Torch Combat

It seems to me that oftentimes an adventurer might be caught off guards, torch in one hand, sword in the other, while leaped upon by a pack of raging undead creatures. In this event, rather than drop the torch and to pull out another weapon or to sling a shield, the character may choose to use the torch as an off-hand weapon with the following rules;

1. No off-hand penalty is given to striking with the torch, since the open flame is both very dangerous and off-putting to nearly any foe.

2. The torch affords an additional single attack per round, causing 1-6 points of damage per hit.

3. Any semi-flammable target (such as any character wearing normal clothing, etc.) struck must save vs. wands or catch fire, causing 1d3 additional points of damage during the following round, and causing the affected creature to spend that next round extinguishing him or herself and doing nothing else.

4. Any flammable target (such as mummies, treants, dryads, twig blights, oil-covered characters, etc.) struck must save vs. wands or catch fire, causing 1-16 points of damage per round for d3 rounds. During this time the creature may or may not (at the DM's determination) run around in a panic, berserk rage, frenzy, or perhaps attack normally in certain circumstances.

5. Every time a hit is scored with a torch, there is a 2 in six (roll a d6; score of 1-2) chance of the torch going out.

6. Other characters in the area, if relying on the torch-wielder as a source of light, suffer a -2 to hit each round due to the constant shifting shadows and flickering of the flame caused by combat swings.

7. A torch wielding character causes Fear in all flammable creatures (even undead),and in all normal animals (and perhaps some giant-types, if the DM determines that it is appropriate).