Converting Epic Level Creatures

[freyar]

Ok, what's next on these?

 

[Cleon]

Sounds good.

So we've crept another step closer to finishing them then!

 

[Shade]

Does it need any more special abilities, or shall we move on to the remaining bits?

 

[Cleon]

Does it need any more special abilities, or shall we move on to the remaining bits?

They still seem a bit underwhelming for creatures that are supposedly the ne plus ultra of elementals.

How about giving them some (or, preferably, all) of the following:

A wide-area version of a Lavawight's Heat Aura:

Heat Aura (Su):

A 10-foot-radius spread heat aura surrounds a lavawight. All creatures of the fire subtype in the field (including the lavawight) are treated as if having turn resistance +6 (if undead) and fast healing 10. Creatures subject to fire damage take 2d10 points of fire damage each round they remain within the heat aura.

Something like this:

Elemental Aura (Su): A 100-foot-radius spread aura surround an Elemaster. All creatures of the same Elemental subtype as the elemaster (including the elemaster) are treated as if having turn resistance +6 (where appropriate) and fast healing 10. Creatures without immunity to to air/earth/fire/water [delete as appropriate] effects take 2d10 points of electricity/bludgeoning/fire/acid [delete as appropriate] damage each round they remain within the aura. The elemaster can exclude creatures from its aura's effects in any number or combination as a free action.
​

I also fancy some kind of unique attack ability. Either a separate ability for each Elemaster or elemental variants of the same ability, or both. Here's a suggestion:

Elemental Transubstantiation (Su): X times per day, an elemaster can turn all objects and corporeal creatures in an area up to Y in extend into elemental substances of its own type - e.g. an Earth elemental can turn air or water into gravel. This power has no effect on creatures of the same elemental subtype as the Elemaster. Affected targets are entitled to a DC X Fort? save to resist the transformation. The elemaster can choose to make this transformation fatal to corporeal creatures (e.g. an air elemaster literally evaporates its opponents) or transform them into elemental creatures by applying the Z template, such creatures are affected by an elemasters' master elemental power (see below).
​

The "Z template" is probably just "target's type becomes Elemental or Outsider with the same subtype as the Elemaster, all other abilities remain unchanged".

They ought to be able to command elementals as well:

Master Elemental (Su): An elemaster can turn or destroy elementals or outsiders of the opposite subtype (e.g. water for a fire elemaster) as an evil cleric rebukes undead. An elemaster can turn, rebuke, command, bolster or destroy elementals or outsiders of its own elemental subtype as a good cleric turns undead or an evil clerics rebukes undead (unlike mortal clerics, an Elemaster is able to both turn and rebuke its subjects). Master elemental does not affect other elemasters. Elemasters can use master elemental as many times as it wishes.
​

Some kind of "high level summoning" that's more powerful than the elemental swarm Elemasters can use at-will would also seem to be in order:

Summon Elemental Court (Su): An elemaster can summon [some combination of Elder and Primal elementals] per day. This ability is the equivalent of a Xth-level spell.
​

What do you think?

 

[Shade]

Something like this:

Elemental Aura (Su): A 100-foot-radius spread aura surround an Elemaster. All creatures of the same Elemental subtype as the elemaster (including the elemaster) are treated as if having turn resistance +6 (where appropriate) and fast healing 10. Creatures without immunity to to air/earth/fire/water [delete as appropriate] effects take 2d10 points of electricity/bludgeoning/fire/acid [delete as appropriate] damage each round they remain within the aura. The elemaster can exclude creatures from its aura's effects in any number or combination as a free action.
​

Good one.

I also fancy some kind of unique attack ability. Either a separate ability for each Elemaster or elemental variants of the same ability, or both. Here's a suggestion:

Elemental Transubstantiation (Su): X times per day, an elemaster can turn all objects and corporeal creatures in an area up to Y in extend into elemental substances of its own type - e.g. an Earth elemental can turn air or water into gravel. This power has no effect on creatures of the same elemental subtype as the Elemaster. Affected targets are entitled to a DC X Fort? save to resist the transformation. The elemaster can choose to make this transformation fatal to corporeal creatures (e.g. an air elemaster literally evaporates its opponents) or transform them into elemental creatures by applying the Z template, such creatures are affected by an elemasters' master elemental power (see below).
​

The "Z template" is probably just "target's type becomes Elemental or Outsider with the same subtype as the Elemaster, all other abilities remain unchanged".

I like this one, but might want to work on it a bit. For templates, I'd favor the element creature templates, which are unfortunately not in the SRD.

They ought to be able to command elementals as well:

Master Elemental (Su): An elemaster can turn or destroy elementals or outsiders of the opposite subtype (e.g. water for a fire elemaster) as an evil cleric rebukes undead. An elemaster can turn, rebuke, command, bolster or destroy elementals or outsiders of its own elemental subtype as a good cleric turns undead or an evil clerics rebukes undead (unlike mortal clerics, an Elemaster is able to both turn and rebuke its subjects). Master elemental does not affect other elemasters. Elemasters can use master elemental as many times as it wishes.
​

Excellent.

Some kind of "high level summoning" that's more powerful than the elemental swarm Elemasters can use at-will would also seem to be in order:

Summon Elemental Court (Su): An elemaster can summon [some combination of Elder and Primal elementals] per day. This ability is the equivalent of a Xth-level spell.
​

Based on my suggested "elemental hierarchy" above, I'd like to leave out primal elementals. Definitely elders, and an underbar for elemental monoliths (the Gargantuan ones between elders and primals). To toughen 'em up, we could let 'em summon 48-HD elder elementals (fully advanced).

 

[Cleon]

Elemental Transubstantiation (Su): X times per day, an elemaster can turn all objects and corporeal creatures in an area up to Y in extend into elemental substances of its own type - e.g. an Earth elemental can turn air or water into gravel. This power has no effect on creatures of the same elemental subtype as the Elemaster. Affected targets are entitled to a DC X Fort? save to resist the transformation. The elemaster can choose to make this transformation fatal to corporeal creatures (e.g. an air elemaster literally evaporates its opponents) or transform them into elemental creatures by applying the Z template, such creatures are affected by an elemasters' master elemental power (see below).
​

The "Z template" is probably just "target's type becomes Elemental or Outsider with the same subtype as the Elemaster, all other abilities remain unchanged".

I like this one, but might want to work on it a bit. For templates, I'd favor the element creature templates, which are unfortunately not in the SRD.

Yes it needs a bit lot of work, that was just the rough outline. I knew the element creature template isn't SRD, which is why I reluctantly left out any mention of it.

Here's a more detailed revision, with the addition of "elemental construction":

Elemental Transubstantiation (Su): Once per day an elemaster can transubstantiate all material objects and corporeal creatures in an area of up to 100 5-ft. squares that is within a range of 1000 ft. The affected area can be any shape. The elemaster can affect an area of any shape it wishes and exclude creatures within the affected area from the transubstantiation effect. All affected targets must succeed at a DC X Fort? or be transformed into elemental substances, the effects depend on the elemaster's intentions. Creatures that have the same elemental type as the elemaster are not affected by its transubstantiation; targets with no material substance are also unaffected, such as incorporeal creatures or objects of force such as an unseen servant.

If the elemaster wishes destruction, the target will instantly evaporate/crumble into gravel/burn to ashes/melt into puddles [delete as appropriate]. The transformed residue of creatures destroyed by elemental transubstantiation are not the remains of a living creature and can not be used for raise dead or resurrection spells. A miracle, true resurrection or wish spell is necessary to bring back to life a creature destroyed by this transformation.

Alternatively, the elemaster can transform material objects or creatures instead of destroying them, as follows:

Transformed creatures become beings of elemental substance. Their type changes to elemental (if their intelligence is 2 or less) or outsider (if their intelligence is 3 or higher) and they gain the same subtype as the elemaster. They also gain a fly (perfect)/burrow/swim [delete as appropriate] speed equal to their fastest speed. Note that these transformed creatures are now susceptible to the elemasters' master elemental power (see below).

Transformed objects in the area can be used to form a structure of any shape the elemaster desires, the structure resembles a permanent solid fog surrounded by a permanent wind wall/a double strength wall of iron/a permanent solid fog surrounded by a permanent wall of fire/a double strength and double damage permanent wall of ice [delete as appropriate], and have Y hp per 5-ft. square. Treat this structure as a permanent magic item, it is not affected by dispel magic or break enchantment and is immune to effects of the elemaster's type. It takes a mage's disjunction spell or more powerful abjuration to destroy the structure (which is CL 84 and has a +Y on all its saves).
​

Based on my suggested "elemental hierarchy" above, I'd like to leave out primal elementals. Definitely elders, and an underbar for elemental monoliths (the Gargantuan ones between elders and primals). To toughen 'em up, we could let 'em summon 48-HD elder elementals (fully advanced).

What do you have against summoning a Primal or two? They are lower tier than the Elemaster. Is the problem the big jump in HD/size between the two?

The elemental swarm spell allows the summoning of 2d4 Large, 1d4 Huge and 1 Greater Elemental, so I fancied a similar range of sizes for the "super-summon". Something like 2d4 Elder elementals / 1d4 Advanced (48HD) Elder elementals or monoliths / 1 Primal elemental would seem to fit nicely.

Alternatively the top rung could be summoning another elemaster with the note like "an elemaster will only summon another elemaster under dire circumstances, since it becomes indebted to the other elemaster."

 

[Cleon]

Master Elemental (Su): An elemaster can turn or destroy elementals or outsiders of the opposite subtype (e.g. water for a fire elemaster) as an evil cleric rebukes undead. An elemaster can turn, rebuke, command, bolster or destroy elementals or outsiders of its own elemental subtype as a good cleric turns undead or an evil clerics rebukes undead (unlike mortal clerics, an Elemaster is able to both turn and rebuke its subjects). Master elemental does not affect other elemasters. Elemasters can use master elemental as many times as it wishes.

Just noticed this has an "evil clerics" and an "Elemasters" that should be singular. I thought I'd got them all.

EDIT: Plus the first "an evil cleric rebukes" should be "a cleric turns", as freyar pointed out below. ENDEDIT

Revising...

Master Elemental (Su): An elemaster can turn or destroy elementals or outsiders of the opposite subtype (e.g. water for a fire elemaster) as a cleric turns undead. An elemaster can turn, rebuke, command, bolster or destroy elementals or outsiders of its own elemental subtype as a good cleric turns undead or an evil cleric rebukes undead (unlike mortal clerics, an Elemaster is able to both turn and rebuke its subjects). Master elemental does not affect other elemasters. An elemaster can use master elemental as many times as it wishes.

 

[freyar]

This is all looking quite interesting. But Master Elemental needs some revision since evil clerics don't turn undead.

Master Elemental (Su): An elemaster can turn or destroy elementals or outsiders of the opposite subtype (e.g. water for a fire elemaster) as a cleric turns undead. An elemaster can turn, rebuke, command, bolster or destroy elementals or outsiders of its own elemental subtype as a good cleric turns undead or an evil cleric rebukes undead (unlike mortal clerics, an Elemaster is able to both turn and rebuke its subjects). Master elemental does not affect other elemasters. An elemaster can use master elemental as many times as it wishes.

 

[freyar]

And on transubstantiation, no other modifications for the "mini-template"? How can the transformation be reversed?

 

[Cleon]

This is all looking quite interesting. But Master Elemental needs some revision since evil clerics don't turn undead.

Master Elemental (Su): An elemaster can turn or destroy elementals or outsiders of the opposite subtype (e.g. water for a fire elemaster) as a cleric turns undead. An elemaster can turn, rebuke, command, bolster or destroy elementals or outsiders of its own elemental subtype as a good cleric turns undead or an evil cleric rebukes undead (unlike mortal clerics, an Elemaster is able to both turn and rebuke its subjects). Master elemental does not affect other elemasters. An elemaster can use master elemental as many times as it wishes.

Well spotted!

I was sure I'd got all the turns and rebukes sorted out, but it looked like one slipped through. I'll edit post #47 to match.