Elemental

Elementals are incarnations of the elements that compose existence. They are as wild and dangerous as the forces that birthed them.

• Air Elemental
• Earth Elemental
• Fire Elemental
• Water Elemental

Combat

Elementals have varied combat abilities and tactics, but all have the same elemental qualities.

Air Elemental

The statistics block below contains details for more than one shape, size, or type of this creature. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.

Small • Medium • Large • Huge • Greater • Elder

This creature appears to be an amorphous, shifting cloud surrounded by fast-moving currents of air. Darker bits of twirling vapor form the suggestion of two eyes and a mouth, but this could be a trick of the swirling air.

Air elementals are among the swiftest and most agile creatures in existence. They seldom leave their home plane except when summoned elsewhere by a spell.

Air elementals speak Auran, though they rarely choose to do so. The voice of an air elemental sounds like the high-pitched screech of a tornado or the low moan of a midnight storm.

Combat

Their rapid speed makes air elementals useful on vast battlefields or in extended aerial combat.

Air Mastery (Ex): Airborne creatures take a –⁠1 penalty on attack and damage rolls against an air elemental.

Whirlwind (Su): The elemental can transform itself into a whirlwind once every 10 minutes and remain in that form for up to 1 round for every 2 HD it has. In this form, the elemental can move through the air or along a surface at its fly speed.

The whirlwind is 5 feet wide at the base, up to 30 feet wide at the top, and up to 50 feet tall, depending on the elemental’s size. The elemental controls the exact height, but it must be at least 10 feet.

The elemental’s movement while in whirlwind form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the elemental enters the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the whirlwind if it touches or enters the whirlwind, or if the elemental moves into or through the creature’s space.

Creatures one or more size categories smaller than the elemental might take damage when caught in the whirlwind (see the table below for details) and may be lifted into the air. An affected creature must succeed on a Reflex save when it comes into contact with the whirlwind or take the indicated damage. It must also succeed on a second Reflex save or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful winds, automatically taking the indicated damage each round. A creature that can fly is allowed a Reflex save each round to escape the whirlwind. The creature still takes damage but can leave if the save is successful. The DC for saves against the whirlwind’s effects varies with the elemental’s size (see the table). The save DC is Strength based.

Creatures trapped in the whirlwind cannot move except to go where the elemental carries them or to escape the whirlwind. Creatures caught in the whirlwind can otherwise act normally, but must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the whirlwind take a –⁠4 penalty to Dexterity and a –⁠2 penalty on attack rolls. The elemental can have only as many creatures trapped inside the whirlwind at one time as will fit inside the whirlwind’s volume.

The elemental can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes, depositing them wherever the whirlwind happens to be. A summoned elemental always ejects trapped creatures before returning to its home plane.

If the whirlwind’s base touches the ground, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centered on the elemental and has a diameter equal to half the whirlwind’s height. The cloud obscures all vision, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment, while those farther away have total concealment. Those caught in the cloud must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell.

An elemental in whirlwind form cannot make slam attacks and does not threaten the area around it.

Source: Monster Manual (version 3.5), page 95. Greater and elder air elementals had more feats than their hit dice would allow even without their two bonus feats. Iron Will was removed from both of them and their Will saves adjusted; Cleave was removed from the greater air elemental.

Earth Elemental

The statistics block below contains details for more than one shape, size, or type of this creature. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.

Small • Medium • Large • Huge • Greater • Elder

Like a walking hill, the creature plods nearer on two featureless legs of rock and earth, its clublike arms of jagged stone swinging at its sides, and its featureless head staring blankly in your direction.

Earth elementals are immensely strong and tough. The larger ones can pound almost anything into rubble. They seldom leave their home plane except when summoned elsewhere by a spell.

When summoned to the Material Plane, an earth elemental consists of whatever types of dirt, stones, precious metals, and gems it was conjured from.

Earth elementals speak Terran but rarely choose to do so. An earth elemental’s voice sounds like an echo in a deep tunnel, the rumbling of an earthquake, or the grinding of plates of stone.

Combat

Though an earth elemental moves slowly, it is a relentless opponent. It can travel though solid ground or stone as easily as humans walk on the earth’s surface. It cannot swim, however, and must either walk around a body of water or go through the ground under it. An earth elemental can move along the bottom of a body of water but prefers not to.

Earth Mastery (Ex): An earth elemental gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its foe are touching the ground. If an opponent is airborne or waterborne, the elemental takes a –4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. (These modifiers are not included in the statistics block.)

Push (Ex): An earth elemental can start a bull rush maneuver without provoking an attack of opportunity. The combat modifiers given in Earth Mastery, above, also apply to the elemental’s opposed Strength checks.

Earth Glide (Ex): An earth elemental can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a burrowing earth elemental flings the elemental back 30 feet, stunning the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds on a DC 15 Fortitude save.

Source: Monster Manual (version 3.5), page 97.

Fire Elemental

The statistics block below contains details for more than one shape, size, or type of this creature. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.

Small • Medium • Large • Huge • Greater • Elder

A mass of ambulatory flame races across the ground, seeming to flicker and spark from a central, humanoid-shaped conflagration. Like a living inferno, the fire-creature’s burning dance of heat and flame brings it ever closer.

Fire elementals are fast and agile. The merest touch from their fiery bodies is sufficient to set many materials aflame.

A fire elemental cannot enter water or any other nonflammable liquid. A body of water is an impassible barrier unless the fire elemental can step or jump over it.

Fire elementals speak Ignan, though they rarely choose to do so. When one speaks, its voice sounds like the crackle and hiss of a great fire.

Combat

A fire elemental is a fierce opponent that attacks its enemies directly and savagely. It takes joy in burning the creatures and objects of the Material Plane to ashes.

Burn (Ex): A fire elemental’s slam attack deals bludgeoning damage plus fire damage from the elemental’s flaming body. Those hit by a fire elemental‘s slam attack also must succeed on a Reflex save or catch on fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds. The save DC varies with the elemental’s size (see the table below). A burning creature can take a move action to put out the flame. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Creatures hitting a fire elemental with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the elemental’s attack, and also catch on fire unless they succeed on a Reflex save.

Source: Monster Manual (version 3.5), page 98.

Water Elemental

The statistics block below contains details for more than one shape, size, or type of this creature. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.

Small • Medium • Large • Huge • Greater • Elder

A vortex of water rolls across the ground, though it never seems to crash or lose its shape. The waves cascade and storm around a central, humanoidshaped whirlpool, with watery appendages that pound with the force of an ocean storm.

A water elemental can be as ferocious and powerful as a stormy sea.

A water elemental can’t venture more than 180 feet from the body of water from which it was conjured.

Water elementals speak Aquan but rarely choose to do so. When one speaks, its voice sounds like the crashing of waves on a rocky shore or the howls of an ocean gale.

Combat

A water elemental prefers to fight in a large body of water where it can disappear beneath the waves and suddenly swell up behind its opponents.

Water Mastery (Ex): A water elemental gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its opponent are touching water. If the opponent or the elemental is touching the ground, the elemental takes a –⁠4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. (These modifiers are not included in the statistics block.)

A water elemental can be a serious threat to a ship that crosses its path. An elemental can easily overturn small craft (5 feet of length per Hit Die of the elemental) and stop larger vessels (10 feet long per HD). Even large ships (20 feet long per HD) can be slowed to half speed.

Drench (Ex): The elemental’s touch puts out torches, campfires, exposed lanterns, and other open flames of nonmagical origin if these are of Large size or smaller. The creature can dispel magical fire it touches as dispel magic (caster level equals elemental’s HD).

Vortex (Su): The elemental can transform itself into a whirlpool once every 10 minutes, provided it is underwater, and remain in that form for up to 1 round for every 2 HD it has. In vortex form, the elemental can move through the water or along the bottom at its swim speed.

The vortex is 5 feet wide at the base, up to 30 feet wide at the top, and 10 feet or more tall, depending on the elemental’s size. The elemental controls the exact height, but it must be at least 10 feet.

The elemental’s movement while in vortex form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the elemental enters the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the vortex if it touches or enters the vortex, or if the elemental moves into or through the creature’s space.

Creatures one or more size categories smaller than the elemental might take damage when caught in the vortex (see the table below for details) and may be swept up by it. An affected creature must succeed on a Reflex save when it comes into contact with the vortex or take the indicated damage. It must also succeed on a second Reflex save or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful currents, automatically taking damage each round. An affected creature is allowed a Reflex save each round to escape the vortex. The creature still takes damage, but can leave if the save is successful. The DC for saves against the vortex’s effects varies with the elemental’s size. The save DC is Strength-based.

Creatures trapped in the vortex cannot move except to go where the elemental carries them or to escape the whirlwind. Creatures caught in the whirlwind can otherwise act normally, but must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the whirlwind take a –⁠4 penalty to Dexterity and a –⁠2 penalty on attack rolls. The elemental can have only as many creatures trapped inside the vortex at one time as will fit inside the vortex’s volume.

The elemental can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes, depositing them wherever the vortex happens to be. A summoned elemental always ejects trapped creatures before returning to its home plane.

If the vortex’s base touches the bottom, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centered on the elemental and has a diameter equal to half the vortex’s height. The cloud obscures all vision, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment, while those farther away have total concealment. Those caught in the cloud must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell.

An elemental in vortex form cannot make slam attacks and does not threaten the area around it.

Skills: A water elemental has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. 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.

Source: Monster Manual (version 3.5), page 98. Iron Will listed twice under elder water elemental feats; corrected. (It rusted away.)