Does Grease burn?

[Vortling]

Does the grease created by the Grease spell burn? I've looked through the online srd, the player's handbook, and a brief search on the dnd main site and haven't found anything indicating one way or the other about its flammability. If there aren't any specifics on this, how would you rule on it if you were DMing? Thank you.

[Belkarseviltwin]

Yes it does. Or at least I think so, as setting fire to it is an acknowledged tactic.

[Necromas]

By RAW I don't think it says anywhere that the grease it creates is flammable, but I'd imagine you could set it on fire just as if you dumped a bunch of lamp oil on the ground and lit that.

[TheOtherMC]

By the way that forest burned last week I'd think so....


Anyone want me to elaborate?! <_< >_>

[Caledonian]

The spell doesn't say. However, it's summoned fat, so I suppose so.

However: raw grease doesn't burn easily. It would intensify the burning of an already-combusting material, but even a thick layer of grease over stone or soil would tend to put out things like torches instead of burning itself.

[Vortling]

By the way that forest burned last week I'd think so....


Anyone want me to elaborate?! <_< >_>

Yes, sounds like you had fun with that. Caledonian: You raise some very useful points

[Ikkitosen]

Grease as per the first level spell does not burn - there's a second level version that is identical in every way (IIRC) except that it IS flammable. The spell has a stupid name too - Incendiary Slime, from Complete Mage.

[Renegade Paladin]

No, it doesn't. You're looking for incendiary slime.

[martyboy74]

However, placing Explosive Spell metamagic on it does create a minefield.

[Caledonian]

Grease as per the first level spell does not burn -

The spell description doesn't say so. It's implied that the grease is related to pork fat or butter by the material components needed, and both of those things will burn - but not easily. A major fire is necessary to induce combustion, and the fire doesn't spread easily.

[Ikkitosen]

The spell description doesn't say so. It's implied that the grease is related to pork fat or butter by the material components needed, and both of those things will burn - but not easily. A major fire is necessary to induce combustion, and the fire doesn't spread easily.

The existence of an almost identical spell a level higher that does burn implies that Grease burns in no meaningful manner.

If you'd like to rule that a major fire can burn Grease then fine. What difference will it make?

[Caledonian]

If you'd like to rule that a major fire can burn Grease then fine. What difference will it make?

1) You can increase the size of an already-burning fire by casting Grease upon it. Instant accelerant.

2) You can't extinguish an existing fire by casting Grease upon it. If the grease were truly nonflammable, you could put out small fires very effectively by smothering them in such a fashion.

[the_tick_rules]

test this theory out, in your house if possible.

[Annarrkkii]

Does the spell say that the grease is flammable? No? Then it doesn't burn. In fact, the spell doesn't even say that the grease exists, per say, just that things are slimy from it. You can cast it in a burning house, sure. Then you have a slippery burning house. Woo hoo.

[Phoenix Talion]

Does the spell say that the grease is flammable? No? Then it doesn't burn.

Does the spell say that the grease isn't flammable? No? Then it burns.

I'd say, houserule it. I'm inclined to say yes, it does burn, just because that's way more fun.

[Ikkitosen]

1) You can increase the size of an already-burning fire by casting Grease upon it. Instant accelerant.

2) You can't extinguish an existing fire by casting Grease upon it. If the grease were truly nonflammable, you could put out small fires very effectively by smothering them in such a fashion.

1) Except that an accelerant needs to be more flammable than the fuel that is already burning, and we've agreed that Grease doesn't burn well, if at all.

2) I suppose if the fire were limited to a single solid surface (unlikely - surfaces on fire are rarely solid) or a single item you could smother them with a Grease spell. Inventive, but IMO would be relatively ineffective (compared to, say, dousing with water).

And seriously, does this level of nit-picking make you enjoy D&D more?

[Rigeld2]

Does the spell say that the grease isn't flammable? No? Then it burns.

Does the Animal type say that Bears dont have lasers coming out of thier eye sockets, giving them an instant kill gaze attack? No? Then they do.

[Tor the Fallen]

Does the Animal type say that Bears dont have lasers coming out of thier eye sockets, giving them an instant kill gaze attack? No? Then they do.

Really?
Wizards reall screwed up on their CR, then. Do those guys even playtest what they design?

[Caledonian]

1) Except that an accelerant needs to be more flammable than the fuel that is already burning, and we've agreed that Grease doesn't burn well, if at all.

There's a reason grease fires can be a major problem in kitchens. Once grease begins to burn, it burns fiercely. An existing fire would be augmented by being Greased quite significantly.

2) I suppose if the fire were limited to a single solid surface (unlikely - surfaces on fire are rarely solid) or a single item you could smother them with a Grease spell. Inventive, but IMO would be relatively ineffective (compared to, say, dousing with water).

Actually, if the grease were nonflammable, it would be far more effective than water. Particularly since all of the burning object would be covered, which you can accomplish only poorly with water.

And seriously, does this level of nit-picking make you enjoy D&D more?

This isn't "nit-picking".

[Rigeld2]

There's a reason grease fires can be a major problem in kitchens. Once grease begins to burn, it burns fiercely. An existing fire would be augmented by being Greased quite significantly.

Cite the rule that says Grease is highly flammable.

[Caledonian]

Does the Animal type say that Bears dont have lasers coming out of thier eye sockets, giving them an instant kill gaze attack? No? Then they do.

Create Water doesn't say that it can be used to put out fires. Therefore, it can't. Does that seem right to you?

Grease doesn't just say that it makes surfaces slippery, it says that it conjures a thick layer of grease. Greases burn when they get hot enough, like fat in general. Suggesting that every possible use and consequence of a spell must be explicitly listed in the spell's description is just silly.

[martyboy74]

Does the Animal type say that Bears dont have lasers coming out of thier eye sockets, giving them an instant kill gaze attack? No? Then they do.

I think that this is a side effect of the rule the "Everything burns unless specifically stated not too", laid down by the Players Union in '95.

[Caledonian]

Will we next be treated to the argument that the objects created by Major Creation don't burn because the spell description doesn't explicitly say they do?

Grease, by the RAW and basic logic, cannot be a substitute for burning oil (which by RAW only does minor damage for a short time), as actual grease isn't that flammable. Logic dictates that the substance IS flammable under the right conditions, just like normal grease.

[Tor the Fallen]

Anyone ever have to deal with a grease fire? Don't throw water on it- it will explode.

[Rigeld2]

Grease doesn't just say that it makes surfaces slippery, it says that it conjures a thick layer of grease. Greases burn when they get hot enough, like fat in general. Suggesting that every possible use and consequence of a spell must be explicitly listed in the spell's description is just silly.

Everything will burn if it gets hot enough. Suggesting that they would leave out something as important as being flammable is silly - plus overpowered. Suggesting that you can light a puddle of grease aflame would make the spell into a first level fireball... that lasts one round per level.

[Tor the Fallen]

Everything will burn if it gets hot enough. Suggesting that they would leave out something as important as being flammable is silly - plus overpowered. Suggesting that you can light a puddle of grease aflame would make the spell into a first level fireball... that lasts one round per level.

It'd probably only do 1d3 damage/round to creatures standing, lying, doing push ups, etc, in the 5ft square that was burning. Burning would probably also cause it to go away sooner rather than later.

Since grease requires relatively high temperatures to burn, what if you required it to take 6 fire damage in two consecutive rounds? This would require either a lucky roll with a flaming weapon, or spending two full rounds holding a torch to it.

[Rigeld2]

It'd probably only do 1d3 damage/round to creatures standing, lying, doing push ups, etc, in the 5ft square that was burning. Burning would probably also cause it to go away sooner rather than later.

So, it does free damage for simply existing, because the point of the spell is to make creatures not move while inside it.

Since grease requires relatively high temperatures to burn, what if you required it to take 6 fire damage in two consecutive rounds? This would require either a lucky roll with a flaming weapon, or spending two full rounds holding a torch to it.

As a houserule it sounds fine. RAW it doesnt burn tho.

[Tor the Fallen]

RAW it doesnt burn tho.

Well, by RAW it doesn't not burn, which mean it may burn, and as it's grease (nonmagical at that, as there's no SR), which DOES burn in the real world (just like wood, which, since it has a hardness of 5, can't be damaged by most mundane sources of fire, is also assumed to burn), grease DOES burn. The rules just don't specify the necessary conditions for it to ignite.

[Caledonian]

Everything will burn if it gets hot enough.

No.

Suggesting that they would leave out something as important as being flammable is silly - plus overpowered. Suggesting that you can light a puddle of grease aflame would make the spell into a first level fireball... that lasts one round per level.

Um, no. I have explicitly said that the grease isn't flammable in that way - because actual grease isn't flammable in that way.

Oil is far more combustible than grease is. It's not a first-level fireball at all.

[Caledonian]

RAW it doesnt burn tho.

Wrong. As Tor points out, unthinking adherence to the rules means that wood doesn't burn, since the RAW doesn't explicitly say that fire overcomes wood's hardness.

But wood is wood, and under the right conditions, it will burn.