Fireworks

[verdilak]

A character that I am GMing wants to use fireworks as a weapon. However, I cannot find any damages for fireworks in the books. I thought about just scaling down things like artillery shells and flamethrowers based on heat and whatnot, but it thought I would ask here is maybe there are firework damages in one of the books I dont own.

[drewkitty ~..~]

No, none that I can remember.

[Rali]

I'd have a single firework (the type you see on the 4th of July (US) or other celebrations) do a fraction of the damage of a stick of dynamite (2D8 - 2D10). It would also probably have two different effective radius's: Concussive 10 feet, and Flare/Burn ~20-30 feet (depending on the type of firework). Also consider if the firework has those secondary pyrotechnics and what type they are (sparklers, flares, spinners, salutes, etc...)

If you're talking about the small consumer fireworks I'd go as small as 1D4 to 1D6.

Also, take into consideration whether the firework is doing damage by heat or concussion. Firecrackers do mostly concussive damage and are less likely to start fires, while fountains and roman candle do mostly burn damage and can start nearby objects on fire.

[verdilak]

The thing of it is, is that sparklers get hot enough to melt gold, so the damages for them is hard to determine, what without PB not giving specific temperatures to other things.

[Rali]

...without PB not giving specific temperatures to other things.

These are role playing books, not science manuals. When dealing with situations that are not covered in the books, GM's should fall back on their best judgment. It may not always be 100% correct, but we are dealing with fantasy/fiction settings where the natural order of things need not apply.

[Nekira Sudacne]

The thing of it is, is that sparklers get hot enough to melt gold, so the damages for them is hard to determine, what without PB not giving specific temperatures to other things.

This is true. but there's a difference between heat intensity and how much heat there is total. A sparkler may be hot enough to melt gold, but there's not a lot of heat, so it tends to disapate quickly before actually melting a gold bar.

I mean heck, a wall mart flashlight generates about 2000 degree heat, it's just that it's so little spread out amoung so much, it dosn't actually burn anything.

That's also why you can fry stuff with magnifying glasses.

So the real question isn't how hot, it's how MUCH of it.

[Tinker Dragoon]

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[Mouser13]

In the Old RIFTS Merc book their is list of explosive, for both S.D.C. and M.D.C. I would use them as a examples, since fireworks are just small/control explosions.

[acreRake]

If the fireworks are just off the shelf stuff, i'd go with the damages for non-volatile explosives on pg 28 of NSS (since it's describing non-industrial explosives, and fireworks are not weaponized): 2D6/lb to target and 1D6 to each 5'/lb.

If the character (or her supplier) is making firework-style weapons, i'd use anything from the "Explosives" list of gimmick weapons on pg 134 of HU2.

As far as the "hot enough to melt gold" stuff: I've grabbed and been struck by sparklers enough to know they'll hurt, but not any more than being punched in the face (1D4). It's not just heat either, it's conductivity, like how you can still hold the other end of it ... or walk on hot coals. If someone rammed a burning sparkler inside of you somehow (and those things are pretty fragile) you'd probably be in trouble, but if they're just throwing them at you, i'm betting they'll lose that fight.