I find that for the size of container and volume of the explosion, the reflex save and damage are too low. To me, they seem far less dangerous than a firebomb.
Being stationary weapons that are very heavy and very easy to avoid or prematurely detonate to render them entirely useless and impractical in the majority of situations.
I would recommend making their DC 20 for a reflex save and the damage in the ballpark of 8d10 or 10d10.
BOM's gonna like this.
I like this suggestion, but may I make one of my own? If possible, scale the damage based on how many barrels are in the same area. Therefore, 1 barrel does a relatively low damage, while a stack of five can threaten even the grindiest of the level 11 barbarian dwarves with toughness.
I've seen a TPK due solely to alchemist fire barrels. I wouldn't say they're exactly "low damage". Though I could get behind LTS suggestion.
Having recently been blown to smithereens by a few stacked Alchemist's Fire Barrels, I would attest that they are somewhat terrifying as is.
Alone, they might not be the most powerful of objects but in small numbers they are hellish.
100% behind all suggestions mentioned for obvious reason.
........... : )
The rogue with 13 reflex can stand in the middle of 100 alchemist fire barrels when they go off and take 0 damage.
I would be fine with their damage not going up if it was like, DC30 reflex or something.
Fire and death sprays everywhere when they go off, how do you dodge?
Obviously you jump 30 feet straight up.
LOL! Yeah, tell that to the rogue that was in the TPK. Or wait ... it's only if you have a 13? So if you have a <12 or 14+ you're toast?
Its DC14, so if you have evasion and 13 reflex it cant hurt you.
You missed the sarcasm. As several people have already said, you can and do take quite a bit of damage from them. Cool, you've gotten lucky so far.
This is the suggestion thread, please don't troll a serious discussion.
Sarcasm does not translate on the internet.
I like the original suggestion, but only if they cannot be stacked or placed so close together that they all work together. Otherwise, it would be like stacking multiple traps for PVP.
You are free to write constructive feedback or give proper ideas, but don't throw around opinions of sheer like/dislike here. We don't pool in likes/dislikes and determine anything based on such. If you have ideas, mechanical suggestions, keep them coming. There is no harm for making such, whether others like it or not.
Perhaps an area of effected added where reflex is possible and where it is not? Say, standing next to one going off you should get hit either way, but 10 meters away you might be able to dodge it?
Got no idea if this is scriptable.
this suggestion is the bomb
As a potential maybe to bolster a few of the discussion points raised here:
HP is correct in that it is massively weighty and at most it seems to offer about the damage of a Fireball when used. While this is a fairly balancing thing and it adds a great panic effect of seeing a giant keg of explosive- PCs really don't have the luxury that DMs do. Typically I've acquired perhaps one in any particular tenure on a PC.You don't have the mechanical capabilities and typically not the good luck to acquire more than one.
So yes, on a DM quest when you see a couple alchemist fire barrels strategically placed and they daisychain when one goes off it can add some serious firepower to your situation. I too have seen entire parties wipe, but that's typically to Multiple blasts. Just like with Goblin Firebombers.
From the PC end though, you can set one off and have negligable but a very impactful statement. Blowing something up in EFU isn't really about body-count. Typically an explosion of any magnitude freaks out PCs and sends a pretty potent and awesome message. It's AOE damage, with fire and a blast and sudden and great effects.
Typically they need DMs to use anyway and PCs are able to get creative with them. Strategically placed using skills like Engineering of Masonry you can potentially convince a DM to let you put it in the so called "Sweet spot". If a DM is willing you can use things like traps and other aspects to rig more dangerous aspects when PCs or NPCs interact.
TLDRVersion: Some more damage would be cool, but on the whole you can do a variety of cool things with a DM. 90% of the time they are used in DM situations anyway so creativity can be used to spice up the typically less than impactful blast. More damage would be cool but without it there's still some awesome with it.
Your wish is my command.
Quote from: Big Orc Man;325880Your wish is my command.
you fools, if only you knew what you've released upon ymph