Elemental Weapons

[Undrask]

Does a weapon with an Elemental Aura: Flame have the ability to start fires or burn bodies? If it does damage to creatures by means od flame, then it would make sense if it could at the very least burn bodies.

 

[stonegolem]

Eldritch Power: Many of the spells call
upon an energy called eldritch power. This is a
type of energy that only affects beings that are
alive or animated.
If you cast a Flame Bolt spell at someone
and miss and hit a tree, the tree will not catch
on fire. Nor can you use an Ice Bolt spell to
keep your ice cream cold. These spells can only
affect creatures that are alive or animated. Ingame,
they feel like fire or ice when they hit
and you should certainly role-play that out
when you are the subject of one.

I would suggest that pretty much any source of elemental damage is another manifestation of eldritch power, unless specifically indicated otherwise by your local plot team in an LCO effect. So, unless someone tells you otherwise, you can't set stuff on fire with your flaming sword. Sorry.

 

[Undrask]

What about bodies? The main purpose of me trying to use a weapon like this would be to incinerate bodies. If they leave behind their loot unscathed, all the better!

 

[obcidian_bandit]

You can't burn a body any faster than it takes for it to dissipate:

It is generally impossible to burn or otherwise completely destroy the body before the five-minute Life spell requirement is used up.

With a Flame weapon you can deliver a Flame killing blow, which can still be useful for some things, but it won't help you find loot any faster or convey any other benefit.

 

[Undrask]

Ah yes, but in Barran, a burned body is much a different thing than a Dissipated one. Especially if you're a mortician.

Thanks for the answers you two!

 

[Robb G]

x

 

[soleedge]

Does a weapon with an Elemental Aura: Flame have the ability to start fires or burn bodies? If it does damage to creatures by means od flame, then it would make sense if it could at the very least burn bodies.

I think it would be based on your monster and/or plot at the given point. I mean I knew some monsters when I play certain chapters that you must administer a killing blow with a flame blade or it would keep coming back to life.

 

[obcidian_bandit]

With a Flame weapon you can deliver a Flame killing blow

Is that rule still around? I have heard folks recently tell me that delivering KB with elements has gone by the wayside.

You can always deliver a killing blow with one of your carriers. If you've got a Flame Blade, you can deliver Flame Killing Blows, just like if you've got a Silver weapon, you can deliver Silver Killing blows. What you can't do any more is deliver killing blows with spells or wand charges.

 

[Robb G]

x

 

[Undrask]

SICK. Cremations will get a lot easier in my future.

 

[Dan Nickname Beshers]

Just to be clear, delivering a Flame killing blow does not constitute a cremation anymore than an Ice killing blow constitutes a Sub-Zero fatality.

 

[twilsemail]

Knowing what I do about the PC. I think that Frisco is asking about the ability to set fire to a permanently dead body after a combat has ended. No mechanical effect, it's more of a RP effect. In which case I imagine that's up to the individual chapter, neh? Or is it just a "No."

 

[Toddo]

It'd be No if I had to make the call. A flame weapon is still eldrich flame and thus incapable of starting an actual fire.

 

[obcidian_bandit]

Cremations will get a lot easier in my future.

I think that Frisco is asking about the ability to set fire to a permanently dead body after a combat has ended. No mechanical effect, it's more of a RP effect. In which case I imagine that's up to the individual chapter, neh? Or is it just a "No."

Cremating a body isn't something that's covered by the rules. That'll be a local Plot/Rules call if it's important. I generally don't have a problem with people cremating permed bodies, but that's just me.

It'd be No if I had to make the call. A flame weapon is still eldrich flame and thus incapable of starting an actual fire.

Sure, I'd probably make someone break out flint or something to pull it off. I dunno, whatever seemed to fit the scene.

a Flame killing blow does not constitute a cremation anymore than an Ice killing blow constitutes a Sub-Zero fatality.

Yeah, you don't need a weapon for that last one:

 

[OrcFighterFTW]

Page 90 of the ARB has your answer, and it's a no (emphasis mine):

Eldritch Power: Many of the spells call
upon an energy called eldritch power. This is a
type of energy that only affects beings that are
alive or animated.
If you cast a Flame Bolt spell at someone
and miss and hit a tree, the tree will not catch
on fire. Nor can you use an Ice Bolt spell to
keep your ice cream cold. These spells can only
affect creatures that are alive or animated. Ingame,
they feel like fire or ice when they hit
and you should certainly role-play that out when
you are the subject of one.

 

[Talen]

Just to be clear, delivering a Flame killing blow does not constitute a cremation anymore than an Ice killing blow constitutes a Sub-Zero fatality.

Although that WOULD be an awesome quirk/flaw.

"Killing blows adminstered by this weapon reduce target to a heap of frozen body bits. Target chooses which part their spirit is still attached to."

 

[Undrask]

My contention would be that if the Eldrich Flame is doing damage to a body with, you know, FLAME, then it should be able to burn the body. You would be able to burn that body on a stack of hay soaked in gasoline and it wouldn't light, but the body itself is still being effected by the eldrich flames. Otherwise, what would qualify it as a "flame" killing blow? What would qualify any of the damage as "flame" if there wasn't not burning on the targets of the effect?

 

[Dan Nickname Beshers]

The whole reason the game defines it as "eldritch flame" is to prevent flame spells or weapons from being used to start fires. It is specifically against the intent of the rule to burn anything, including a body, with magical flame.

 

[Robb G]

x

 

[Undrask]

Ok, understood! It's not really "flame" it's just another kind of "magic."