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Byzantine
2011-10-11, 05:18 AM
Alright, this is a bit strange for me. I'm not completely new to creating a monster, but this particular bit is stonewalling me.

I'm creating an elemental creature (two technically, but the other one is based on the first one). Fluff-wise, it's called the storm elemental. It's a mixture of five out of the six elements of my game world: Fire, Ice, Water, Lightning (a rename of the real storm elemental from MM3) and Air. Before it's said, in this game world, it is actually possible for 'opposite' elements to mix, like here with fire and water.

Anyway, beyond the elemental type traits, I'm at a complete loss as to go about representing this combination. One thought was to give it a 'random' special attack, which changed every x rounds to the special attack of one of the other elementals. I'm not quite sure that fits, though, and after prodding from the other people on the project, I caved and decided to ask for help.

If anyone has ideas for this elemental, I'm all ears. :smallsmile:

Byzantine
2011-10-13, 01:46 AM
So no one has any input on how to make this work?

silver spectre
2011-10-13, 07:03 AM
Give it the ability to intuitively sense which special attack form will harm its target and the ability to switch between the attack forms as needed to harm the target. Maybe it is able to sense the current elemental/energy make up of and resistances of other beings and items.



Also, how you describe the effect can go a long way to making it fit.
A couple of ideas here...
Blue flame to describe an electricity attack or a cold attack.
A jet of red liquid to describe a fire attack or a slam attack.
White lightning to describe a cold attack, slam attack, or fire attack.


Just some quick thoughts on it.

erikun
2011-10-13, 10:01 AM
What system?

Anyways, such an elemental probably makes "sense" about as well as most other elementals. You have a boiling mass of water, spinning in a cyclone due to its own heat and generating electricity due to being its own self-contained storm. And... I'm not sure how ice would fit in there, though. If it is supposed to be an Elemental Chaos beast or something, I would expect earth and acid elements in there as well.

As for attacks? How about a Lightning Bolt for a ranged attack and a bludgeoning + fire damage for a melee attack (like a water elemental, but with fire damage from the heat). The elemental could probably "engulf" an opponent by rolling over them, and anything inside takes fire/heat damage. And finally, at the end of its turn, it shoves nearby opponents away, or flings opponents currently inside. Still no idea how to fit ice into the mix, though.

I can't really get more specific without some idea of the system and power level you are asking for, though.

Dr.Orpheus
2011-10-13, 02:49 PM
It should have an ability with a mass AoE like the spell sleet storm with a range based on its size it would be immune to the effect tough. Another idea would be to increase its space beond what is normal for its size (like a size medium elemental being 10ft. by10ft.) so it can more effectively cover the battlefield and block out the sun (assuming it can fly and is cloud-like). another idea the storm may change elements depending on the enviornment it should allways be air but in a desert it can be earth and do sandstorm stuff, or in the tundra in can be ice and do blizard stuff, or out at sea it can be part water and can start raining buckets.

Byzantine
2011-10-13, 03:44 PM
Ack, I'm so used to using 3.5 that I completely forgot that there are other versions out there. xD My bad on that one. As for power level, I'm thinking a nose stronger than the Storm Elemental of MM3 (CR2 for small), since that's being converted into the Lightning Elemental for the game world. Yes, it is a sort of elemental chaos entity. To be precise, it's a mixing of the 6 elements (4 classical plus the 2 new ones).

Technically, yes, it does have earth in there, but in the system that I whipped up for the elements in the world, earth is it's only weakness. I'm thinking something more like the earth element gives it the only cohesive form it has. Otherwise it would dissolve into the Elemental Chaos.

I had thought of the Slam+Fire damage, actually, and I'm glad someone else had the same idea. Means I'm not completely crazy. I like the attack forms that you suggested, Erikun.

I'm not sure about the sensing the elemental make up, but I see where you are going, Silver.

I'm thinking the Sleet Storm idea might be a step in the right direction to include Ice in the mix. I might include a malleable form ability to explain the extra size; perhaps it changes size like with a limited Enlarge/Reduce Person spell?