Mephit

Mephits are minor creatures from the elemental planes. They are more curious than evil, though each individual’s nature varies depending on the essence of the element that birthed it.

All mephits appear as small, winged creatures with more or less humanoid features. While they are often described as impish, their elemental origins are apparent at first glance.

Combat

All mephits fight by biting and clawing or by using a breath weapon, the nature and effects of which vary from creature to creature.

A mephit’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Breath Weapon (Su): A mephit can use its breath weapon once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action. See the individual descriptions for details.

Spell-Like Abilities: All mephits have one or more spell-like abilities (save DC 12 + spell level). See the individual descriptions for details.

Summon Mephit (Sp): Once per day, a mephit can attempt to summon another mephit of the same variety, much as though casting a summon monster spell, but with only a 25% chance of success. Roll d%: On a failure, no creature answers the summons that day. A mephit that has just been summoned cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell, so mephits summoned with this ability remain for 3 rounds before disappearing back to their native planes.

Fast Healing (Ex): Mephits heal 2 points of damage each round, provided they are still alive and certain other conditions are met. See the individual descriptions for details.

Mephit Gangs and Mobs

Groups of similar mephits (for example, water, ooze, and ice) sometimes congregate in any locale they all find comfortable.

Types of Mephits

A complete list of mephits can be found here. The ones covered here are glass mephits and sulfur mephits.

Glass Mephit

This winged creature is small, with smooth but angular features. It has a glossy surface and glows dully like a dying ember.

Glass mephits inhabit the boundary between the elemental planes of Earth and Fire.

A glass mephit is about 4 feet tall and weighs 50 pounds.

Glass mephits speak Common and Terran.

Combat

Glass mephits, like most of their species, use their breath weapons as much as possible. Before a fight, glass mephits will activate their blur ability if possible, and they try to reserve their vitrify ability when facing large groups or to cover a retreat.

Breath Weapon (Su): 10-ft. cone of molten glass, damage 1d4 fire, Reflex DC 13 half. Living creatures that fail their saves are exposed to splashes of hot glass that continue to burn their skin. The molten glass deals an extra 1d4 points of fire damage per round for 3 rounds. The creature can take a full-round action to scrape off the burning material; doing so means the creature stops taking the additional damage. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 racial bonus.

Spell-Like Abilities: 2/day⁠—​heat metal; 1/hour⁠—​blur (mephit only). Caster level 3rd.

When the mephit activates its blur ability, its skin becomes translucent.

Fast Healing (Ex): A glass mephit heals only if it is touching molten glass or a flame at least as large as a torch.

Source: Sandstorm, page 175.

Sulfur Mephit

This winged creature looks vaguely goblinoid. It has yellow-orange skin and is accompanied by the smell of brimstone. Its skin looks like it’s crumbling, as though the creature were carved of sandstone.

Sulfur mephits inhabit the boundary between the Elemental Planes of Air and Earth.

A sulfur mephit is about 4 feet tall and weighs 20 pounds.

Sulfur mephits speak Common and Auran.

Combat

Sulfur mephits activate their haboob ability and attack with their breath weapons as much as possible, knocking opponents unconscious before resorting to claw attacks. They try to reserve their stinking cloud ability to cover a retreat.

Breath Weapon (Su): 10-ft. cone of toxic volcanic vapor, initial damage unconsciousness, secondary damage none, Fort DC 12 negates. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 racial bonus.

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/hour⁠—​haboob (centered on mephit only, DC 15); 1/day⁠—​stinking cloud (DC 15). Caster level 6th.

Fast Healing (Ex): A sulfur mephit heals only if in a region of volcanic gases or similar fumes.

Source: Sandstorm, page 176.