This item, in essence, releases a burning chemical that deals fire damage to and ignites creatures and objects
- within its initial sphere radius
- everything beneath the explosion of the bomb
It then ignites the ground beneath its explosion, in the same area as the explosion. It's basically an alchemical incendiary. The area of effect originates from a point you choose/throw the object to within 60 feet of you. It should work like a spell effect in that regard. I'm thinking the initial damage deals 3d6 fire damage, and another 3d6 at the start of each ignited creature's turns until they take an action to put it out. Same damage—or perhaps less—when a creature enters a burning area.
I just have no clue how to write it properly based on how I want it to work.
Paladin Pentagon is in the bomb's blast radius. So is Square Druid in her wild shape. Star aaracokra ranger and Hexgoblin are not in the initial blast radius. Pentagon and Square are set alight because they're in the initial explosion. Then the stuff falls in the radius of the bomb to create a burning circle on the ground. Square is not in the ground circle, but she's still on fire because she was caught in the intial blast. Hexgoblin wasn't in the initial blast, but he's still set on fire because he was beneath it. Pentagon Pally would be set alight either way. Star isn't set on fire at all.
I really have no clue how to word this area of effect, or at least something similar. So far I've considered:
- a cone that must be oriented downward to create the expansion/explosion effect and the circle on the ground. Problem: can spells and effects written like spells force the orientation of a spell effect? I don't think they can.
- a sphere and a cylinder straight down, both of which use the origin point of wherever the bomb exploded. A creature can only take the damage once per turn. I think this one works, but my gut says something about rotating columns along axes that change the direction from "straight down" could be an issue.
- a sphere of effect, and then affects a circle of the same radius on the ground beneath it.
- Just be done with it and do a cylinder. Problem is, if the cylinder is thrown high enough, it won't hit the ground at all, and for something that's functionally napalm that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
I hate to ask stack exchange to write my stuff content for me, but I'm at a bit of a loss here and figured folks would appreciate a challenge.