flasks of oil are nerfed

[saarn]

flasks of oil should be a viable missile weapon, particularly as launchers are too expensive for most characters' first trips into the dungeon. I'd suggest making them act like magic missile-- if they hit, it's some reasonable amount of unresistable damage not affected by armor (maybe 3d4). Right now they just bounce .

[Magnate]

Originally Posted by saarn

flasks of oil should be a viable missile weapon, particularly as launchers are too expensive for most characters' first trips into the dungeon. I'd suggest making them act like magic missile-- if they hit, it's some reasonable amount of unresistable damage not affected by armor (maybe 3d4). Right now they just bounce .

This is a wonderful example of overcompensation. They were originally 2d6, then they got BRAND_FIRE so they were effectively 6d6, which was way too powerful. Then they came down to 1d4, I think - which was 3d4 with the brand.

Now in v4 they add only +50% fire damage, instead of +200%. Their base damage is 2d4, but with brand that's now still 3d4, same as in V.

Personally I agree with you that they're underpowered (3d4 is the same as the original 2d6, with lower variance). I think perhaps they could get a +100% fire brand, which would make them 4d4, without unbalancing things too badly.

[fizzix]

Originally Posted by Magnate

Personally I agree with you that they're underpowered (3d4 is the same as the original 2d6, with lower variance). I think perhaps they could get a +100% fire brand, which would make them 4d4, without unbalancing things too badly.

6d3 or 3d6 seems about right. It should do more damage than magic missile because of the high chance to miss and the single use only. Is there any opposition to making them 1d6 or 2d3 in V instead of 1d4?

[Scatha]

Originally Posted by Magnate

(3d4 is the same as the original 2d6, with lower variance)

It is lower variance, but also higher expectation! (because dN is 1-N not 0-N, the first side is worth twice as much as subsequent ones)

Similarly 6d3 has expectation of 12 compared to 10.5 for 3d6.

Sorry if you knew all that and were just speaking roughly!