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| #1ZardnaarAug 22, 2014 15:21:51 |
A spin off from my Damascus Steel thread. Greek fire was one of those medieval super weapons deployed by the Byzantine/Eastern Roman Empire navy. It was more or less a medieval napalm that was reputed to burn on water and was most likely a petroleum based product with various materials added to it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_Fire
Apparently thye also had grenades and flame throwers of the stuff in addition to the naval system they had. Alchemists fire can cover the smaller uses of it. The Byzantines lost access to the ability to make the stuff either due to the transmission of knowledge to make the stuff which was a state secret or due to the lost of territory with the required materials to make it.
Now 5E doesn't have naval rules but it is not to hard to adapt various rules from 2E and 3E in that regard. I am more interested in the Greek fire. For those of you who watch Game of Thrones wild fire is based off Greek Fire. In game I am thinking of calling it wild fire or maybe Gnomish Fire. My worlds tend to be heavily naval based and even the Dwarves have navies with magitech monitors for coastal defense.
IN terms of damage I am thinking it would deal 6d6 damage or a non magical fire ball equvilent. The damage can scale up depending on how much is used.
Now I am not sure how long it burns for, in 3E fire was generally 1d6 rounds and required a DC 15 reflex save. Now Greek FIore is nasty stuff so I am happy with a DC 15 dexterity check with the knowlege that such a save is likely easier to make in 3rd ed. That is the point it is Greek Fire I am even considering having no save on it if it hits you or treat it as an area of effect for half damage on the initial dose.
6d6 damage recurring for 1d6 rounds with no ability to extinguish it unless via magic could be another idea.
Anyway thoughts of its effects in game terms and maybe a fantasy name such as wild fire.
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| #2ArtifactAug 22, 2014 15:32:42 | In our 3.5 homebrew: The Church of the Silver Flame (not to be confused with the Eberron faith) was a more modern, organized incarnation of various primative fire-worshipping faiths. Also known as the Church of Romua, it alone held the secret of what in the real world is known as Greek Fire.
Never actually came into play, just a little tid-bit of lore I held in my head. |
| #3DreamstryderAug 22, 2014 18:06:37 | __ fire (Alchemist's, Greek, Gnomish) seems a predominant theme. There were tricks to extinguishing Greek fire; warships might carry sand with them to smother it.
As I recall, the 3e DMG listed 6d6 damage for a modern grenade, 2d6 for a ye olde hand bomb. |
| #4ShasarakAug 22, 2014 20:14:54 |
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| #5RastapopoulosAug 22, 2014 22:35:48 |
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| (Reply to #5)seti |
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