Our group recently had this discussion recently and we think it does, but I'd be interested in hearing other point of views.
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It becomes a small pile of normal burning logs. I'm not sure if RAW explicitly says that burning wood creates smoke anywhere, but... it does. Unless this is PFS, it should create smoke. Even if it's PFS, it should create smoke.
As a boy scout, I have made many fires, and as long as I avoided green wood, I had a reasonably smokeless fire. This is a standard fantasy thing. Often the fire is seen by light, or smelled by cooking. It is almost never found by smoke.
The Campfire Bead is created with the spell Produce Flame which does not generate smoke. I see no support for smoke from this item.
/cevah
Cevah, does "reasonably smokeless" mean "absolutely no smoke whatsoever"? And the spell produce flame does not create wood, which the campfire bead does. The effects of the spell are not always helpful in determining the effects of an item loosely, and loosely is the key word, based upon it.
Cevah, does "reasonably smokeless" mean "absolutely no smoke whatsoever"?
It might not mean no smoke whatsoever, but why is the smoke important? For it to have a mechanical effect on combat, it needs to obscure sight somewhat. That is much more than a normal good fire produces. For it to be spotted, it needs to be thick enough to be noticeable. The Perception DC to smell smoke is 0, but finding a concealed door is 15 and is probably as difficult as seeing a nearly smokeless fire's smoke. If there is anything to spread the smoke, you get Terrible or Unfavorable conditions penalty of +5 or +2. You also have the distance penalty of +1 per 10'.
The creature can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range.
When a creature detects a scent, the exact location of the source is not revealed—only its presence somewhere within range. The creature can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. When the creature is within 5 feet of the source, it pinpoints the source’s location.
A creature with the scent ability can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom (or Survival) check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (no matter what kind of surface holds the scent). This DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Survival skill. Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.
Smoke can be smelled up to 60', 120' upwind, 30' downwind with this ability. If you do not have the ability, the distance should be much less. Likewise, when I think of "smoke", I think of something that is easily smelled and seen, not the tiny amount from a "smokeless" fire.
Smelling cannot get you a direction if you are too far, so unless you are close enough to see the location normally, smell won't give you away.
And the spell produce flame does not create wood, which the campfire bead does. The effects of the spell are not always helpful in determining the effects of an item loosely, and loosely is the key word, based upon it.
The beads use evocation magic. The logs evoked by the bead are magical and need not behave as normal logs.
/cevah
In our case, we are using them as heat in a stone castle and not all the rooms have chimneys, so we were womdering if the campfire smokes the place out.
Since fire was the normal way to heat castles, I would say you will not have any problem with the fire. As long as you have air circulation, you are OK. Since heated air rises, you will have some motion from that, and as the hot air leaves the room, cool, fresher, air will replace it. If you close the room tight, then you might have a problem.
/cevah
It might not mean no smoke whatsoever, but why is the smoke important?
Ever drive near a house fire? Did you notice the smoke first or the flame?
It might not mean no smoke whatsoever, but why is the smoke important?Ever drive near a house fire? Did you notice the smoke first or the flame?
Nope. I did recently see a smoke plume from a house fire. However, as houses are not built to burn cleanly, I don't think this is a fair comparison to a "smokeless" campfire.
/cevah
Well, you asked why it was important.
You do realize the rhetorical question was answered in the rest of the paragraph?
It's Friday, so relax and enjoy the weekend.
/cevah
In our case, we are using them as heat in a stone castle and not all the rooms have chimneys, so we were womdering if the campfire smokes the place out.
The fun thing about these types of magical fires, it makes things like Roman baths with underfloor heating arrangements super plausible in the setting.
In our case, we are using them as heat in a stone castle and not all the rooms have chimneys, so we were womdering if the campfire smokes the place out.The fun thing about these types of magical fires, it makes things like Roman baths with underfloor heating arrangements super plausible in the setting.
Even more fun is that those baths existed in real life. It would be a sad day if you could not replicate with magic what existed in real life.
/cevah
Our group recently had this discussion recently and we think it does, but I'd be interested in hearing other point of views.
My rule of thumb with Pathfinder is that if the item/spell/ability does not explicitly state a change from the normal then it doesn't.
Since the item does not mention smokeless logs burning then you should assume it creates the same smoke as a normal campfire of the same size and shape.
In our case, we are using them as heat in a stone castle and not all the rooms have chimneys, so we were womdering if the campfire smokes the place out.The fun thing about these types of magical fires, it makes things like Roman baths with underfloor heating arrangements super plausible in the setting.Even more fun is that those baths existed in real life. It would be a sad day if you could not replicate with magic what existed in real life.
/cevah
The benefit of magic being you don't actually burn through fuel. I tend to design my magic castles with heated baths, roman heating style, japanese use. Keeps the water cleaner.
Ok, Thanks for all your input everyone!