Stupid Fire Elementals

[Infiniti2000]

Do greater and elder fire elementals not get smarter per the MM (like all 3 other types of elementals), or is there a typo in the SRD? I don't have my book with me at work and this is puzzling.

If the MM also lists an Int 6, do you think it's a typo in the MM?

 

[Bad Paper]

If the MM also lists an Int 6, do you think it's a typo in the MM?

I don't have the MM here at work, sadly, but this exact issue came up a week ago, and I recall seeing in the MM that their Int stays at 6. Don't know why that is. One of my players was lobbying me that the fire elementals wouldn't be smart enough to change melee tactics according to who was where on the front line (greater, elder elementals, and whether I should kill the damn cleric). I decided that the elder elemental, having more experience, would be able to make better decisions than his counterpart. If you follow the reasoning that Int*10 = IQ, then this is appropriate, I think. (An older person with IQ of 60 *is* smarter than a young'un with an IQ of 60)

 

[frankthedm]

The elementals are based on one another so I would assume it is a typo.

Does the skill point math on the fire elemental match up?

Of course the lower int might be so they want to burn everthing in a FIRE! FIRE! Heh-heh Heh! sort of way.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Elementals get 2 skill points per level.

Elder Fire Elementals have 24 HD, 6 Int and Listen 28 ranks, Spot 29 ranks

Elder Air Elementals have 24 HD, 10 Int, and Listen 29 ranks Spot 29 ranks

Elder Earth Elementals have 24 HD, 10 Int, and Listen 29 ranks, Spot 29 ranks

Elder Water Elementals have 24 HD, 10 Int, and Listen 29 ranks, Spot 29 ranks

 

[moritheil]

At what point does the player have the right to assume or demand that the stats of a monster are exactly those of a normal creature of its race? The DM could just say, "Okay, this elder fire elemental simply happens to be a bit smarter than normal for its race - which is why it has lived so long."

 

[Infiniti2000]

Elementals get 2 skill points per level.

Elder Fire Elementals have 24 HD, 6 Int and Listen 28 ranks, Spot 29 ranks

Elder Air Elementals have 24 HD, 10 Int, and Listen 29 ranks Spot 29 ranks

Elder Earth Elementals have 24 HD, 10 Int, and Listen 29 ranks, Spot 29 ranks

Elder Water Elementals have 24 HD, 10 Int, and Listen 29 ranks, Spot 29 ranks

You forgot Alertness in that analysis, but it's close enough to prove that it's a typo. That clinches it for me. Greater File Elementals get Int 8, and Elder Fire Elementals get Int 10, and a correction in the Listen score to +29 (otherwise where did that rank go?).

 

[starwed]

I can't find my older edition monster manuals, but fire elementals being a bit more stupid rings a bell. Someone should check, in case that's the source for the anomaly.

 

[Dog Moon]

(otherwise where did that rank go?).

Profession (cook)