Just a little something I noticed...

[Alex12]

that doesn't add up.
The description for Matter Agitation (a psionic power) says that at the third round, it gets hot enough to melt lead. It deals 1d6 damage if done to a creature. Okay, fine, I can handle that. Lead melts at around 325 degrees C. However, oddly enough, apparently boiling water does the exact same amount of damage.

Continuing with the train of thought my mind is boarding, say I wanted to melt quartz (melting point 600 degrees C) in D&D. Would 2d6 thermal-based damage be enough, or would I need 6d6?
For that matter, if you stick your hand into a pot of boiling water for a few seconds, you would be in little danger of losing your hand or having permanent damage. If you did the same with a crucible of molten lead...

I'm sure you can see the problem.

So, what's up with that?

[BardicDuelist]

Mechanical attempts at balance and real world physics not mixing? Oh that's right, it is D&D.

Really, I just think they exgagerated on the fluff.

[Alex12]

And for that matter, how come sticking your hand in lava is only twice as bad as sticking your hand in boiling water?

[horseboy]

that doesn't add up.
The description for Matter Agitation (a psionic power) says that at the third round, it gets hot enough to melt lead. It deals 1d6 damage if done to a creature. Okay, fine, I can handle that. Lead melts at around 325 degrees C. However, oddly enough, apparently boiling water does the exact same amount of damage.

Continuing with the train of thought my mind is boarding, say I wanted to melt quartz (melting point 600 degrees C) in D&D. Would 2d6 thermal-based damage be enough, or would I need 6d6?
For that matter, if you stick your hand into a pot of boiling water for a few seconds, you would be in little danger of losing your hand or having permanent damage. If you did the same with a crucible of molten lead...

I'm sure you can see the problem.

So, what's up with that?

NO! My catgirl! And I just got her house broken.

[Alex12]

NO! My catgirl! And I just got her house broken.

*opens one-way portal to an Antimatter plane underneath the Tarrasque, just to kill more catgirls*

I just LOVE killing catgirls!

[Azerian Kelimon]

*Wishes and stops the massacre.*


*Catgirls sigh in relief*


*Azerian is now surronded by beautiful catgirls with adoring looks in their eyes*

*Azerian wonders why in all of the nine hells did he have to do that wish*

[Gralamin]

I also wonder why a first level spell quickly proves to be worse then boiling water and Fire (Which do the same amount of damage), as well as Lava.
As well as a 2nd level spell, that is twice as powerful as Lava.

Boiling Water/Fire Average Damage: 3.5
Touching Lava Average Damage: 7
Burning Hands CL 1: 2.5
Burning Hands CL 2: 5
Burning Hands CL 3: 7.5
Burning Hands CL 4: 10
Burning Hands CL 5: 12.5
Scorching Ray/missile: 14

[Chronos]

For that matter, if you stick your hand into a pot of boiling water for a few seconds, you would be in little danger of losing your hand or having permanent damage. If you did the same with a crucible of molten lead...

...you wouldn't even take any damage at all. At least, not if you were a bit nervous about it, and pulled it back out quickly enough. Sweat (or any moisture) on your hands would vaporize, both slightly cooling your hand, and producing a vapor barrier which would insulate you from the rest of the lead. There are actually some crazy physics professors who do this as an in-class demonstration.

Meanwhile, it's simple enough to just say that Matter Agitation is more effective versus metals than it is versus flesh, and the question doesn't even come up at all. There is precedent in the D&D rules: The Heat Metal spell doesn't directly affect flesh at all.

[Yuki Akuma]

Metals are easier to heat than water, which is easier to heat than flesh.

It only seems to make no sense when you ignore half the physics.

[leperkhaun]

ehhh makes about as much sense as a 20th level fighter can completly submerse himself in lava then walk out and be fine.

Honestly trying to compare dnd to real world doesnt work. somethings are done for mechanics reasons with fluff thrown in.