[RQ-Rules] Naphtha & Greek Fire rule of thumb

[Stephen Posey]

Den, Tony T wrote:

> Planning a session where the party and the wee cohort they are in is going
> to come up against a spot of the old Greek Fire and or Naphtha (still
> deciding which). As a rule of thumb, I was considering using normal fire
> damage, but adding a duration - possible based on a dice roll or maybe on
> extent of exposure (How long you were exposed etc). This should simulate the
> fire sticking to the character. 
> 
> Any ideas, reasons why damage should differ from normal fire damage? Don't
> want to annulated the cohort mind. I think technically naphtha will just
> stick and burn normally, but from descriptions of Greek fire I have read, it
> seems it may have some sort of possessive qualities to it as well, so maybe
> add an extra point or two to normal fire damage.

Arguably standard fire damage is based on the temperature of
"normal" fire (e.g. burning wood or oil) which is relatively cool
as fire goes.

The reputation of Greek Fire was that it burned very hot, which
could equate to additional damage.

It was also supposed to be very hard to douse and so would tend
to burn at full effect until its chemical fuel was consumed (at
which point it would become a normal fire, subject to dousing, if
it was stuck to combustibles).

So your idea regarding duration is probably also on target.

As a first pass on "rules", one could assign Fire a Potency (POT)
much like poisons.

Normal fire would rate average (e.g. 9-11), Greek Fire might be a
15 or 16. There might be magical fires even more powerful.

Conversely a smoldering fire in damp vegetable matter might rate
a only 6 or 7.

You could then compare the POTx2 on the Damage Bonus table to get
a modifier to standard fire damage.

Because of Greek Fire's nature, you might also consider
determining hit locations where the GF has stuck and apply damage
to the locations separately.

Duration should probably be determined based on the volume of GF
involved. Something like one Round per Liter of GF or some such.

How's that sound?

Stephen Posey
slposey at concentric.net