help me make a flamethrower

[samuraijaques]

hi guys, I am trying to make the D&D equivalent of a WH40K techmarine and I am looking for a way to emulate a flamethrower.

my basic criteria are...
- at least 3d6 damage. I want it to actually do some damage
- it needs to have an area of effect as a line with somewhere between 15 and 60 feet

seems like a simple request but i am having a tough time finding anything that fits the bill. I heard there was a flamethrower in the dungeon master's guide but I am having a hard time finding it.

can anybody help me?

looking forward to hearing from you

[FyreByrd]

hi guys, I am trying to make the D&D equivalent of a WH40K techmarine and I am looking for a way to emulate a flamethrower.

my basic criteria are...
- at least 3d6 damage. I want it to actually do some damage
- it needs to have an area of effect as a line with somewhere between 15 and 60 feet

seems like a simple request but i am having a tough time finding anything that fits the bill. I heard there was a flamethrower in the dungeon master's guide but I am having a hard time finding it.

can anybody help me?

looking forward to hearing from you

It's almost certainly not what you're looking for, but by far the easiest way to replicate this is using the Dragon Fire Adept (DFA) from Dragon magic. They get at-will fire breath, that starts at level one at (iirc) 2d6, and increases as you go up levels, it can be in a line (30ft @lvl1), or a cone (15ft@lvl1) and again the range increases as you level up.

It would need a re-fluff, but mechanically it works well, DFA is solidly in tier 3, and has some stealth/battlefield control/buffing options as well, and is usually a fairly fun class to play.

Otherwise, eternal wand of fireballs??

EDIT:
DFA breath weapon: 1d6 @1st, and increases to 9d6 by 20th + effects
Range: as above but doubles at level 10

[Juntao112]

A custom item based off of Burning Hands would probably do it.

[Eslin]

At will command word item of burning hands, 5d4 damage, 9000gp.

I've done a techmarine before - be an artificer, they fit the theme perfectly, use clockwork armour (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070212a) as soon as possible, combining with other items for the life support aspect.

For size, take the Jotunbrud feat - large build and a 6'4 base height which you can use to reach 8', space marine height while still remaining human.

[Juntao112]

We'll need to shape it into a line, and up the damage dice, but that's a good start.

[Eslin]

For higher levels, just take cone of cold and ask to have the DM switch it to fire making an item - fire and ice based spells are of equal power.

[samuraijaques]

ideally it would also be usable by my spare hand (the one from the MIC). as techmarines mount all kinds of crazy stuff to their servo arms.

I am actually playing a mechanist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262484) which is some of the best homebrew i have ever seen. and i already have clockwork armor and am working towards a lot of the other clockwork wonders in that line of articles. I have a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15100142#post15100142) in the homebrew section working on a jump pack as well. if you get the chance i could use some help on that.

so i should add one thing to the list of requirements to the list in the OP...

- it needs to be usable by my spare hand. if that is impossible then oh well but i would really like it if i could have it.

thanks for the responses

[GoatBoy]

Elixir of fire breath already exists:

Elixir of Fire Breath: This strange elixir bestows upon the drinker the ability to spit gouts of flame. He can breathe fire up to three times, each time dealing 4d6 points of fire damage to a single target up to 25 feet away. The victim can attempt a DC 13 Reflex save for half damage. Unused blasts dissipate 1 hour after the liquid is consumed.

Moderate evocation; CL 11th; Craft Wondrous Item, scorching ray; Price 1,100 gp.

You could use it as a baseline and extrapolate from there.

[Jack_Simth]

Wand of Lightning Bolt, with the Energy Substitution (Fire) (Complete Arcane) metamagic feat applied. It's a +0 metamagic on a 3rd level spell. 50 charges of 5d6 Fire damage, in a 100 foot line, for 11,250 gp.

[Pancritic]

Away from books, but the DMG flamethrower is in the section that deals with firearms, modern and futuristic weapons.

Another option would be a wand of Aganazzar's Scorcher (Forgotten Realms campaign settng, not sure if it's been updated to 3.5).

[only1doug]

Wand of Lightning Bolt, with the Energy Substitution (Fire) (Complete Arcane) metamagic feat applied. It's a +0 metamagic on a 3rd level spell. 50 charges of 5d6 Fire damage, in a 100 foot line, for 11,250 gp.

Bingo! we have a winner.

could alternatively be done as an eternal wand (2 uses per day) for 10,900 gp.

[Seffbasilisk]

Or going nonmagical, get a Sprayer, load it with oil, and have a tindertwig attachment. For someone coated in oil, the fire damage is 10d6 IIRC. Sprayer's range is quite short though, I believe it's only 15ft. Still. ShhhhhhhFWOOOO!

[Jack_Simth]

Bingo! we have a winner.

could alternatively be done as an eternal wand (2 uses per day) for 10,900 gp.
Yeah, but the save DC (14) and SR penetration (+5) is garbage in either case, though. Still, meets all requirements from the OP... other than the little issue that it might be too much range.

[only1doug]

Yeah, but the save DC (14) and SR penetration (+5) is garbage in either case, though. Still, meets all requirements from the OP... other than the little issue that it might be too much range.

to be fair any fire damage is suboptimal as it is the most commonly resisted element.

[Jack_Simth]

to be fair any fire damage is suboptimal as it is the most commonly resisted element.
That too, yes. Would be better as a staff (so the OP can use his own character's caster level and mental ability score), although I kinda get the impression of a noncaster base.

And I got the range wrong - it's 120 feet. Twice the OP's high end. Hmm.

Maybe an Energy Substitution (Fire) on Dragon Breath (Spell Compendium page 73)? A wand of that, picking Black, Blue, or Bronze at casting would grant a 30-foot line of fire for 7 rounds (arcane version, as it needs t be 4th or lower for a wand) dealing 3d8 damage (4d8, at caster level 8). You'd need to prepare for the fight (invoke wand as a standard action, then use breath weapon as a standard action), and wait a little between uses (1d4 rounds, specifically... out of your 7-8 round duration), but it fits *all* criteria that way. Costs... 21,000 gp for 50 charges (which will usually only get you 50 uses, but might get more if you're in longer fights) at CL 7, or 24,000 gp for the CL 8 variety to get another d8 of daWizard.

[Jeraa]

I heard there was a flamethrower in the dungeon master's guide but I am having a hard time finding it.

Page 146.

It has no price (its meant to be special, not just a random item you can buy.)

It requires Exotic Weapon Proficency (Futuristic) to use, does 3d6 damage, with a range increment of 20 feet (So a maximum range of 200 feet). Unlike other ranged weapons, it deals its damage to everything in that path. No save for half damage, and no mention of being a touch attack, so presumeably it requires an attack roll against normal AC (like all other ranged weapons.) It can only be fired 1/round.

The flamethrower from d20 Modern works better, though. Its a 3d6 damage attack in a 30-foot line, with a DC 15 reflex save for half. It requires no proficiency to use, and allows only one attack per round.

[samuraijaques]

I am liking the actual flamethrower weapons better simply because they are the only ones my spare hand can use. The sprayer is a really interesting idea and i might be able to talk my dm into getting one that has a little farther range and then just loading it with alchemist's fire.

can anyone tell me what page the flamethrower in the dmg is on?

thanks for the replies

[Jeraa]

I am liking the actual flamethrower weapons better simply because they are the only ones my spare hand can use. The sprayer is a really interesting idea and i might be able to talk my dm into getting one that has a little farther range and then just loading it with alchemist's fire.

can anyone tell me what page the flamethrower in the dmg is on?

thanks for the replies

I just told you. In the post right above the one I am quoting. Page 146 of the 3.5 Dungeon Masters Guide. Its called a Flamer, not a Flamethrower.

[samuraijaques]

oh man, im sorry. i can't believe i missed that. thank you.

looking at it now though I still think i like the d20 modern one better. the 200ft range is a little ridiculous.

[Corundum Dragon]

If you're playing a machinist make your own. Call it an improved fire sprayer. You need 3 metal tanks 1 large 2 small, mithril for weight or adamantine for saftey, 3 hoses, 3 on off valves, 2 nozzles 1 small 1 a little larger. The large tank is for geld fuel, 1 small tank is for pressurized fuel for a pilot light think propane canister for a camp stove, the other small one is for pressurized inert gas to pressurize the fuel tank. Pressurizing the fuel tank with inert gas will prevent the fire from going up the fuel line and plowing up the fuel tank. This is why you don't want to make one from a supper soaker. 2 on off valves turn off the gas coming from the small tanks, the third is the trigger for the flame thrower. Needless to say do not attempt to build one in real life! youtube user: unclebrady video: Homemade Backpack Flamethrower Fun! Fun to watch, but Don't attempt at home! If something went wrong it would be a horrible way to die.
user:onlymeyers video:Flamethrower Demo
user:Jacob Bumgardner video:How to make a Homemade backpack flamethrower
If you get a handy haversack you could put some big tanks in in there, and it would only weight 5 lb.
An easier idea might be a custom item Decanter of Endless oil.
That or an item with a permanent solar window spell keep small, but can still use it's tongue of flame ability.
edit:
a cursed rod of flame extinguishing (15,000 gp)
has 10 charges, renewed daily
burning hands spell expends 1 charge
fireball, flame strike, or wall of fire expends 2 charges
If the device is used upon a cold. ice creature (a melee touch attack), it deals 6d6 points of damage to the creature. This use requires 3 charges.