Acid, Electricity, Fire, or Cold

[Fellon]

Well im playing with the acid savant, and its not so bad, its a bit fun when i drink acid and anyone who tries to taste what im drinking gets damage

But from one hand the air savant is better than you will be able to fly at 10th lvl the only thing you can get from the earth savant is bull rush type of ability that's of little use for a wizard

But anyways its a good prestige class, too bad my dwarf at the 10th lvl will have little use for drinking beer than you will get immunity to poisons and alcohol is considered poison (at least i and the DM thinks so)

 

[Shin Okada]

If Searing Spell feat (Sandstorm) is available, I will go for Fire Savant.

It is true that many creatures are immune or resistant to to fire. But with this feat, you can ignore fire resistance and can inflict half damage against creatures immune to fire.

Then, there also be many creatures who use fire attacks. Being resistant/immune to fire helps much in general. More so than other type of energy resistances or immunities. Also, there are good amount of creatures who are vulnerable to fire.

 

[Dandu]

One thing to keep in mind about Elemental Savant: You'll always be one Protection from Energy spell away from being useless with your element.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Which again makes me refer to the Green Lantern example.

For example, if you're a Fire Savant, and your foes cast Pro: Fire, try setting things around them on fire. They may not be damaged, but they may have a problem dealing with the smoke obscuring their vision or causing them to choke. The light will definitely ruin anyone's darkvision for a while. If you're in a structure, the fire may cause it to come down on their heads.

 

[Dandu]

Which again makes me refer to the Green Lantern example.

The weaknesses were arbitrary and stupid.

For example, if you're a Fire Savant, and your foes cast Pro: Fire, try setting things around them on fire. They may not be damaged, but they may have a problem dealing with the smoke obscuring their vision or causing them to choke.

This is possible, but the effectiveness of the smoke would be entirely up to the DM, as there are no rules governing this specific area to my knowledge.

The light will definitely ruin anyone's darkvision for a while.

Note:

Darkvision

Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the creature. Darkvision is black and white only (colors cannot be discerned). It does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see otherwise—invisible objects are still invisible, and illusions are still visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.

If you're in a structure, the fire may cause it to come down on their heads.

If you're in a structure, it would also come down on your head.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The weaknesses were arbitrary and stupid.

While they may have been just that, they still forced the characters- through the writers' craft, of course- to address the issue of what happens when you face someone immune to your shtick...which is what we're talking about.

What does a Fire savant do to a target who is immune to Fire? He must fight him indirectly (if he hopes to use his power to gain him victory), or if he fights directly, must use other combative skills he has developed (say, martial arts, or a holdout sidearm). Perhaps he must even use diplomacy and bluff skillsets.

If you're in a structure, it would also come down on your head

Depends on the actual structure and the location of the damage done. If you're standing in a stone arch doorway and you burn out the wooden support beam behind your foe, he's far more likely to be injured by a collapse than you are.

Or if you're smarter & can opt to do so, stand outside the structure while causing it to lose integrity. As the saying goes, only a fool fights in a burning house.

 

[Herobizkit]

What does a Fire savant do to a target who is immune to Fire?

Pardon my ignance, but why wouldn't the Savant just take the feat that allows him to convert his damage to a different type?

As the saying goes, only a fool fights in a burning house.

... or a half-demon with Fire Resistance 10 and DR 5.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Pardon my ignance, but why wouldn't the Savant just take the feat that allows him to convert his damage to a different type?

That is an option, but its not always available...for instance, if you're 2 levels away from getting your next feat.

 

[Shin Okada]

Pardon my ignance, but why wouldn't the Savant just take the feat that allows him to convert his damage to a different type?

Because even if you change the energy type to another one via feat such as Energy Substitution, Elemental Specialty class feature re-changes the damage type (and descriptor) to that of corresponding elemental-related energy when you cast it.

For example, a Wizard/Fire Elemental Savant can apply Energy Substitution (Acid) and prepare an Acid version of Lightning Bolt.

Still, that Acidic Lightning Bolt is "a spell that normally deals energy damage". So when he actually casts it, that Acidic Lightning Bolt gains Fire descriptor and inflicts Fire damage, thanks to his Elemental Specialty class feature.

But you can, say, use feats such as Consecrate Spell, which turns part of the spell's damage into non-energy damage (divine power, in this case).

 

[Dandu]

What I don't get about the class is that it forces you to become vulnerable to Protection from Energy spells, requires you to jump through hoops to deal damage that is not of your specialization, loses 2 caster levels, and gives you very little in return.

From what I can tell, you get a piddling amount of Energy Resistance which becomes energy immunity later on, immunity to sleep, a small bonus to the save DC of energy spells, darkvision, immunity to poison and paralysis, and the ability to turn into an elemental.

Doesn't really seem worth it from a power perspective, and barely worth it when taking flavor into account.

But maybe I'm just grumpy today.