Lighting / Using a Smokestick

[Mystically Inclined]

I'm thinking of taking shadow strike for my Ninja, so I'm taking a long look at how smokesticks work. I'd always equated them to glow sticks- crack 'em and drop 'em. The description says burned though, which makes me wonder how fast they can be used during a fight.

A search of the rules forum turns up plenty of threads asking about the concealment aspect of smokesticks, but nothing concerning how to use them.

Smokestick from PRD:

Price 20 gp; Weight 1/2 lb.

This alchemically treated wooden stick instantly creates thick, opaque smoke when burned. The smoke fills a 10-foot cube (treat the effect as a fog cloud spell, except that a moderate or stronger wind dissipates the smoke in 1 round). The stick is consumed after 1 round, and the smoke dissipates naturally after 1 minute.

In practical terms, how many actions does it take to use a smokestick? Using a power or item is generally assumed to be a standard action unless the description says otherwise, but if you have to light it do you need to spend another round pulling and using a tindertwig?

Can a smokestick be lit on the run and dropped?

Is there a way - aside from a spring loaded wrist sheath - to pull a smokestick more quickly than a move action? (Sadly, my ninja does not have a tail so that option won't work.)

Once lit, the smokestick fills a 10-foot cube with smoke. That means the smoke forms a 'square' of 4 squares that would be 2 squares tall, right?

[Mystically Inclined]

Bump.

[Hayato Ken]

Using flint and steel is a full round action.
Or you can use spark if you have it.
Or a already burning candle, torch, etc. That might reduce the action cost. Ultimately, it is up to the GM it seems.

[blackbloodtroll]

Tindertwig is your best bet.

[Stiletto]

I know this doesn't answer your whole questions but I would like to tell you what my character does. I bought several smoke arrows Smoke Arrow and shoot it at my feet to create a 5' square of smokey concealment for myself. Costs less than a smokestick (20gp vs 10gp) and is only a 5' square, but it makes it one standard action. Now that my rogue has two attacks per round, I shoot my first arrow at my foe (with full attack bonus) and then my second arrow goes into the ground (my weaker attack bonus) so that at the start of my next turn I will be in concealment.

In a Pathfinder society game I played, the DM made me use a move action to get the smokestick, another move action to get a tindertwig (a full round action to make both moves) then a standard action to light the smokestick with the tindertwig. Two rounds of almost doing nothing.

S

[Rapanuii]

Can you fire from the smoke and not suffer penalties?

[Razata]

If you have something like the Ifrit Firesight Feat or the Oracle's Waves Mystery's Watersight, yes, you can see right through it.