How would you rule this?

[Desteplo]

Item rogue

First turn:
Action, Throws oil
Free interact, applies oil to arrows

Second turn:
Free interact: lights arrrows on a torch
Action: shoots flaming arrows/sets oil in fire for additional 5fire

Question:
Arrow deals additional d4? 1 point extra fire? Regular damage but replaced by fire damage?

Does it fit action economy

[Beastrolami]

I would rule that it does fit action economy. Arrow does normal damage. Enemy is on fire for 2 rounds and takes 5 fire damage each round. Enemy can spend an action to remove fire. I would also call for an attack roll to throw the oil, so it requires 2 turns, 2 attacks have to hit, but only 1 does damage. In the end you may get a slight damage increase, or the enemy will waste the turn getting rid of the fire.

overall, i think it's balanced.

[Kane0]

I wouldn't bank on being able to apply oil and toss a flask in the same round (unless you're a thief rogue and can with a bonus action). It doesn't sound like the thing that can be done with a free interaction (see appying poison).
You could get around that by coating them in oil prior to use and keeping them primed like like that (may need special equipment to do so, a gnome might be able to rig up a tinkered quiver that retains oil)

Other than that, seems legit. Maybe an extra 1d4 fire damage. Compare with Alchemist's Fire for relative damage values, it wouldn't be any stronger than that.

[Desteplo]

I wouldn't bank on being able to apply oil and toss a flask in the same round (unless you're a thief rogue and can with a bonus action). It doesn't sound like the thing that can be done with a free interaction (see appying poison).
You could get around that by coating them in oil prior to use and keeping them primed like like that (may need special equipment to do so, a gnome might be able to rig up a tinkered quiver that retains oil)

Other than that, seems legit. Maybe an extra 1d4 fire damage. Compare with Alchemist's Fire for relative damage values, it wouldn't be any stronger than that.

Oh your right. So delayed turn at least.

[Desteplo]

Would one oil apply to three arrows? Or would partial oil be used?

Throwing oil the following turns would continue the flame without adding extra fire since he fire from oil only applya once per round?

[ThurlRavenscrof]

Of course in reality, air moving past the fire arrow would put it out which is maybe one reason why there are no rules to support it. Also when you draw back the arrow it burns your own left hand and bow...
But in the GAME world, if I found out one of my players intended to do this every turn, it would be an action to oil and light an arrow. Mostly because oil doesn't just bust into flames right away so it would take a second or two to catch and you'd have to keep getting out and putting away an oil flask since a bow is a two handed weapon. Or leave it on the ground but then you'd have to pick it up and set it down everytime your character moved...
However, if my player just wanted a cool one time fire arrow moment, I'd probably let them light the arrow as a bonus action for story telling reasons.
Id probably count throwing an additional flask of oil as an attack not an action

[Malifice]

From the SRD:

Oil usually comes in a clay flask that holds 1 pint. As an action, you can splash the oil in this flask onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged attack against a target creature or object, treating the oil as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target is covered in oil. If the target takes any fire damage before the oil dries (after 1 minute), the target takes an additional 5 fire damage from the burning oil. You can also pour a flask of oil on the ground to cover a 5-foot-square area, provided that the surface is level. If lit, the oil burns for 2 rounds and deals 5 fire damage to any creature that enters the area or ends its turn in the area. A creature can take this damage only once per turn.


Either cover them in oil (automatic if within 5') or toss it on them from up to 20' away. Doing either will cost you your action.

A flaming arrow probably doesn't do any extra damage in and of itself, but it would trigger the +5 fire damage of the oil IMO.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Would one oil apply to three arrows? Or would partial oil be used?

Throwing oil the following turns would continue the flame without adding extra fire since he fire from oil only applya once per round?

I'd allow three arrows per pint of oil, though that's 100% a full action, as others have said. Or a Mage-Hand-Legerdemain cunning action if you're an arcane trickster. I wouldn't change the arrow damage.

And yeah, I'd rule that you can't make someone 'more on fire' be covering them with oil twice. It would just extend the duration.

[Demonslayer666]

Item rogue

First turn:
Action, Throws oil
Free interact, applies oil to arrows

Second turn:
Free interact: lights arrrows on a torch
Action: shoots flaming arrows/sets oil in fire for additional 5fire

Question:
Arrow deals additional d4? 1 point extra fire? Regular damage but replaced by fire damage?

Does it fit action economy

As DM, I'd rule:

The oil had to be in hand to throw it on the first turn. The only way to apply oil to arrows as a free interaction on turn 1 after throwing oil would be to have the arrows in the other hand and a vat of oil within reach to dip them in. Otherwise you need to get out more oil...

Second round seems fine for actions, but oil on an arrow would not stay lit. You need something applied to the arrow tip that will stay lit (oil soaked rags).

The flame arrows would not deal any additional damage, just lite the target if flammable (covered in oil, made of straw, paper, etc).

[Zman]

1st Turn
Item Interaction: Gets out Oil
Action: Throws Oil(AC5 to hit square)

2nd Turn
Item Interaction: Gets out Oil
Action Applies Oil to Arrows

3rd Turn
Item Interaction: Light Arrow, required near exposed flame
Action: Fires Arrow(AC5 to hit square)

A Rogue(Thief) could do this one round quicker.

[Honest Tiefling]

Personally, I wouldn't allow it. The idea of applying oil to arrows one-handed seems a bit silly to me. What hand is holding the bow and the torch during all of this? As has been pointed out, the oil wouldn't stay on the arrows very well, but that issue isn't strictly action economy.

As for the extra oil toss, I could see more fuel doing more damage due to extending the amount of time the oil would burn, so adding some more fire damage simply by refreshing the DoT in a way.

The extra damage I would rule would set the target on fire. To my knowledge, there are no rules for fire or being set on fire (which is really odd, that comes very often), but I would probably rule something like the target takes 1d6 damage on subsequent rounds if they don't use an action to put themselves out. So potentially useful, but not the end-all of combat either.