Faolyn
(she/her)
I almost thought I wasn't going to be able to post today--my internet company was updating and so I was offline except for my phone. "We're starting at 6 am! You'll be off for just two hours, with intermittent shortages!" Hah, yeah.
The last two elementals (for now…), these are the dust elemental and salt elemental. A dust elemental is one likely to arise naturally in a place that has been abandoned for a very long time or in a place where there has been a terrible natural disaster, and it would make a good minion for a necromancer (actually, so would an ash elemental—ashes to ashes, dust to dust, so to speak). And a salt elemental would likely appear naturally in salt flats, and may be the servitors of a yellow dragon.
Quasi-Elementals
Plane Speaking, Dragon Magazine #128
Created by Jeff Grub
Quasi-elementals spring into being from the mixed magical energies of the various elemental planes and the Plane of Death.
Dust Elemental
The earthen counterpart of the ash elemental, the dust element represents the destruction of matter. They are maliciously destructive, rejoicing in taking objects apart and grinding them into nothing. They rejoice in coming to the Material World, as there is so much more to destroy. Perhaps surprisingly, they have a particular loathing for slavers, and like to give such people a taste of their own medicine. It’s said that this is in retaliation for past mistreatment at the hands of others, but nobody knows who exactly had enslaved these elementals before.
Dust Elemental Signs
1-2. Everything in the area is covered in dust and cobwebs; peoples’ dust allergies begin acting up.
3. The lighting seems filmy and gray.
4. Objects begin to break down, no matter hold well-constructed they are.
Dust Elemental Behavior
1. Pulverizing an item for fun.
2. Hostile; will attack on sight.
3. Hunting a known slaver.
4. Resting as a pile of dust.
Dust Elemental Appearance
1. A billowing cloud of dust motes, with brighter motes for eyes.
2. A large sheet of gray cobwebs.
3. A humanoid figure covered in dusty shrouds and wrappings.
4. A hulking, short-tailed quadruped with long horn-like ears and glowing white eyes.
Dust Elemental
Large elemental
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
AC 16 (natural armor)
HP 102 (12d10+36; bloodied 51)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
STR 16 (+3) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3)
INT X (+0) WIS X (+0) CHA X (+0)
Proficiency +3
Maneuver DC 14
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances necrotic; damage from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities fatigue, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned, unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Terran
Amorphous. The elemental can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Dust Storm. The elemental can use its action to transform into a cloud of dust that fits into a twenty foot radius sphere, or back into its true form. While in this form, it can’t take any actions, but its speed is 60 feet, it gains a fly speed of 60 feet, and its area is heavily obscured difficult terrain. A creature that ends its turn inside the elemental takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage and can’t benefit from being invisible.
Negative Sight. The elemental’s darkness penetrates magical darkness.
Actions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two pseudopod attacks.
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +6, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) bludgeoning damage.
Engulf. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, Reach 5 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: 14 (4d6) necrotic damage, and the target is grappled by the elemental (escape DC 14). While grappled, the creature is blinded, can’t breathe, and takes 14 (4d6) ongoing necrotic damage. If the elemental takes damage while grappling a creature in this manner, then it takes half the damage (rounded down) and the other half is dealt to the creature inside. If the elemental takes fire damage, then both it and the grappled creature take full damage.
Combat
Dust elementals like to engulf a target, and then lash out at others with its pseudopods. It will willingly allow themselves to be damaged if it means that the creature it is grappling will be harmed as well.
Variant: Giant Dust Elemental
A giant dust elemental is CR 9 (5,000 XP), and is Huge. It has 142 (15d12+45; bloodied 71) hit points. Its Pseudopod and Engulf attacks inflict an additional 10 (3d6) damage.
*
Salt Elemental
Salt elementals are clumsy, delicate entities that live a precarious existence: they must feed on moisture but too much water causes them to dissolve within moments. They are the result of the interaction of the Plane of Water and Plane of Death, but they are rarely found on either plane. Instead, they most often dwell in the Plane of Earth, or on salt flats of other planes.
Salt Elemental Signs
1. The smell of the ocean.
2. All liquids in the area are contaminated by salt.
3. Everyone is incredibly thirsty.
4. Plants in the area are drying and buildings begin crumbling away.
Salt Elemental Behavior
1. Assisting (willingly or not) a scholar or wizard in keeping their books dry.
2. On the run from a water elemental.
3. Hungry; will attack on sight.
4. Trying to suck the moisture out of every plant around it.
Salt Elemental Appearance
1. A rime-encrusted lizard.
2. A floating pillar of salt crystal (hovers just above the ground but doesn’t “fly”, per se).
3. A collection of salt cubes, put together in an asymmetrical form.
3. A young-seeming humanoid figure with salt-white skin and yellow hair.
Salt Elemental
Large elemental
Challenge # (XP)
AC 14 (natural armor)
HP 90 (12d10+24; bloodied 45)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 18 (+4) DEX 9 (-1) CON 14 (+2)
INT 5 (-3) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 5 (-3)
Proficiency +3
Maneuver DC 15
Damage Vulnerabilities acid
Damage Resistances fire; damage from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities fatigue, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned, unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Aquan
Desiccating Body. A creature that touches the elemental or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
Negative Sight. The elemental’s darkness penetrates magical darkness.
Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the elemental moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, the elemental takes 5 (1d10) acid damage. If the elemental is reduced to 0 hit points because of this damage, it explodes. Each creature within 30 feet of the elemental when this happens must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Actions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage, and the elemental regains hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage taken.
Draining Touch (Recharge 4-6). The elemental touches a creature it can see within 5 feet of it, and that creature must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 1 level of fatigue. This fatigue remains until the creature drinks 1 Supply worth of water for each level of fatigue taken.
Combat
A salt elemental will attack artlessly with its Slam and Draining Touch, but will flee if its foes use liquid to attack.
Variant: Giant Salt Elemental
A giant salt elemental is CR 9 (5,000 XP) and is Huge. It has 127 (15d12+30; bloodied 63) hit points. Its slam attack deals an extra 10 (3d6) damage.
The last two elementals (for now…), these are the dust elemental and salt elemental. A dust elemental is one likely to arise naturally in a place that has been abandoned for a very long time or in a place where there has been a terrible natural disaster, and it would make a good minion for a necromancer (actually, so would an ash elemental—ashes to ashes, dust to dust, so to speak). And a salt elemental would likely appear naturally in salt flats, and may be the servitors of a yellow dragon.
Quasi-Elementals
Plane Speaking, Dragon Magazine #128
Created by Jeff Grub
Quasi-elementals spring into being from the mixed magical energies of the various elemental planes and the Plane of Death.
Dust Elemental
The earthen counterpart of the ash elemental, the dust element represents the destruction of matter. They are maliciously destructive, rejoicing in taking objects apart and grinding them into nothing. They rejoice in coming to the Material World, as there is so much more to destroy. Perhaps surprisingly, they have a particular loathing for slavers, and like to give such people a taste of their own medicine. It’s said that this is in retaliation for past mistreatment at the hands of others, but nobody knows who exactly had enslaved these elementals before.
Dust Elemental Signs
1-2. Everything in the area is covered in dust and cobwebs; peoples’ dust allergies begin acting up.
3. The lighting seems filmy and gray.
4. Objects begin to break down, no matter hold well-constructed they are.
Dust Elemental Behavior
1. Pulverizing an item for fun.
2. Hostile; will attack on sight.
3. Hunting a known slaver.
4. Resting as a pile of dust.
Dust Elemental Appearance
1. A billowing cloud of dust motes, with brighter motes for eyes.
2. A large sheet of gray cobwebs.
3. A humanoid figure covered in dusty shrouds and wrappings.
4. A hulking, short-tailed quadruped with long horn-like ears and glowing white eyes.
Dust Elemental
Large elemental
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
AC 16 (natural armor)
HP 102 (12d10+36; bloodied 51)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
STR 16 (+3) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3)
INT X (+0) WIS X (+0) CHA X (+0)
Proficiency +3
Maneuver DC 14
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances necrotic; damage from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities fatigue, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned, unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Terran
Amorphous. The elemental can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Dust Storm. The elemental can use its action to transform into a cloud of dust that fits into a twenty foot radius sphere, or back into its true form. While in this form, it can’t take any actions, but its speed is 60 feet, it gains a fly speed of 60 feet, and its area is heavily obscured difficult terrain. A creature that ends its turn inside the elemental takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage and can’t benefit from being invisible.
Negative Sight. The elemental’s darkness penetrates magical darkness.
Actions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two pseudopod attacks.
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +6, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) bludgeoning damage.
Engulf. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, Reach 5 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: 14 (4d6) necrotic damage, and the target is grappled by the elemental (escape DC 14). While grappled, the creature is blinded, can’t breathe, and takes 14 (4d6) ongoing necrotic damage. If the elemental takes damage while grappling a creature in this manner, then it takes half the damage (rounded down) and the other half is dealt to the creature inside. If the elemental takes fire damage, then both it and the grappled creature take full damage.
Combat
Dust elementals like to engulf a target, and then lash out at others with its pseudopods. It will willingly allow themselves to be damaged if it means that the creature it is grappling will be harmed as well.
Variant: Giant Dust Elemental
A giant dust elemental is CR 9 (5,000 XP), and is Huge. It has 142 (15d12+45; bloodied 71) hit points. Its Pseudopod and Engulf attacks inflict an additional 10 (3d6) damage.
*
Salt Elemental
Salt elementals are clumsy, delicate entities that live a precarious existence: they must feed on moisture but too much water causes them to dissolve within moments. They are the result of the interaction of the Plane of Water and Plane of Death, but they are rarely found on either plane. Instead, they most often dwell in the Plane of Earth, or on salt flats of other planes.
Salt Elemental Signs
1. The smell of the ocean.
2. All liquids in the area are contaminated by salt.
3. Everyone is incredibly thirsty.
4. Plants in the area are drying and buildings begin crumbling away.
Salt Elemental Behavior
1. Assisting (willingly or not) a scholar or wizard in keeping their books dry.
2. On the run from a water elemental.
3. Hungry; will attack on sight.
4. Trying to suck the moisture out of every plant around it.
Salt Elemental Appearance
1. A rime-encrusted lizard.
2. A floating pillar of salt crystal (hovers just above the ground but doesn’t “fly”, per se).
3. A collection of salt cubes, put together in an asymmetrical form.
3. A young-seeming humanoid figure with salt-white skin and yellow hair.
Salt Elemental
Large elemental
Challenge # (XP)
AC 14 (natural armor)
HP 90 (12d10+24; bloodied 45)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 18 (+4) DEX 9 (-1) CON 14 (+2)
INT 5 (-3) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 5 (-3)
Proficiency +3
Maneuver DC 15
Damage Vulnerabilities acid
Damage Resistances fire; damage from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities fatigue, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned, unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Aquan
Desiccating Body. A creature that touches the elemental or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
Negative Sight. The elemental’s darkness penetrates magical darkness.
Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the elemental moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, the elemental takes 5 (1d10) acid damage. If the elemental is reduced to 0 hit points because of this damage, it explodes. Each creature within 30 feet of the elemental when this happens must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Actions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage, and the elemental regains hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage taken.
Draining Touch (Recharge 4-6). The elemental touches a creature it can see within 5 feet of it, and that creature must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 1 level of fatigue. This fatigue remains until the creature drinks 1 Supply worth of water for each level of fatigue taken.
Combat
A salt elemental will attack artlessly with its Slam and Draining Touch, but will flee if its foes use liquid to attack.
Variant: Giant Salt Elemental
A giant salt elemental is CR 9 (5,000 XP) and is Huge. It has 127 (15d12+30; bloodied 63) hit points. Its slam attack deals an extra 10 (3d6) damage.