Old School Fireball Backdraft

[The Perilous Dreamer]

I found this blog post by chance Old School Fireball Backdraft at a blog called "ThinkDM - What works at your table?"

All the way back in Original Dungeons & Dragons, the fireball (then two words) used to take up the full volume of a space. So, if you cast a fireball in a room to small to contain it, the blast would expand to other rooms.

He points out that

That 20′ radius means fireball takes up 33,510 ft3 of space!

How many of you run this the full blown old school way?

Post #11,000

[hengest]

Wow, so this really isn't for use in a dungeon crawl. Much more like "wizard casting from tower onto battle below," yeah?

[simrion]

If I'm not mistaken this was also mentioned in the AD&D PH, that it will fill 33 10x10x10 areas. Least ways that is how I ran it.

[restless]

This has this quote written all over it:

"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, he presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
  ― Gary Gygax

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Aug 24, 2021 18:35:07 GMT -5 hengest said:

Wow, so this really isn't for use in a dungeon crawl. Much more like "wizard casting from tower onto battle below," yeah?

Oh, you can use it in a dungeon crawl, if you know what you are doing. Of course, smart players have been known to research a mini-fire ball spell.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Aug 24, 2021 18:56:14 GMT -5 simrion said:

If I'm not mistaken this was also mentioned in the AD&D PH, that it will fill 33 10x10x10 areas. Least ways that is how I ran it.

Yeah, in the 70s, with OD&D in college we did the math on these things. Don't forget lightening bolts rebounding.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Aug 24, 2021 19:11:57 GMT -5 restless said:

This has this quote written all over it:

"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, he presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
  ― Gary Gygax

 Absolutely!

[arjen]

We did this.

I lost a wizard by shooting one into a room I didn't know the dimensions of.

I learned my lesson and always asked the size and height of rooms before casting.

[simrion]

Aug 24, 2021 21:18:58 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Aug 24, 2021 19:11:57 GMT -5 restless said:

This has this quote written all over it:

 Absolutely!

Simply give the characters enough rope (hope that is not un-PC)

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Aug 25, 2021 15:58:41 GMT -5 simrion said:

Aug 24, 2021 21:18:58 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

 Absolutely!

Simply give the characters enough rope (hope that is not un-PC)

I'm not PC. Idioms that have used for generations are cool in my book.

[Traveroark]

Definitely use these, players learn that some spells have unexpected limitations and that when you are outgunned, bringing out the heavy artillery may be a mistake.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Sept 8, 2021 21:14:31 GMT -5 Traveroark said:

Definitely use these, players learn that some spells have unexpected limitations and that when you are outgunned, bringing out the heavy artillery may be a mistake.

Although as a player I have yelled out - throw in a fire ball, hoping that I could survive, but knowing that the team could not survive this encounter without an edge and that without something to take the starch out of these opponents, that I would die anyway.