too bad-ass.
Warforged Gardener |
DeathCon 00 wrote:As the topic states, is the grease created by the spell "Grease" flammable?
The question because a Elementalist (Fire) Sorcerer in my group wants to be able to cast 'Grease' in an area and then follow it up with a 'Ray of Frost' modified to the fire energy type to ignite the grease. Would this work, or would this ultimately be up to DM discretion?
Nope.
It's a 1st level spell, and a really good one at that. Allowing it to explode into fire at the slightest spark makes it too bad-ass.
Excellent. I'm glad I shut down that group at Gen Con who tried to tell me it was flammable. Having mummies slip and fall is quite enough for one spell. They have very fragile hips.
ThornDJL7 |
I also would agree that most forms of grease at room temperature are not overly flammable, and would take quite a bit of effort to ignite. When I think of "grease" I think of the thick stuff you get in the bottom of your pan after you fry up some bacon. Most liquid and flammable forms of "grease" are actually an oil.
John Woodford |
As the topic states, is the grease created by the spell "Grease" flammable?
The question because a Elementalist (Fire) Sorcerer in my group wants to be able to cast 'Grease' in an area and then follow it up with a 'Ray of Frost' modified to the fire energy type to ignite the grease. Would this work, or would this ultimately be up to DM discretion?
Ask your player if they've been reading Planescape Survival Guide (see the last three panels), and if so remind them that PSG is 2nd Edition.
KenderKin |
Web was flammable but grease never was.
For more imprtant questions
1. Is the grease in grease edible?
2. Can you cook with the grease in grease?
3. If you do get it lit does it burn off or remain greased or some hybrid?
4. Will grease prevent sovregn glue from working?
5. This is really a druid spell (commonly cast on pigs)!
Only look at the spoiler if you thought this was funny!
And cast on lightning at high levels!
I warned you!
Sulaco |
What this really gets down to is semantics (the word "grease") and a misunderstanding of exactly what it means. Grease is a semi-solid lubricant, nothing more. While some greases are flammable this is not a universal property of all of them and thus there is no reason to assume the substance produced by the spell should be.
Assuming the material produced by the Grease spell must be flammable is like asking what kind of warhead is on a Magic Missile. It also smacks of trying to "game the game".
Ruby Rose Royce |
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y'all's neighborhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse's shell
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grizzly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller!
(cue maniacal laughter)
Back on topic, honestly I've always thought it was flammable. Especially since as others have noted, it always has been in most D&D video games.
Fabian Stretton |
From my perspective - making the grease spell flammable doesn't do much.
- It is no thicker than burning oil (does 1d3 and burns out in 1 or 2 mr)
- It doesn't burn as well as flaming oil (so does 1d3-1 instead) SO
IF you want to end your grease spell may rounds early to get a very minor fire effect (or to get rid of it quickly cos your on the wrong side of it)
Go ahead - it isn't going to imbalance anything much.
Even against multi-square swarms, it will do (1d3-1)*1.5 per square.
For a 4 square swarm, this maxes out at 12 damage IF you roll 4 3's)
and 4 damage total with average rolls.