Adventuring Tactics Masterclass: Elementals

[nikolai]

For the third Masterclass we're looking at monsters which are a challenge from very low to very high levels - Elementals (Air, Earth, Fire and Water). So there's loads to talk about.

Their statistics can be found here:

http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/srd/srdmonsterse.rtf

Previous Masterclasses

Giants: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=39731
Beholders: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40835

Let's see your ideas!

nikolai.

 

[shilsen]

One question - are we discussing tactics vs. the four elemental monsters in the MM (air, earth, fire, water) or including creatures with the elemental type (invisible stalkers, etc.)? I'm presuming the former.

If they're summoned by a spell, Protection from Evil or Magic Circle against Evil are very useful. Summoned creatures cannot attack you with a natural attack, and that's usually what elementals have. In fact, with a Magic Circle against Evil, your companions could stand within the area of protection and shoot at an elemental with impunity (if you do, you end the protection). Both spells allow SR to get through the protection, but elementals don't have any. Note that the same benefits do not apply with the other Protection from... and Magic Circle against... spells. As written, only the Good versions protect against all summoned creatures, while the others are alignment-dependent.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

If you don't have the ability to use the Magic Circle trick, you'll want to keep huge, greater, and elder elementals from ever making a full attack on your character. (At least at levels where they're an "appropriate challenge.") Especially water and earth elementals have devastating attacks for characters from 8-12th level. Spring attack is very helpful in this regard (and combines nicely with power attack since elementals don't have much in the way of AC).

 

[GuardianLurker]

Eh.

Elementals are boring, unless you take some liberties with them.

Number one way for elementals to appear is through conjure/summon spells or items, and since they only have melee attacks by the core rules, as soon as the PCs cast the appropriate protection the poor monsters are doomed.

And of course, there are always sonic-attacks (sonic-substituted lightning bolts, for ex.) which all will take damage from. Oh wait, none of them (except fire) are immune to their own element, so never mind.

Honestly, unless the DM takes certain liberties - like giving them ranged attacks (Air from debris, Earth throws boulders, Fire and Water throw bits of themselves), or immunity from their associated energy type, your average PC can beat these without having to think to hard.

Which can be a great thing when your party is recovering from the paranoia of battling a beholder.

Now, intelligent free-willed undead - those can be a challenge at almost any level.

 

[Voadam]

Against the fire elemental you want to throw any cold you can at it for the double damage.

 

[LokiDR]

Against the fire elemental you want to throw any cold you can at it for the double damage.

Against a fire elemental, you want to cast quench for no-save no-SR damage.

 

[nikolai]

One question - are we discussing tactics vs. the four elemental monsters in the MM (air, earth, fire, water) or including creatures with the elemental type (invisible stalkers, etc.)? I'm presuming the former.

Yes, I mean Air, Earth, Fire and Water Elementals. I'll edit the main post so there's no ambiguity.

nikolai.

 

[Tisvon]

I agree with GaurdianLurker. Elementals are only ineresting if you add some flavor to them.

So why don't we make the DMing thread about spicing them up?

 

[Pielorinho]

I recently saw a nearly-TPK resulting from one huge fire elemental vs. a group of 8th-level PCs. Elementals tend to be tough and damage-dealing; PCs should be prepared for this. Some notes on each type of elemental:

Earth: The biggest baddest of them all. If you're going to be fighting them, get off the ground: this makes them slightly weaker, makes it impossible to sneak up on you, and (most importantly) makes it almost impossible for them to reach you. If you can TK them into the air to fight them there, excellent. Some DMs may allow spells such as soften earth and stone or stone shape to damage earth elementals, but this is non-core.

Air: Fast and with a nasty whirlwind attack, their main function in a battle can be to remove a couple of your allies for a few rounds while the air elemental's friends beat on the rest of you. I don't know of any spells that are especially effective against them. Because their whirlwind effect is a minimum of 10' high, if you can get into a smaller passageway, it'll protect you from this power (I believe). Otherwise, this may be a good time to grapple your opponents: if you take up the same space as an opponent, either both of you or neither ofyou will be targeted by the whirlwind.

Fire: Nasty damage. Quench, as someone else said, is great against it. Protection from fire also greatly reduces the damage you'll take. Cold spells are horrible for it.

Water: You'll likely fight these bad boys underwater. Keep a control water spell prepared just in case -- it acts as a slow spell on them, greatly reducing their efficacy. Otherwise, get out of the water if you can and fight them from land or air.

Daniel