Fire Hexes and multi-hex creatures

[Drakenbow]

I find it a bit of a delema when looking at how much damage a multi-hex creature would end up taking when trying to pass through even a single row of fire hexes.

If you had a hallway 3-hexes wide, a 7-hex dragon chasing the PCs down the hall, and one spellcaster puts up a 3-hex fire across the hall, how would you treat sustaining damage?

If the dragon stepped one hex per turn, it would take very little damage. At most I believe would be two hexes stopped in for 8 points minus armor, otherwise 4 points damage would be stopped. This would slow the dragon down.

But if the dragon tried to pass through all at once it would be 2x7 or 14 points total, minus the dragon's armor.

While a PC with armor that stops 4 damage could stroll one hex at a time through seven hexes and take no damage.

This seems a bit off balance.

Does anyone use any mitigating factors here?

[Axly Suregrip]

I treat each hex of the dragon as a different character, thus each hex has armor and has exposure to fire that it runs through.

So, if the whole dragon ran over the line of fires, each hex of the dragon would be exposed to 1 hex of fire (2 damage) and its armor would stop 5 damage. No problem.

I think this is reasonable as the fire is just beginning to burn the dragon in one of its hexes before it moves on, and the armor in the next hex is still cool as it enters the fire hex. And so on.

[Drakenbow]

Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip

I treat each hex of the dragon as a different character,... each hex of the dragon would be exposed to 1 hex of fire (2 damage) and its armor would stop 5 damage.

OK. That scenario I didn't think of. Thanks.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip

I treat each hex of the dragon as a different character, thus each hex has armor and has exposure to fire that it runs through.

I agree with treating each hex separately. To keep track of damage, a laminated multi-hex blank to match he shape of giants, dragons, etc. can be used. Make tally marks with a grease pencil or dry erase marker as each hex moves into fire, and, after movement has ended, add two marks in each of the creature's hexes still in a fire hex. Then subtract the armor from the total for each hex, add up what's left, and that's the fire damage the creature takes. Keeping track on a VTT is harder.

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by Drakenbow

I find it a bit of a delema when looking at how much damage a multi-hex creature would end up taking when trying to pass through even a single row of fire hexes.

If you had a hallway 3-hexes wide, a 7-hex dragon chasing the PCs down the hall, and one spellcaster puts up a 3-hex fire across the hall, how would you treat sustaining damage?

If the dragon stepped one hex per turn, it would take very little damage. At most I believe would be two hexes stopped in for 8 points minus armor, otherwise 4 points damage would be stopped. This would slow the dragon down.

But if the dragon tried to pass through all at once it would be 2x7 or 14 points total, minus the dragon's armor.

While a PC with armor that stops 4 damage could stroll one hex at a time through seven hexes and take no damage.

This seems a bit off balance.

Does anyone use any mitigating factors here?

Last I ran TFT...

I used each hex does its damage to a given target only once per turn.
I treated each hex's damage as a separate attack, as well.

I also reduced non-magical armor by 1 per round in fire to avoid the CLANK-CLANK-I'M-A-TANK from standing in the wizard's fire hexes for too long.

[Axly Suregrip]

Originally Posted by ak_aramis

I also reduced non-magical armor by 1 per round in fire to avoid the CLANK-CLANK-I'M-A-TANK from standing in the wizard's fire hexes for too long.

This I really like! ITL needs this.