Horrid Wilting

[Trainz]

My players cast Horrid Wilting on some elementals.

I ruled that the fire elem wasn't harmed. How could it ? The spell removes water from the target; how could that harm a fire elem ? If anything, it should actually HELP it.

But by the RAW, the spell SHOULD affect it.

What say you ?

 

[hazmat]

I would probably have ruled that the fire elementa was un affected as it hs no moisture in its body.

 

[Trainz]

Thanks. That's also my opinion.

Anyone else ?

 

[Fieari]

Likewise.

...This spell evaporates moisture from the body of each subject living creature...

Similarly, Vorpal weapons don't work on creatures without heads (whether or not they are subject to crits), Heartseeking weapons don't work on creatures without hearts, etc.

 

[Scion]

Who says that fire elementals arent like liquid napalm constantly going?

While I can see a dm ruling that way dropping it on people in the middle of combat seems like a poor move (poor move is relative, it is simply something I wouldnt want to have done to me not do to others).

Elemental Type: An elemental is a being composed of one of the four classical elements: air, earth, fire, or water.
Features: An elemental has the following features.
—8-sided Hit Dice.
—Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (as cleric).
—Good saves depend on the element: Fortitude (earth, water) or Reflex (air, fire).
—Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die.
Traits: An elemental possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, and stunning.
—Not subject to critical hits or flanking.
—Unlike most other living creatures, an elemental does not have a dual nature—its soul and body form one unit. When an elemental is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an elemental. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection, to restore it to life.
—Proficient with natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with all simple weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
—Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) that it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Elementals not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Elementals are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
—Elementals do not eat, sleep, or breathe.

Bold mine. So elementals are living creatures, and might have some fluid like substance keeping them together on some level. I'd have no problem with it working on air elementals, water elementals, fire elementals or even earth elementals, since they are living creatures and it is definately possible that they have moisture in them somehow.

::shrugs:: if I was going to tell the player such things I'd give them a knowledge check ahead of time at the very least.

 

[RandomPrecision]

Who says that fire elementals arent like liquid napalm constantly going?

While I can see a dm ruling that way dropping it on people in the middle of combat seems like a poor move (poor move is relative, it is simply something I wouldnt want to have done to me not do to others).

I don't think the matter could arise in a non-combat situation. When else could the DM have informed the players?

So elementals are living creatures...

Eh, I don't know about that. Remember the part at the end of your quotation where it points out that elementals to not sleep, eat, or breathe.

and might have some fluid like substance keeping them together on some level. I'd have no problem with it working on air elementals, water elementals, fire elementals or even earth elementals, since they are living creatures and it is definately possible that they have moisture in them somehow.

Would you rule that Horrid Wilting works on Salt Elementals?

What did the players think of the ruling?

 

[Shellman]

Salt Elemental?

Isn't an elemental comprised of one of the four basic elements earth, fir, water or air?

 

[Scharlata]

Salt Elemental?

Isn't an elemental comprised of one of the four basic elements earth, fir, water or air?

Alas, there are much more Elementals than the basic four.

I.e., look into the Manual of the Planes, Paraelementals [Ice, Magma, Ooze, and Smoke]...

If you just look hard enough into other sourcebooks, you may encounter some strange creature like radiance, lightning, ash, salt, positive/negative energy elementals...

Enjoy

 

[S'mon]

Obviously Horrid Wilting isn't going to affect Fire Elementals - and there's no RAW that says "Horrid Wilting Affects Fire Elementals" either. Only an idiot demands that everything be spelt out in words of one syllable. A kind GM might let HW do extra damage to Water Elementals, also.

 

[boolean]

A kind GM might let HW do extra damage to Water Elementals, also.

This spell is especially devastating to water elementals and plant creatures, which instead take 1d8 points of damage per caster level (maximum 20d8).

Ruling that the spell has no effect on a fire elemental seems reasonable to me. But the character should probably know things like that, so I'd have told the player before he cast the spell, so he could choose a different action.

Or possibly allow a Spellcraft or Knowledge (Planes) check to know this before wasting the action.