Out Of Character

[waysoftheearth]

It's becoming obvious that burning oil is a fantastic weapon.

Sure, a bow is potentially better--with longer range and possibly two attack rolls per round--but not everyone can use a bow, and it's a minimum 35gp (short bow) or 50gp (longbow) investment.

Moreover, oil can be used to fuel lanterns, deter monsters, temporarily obstruct routes, and make slippery patches.

At 2 gp per flask, no low level adventurer can afford to be without a least a couple of flasks

[Idrahil]

I've always read about burning oil and extra flasks and such. I don't recall ever using it much when I payed as a kid and my current group hasn't used it too often.

This mechanics discussion reminds me alot of the the manual for the old PC game Pirates!

That manual had all sorts of game play hints in the manual presented as the "memoirs of Captain so-and-so". Like after reading how the ol' Captain sacked a city that had a superior force by simply making use of swamp land to slow the enemy, I did that every time I attacked a city.

It would be like some retired adventurer telling tales in a tavern on the "proper use of a 10' pole" and "using lamp oil to bring down a dragon!"

[sully]

It would be like some retired adventurer telling tales in a tavern on the "proper use of a 10' pole" and "using lamp oil to bring down a dragon!"

I assure you, should Sullivus live long enough to retire, he will be telling this story as him single handedly using lamp oil to take out a dragon! After blinding it with Sullivus' Magnificent Multi-Spectrum Stunner, of course. It's a much more powerful spell than Color Spray.

[Idrahil]

It would be like some retired adventurer telling tales in a tavern on the "proper use of a 10' pole" and "using lamp oil to bring down a dragon!"

I assure you, should Sullivus live long enough to retire, he will be telling this story as him single handedly using lamp oil to take out a dragon! After blinding it with Sullivus' Magnificent Multi-Spectrum Stunner, of course. It's a much more powerful spell than Color Spray.

Ha!

Sounds like a good us of the Spell research mechanic! Charm Monster affects Super-hero types and is a level 4 spell.

Sullivus' Magnificent Multi-Spectrum Stunner could be a level 3 spell that renders Heroic types unconscious and Super-hero types are allowed a saving throw to avoid the effects.

[waysoftheearth]

So a 7 HD Wyvern is soundly beaten by the 1st level players!

You got some lucky attack rolls in the last turn, perhaps, but in all likelihood you would have beaten it with your superior numbers in any case. Well done!

The take home lesson, it seems, is that superior numbers can be decisive.

Good luck on the treasure rolls...