Weapon (crossbow, light), artifact

Use the customize option to modify as follows:

Range: 15’ line
Attack: d20+5+Dex
Damage: fire - 2d8+3 - Dex 15 save for half
Continual Damage: fire - 1d6 - unless specific action is taken to put out the flame

Margot follows Battilda to the barracks and quickly makes her way to the smaller building.  Inside is a cache of ballista bolts, ballista spare parts, spears, swords, armor and an elongated chest with an ornamental lock.  She quickly heads to the rectangular chest and produces a key which she uses to unlock the chest. She moves aside a couple of items and then gets out a backpack that holds two cylindrical tank like objects and says to Margot, “here, quickly put this on”.  She then reaches back into the chest and lifts up a long spear-like object which she hands to Margot. Battilda then takes the dangling hoses and deftly attaches them to the two tanks - once attached she says, “loogkey” and the end of the spear bursts into a small controlled flame.  She looks Margot straight in the eyes and states, “you have 15 bursts with this and it produces a line of flame 15’ long and 5’ wide - wait until a Troll goes down and then incinerate them before they have a chance to regenerate”.

Mechanically the weapon only entails pulling a trigger and the user can get off 2 bursts if they utilize for a full round (utilizes both action and move slots). The attack shoots a line of flame 15’ long and 5’ wide. Attacks are d20+5 plus the user’s Dex modifier. In order to make the flamethrower work, it takes a move action to pump (handle is on the right side and provides 3 bursts per pump action) - one tank is oil and the other tank is compressed air. There is enough oil for 15 bursts. Each burst does 2d8+3 damage with Dex 15 save for half.

Attack Special - rolling a 20 is a critical success per normal rules with double the dice damage plus modifier. However, rolling a 1 causes a mechanical failure and the apparatus to burst into flame with 4d8 damage and Dex 20 save for half (the modified damage and Dex save equates to wearing a potentially flammable apparatus). Subsequent rounds would be 1d6 damage unless a specific action (shrug off backpack, stop, drop, roll) is taken.

Thoughts...

  • Stating “loogkey” - the end of the spear bursts into a small controlled flame
  • Designed as a weapon for users of levels 3-5.
  • The hand pump compresses air into a chamber mixing enough oil and air together to create three bursts at a time - this limits the weapon from simply being always on.
  • The range of 15’ line of 5’ wide fits within realistic fantasy guidelines and means the user has to accept the danger of being relatively close to the action.
  • Ceding your move for an extra burst attack in that round simulates the actual utilization of a flamethrower - it also gives a tactical component of if I stand still I can hold my finger on the trigger for a longer burst of damage on the target.
  • The d20+5+dex represents the all encompassing flame with a +5 and the aiming of the physical flamethrower by using the dex modifier.
  • The damage of 2d8+3 aligns with spell magic of the same capacity and the dex 15 save for half provides balance.
  • 15 total bursts provides 10 rounds of optimal battle - that is standing and not moving - the device would then have to be reloaded with oil.
  • Allowing the d20 critical is essential to D&D play; and the mechanical failure ensures that the device isn’t abused - therefore providing balance. A 20 is super awesome and a 1 explodes the device for average damage of 16 to the user which should be significant damage to a character in the 3-5 level of play. Should generate sufficient risk/reward tension.
  • Optimal usage would generate an average of 11 points of damage in a pumping round and 22 points of damage in a non-pumping round (assuming that one stands in the same square the entire fight - any actual movement would take away from optimal and that they always score a hit on their attack roll).
  • Without critical damage and using the same optimal usage scenario, a pumping round would produce minimum damage if a creature succeeds their reflex save for half of: 2 = (2+3)/2 and maximum damage if a creature fails their reflex save of: 19 = (16+3). Non-pumping round would be 4 min and 38 max.

Round by Round Results for OPTIMAL Utilization by NOT Moving...

Round 1 move - pumping action provides device with three bursts
Round 1 action - burst 1 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 14 bursts of oil remain
Round 2 move - burst 2 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 13 bursts of oil remain
Round 2 action - burst 3 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 12 bursts of oil remain
Round 3 move - pumping action provides device with three bursts
Round 3 action - burst 1 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 11 bursts of oil remain
Round 4 move - burst 2 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 10 bursts of oil remain
Round 4 action - burst 3 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 9 bursts of oil remain
Round 5 move - pumping action provides device with three bursts
Round 5 action - burst 1 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 8 bursts of oil remain
Round 6 move - burst 2 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 7 bursts of oil remain
Round 6 action - burst 3 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 6 bursts of oil remain
Round 7 move - pumping action provides device with three bursts
Round 7 action - burst 1 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 5 bursts of oil remain
Round 8 move - burst 2 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 4 bursts of oil remain
Round 8 action - burst 3 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 3 bursts of oil remain
Round 9 move - pumping action provides device with three bursts
Round 9 action - burst 1 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 2 bursts of oil remain
Round 10 move - burst 2 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 1 bursts of oil remain
Round 10 action - burst 3 attack for d20+5+dex for (11) 2d8+3 dmg - dex15 save for half (5) - 0 bursts of oil remain

Table of optimal damage by round if the user stands in one space and only uses its movement to pump the flamethrower (and makes the assumption that they always hit on their attack roll of d20+5+dex and does not include data if they score a critical - most likely with a monster AC in the 14-15 range and the character dex bonus of 2-3, there’s going to be a miss in the 25-30% range):

 

Round

Min (with Reflex Save)

Max (without Reflex Save)

Average (without Reflex Save)

1

2

19

11

2

4

38

22

3

2

19

11

4

4

38

22

5

2

19

11

6

4

38

22

7

2

19

11

8

4

38

22

9

2

19

11

10

4

38

22

Proficiency with a light crossbow allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.

Notes: Replace Damage Type: Fire, Bonus: Ranged Weapon Attacks, Ammunition, Loading, Range, Two-Handed

RickAJr

Comments

Posts Quoted:
Reply
Clear All Quotes