How do you grapple an elemental?

[CombatWombat51]

I was fondly recalling a 2e game I DMed that included a big nasty fire elemental, and it got me wondering about them. With the exclusion of earth elementals, are elementals solid? I've always assumed they were basically animate elements, so you could just poke through one with a stick, and that's why they could only be struck by magic weapons IIRC. Could a small red dragon (or other fire immune creature) sit inside a fire elemental, for instance?

I just looked elementals in the 3.5 MM, and I see that they're vulnerable to normal weapons, so that kinda biffs my theory. Does anyone think that implies some sort of solidity?

Thoughts are appreciated

 

[LGodamus]

i always assumed that they at least had some sort of core that could be damaged since they dont have damage reduction or anything...

 

[Rashak Mani]

How do you grapple an elemental ?

With a lot of protection spells ? Fire especially.

I think you can grapple them... but when Air or Water elementals become vortexes and whatever... you can't. Fire elementals probably have a solid core... but it seems like DM call to me. I certainly would give the poor fool extra fire damage since he is grappling the source of the fire itself.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I've always taken elementals to be a pure form of the element, therefore you could not grapple a water, fire or air elemental. I could see a fire elemental being more like a lava creature giving it substance, but I cannot justify a solid core for air or water.

 

[clark411]

Would grappling prevent an earth elemental from melding into the earth, or would an earth elemental's ability to meld into the earth make it another poor candidate for grappling?

 

[Piratecat]

I'm at a loss as to how to explain grappling air, water and fire. Incidentally, nothing is cooler than a water elemental with a drowned enemy floating around inside of it.

 

[dcollins]

Oh? What about a beholder graveyard?

 

[dravot]

Would grappling prevent an earth elemental from melding into the earth, or would an earth elemental's ability to meld into the earth make it another poor candidate for grappling?

I would imagine that the rules for preventing a grappled person from moving would apply.

 

[jgsugden]

Elementals seem to have substance. They use slam attacks, are not incorporeal and are bound by physical structures.

If pressed into giving a description, I'd say that the air, fire and water elementals were mostly solid embodiments of their elemental nature.

 

[CombatWombat51]

Elementals seem to have substance. They use slam attacks, are not incorporeal and are bound by physical structures.

Hmm. Well, normal air and water can certainly be said to have slam attacks. A wave hitting you, or a sudden gust of wind. Maybe fire, if you think of a burst of hot air from opening a furnace, but that's a little shakey. As for being incorporeal and bound, that can certainly be said about normal elements.

Thanks for the reply jgsugden, and everyone, I appreciate the opinions