Catapult Spell & Alchemist’s Fire/Acid

[Garfunion]

If you use the catapult spell to launch an alchemist’s fire/acid, do you still need to roll an attack roll for the acid or fire effects to apply?

[MrCharlie]

If you use the catapult spell to launch an alchemist’s fire/acid, do you still need to roll an attack roll for the acid or fire effects to apply?
The DM is entirely in charge of what happens. This can go anywhere from "Damage happens automatically on the failed save" to "The glass breaks, but there is no momentum because it's magic, so too little get's on the target to do anything".

In this case, it's most likely that they will simply apply the damage, speaking from experience. A. It's a clever enough use of the spell, B. The spell explicitly damages the glass, and any effort to look up what glasses AC/HP is to be pedantic will find that it's screwed, and C. 2d6 acid damage isn't going to break the game; it's a large amount of damage for a first level spell, but with only one target and at cost.

I don't think they'd make you do an attack roll, simply because...Why? How?

BTW, if a DM really wants to screw you, he could always just say that the spell causes the targeted object-the vial-to hit an obstruction-it's own contents-immediately, and explodes. He'd have to be a real...character...to do that, but there is no real response to that ruling, but it's not quite wrong.

[Garfunion]

I only ask because I have an Artificer concept in mind, combined with 2-3 Alchemy Jugs (4-6 vials of acid a day) and catapult spell storing item (alchemical launcher).

[stoutstien]

If you use the catapult spell to launch an alchemist’s fire/acid, do you still need to roll an attack roll for the acid or fire effects to apply?

Definitely going to vary from table to table.
IMO yes for extra effects and no for attack roll.
For added fun use a jar full of ball bearings or a small clay pot full of caltrops.

[Garfunion]

Definitely going to vary from table to table.
IMO yes for extra effects and no for attack roll.
For added fun use a jar full of ball bearings or a small clay pot full of caltrops.
Thanks for the ideas.

[stoutstien]

Thanks for the ideas.

I'm making a artificer with a shoulder mounted cannon just for catapulting payloads at enemies.
When he gets SSI it will be maned by a rat familiar called gadget.

[Garfunion]

I'm making a artificer with a shoulder mounted cannon just for catapulting payloads at enemies.
When he gets SSI it will be maned by a rat familiar called gadget.
Will your Artificer be part of a group called Rescue Rangers?

[stoutstien]

Will your Artificer be part of a group called Rescue Rangers?

Thought about making my whole Warforged just a giant robot controlled by them lol.

[Garfunion]

Thought about making my whole Warforged just a giant robot controlled by them lol.
Lol that would be funny to see. You could go a bit more *cough* cosplay and make a Shifter Artificer with rodent like features.

[Sparky McDibben]

Also be cautious. If you have an ally on the other side of your target and the target dodges but your ally doesn't...well, that's not going to go over well. In addition, you can really have some fun yeeting alchemist's fire to places well out of range. "Goodness, your Majesty, it appears that someone has set your bedroom on fire!"

[Damon_Tor]

I only ask because I have an Artificer concept in mind, combined with 2-3 Alchemy Jugs (4-6 vials of acid a day) and catapult spell storing item (alchemical launcher).

You can't make the same infusion multiple times, so you might be limited to just 1 jug. That said, the acid created by the jug doesn't ever expire, so you can generate tons of these during downtime at virtually zero cost, then when you actually go out to a dungeon you can switch to a different infusion, just bringing with you all the vials you "crafted" during downtime.

[Garfunion]

You can't make the same infusion multiple times, so you might be limited to just 1 jug. That said, the acid created by the jug doesn't ever expire, so you can generate tons of these during downtime at virtually zero cost, then when you actually go out to a dungeon you can switch to a different infusion, just bringing with you all the vials you "crafted" during downtime.
I guess I missed that part where you can have only one infusion of a type active at a time. But with the crafting rules in the Eberron book, making alchemist’s fire/acid will be quick and cheap.

[MrCharlie]

You can't make the same infusion multiple times, so you might be limited to just 1 jug. That said, the acid created by the jug doesn't ever expire, so you can generate tons of these during downtime at virtually zero cost, then when you actually go out to a dungeon you can switch to a different infusion, just bringing with you all the vials you "crafted" during downtime.
" You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time."
I'm not quite sure if that means that each infusion known can only be used once, or each infusion used can only affect one object (to prevent you from infusing a spear, removing the tip, and claiming you have an magical improvised staff and dagger now). "Each of your infusions" could refer to the infusions individually or the known infusions categorically, and I'm not sure the grammar is clear enough to tell. Is there something I'm missing besides grammatical interpretations?

[Garresh]

Tbh as an Artificer you're support with limited spell slots anyways. Even 2 vials of acid a day will be fine. You don't wanna be wasting all your slots for marginal damage increase. And don't forget you can fire stuff like bags of ball bearings or caltrops. You might need to put them in a flask or something though?

[Garfunion]

Tbh as an Artificer you're support with limited spell slots anyways. Even 2 vials of acid a day will be fine. You don't wanna be wasting all your slots for marginal damage increase. And don't forget you can fire stuff like bags of ball bearings or caltrops. You might need to put them in a flask or something though?
Oh I know, an earlier poster suggested the ball bearings and caltrops.
There is also holy water and tanglefoot bag(if I can find the stats for it).
Im sure I can find other stuff to launch.

[stoutstien]

" You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time."
I'm not quite sure if that means that each infusion known can only be used once, or each infusion used can only affect one object (to prevent you from infusing a spear, removing the tip, and claiming you have an magical improvised staff and dagger now). "Each of your infusions" could refer to the infusions individually or the known infusions categorically, and I'm not sure the grammar is clear enough to tell. Is there something I'm missing besides grammatical interpretations?
Check the text under the actual infusion section at the end of the class.pg 61 i believe

[Damon_Tor]

" You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time."
I'm not quite sure if that means that each infusion known can only be used once, or each infusion used can only affect one object (to prevent you from infusing a spear, removing the tip, and claiming you have an magical improvised staff and dagger now). "Each of your infusions" could refer to the infusions individually or the known infusions categorically, and I'm not sure the grammar is clear enough to tell. Is there something I'm missing besides grammatical interpretations?

The problem with that reading is that the "loophole" you're talking about is already nullified by the rules.


"You can infuse more than one nonmagical object at the end of a long rest; the maximum number of objects appears in the Infused Items column of the Artificer ta*ble. You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time."

The "maximum number of objects" already prevents you from infusing one object and then breaking into two and expecting the infusion to stick. I think it's pretty clear what the intent is.

[MrCharlie]

The problem with that reading is that the "loophole" you're talking about is already nullified by the rules.


"You can infuse more than one nonmagical object at the end of a long rest; the maximum number of objects appears in the Infused Items column of the Artificer ta*ble. You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time."

The "maximum number of objects" already prevents you from infusing one object and then breaking into two and expecting the infusion to stick. I think it's pretty clear what the intent is.
Technically, the first part doesn't say what happens if you break the object, because it doesn't say the infusion ends on a broken object. So it says the number of items you can infuse, but not what happens if they are broken into multiple parts-but the next line clears that up.

(The final line of that section could also be read as saying that, but it also clarifies what order they end in)

The flow of the text is why I suspect it has nothing to do with being unable to infuse two separate items with the same infusion, because it's not talking about infusions known at all, it's providing the fine print on how you actually infuse things.