diff --git a/doc/JSON_INFO.md b/doc/JSON_INFO.md
index 298a8177be462..5392cab0c32d1 100644
--- a/doc/JSON_INFO.md
+++ b/doc/JSON_INFO.md
@@ -1516,10 +1516,10 @@ Emitters randomly place [fields](#field-types) around their positions - every tu
 | Identifier  | Description
 |---          |---
 | `id`        | Unique ID
-| `field`     | Field type emitted
-| `intensity` | Initial intensity of the spawned fields (spawning multiple fields will still cause their intensity to increase). Default 1.
-| `chance`    | **Percent** chance of the emitter emitting, values above 100 will increase the quantity of fields placed via `roll_remainder` (ex: `chance: 150` will place one field 50% of the time and two fields the other 50% ). Failing the roll will disable the whole emission for the tick, not rolled for every `qty`! Default 100.
-| `qty`       | Number of fields placed. Fields are placed using the field propagation rules, allowing fields to spread. Default 1.
+| `field`     | Field type emitted.  This can be a Variable Object, see the [doc](EFFECT_ON_CONDITION.md) for more info. 
+| `intensity` | Initial intensity of the spawned fields (spawning multiple fields will still cause their intensity to increase). Default 1.  This can be a Variable Object, see the [doc](EFFECT_ON_CONDITION.md) for more info. 
+| `chance`    | **Percent** chance of the emitter emitting, values above 100 will increase the quantity of fields placed via `roll_remainder` (ex: `chance: 150` will place one field 50% of the time and two fields the other 50% ). Failing the roll will disable the whole emission for the tick, not rolled for every `qty`! Default 100.  This can be a Variable Object, see the [doc](EFFECT_ON_CONDITION.md) for more info. 
+| `qty`       | Number of fields placed. Fields are placed using the field propagation rules, allowing fields to spread. Default 1.  This can be a Variable Object, see the [doc](EFFECT_ON_CONDITION.md) for more info. 
 
 ```JSON
   {
diff --git a/src/emit.cpp b/src/emit.cpp
index de611503beff6..3a3ad826183ea 100644
--- a/src/emit.cpp
+++ b/src/emit.cpp
@@ -5,33 +5,33 @@
 #include <utility>
 
 #include "debug.h"
+
+#include "condition.h"
 #include "flexbuffer_json-inl.h"
 #include "flexbuffer_json.h"
+#include "json.h"
 
 static std::map<emit_id, emit> emits_all;
 
 /** @relates string_id */
 template<>
-bool string_id<emit>::is_valid() const
+const emit &string_id<emit>::obj() const
 {
     const auto found = emits_all.find( *this );
     if( found == emits_all.end() ) {
-        return false;
+        debugmsg( "Tried to get invalid emission data: %s", c_str() );
+        static const emit null_emit{};
+        return null_emit;
     }
-    return !found->second.field().id().is_null();
+    return found->second;
 }
 
 /** @relates string_id */
 template<>
-const emit &string_id<emit>::obj() const
+bool string_id<emit>::is_valid() const
 {
     const auto found = emits_all.find( *this );
-    if( found == emits_all.end() ) {
-        debugmsg( "Tried to get invalid emission data: %s", c_str() );
-        static const emit null_emit{};
-        return null_emit;
-    }
-    return found->second;
+    return found != emits_all.end();
 }
 
 emit::emit() : id_( emit_id::NULL_ID() ) {}
@@ -46,11 +46,10 @@ void emit::load_emit( const JsonObject &jo )
     emit et;
 
     et.id_ = emit_id( jo.get_string( "id" ) );
-    et.field_name = jo.get_string( "field" );
-
-    jo.read( "intensity", et.intensity_ );
-    jo.read( "qty", et.qty_ );
-    jo.read( "chance", et.chance_ );
+    et.field_ = get_str_or_var( jo.get_member( "field" ), "field" );
+    et.intensity_ = get_dbl_or_var( jo, "intensity", false, 1.0 );
+    et.qty_ = get_dbl_or_var( jo, "qty", false, 1.0 );
+    et.chance_ = get_dbl_or_var( jo, "chance", false, 100.0 );
 
     emits_all[ et.id_ ] = et;
 }
@@ -62,24 +61,8 @@ const std::map<emit_id, emit> &emit::all()
 
 void emit::finalize()
 {
-    for( auto &e : emits_all ) {
-        e.second.field_ = field_type_id( e.second.field_name );
-        const int max_intensity = e.second.field_.obj().get_max_intensity();
-        if( e.second.intensity_ > max_intensity || e.second.intensity_ < 1 ) {
-            debugmsg( "emission intensity of %s out of range (%d of max %d)", e.second.id_.c_str(),
-                      e.second.intensity_, max_intensity );
-            e.second.intensity_ = max_intensity;
-        }
-        if( e.second.qty_ <= 0 ) {
-            debugmsg( "emission qty of %s out of range", e.second.id_.c_str() );
-        }
-        if( e.second.chance_ > 100 || e.second.chance_ <= 0 ) {
-            debugmsg( "emission chance of %s out of range (%d of min 1 max 100)", e.second.id_.c_str(),
-                      e.second.chance_ );
-            e.second.chance_ = std::max( std::min( e.second.chance_, 100 ), 1 );
-        }
-    }
 }
+
 void emit::check_consistency()
 {
 }
diff --git a/src/emit.h b/src/emit.h
index 2538ca39793b2..8d5510bca3222 100644
--- a/src/emit.h
+++ b/src/emit.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "field_type.h"
 #include "type_id.h"
+#include <dialogue_helpers.h>
 
 class JsonObject;
 
@@ -26,23 +27,23 @@ class emit
         bool is_valid() const;
 
         /** Type of field to emit @see emit::is_valid */
-        field_type_id field() const {
-            return field_;
+        field_type_id field( dialogue &d ) const {
+            return field_type_id( field_.evaluate( d ) );
         }
 
         /** Intensity of output fields, range [1..maximum_intensity] */
-        int intensity() const {
-            return intensity_;
+        int intensity( dialogue &d ) const {
+            return intensity_.evaluate( d );
         }
 
         /** Units of field to generate per turn subject to @ref chance */
-        int qty() const {
-            return qty_;
+        int qty( dialogue &d ) const {
+            return qty_.evaluate( d );
         }
 
         /** Chance to emit each turn, range [1..100] */
-        int chance() const {
-            return chance_;
+        int chance( dialogue &d ) const {
+            return chance_.evaluate( d );
         }
 
         /** Load emission data from JSON definition */
@@ -62,13 +63,10 @@ class emit
 
     private:
         emit_id id_;
-        field_type_id field_ = fd_null.id_or( INVALID_FIELD_TYPE_ID );
-        int intensity_ = 1;
-        int qty_ = 1;
-        int chance_ = 100;
-
-        /** used during JSON loading only */
-        std::string field_name;
+        str_or_var field_;
+        dbl_or_var intensity_;
+        dbl_or_var qty_;
+        dbl_or_var chance_;
 };
 
 #endif // CATA_SRC_EMIT_H
diff --git a/src/map_field.cpp b/src/map_field.cpp
index 559cd97124436..fdce124401514 100644
--- a/src/map_field.cpp
+++ b/src/map_field.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "avatar.h"
 #include "bodypart.h"
 #include "calendar.h"
 #include "cata_utility.h"
@@ -2103,10 +2104,11 @@ void map::emit_field( const tripoint &pos, const emit_id &src, float mul )
         return;
     }
 
-    const float chance = src->chance() * mul;
-    if( src.is_valid() &&  x_in_y( chance, 100 ) ) {
-        const int qty = chance > 100.0f ? roll_remainder( src->qty() * chance / 100.0f ) : src->qty();
-        propagate_field( pos, src->field(), qty, src->intensity() );
+    dialogue d( get_talker_for( get_avatar() ), nullptr );
+    const float chance = src->chance( d ) * mul;
+    if( x_in_y( chance, 100 ) ) {
+        const int qty = chance > 100.0f ? roll_remainder( src->qty( d ) * chance / 100.0f ) : src->qty( d );
+        propagate_field( pos, src->field( d ), qty, src->intensity( d ) );
     }
 }