Molotov Cocktail

The Molotov Cocktail in GTA IV.
Carl Johnson about to throw a molotov in GTA San Andreas.

The Molotov Cocktail is an incendiary weapon first introduced in Grand Theft Auto 2.

Description

Used to set a small area on fire, the Molotov cocktail is based on the real-life "home-made" Molotov cocktail, which is prepared by inserting a rag into a partially filled liquor bottle, allowing the rag to "wick up" the flammable alcohol or other volatile liquid within. This causes the soaked rag to become flammable itself, allowing it to be lit on fire. Because the fumes from the flammable liquid (which are actually what catches fire, not the liquid itself) are contained within the bottle, full ignition does not occur until the glass container is ruptured, allowing the fumes to escape. This normally happens upon impact of the Molotov against a hard surface, after being thrown.

It can set a group of pedestrians on fire or light a car's engine on fire, causing it to explode. Victims on foot will catch fire and die if close enough to the flames. In GTA2 molotov doesn't set fire, but explodes. Use of the Molotov will normally result in at least a 1-star wanted level. It proves to be one of the most deadly weapons for the player when used at close range. It is one of only two weapons which can destroy a tank, the other being a Flamethrower. In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories the Molotov is more effective and can destroy a vehicle rapidly fast after one cocktail being thrown at the vehicle (providing the vehicle is in the inner circle of the blast).

In Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the player can use the touch screen to throw Molotov Cocktails at a distance in any direction. Huang Lee can go to gas stations marked in the radar to fill up bottles of gasoline to use as Molotov Cocktails. A minigame is associated to this with the player using the touch screen to aim the gas nozzle to the bottle and shoving a cloth into the bottle.

When you have it held in you in GTA San Andreas in front of the mirror, the fire does not show up.

Gallery

In-game model

HUD icon

Locations

GTA 2

(To show your coordinates you have to enter a cheat code, use at your own risk)

  • Downtown District:
    • Use the stairs at the east side of the asylum main building (Sunnyside) (70,5 17,5 4)
    • Take the street south of the cathedral and follow it in west direction. Take the second street to the south. At the end you'll see a courtyard on the south side. (Funabashi) (105,5 196,5 2)
    • Go to the street in the middle of Ukita. Take it on east direction. Find the garden when it turns north and look for the small courtyard next to it (Ukita) (81,5 250,5 2)
    • Enter the passage at the west side of the cathedral. Take the stairs at its end. Follow them and keep your way to the roof (Avalon) (164,5 118,5 6)
    • Building north of the church east of the Shiroto car shop (Avalon) (69,5 122,5 2)
    • Go to the street west of the cathedral. Follow it on south direction. It will turn east, take the first street to south, and then the second to west. Follow the stairs on the north side. Follow the north hallway to a metal platform, then walk a bit more towards north. Go to the metal platform east of it (Altamount) (159,5 174,5 3)
    • North of the police warehouses in Flotsam (Flotsam) (203,5 166,5 2)
    • Go to the street south of the Flotsam Police Station and follow it on east direction. Take the last street on the north side before it turns south. You’ll soon see a tiny courtyard on your left (Flotsam) (227,5 175,5 3)
    • Awarded when a Shark is crushed
  • Residential District:
    • Hut at the northwest corner of the map (Mobile RV Park) (5,5 4,5 2)
    • Alley south of Plaza de Panique (Xenoton) (114,5 57,5 2)
    • Go to the Belmont motel located some blocks west of the central police station. Use the stairs to get to the roof (Belmont) (50,5 119,5 5)
    • Take the street west of the church. Take the first big street on south direction (the first one leads to a parking). Take the third street on west direction, then turn left (south) and then right (west). Go to the alley where the street ends (Morton) (55,5 174,5 2)
    • Get a car. Look for some stairs at the east side of the free access section of the Scientist Research Center. Follow them, use a platform above the train tracks until you reach a long platform. Take the west direction and drop down to the train tracks. Use the ramp to jump to the next roof (Morton) (112,5 236,5 6)
    • Dropped by Rednecks with 5 negative respect bars
    • Awarded when a Spritzer is crushed
  • Industrial District:
    • Go to the area with two conveyor belts next to the Tabernacle car shop. Use the stairs next to the entrance (Krishna Krushers) (234,5 134,5 3)
    • Go to the Tabernacle car shop and take the street towards west. Once past the first street towards south, check the houses on the south side (Maharishi) (188,5 168 2)
    • West section of the building with a central tower located north of the construction site (Lattero) (88 221 2)
    • Get a fast car and go to the street east of the Zaibatsu information phone. Drive on south direction at top speed and hit the ramp. You should land on a tower. Safely drop down to ground level (Escobar) (48 217,5 2)
    • Parking lot in Sennora located west of the Sennora parking lot (Sennora) (77,5 129,5 2)
    • Go to the building east of Bayano hospital. Enter from the stairs on its east side, then use the ramp to go up. Use one of the side ramps and jump to the central platform. Jump from the central platform to the one on the west side (Bayano) (61 187,5 5)
    • Look for the stairs on the west side of the road to mad Island just before you enter it. Use them to get to the tower (Tedium) (18,5 42,5 6)
    • Take the first street towards east as soon as you enter Mad Island. You'll enter a set of warehouses. Take the wooden platform on its east side until you reach another set of warehouses, this time on Tedium. Take the metal platform and follow it until you see a point where you can drop to the train tracks. Don't drop and instead head west. Follow the path on north direction, and then use the stairs to get to the tower (Tedium) (28,5 41,5 6)
    • Dropped by Krishnas with 3 or 4 negative respect bars
    • Awarded when a Romero is crushed
GTA III
GTA Vice City
  • Downtown - At the Tacopalypse restaurant across the street east of the Hyman Condo. Perhaps the secret ingredient to their hot sauce?
GTA San Andreas
GTA Liberty City Stories
GTA Vice City Stories
GTA IV

Molotov Cocktails can be purchased at the back-alley gun shops for $500. They can also be purchased from Little Jacob for $350. Being hit by one on multiplayer is not a death sentence, because you can pause and will not take fire damage while the flames begin to extinguish. However, you can still be killed, stabbed, shot, or otherwise hurt. They can be used from cars, but it is diffucult to do so as the Molotov would have to hit the target directly. A couple Molotovs will flame up a car also, while four will set it ablaze, and six will completely destroy it or render it inoperable.

Trivia

  • In Grand Theft Auto IV, there is a glitch that exists that involves the Molotov Cocktail. If the player lights themself on fire with the Molotov prior to jumping off or falling off a building, regardless of the height, they will survive the fall, but lose a large amount of health and armour in the process due to the fall and fire damage when they would normally be wasted instantly. This glitch, however, only works sometimes.

Source