Heat or Fire Damage
Heat damage (from fire) has a wide range. A minor candle flame can range from 1000 degrees F to 1400, while the coolest part of a bonfire can be as low as 800 degrees F. A safety flame in a laboratory is about 300 degrees F. A household match is about 600-800. But the size of the candle flame limits its ability to harm the character unless it spreads.
Damage is based on temperature, size, and length of exposure time.
Temperature: base damage starts at 200 degrees for a 1 damage rating. It goes up by 1 point per 100 degrees after that.
Size: ranges from candle or matchstick to massive conflagration to atomic explosions. Non-flame heat sources also take size into consideration. A pinpoint of heat would be -12. Some examples include the following:
| Flame |
Modifier |
| Candle or matchstick |
-6 |
| Torch |
-3 |
| Kitchen pan grease fire |
-1 |
| Fireplace |
0 |
| Large campfire |
+3 |
| Bonfire |
+6 |
| Burning room |
+9 |
| Housefire |
+12 |
Exposure time: the longer you are in the heat, the more damage it causes. The damage rating goes up 1 point per hour for temperatures under 100 degrees, 1 point per 10 minutes above 200, 1 point per 1 minute above 300, 1 point per 30 seconds above 600, 1 point per 10 seconds above 1000, 1 point per 3 seconds above 2000.
Other factors may be considered as per the GM’s discretion.
Hot Water Damage
Hot water has a prolonged effect due to exposure time. It acts in part as a clinging heat source.
| Temperature |
Time til damage |
Damage |
2nd degree burn (temporary damage) |
3rd degree burn (permanent damage) |
| 113 |
2 hours |
6/11/16/21 |
Special failure |
Critical failure |
| 117 |
20 minutes |
6/11/16/21 |
Special failure |
Critical failure |
| 118 |
15 minutes |
6/11/16/21 |
Special failure |
Critical failure |
| 120 |
8 minutes |
7/12/17/22 |
Special failure |
Critical failure |
| 124 |
2 minutes |
7/12/17/22 |
Special failure |
Critical failure |
| 131 |
6 rounds |
8/13/18/23 |
Special failure |
Critical failure |
| 140 |
1 round |
9/14/19/24 |
Normal failure |
Exceptional failure |
Every degree above 140 (Fahrenheit) causes damage in 1 round. For every 5 degrees above, the damage rating goes up by 1. After 200 degrees, second degree burns happen on ties and 3rd degree on special failures.
Molten Damage
Lava (or magma) is about 1,470 to 2,190°F on average. As a heat source, a small mote of it would have a damage rating of about 13 to 20, depending on the temp. Usually, it is not a small mote. Size and exposure time works the same as heat/fire damage. Lava is semi-solid. Most would not sink into it, but instead lie atop it and be cooked alive. If somehow you end up underneath it, it combines heat damage and suffocation damage.
| Material |
Molten temperature |
| Lava/magma |
1470-2190 |
| Steel or iron alloys |
2200-2500 |
| Gold |
1065-1960 |
| Silver |
1765 |
| Copper |
1985 |
| Lead |
625 |
| Sand |
3130 |
| Salt |
1475 |
| Sugar |
295 |
Steam
Plasma Damage
Napalm and Clinging Heat
Chemical Burns
Chemical burns are burns caused by acids, alkylants, bases, certain gases, reducing agents, solvents, certain biological sources, oxidizers, and chemical weapons. They do not require a heat source and instead cause burns via chemical reactions with the body. They can be rapid or slow, might be initially painless or extremely painful, and can cause issues deep into the body from surface contact.
Like poisons, they can build in power over time, based on success rates. A light contact may do little to a person, but repeated contact without cleaning between or untreated weak contact might build up its power. What chemicals do this vary, but those that do will have a score in slow damage that grows in strength as long as an exceptional success or better isn’t rolled (for STR) in resistance to it.
Stronger chemicals cause burning damage immediately. The victim rolls STR vs. the power of the acid. If the chemical has hit a vital area, it may be fatal, but chemicals that hit non-vital areas may not kill. Instead, on exceptionals and criticals, it will make a body part unusable. The amount of exposure and amount of chemical used also affects the damage rating. The more exposure and the more used brings the damage rating up. See
Inventory pages for various chemicals’ ratings.
| Body part |
Exceptional damage |
Critical damage |
| Finger/toe |
Lost finger/toe |
Multiple lost fingers/toes |
| Tooth |
Severe tooth damage |
Multiple lost teeth |
| Tongue/lips |
Lost taste/tongue damage/lip damage |
Lost lips and tongue |
| Hand/foot |
PRO penalties/ATH penalties |
Lost hand or foot |
| Leg/arm |
ATH penalties/PRO penalties |
Permanent damage to arm/leg |
| Knee/elbow |
ATH/PRO penalties |
Permanent loss of joint use |
| Nose |
Loss of smell |
Permanent loss of nose |
| Ear |
Loss of hearing |
Permanent loss of ear |
| Eye |
Loss of sight |
Permanent loss of eye |
| Hair |
Hair loss |
Permanent scarring and hair loss |
| Midsection/rear |
Intense pain and discomfort |
Permanent discomfort |
| Genitalia |
Intense pain, discomfort, and damage to genitalia |
Loss of genitalia |
| Back |
Extreme pain and discomfort |
Permanent back damage |
| Abdomen/belly |
Extreme pain and discomfort |
Permanent belly damage and possible organ damage |
| Chest |
Extreme pain and discomfort |
Permanent chest damage and possible rib or organ damage |
| Shoulder |
PRO penalties |
Permanent loss of joint use |
| Neck |
Possible death |
Blood loss and death |
| Face |
Permanent disfigurement, possible nose, mouth, and eye damage |
Permanent disfigurement, nose, mouth, or eye damage |
| Head |
Possible death |
Definite death |