Converting Planescape monsters

[freyar]

Planescape Appendix III version

STEAM
Climate/Terrain: Quasiplane of Steam
Frequency: Common
Organization: Band
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Any gas
Intelligence: Low to high (5–14)
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1d6
Armor Class: 2
Movement: Fl 12 (E)
Hit Dice: 6, 9, or 12
THAC0:
— 6 HD: 15
— 9 HD: 11
— 12 HD: 9
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD
Special Attacks: None
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: G (60’ wide)
Morale: Champion (15–16)
XP Value:
— 6 HD: 2,000
— 9 HD: 5,000
— 12 HD: 8,000

STEAM QUASIELEMENTAL
Also known as mist quasielementals, these vaporous beings look like large clouds of virtually transparent gas. Their ghostly appearance should be a warning even to an addlecove that the creatures are best left alone.

Combat: Steam quasielementals have full control of their temperature. They can become a mass of scalding steam or a cloud of freezing mist at will, even switching back and forth between the extremes every round.

In battle, they simply surround and engulf their foes. Each round, anyone within a quasielemental’s area (which can fill a cube up to 60 feet on a side) suffers 1d6 points of either hot or cold damage plus 1 additional point for each of the creature’s Hit Dice. The quasielemental doesn’t need to make an attack roll, and the victim receives no saving throw. The gaseous creature can also strike those outside its area with a single misty tendril.

A steam quasielemental can be struck only by weapons or +1 or greater enchantment. It’s immune to cold-based attacks, weather-affecting spells, and any harmful effects from water. Fire-based attacks cause only half damage. Electricity inflicts full damage, but it also can hurt anyone currently engulfed by the creature. (Sods in the cloud must make a saving throw versus spell; failure indicatesthat they suffer half damage from the electrical attack, and success means that they suffer none.)

Steam quasielementals can move through the air or water with equal ease, and they can pass through the smallest of openings or cracks in solid objects.

Habitat/Society: Steam quasielementals are said to slip their misty tendrils into all aspects or life on their home plane, where they’re virtually impossible to detect. The most intelligent ones organize their lessers into cadres of spies and agents. Thus, they not only know everything that happens on the Quasiplane of Steam (and other planes nearby), but they can try to control those events as well.

These dangerous creatures don’t hesitate to attack whenever a berk stands in the way of their plans – or whenever it serves their purposes. More frequently, they try to take intruders as slaves, because their one limitation is their inability to manipulate objects. Planewalkers or other bashers made of solid matter prove useful for such tasks (which, admittedly. don’t arise too often).

Ecology: Steam quasielementals absorb gases to sustain themselves and reproduce simply by absorbing a great deal and then splitting in two.

 

[Cleon]

Excellent! Update with that, and I think these are done.

Updating the Radiance Quasi-Elemental Working Draft.

Steam is the last one. I'll repost the original stats below.

Thanks for saving me the bother!

The first question is are we making these Fortitude-primary or Reflex-primary?

The Water elemental is Fort-prime but it feels a bit weird having a creature made from vapour not be Ref-prime.

Then again, it'd break symmetry if we went that route, since standard elementals have two Fort and two Ref.

I'm inclined to make them Fort-prime as well so both the positive and negative quasis are also two-and-two.

 

[freyar]

I guess Fortitude. Thoughts about the ability score progression? I'm thinking a little weaker than water and a little less agile than air for these.

 

[Cleon]

I guess Fortitude. Thoughts about the ability score progression? I'm thinking a little weaker than water and a little less agile than air for these.

They've got the same AC and move as an AD&D Fire Elemental so maybe we should consider Fire Elementals as a comparison? Especially as Steam Quasi-Elementals inflict energy damage via heating or freezing.

They do similar damage too - a 9 HD Fire Elemental does 3d8 (average 13.5) vs 1d6+9 (average 12.5) for a 9 HD Steam Quasi. That means a 12 HD Steam actually does more damage than a Fire Elemental! Although it does do significantly less than an AD&D Water Elemental's 5d6 (average 17.5).

Hmm… how about we give it a Fire Elemental's slam damage but tweak the Strength progression so it does a bit more damage than a Fire Elemental at Huge+ sizes but similar or a bit less at smaller sizes?

We might have to reduce the energy damage from a Fire Elemental's d4/d6/2d6/2d8/4d6 progression to make the numbers come out right but that feels OK to me - I'm not sure it feels right to have it do as much fire damage as a "pure" Fire Elemental.

For movement I'm thinking Fly 30 ft. (clumsy) with Hover as a bonus feat.

For the Armour Class I'm thinking we could simply give it the same Dex modifier and NA as a Fire Elemental.

Anyhow, let's have a stab at some numbers…

Small - AC 15 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), Str 10, Dex 12, Con 13,
Slam damage 1d4 plus 1d4 cold or fire [5 vs. Fire's 5]
Medium - AC 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), Str 12, Dex 16, Con 17,
Slam damage 1d6+1 plus 1d6 cold or fire [8 vs. Fire's 8]
Large - AC 18 (–1 size, +5 Dex, +4 natural), Str 18, Dex 20, Con 19,
Slam damage 1d10+4 plus 1d10 cold or fire [16 vs. Fire's 16]
Huge - AC 19 (–2 size, +7 Dex, +4 natural), Str 22, Dex 24 Con 21,
Slam damage 2d8+6 plus 2d8 cold or fire [24 vs. Fire's 22]
Greater - AC 24 (–2 size, +8 Dex, +8 natural), Str 24, Dex 26, Con 21,
Slam damage 2d8+7 plus 2d8 cold or fire [25 vs. Fire's 23]
Elder - AC 25 (–2 size, +9 Dex, +8 natural), Str 26, Dex 28, Con 21,
Slam damage 2d8+8 plus 2d8 cold or fire [26 vs. Fire's 24]
Monolith - AC 29 (–4 size, +9 Dex, +14 natural), Str 36, Dex 28, Con 25
Slam damage 6d6+13 plus 4d6 cold or fire [48 vs. Fire's 46]

That looks about right to me. I'm not entirely happy with the Strength 12 at Medium size but if we had Strength 14 there it'd jump the damage up to 2 points higher than a Fire elemental and I was aiming to keep it the same.

To smooth out the damage progression I tweaked it so instead of a Fire Elemental's 1d6=>2d6=>2d8 from Medium to Huge it went 1d6=>1d10=>2d8.

Since we're going for Fort-primary I assume you're OK giving it the same Constitution progression as a Water/Earth Elemental, same as our Mineral Quasi conversion.

 

[freyar]

Basing it on Fire as in your trial numbers all seems fine. Let's go with all that! And, yes, I'm find with using the water/earth elemental progression for Con.

Are we ready to deal with the engulfing attack? I guess the real question is if should really be an Engulf attack --- I don't think I'd like an "engulfed" opponent to be grappled, so I think I'd give the SA a different name. I just can't remember if we have a precedent. Maybe with some other gaseous type ooze, like a nishruu?

 

[Cleon]

Basing it on Fire as in your trial numbers all seems fine. Let's go with all that! And, yes, I'm find with using the water/earth elemental progression for Con.

I'll start a Working Draft then.

Are we ready to deal with the engulfing attack? I guess the real question is if should really be an Engulf attack --- I don't think I'd like an "engulfed" opponent to be grappled, so I think I'd give the SA a different name. I just can't remember if we have a precedent. Maybe with some other gaseous type ooze, like a nishruu?

The 3E version of a Nishruu is an swarm with the gaseous form ability. Oh, and it's an Outsider, not an Ooze. That doesn't really work for our conversion.

There are a number of creatures with special attacks that allow them to surround victims with their bodies and attack them producing a grapple effect, such as the Smoke Claws attack of a Belker or Smoke Paraelemental:

Smoke Claws (Ex): A belker in smoke form (see below) can engulf opponents by moving on top of them. It fills the air around one Medium or smaller opponent without provoking an attack of opportunity. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or inhale part of the creature. The save DC is Constitution-based. Smoke inside the victim solidifies into a claw and begins to rip at the surrounding organs, dealing 3d4 points of damage per round. An affected creature can attempt another Fortitude save each subsequent round to cough out the semivaporous menace.

Smoke Claws (Ex): A smoke paraelemental can engulf opponents by moving on top of them. It fills the air around one opponent smaller than it is without provoking an attack of opportunity. The target must succeed at a Fortitude save or inhale part of the creature. Smoke inside the victim solidifies into a claw or talon and begins to rip at the surrounding organs, dealing double the paraelemental’s claw damage automatically. The affected creature can attempt another Fortitude save each subsequent round to cough out the semivaporous menace. The save DC varies with the paraelemental’s size.

There's also the Vampiric Mist conversion in the CC:

Envelop (Ex): A vampire mist can engulf opponents by moving on top of them, as a standard action. It fills the air around one Medium or smaller opponent without provoking an attack of opportunity. The two creatures are not considered grappled, but the opponent can break free and leave the vampire mist’s space with a successful Escape Artist or grapple check. So long as an opponent remains enveloped in a vampire mist, the mist can automatically hit with its tendril attack each round.

While engulfing a victim, the vampire mist cannot attack other creatures with its tendrils or envelop another character. An engulfed victim can attack the vampire mist normally with physical attacks. If other characters use edged weapons to attack the vampire mist while it is holding a victim, those attacks have a 25% chance of hitting the trapped character, and they do no harm to the vampire mist.

Neither of those are quite what we're after.

However, I found a far better fit in the CC's conversion of the Spectral Cloud:

Engulfing Fog (Ex): While in its cloudform, a spectral cloud can simply move over Large or smaller creatures as a standard action. It cannot make a chilling touch attack during a round in which it engulfs. The spectral cloud merely has to move over the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make opportunity attacks against the spectral cloud, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on a DC 22 Reflex save or be engulfed; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the spectral cloud moves forward. Engulfed creatures are not considered to be grappled, but moving through the spectral cloud's space is similar to the effects of a solid fog spell. Each round a creature remains engulfed, it suffers 2d8 points of cold damage. The save DC is Strength-based and includes a +3 racial bonus.

That's a pretty good match. It just needs some tweaking - change the name to "Engulfing Steam", scale the damage with size and have its interior work like a fog cloud rather than solid fog. Regarding the damage, I'm inclined to tie it to a "Scald" special attack that also adds to its slam damage as well as harming things that contact the elemental, like the Burn special attack of a Fire Elemental.

We also need to give it some sort of "Steamy Form" ability to allow it to "pass through the smallest of openings or cracks in solid objects" and account for its "inability to manipulate objects" and being "virtually impossible to detect" in misty areas.

Although I suppose we could split the latter up into more than one SQ.

 

[Cleon]

Quasi-Elemental, Positive, Steam

Steam Quasi-Elemental, Small
Small Elemental (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (6 squares, clumsy), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–4
Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d4 plus 1d4 cold or fire)
Full Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d4 plus 1d4 cold or fire)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Engulfing steam, steamburn
Special Qualities: Conducting body, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, positive adaptation, protection from weather & water, resistance to fire 5, steamy form
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +2, Spot +2, Swim +9
Feats: Weapon Finesseᴮ, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam (see text)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 2 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: —

Steam Quasi-Elemental, Medium
Medium Elemental (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 3d8+9 (22 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (6 squares, clumsy), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: AC 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d6+1 plus 1d6 cold or fire)
Full Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d6+1 plus 1d6 cold or fire)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Engulfing steam, steamburn
Special Qualities: Conducting body, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, positive adaptation, protection from weather & water, resistance to fire 5, steamy form
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +3, Spot +3, Swim +11
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesseᴮ, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam (see text)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 4–5 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

Steam Quasi-Elemental, Large
Large Elemental (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 6d8+24 (51 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (6 squares, clumsy), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (–1 size, +5 Dex, +4 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+12
Attack: Slam +9 melee (1d10+4 plus 1d10 cold or fire)
Full Attack: 2 slams +9 melee (1d10+4 plus 1d10 cold or fire)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Engulfing steam, steamburn
Special Qualities: Conducting body, damage reduction 5/–, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, positive adaptation, protection from weather & water, resistance to fire 10, steamy form
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +2
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 20, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +5, Swim +13
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Finesseᴮ, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam (see text)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 7–11 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

Steam Quasi-Elemental, Huge
Huge Elemental (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 12d8+60 (114 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (6 squares, clumsy), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 19 (–2 size, +7 Dex, +4 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+23
Attack: Slam +15 melee (2d8+6 plus 2d8 cold or fire)
Full Attack: 2 slams +15 melee (2d8+6 plus 2d8 cold or fire)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Engulfing steam, steamburn
Special Qualities: Conducting body, damage reduction 5/–, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, positive adaptation, protection from weather & water, resistance to fire 10, steamy form
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +11, Will +6
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 24 Con 21, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +8, Swim +15
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Cleave, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Finesseᴮ, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam (see text)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 13–17 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

Steam Quasi-Elemental, Greater
Huge Elemental (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 18d8+90 (171 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (6 squares, clumsy), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 24 (–2 size, +8 Dex, +8 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+28
Attack: Slam +20 melee (2d8+7 plus 2d8 cold or fire)
Full Attack: 2 slams +20 melee (2d8+7 plus 2d8 cold or fire)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Engulfing steam, steamburn
Special Qualities: Conducting body, damage reduction 10/–, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, positive adaptation, protection from weather & water, resistance to fire 20, steamy form
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +14, Will +8
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 26, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +12, Spot +13, Swim +15
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Finesse (B), Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam (see text)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 19–23 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

Steam Quasi-Elemental, Elder
Huge Elemental (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 24d8+120 (228 hp)
Initiative: +9
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (6 squares, clumsy), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 25 (–2 size, +9 Dex, +8 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+34
Attack: Slam +26 melee (2d8+8 plus 2d8 cold or fire/19-20)
Full Attack: 2 slams +26 melee (2d8+8 plus 2d8 cold or fire/19-20)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Engulfing steam, steamburn
Special Qualities: Conducting body, damage reduction 10/–, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, positive adaptation, protection from weather & water, resistance to fire 20, steamy form
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +19, Will +10
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 28, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +15, Spot +16, Swim +16
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slam), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Finesseᴮ, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam (see text)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 25–48 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

Steam Quasi-Elemental, Monolith
Gargantuan Elemental (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 36d8+255 (417 hp)
Initiative: +13
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (6 squares, clumsy), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 29 (–4 size, +9 Dex, +14 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +27/+39
Attack: Slam +37 melee (6d6+13 plus 4d6 cold or fire/19-20)
Full Attack: 2 slams +37 melee (6d6+13 plus 4d6 cold or fire/19-20)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft.
Special Attacks: Engulfing steam, steamburn
Special Qualities: Conducting body, damage reduction 15/–, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, positive adaptation, protection from weather & water, resistance to fire 30, steamy form
Saves: Fort +27, Ref +23, Will +16
Abilities: Str 36, Dex 28, Con 25, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 17
Skills: Listen +23, Spot +24, Swim +21
Feats: Alertness, Awesome Blow, Combat Reflexes, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Finesseᴮ, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam (see text)
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 17
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 37–54 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —

An eerie cloud of vapor so transparent it is little more than a shimmer floating in the air. Despite its apparent insubstantiality the cloud is coherent and seems to move with purpose, as if alive.

Steam quasi-elementals inhabit the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam, which is formed from the junction of the Positive Energy Plane and the Elemental Plane of Water. They are said to influence or control almost every living being on their home plane and desire to extend this mastery to their neighboring planes.

Steam quasi-elementals are almost invisibly in a steamy environment such as the Plane of Steam. When visibly, their vaporous bodies resemble a ghostly water elemental. They fly and swim with equal faculty. On their rare visits to the Prime Material Plane they are only found in places where the air is constantly filled with water vapor, such as the base of a waterfall.

The vaporous bodies of steam quasi-elementals lack the ability to manipulate objects, so they strive to manipulate other creatures instead. They expend great effort spying on the inhabitants of their plane and its neighbors in a perpetual quest for control. The more powerful steam quasi-elementals run spy networks of their weaker and less intelligent brethren, and many of them keep slaves to work with material objects on their behalf. Steam quasi-elementals are as aggressive as they're manipulative and have no hesitancy about attacking creatures that interfere with their plans or refuse to cooperate. They prefer to enslave intruders than kill them, however.

These elementals feed by absorbing gases and vapors. In rare circumstances a steam quasi-elemental reproduces by absorbing a vast amount of vapor and splitting off an offspring.

A steam quasi-elemental has the same height and weight as an air elemental of the same size.

COMBAT
Steam quasi-elementals typically attack by engulfing their opponents until they die. These quasi-elementals mainly use their slam attacks when they are unable to engulf all their foes. If a steam quasi-elementals of substantial size faces a single powerful opponent, or melee fighters with a shorter reach than its own slam attacks, it would rather use slams than engulf.

Conducting Body (Ex): Any creature that is being grappled or engulfed by a steam quasi-elemental when it takes electricity damage must also succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (using the DC of the attack or DC 15 if none is given) or suffer half damage from the attack. The creature takes no damage if they save. Steam quasi-elementals themselves take damage normally from electrical attacks.

Engulfing Steam (Ex): A steam quasi-elemental can simply move over creatures smaller than itself as a move action. A steam quasi-elemental can make slam attacks while engulfing but it can only attack targets outside itself - it cannot slam engulfed opponents. The steam quasi-elemental merely has to move over the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make opportunity attacks against the quasi-elemental, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on a Reflex save or be engulfed; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the quasi-elemental moves forward. Engulfed creatures are not considered to be grappled, but moving through the steam quasi-elemental's space is similar to the effects of a fog cloud spell. Each round a creature remains engulfed, it suffers the damage indicated in the Steam Quasi-Elemental Engulfing Steam Table. The steam quasi-elemental automatically damages creatures it has engulfed as a free action. It can act normally in a round - including making a full attack - and continue to damage opponents it already covers. The save DC is Strength-based.

Steam Quasi-Elemental Engulfing Steam Table

Size of Steam Quasi-Elemental	Steam Damage (Cold or Fire)	Save DC
Small Medium Large Huge Greater Elder Monolith	1d8 2d6 4d6 7d6 6d8 8d8 14d6	11 12 17 22 26 30 41

Steamburn (Ex): A steam quasi-elemental can change the temperature of its body once per round as a free action, allowing it to scald or freeze anything in contact with it. The quasi-elemental's slam attack deals bludgeoning damage plus cold or fire damage. Creatures hitting a steam quasi-elemental with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take cold or fire damage as though hit by the elemental's attack. A steam quasi-elemental can choose to lower its steamburn damage to that of a smaller quasi-elemental or become a "room-temperature" steam that does not inflict fire or cold damage.

Positive Adaptation (Ex): Steam quasi-elementals do not exceed their full normal hit points or need to make Fortitude saves due to being in a positive-dominant environment.

Protection from Weather & Water (Ex): A steam quasi-elemental never suffers harmful effects from bad weather, water-based attacks, or spells with the Water descriptor.

Steamy Form (Ex): Steam quasi-elementals exist in a state between liquid and gas. The quasi-elemental can flow through cracks of any size but can not pass through solid matter. It can not manipulate material objects, but can cast spells and benefit from natural armor. Steam quasi-elementals can fly through the air in the form of a cloud of vapor. Unlike gaseous creatures, steam quasi-elementals can enter water or other liquids and swim. An underwater steam quasi-elemental resembles a boiling mass of bubbles.

Steam quasi-elementals do not need to breathe and are immune to attacks involving breathing.

Discerning a steam quasi-elemental from natural mist or boiling liquid requires a DC 15 Spot check. Steam quasi-elementals attempting to hide while surrounded by mist, smoke, other gases, fumeroles and geysers or when immersed in boiling liquid gain a +20 bonus to their Hide checks.

Skills: A steam quasi-elemental has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. A steam quasi-elemental use either its Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Swim checks, whichever is higher. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.


The Steam Quasielemental first appeared in Dragon #125 (1987).

 

[freyar]

How is your proposed "Steamy Form" different than gaseous form (maybe plus a Hide bonus in misty areas)?

For the attacks, the 2 slams in the attack lines need to turn into 1 tendril attack. I do think either the Vampire Mist or Spectral Cloud SA would work, and I'd probably go with the spectral cloud one, too. One note is that the engulf and tendril can do either fire or cold damage as desired, so I don't think "Scald" is a good name for one of those attacks. Honestly, I don't think we need a separate ability, either, just the one engulfing one.

One question is whether the quasi can also use its tendril while already engulfing victims. The original doesn't say, and the spectral cloud's ability forbids it.

 

[Cleon]

How is your proposed "Steamy Form" different than gaseous form (maybe plus a Hide bonus in misty areas)?

They can run. They won't all have DR 10/magic. They benefit from natural armor. They'll be able to enter water. They can use their supernatural abilities.

I suppose they can also cast spells that don't require material components too.

Checking the SRD, the Gaseous Form special ability already provides the "Hide bonus in misty areas". Curious that's not mentioned in the gaseous form spell:

SRD:
Discerning a creature in gaseous form from natural mist requires a DC 15 Spot check. Creatures in gaseous form attempting to hide in an area with mist, smoke, or other gas gain a +20 bonus.​

For the attacks, the 2 slams in the attack lines need to turn into 1 tendril attack.

What, why? We're just following the precedent of Elementals gaining 2 slam attacks at Large size. We've done that for all the other Quasi-Elemental conversions, and they all only had 1 "normal" attack in the original stats.

I do think either the Vampire Mist or Spectral Cloud SA would work, and I'd probably go with the spectral cloud one, too.

Basing it on the Spectral Cloud's engulfing attack would be my preference too.

One note is that the engulf and tendril can do either fire or cold damage as desired, so I don't think "Scald" is a good name for one of those attacks.

Yes, I wasn't entirely happy with the name either since it just expresses the "fire" side of the damage. Maybe "Mistburn" or "Scalding/Freezing" instead?

Honestly, I don't think we need a separate ability, either, just the one engulfing one.

Being a mass of scalding/freezing steam surely will heat anything that comes in contact with it, just like a Fire Elemental's Burn special attack.

One question is whether the quasi can also use its tendril while already engulfing victims. The original doesn't say, and the spectral cloud's ability forbids it.

Eh? The Planescape stats clearly state "The gaseous creature can also strike those outside its area with a single misty tendril". i.e. it can make normal melee attacks while engulfing opponents.

Since we'll be reworking the Spectral Cloud's ability to "engulfing steam" it's not difficult to modify the ability to allow it to attack external opponents while engulfing victims.

 

[freyar]

They can run. They won't all have DR 10/magic. They benefit from natural armor. They'll be able to enter water. They can use their supernatural abilities.

I suppose they can also cast spells that don't require material components too.

Checking the SRD, the Gaseous Form special ability already provides the "Hide bonus in misty areas". Curious that's not mentioned in the gaseous form spell:

SRD:
Discerning a creature in gaseous form from natural mist requires a DC 15 Spot check. Creatures in gaseous form attempting to hide in an area with mist, smoke, or other gas gain a +20 bonus.​

Yes, that's weird. I was looking at the spell. But the running thing doesn't apply, since their movement type is flying anyway. But your other points make sense, especially if we're sticking with the slam as below.

What, why? We're just following the precedent of Elementals gaining 2 slam attacks at Large size. We've done that for all the other Quasi-Elemental conversions, and they all only had 1 "normal" attack in the original stats.

Well, I had been thinking about making it a tendril attack(s) rather than slam(s), but you're right that it's easier just to stick with the slams.

Yes, I wasn't entirely happy with the name either since it just expresses the "fire" side of the damage. Maybe "Mistburn" or "Scalding/Freezing" instead?

Mistburn sounds good!

Being a mass of scalding/freezing steam surely will heat anything that comes in contact with it, just like a Fire Elemental's Burn special attack.

Hmm, I didn't get that from the original, but it would make them more interesting, I agree.

Eh? The Planescape stats clearly state "The gaseous creature can also strike those outside its area with a single misty tendril". i.e. it can make normal melee attacks while engulfing opponents.

Since we'll be reworking the Spectral Cloud's ability to "engulfing steam" it's not difficult to modify the ability to allow it to attack external opponents while engulfing victims.

I wasn't sure that the "also" meant while engulfing or as an alternative to engulfing. But I'm happy enough to allow a slam during an engulf.