Acid-based Attacks
Acid-based attacks Acid-based attacks are threats that manifest as corrosive liquids or enzymatic secretions, which eat through surfaces, armour and flesh upon contact. This typically involves the corrosion being splashed, sprayed, exhaled or oozed onto victims, damaging whatever it touches. Acid may also exist as pools or coated surfaces. Though armour may absorb and initial contact, if a failed saving throw indicates that it's been eaten through, there's considered to be sufficient acid to eat through cloth and flesh afterwards. Magical items are likewise subject to these attacks, as they are still fundamentally made of susceptible materials.
Acid may be so strong that it's able to eat through floors, walls, doors or containers, creating further hazards beyond the original attack. When falling or thrown, acid can splash, so that small globules can cause damage to individuals or bore small holes in equipment. This is painful, so that combatants and others so struck are always assumed to jump back an involuntary distance of one combat hex, whether or not they have been stunned. Animals tend to react very excitedly to these attacks. Hit points lost due to acid can be healed normally. Neutralising acid through the use of common bases or large quantities of water must be handled on a case-by-case basis, but the chances of success are obviously increased through the creation of water through magic and special knowledge had by the character attempting to resolve the situation.
In dungeon environments, it is likely to be found in traps or in the form of residue associated with those creatures that employ it or live in it. While a pool of acid may resemble water or oil in dim light, the substance reveals itself through its odour, especially to those creatures or persons with heightened senses.
Effects and Throwing Acid
In most cases, the amount of damage caused is specified within the descriptions of those monsters associated with it. An 4-ounce vial of acid thrown upon a victim causes 2-8 damage if a to hit roll succeeds — if the roll fails, the result is still 1-3 splash damage. Two combat hexes may be attacked at the same time, causing splash damage to both; this occurs whether or not a hit on a d20 is indicated; see below. Acid may be "splashed" in this manner from a distance of no more than 1 hex.
This makes acid an effective attack, but somewhat dangerous if a natural 1 or 2 is rolled, as a dropped flask can explode at a users feet or cause direct damage or splash effects to one's allies. Because of this possibility, a die roll must still be rolled if attempting to splash two hexes, to see if the vial is fumbled during the attempt.
Acid contained in flasks can be thrown like a bomb with the accuracy of a short axe: point blank 2 hexes, short distance 3-5, medium 6-7 and long (8-10). A -2 penalty is applied to hit at medium range and a -5 penalty at long. Misses are treated according to the rules outlined in grenade-like missiles. The flask breaks on any d20 roll except a 20 (which makes save). Those in the same hex suffer 2-8 points of damage, while each person in a surrounding hex suffers a splash of 1-3.
Creatures able to Attack with Acid
Monsters known to use acid-based attacks include (partial list):
See also,
Natural Abilities
The Adventure
