Fire Elementals vs. Quicksand

[frankthedm]

Doesn't sand turn to glass when super heated? So technically the fire elemental would just walk on the quick sand b/c it turned to glass.

Also, wouldn't the fire evaporate the water, making the quick sand just sand?

But it has to arrive to do so. If the area can not support the summon, the conjuration fails.

A creature or object brought into being or transported to your location by a conjuration spell cannot appear inside another creature or object, nor can it appear floating in an empty space. It must arrive in an open location on a surface capable of supporting it.

Water is a barrier to a fire elemental. I feel it would have been far more reasonable for the spell to fail, rather than have the elemental appear, then sink.

 

[glass]

If the fire elemental couldn't support itself on the quicksand, the summoning spell should arguably have failed.

I don't think there is anything arguable about it, it would have failed.

*braces himself for someone to argue*



glass.

 

[lukelightning]

This is why you should always summon air elementals.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

This is why you should always summon air elementals.

As the player of the druid in question, summoned elementals are almost always air (mobility, whirlwind) or earth (damage, staying power). Just felt like mixing things up a bit.

 

[werk]

If the fire elemental couldn't support itself on the quicksand, the summoning spell should arguably have failed.

That was my first thought too, but how do you adjudicate that? 'Sorry, your spell fails...you don't know why.' or do you make them aware of the quicksand...make them roll a spellcraft? Maybe a softee DM would have it summoned next to the quicksand?

If you ruled that the fire elemental didn't sink, then the QS is capable of supporting it, so it'd be a non-issue.

 

[MarauderX]

Quicksand is considered as a liquid with players making swim checks just like water.

I thought about the summoning not working at all, just like trying to summon a fire elemental on a lake, and perhaps I should have ruled that way. Looking back, the explanation would be something like "the elemental could not sustain itself at the location chosen, but you can make an easy concentration check to try to place it next to or behind you."

Thanks all for the input!

 

[Choon-Ma]

So, if the spell didn't fail because of an invalid surface, I'd say that the elemental wouldn't sink, but wouldn't be able to walk either. Teh elemental's heat would probably vaproize any water under it which would (if it was very wet quicksand) be instantly replaced and vaporized. Essentially, it would be standing on a very think layer of steam and liquid-suspended sand, thus giving it essentially no foothold or tracktion. So the elemental would stand there trying to move, but it's 'legs' would just wobble around in the muck.

I would probably also give minimal (10-30%) consealment to anyone on opposite sides of the massive steam plume created by the event.

There, that's my two cents.