[Monster] Elements Eternal

[The Glyphstone]

Almost all adventurers, even those relatively inexperienced, are familiar with elementals - powerful spirits formed from the essence of Fire, Earth, Air, or Water. Far less known is that fact that other planes have their elementals as well. Such entities are rarely spawned, but can cause great havoc when they appear (even accidentally) on the Prime Material Plane.

Animus Elemental - Positive Energy Plane
All elementals come in various sizes. The Animus Elemental shown below is Large, other sizes of Animus elementals should be created using the HD and advancement of a Water elemental.

Large Animus Elemental
Size/Type: Large Elemental (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 8d8+32 (68 HP)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 24 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +11 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 20)
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+12
Attack: Slam +9 melee (2d6+2 plus 2d6 positive energy)
Full Attack: 2 Slams +9 melee (2d6+2 plus 2d6 positive energy)
Space/Reach: 10ft./10ft.
Special Attacks: Positive energy surge, turn undead
Special Qualities: Radiant aura, fast healing 4, Darkvision 60ft., elemental traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +6
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 15
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +6
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Turning, Weapon Finesse(B), Improved Initiative(B)
Environment: Positive Energy Plane
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Neutral
Advancement: 8-15 HD (Large), 16-20 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
Animus elementals speak Celestial, though they almost never do so.
COMBAT
Animus elementals are not deliberately hostile, though their passage can be both beneficial and destructive. Embodiments of the chaotic energies of the Positive Energy Plane, their very presence supercharges the surrounding terrain to the point of saturation. An animus elemental is easy to follow, leaving behind it a trail of both vastly energizes plants, and the shattered corpses of animals overwhelmed by the inherent energy of Life itself. If attacked, the elemental will defend itself with blasts of positive energy, focusing its attention on any sort of undead creature. These perversions of the elemental's basic nature are the only thing it will actively seek and attack if accidentally drawn to the Prime Material Plane.
-Positive Energy: An animus elemental's slam attacks deal blasts of positive energy in addition to its slam damage. Against undead foes, they deal damage as normal. Against living creatures, they are instead converted into temporary hit points, which can reduce the amount of damage taken from the slam or even increase the target's hit points. This may seem useful at first, but can turn deadly. A living creature must succeed on a DC20 Fortitude save each round their temporary hit points exceed their normal hit point total. Failing the saving throw results in the creature exploding in a riot of energy, killing it.
-Positive Energy Surge: As a full-round action, an animus elemental can release a surge of positive energy. This deals 2d8+4 points of positive energy to all creatures, living or undead, in a 20-foot radius centered on the elemental, as per the rules for Positive Energy above.
-Turn Undead: An animus elemental can turn undead as a cleric equal in level to its HD, plus the benefit of its Improved Turning Feat. The elemental has no limit on the number of times per day it can attempt to turn undead.
-Radiant Aura: The very air around an animus elemental is alight with energy, which can be too much for mortal eyes and hearts. Any living creature who sees an animus elemental must make a DC15 Fortitude save to avoid being blinded for 1 round per HD of the elemental. Any creature within 5 feet of an animus elemental takes 1d6 positive energy damage each round, as per the rules for Positive Energy above. The save DC for the blindness effect is Charisma-based.


Mortis Elemental - Negative Energy Plane
All elementals come in various sizes. The Mortis Elemental shown below is Large, other sizes of Mortis elementals should be created using the HD and advancement of a Water elemental.

Large Mortis Elemental
Size/Type: Large Elemental (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 8d8+32 (68 HP)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 23 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +11 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+13
Attack: Slam +9 melee (2d6+3 plus 1d4 negative energy plus energy drain)
Full Attack: 2 slams +9 melee (2d6+3 plus 1d4 negative energy plus energy drain)
Space/Reach:10ft./10ft.
Special Attacks: Energy drain, rebuke undead
Special Qualities: Draining aura, Blindsense 60ft., elemental traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +6
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 15
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +6
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Turning, Weapon Focus(Slam)(B), Improved Initiative(B)
Environment: Negative Energy Plane
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Neutral
Advancement: 9-15 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
A mortis elemental resembles a tall, shifting pillar of deepest blackness, inside of which a humanoid figure lurks. Mortis elementals can speak Infernal and Abyssal, though they almost never do so.
COMBAT
Similar to their positively charged cousins, mortis elementals are not inherently evil. But where the animus elementals are attracted to spread the joyous energy of Life, mortis elementals exist only to drain the life force from all living things and replace it with cold emptiness. The trail left by a rampaging mortis elemental is marked with shriveled remnants of plant life, and the wasted corpses of small creatures. A mortis elemental will not wait for provocation for attacking, instead rushing to drain the life from the nearest source of energy.
-Negative Energy: A Mortis elemental's slam attacks deal negative energy in addition to its slam damage. Against living creatures, this deals additional damage as normal. Against undead creatures, it instead heals them of an amount of hit points equal to the negative energy damage that would be dealt.
-Energy Drain: Living creatures hit by a mortis elemental's slam attack gain one negative level. The DC is 16 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the mortis elemental gains 5 temporary hit points. If an individual ever has negative levels equal to or greater than its current HD, it is slain and becomes a free-willed wraith.
-Rebuke Undead: A mortis elemental can rebuke undead as a cleric equal in level to its HD, plus the benefit of its Improved Turning feat. A mortis elemental has no limit on the number of times per day it can attempt to rebuke undead.
-Draining Aura: The very air around a mortis elemental is dry and dead, sapping the life from nearby creatures. Any creature within 5ft. of a mortis elemental takes 1d4 negative energy damage each round they remain within range. Any creature that strikes the mortis elemental with a natural weapon or unarmed attack also takes 1d4 negative energy damage for each hit inflicted.
-Blindsense: A mortis elemental can sense the life force of nearby living creatures. In addition to granting it blindsense, the mortis elemental is treated as being under the effects of a permanent deathwatch spell.


Shadow Elemental - Plane of Shadow
All elementals come in various sizes. The Shadow Elemental shown below is Large, other sizes of Shadow elementals should be created using the HD and advancement of a Air elemental.

Large Shadow Elemental
Size/Type: Large Elemental (Extraplanar, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 8d8+32 (68 HP)
Initiative: +8
Speed: Fly 50ft.(perfect)
Armor Class: 17 (+3 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/-
Attack: Incorporeal touch +9 (1d6 Str)
Full Attack: 2 incorporeal touches +9 (1d6 Str)
Space/Reach: 10ft./10ft.
Special Attacks: Strength damage, shadow creation, shadow walk
Special Qualities: Shadow shroud, Darkvision 60ft., incorporeal traits, elemental traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +6
Abilities: Str -, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 18
Skills: Listen +7, Spot 6
Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Incorporeal touch)(B), Improved Initiative(B)
Environment: Plane of Shadow
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Neutral
Advancement: 9-15 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Shadow elementals on the Prime Material Plane appear as tall, vaguely humanoid blots of moving shadows. They are quite frequently mistaken for wraiths, shadows, and other ghostly undead, which both hampers those that encounter them and reduces the number aware of their existence. Shadow elementals cannot speak, though they can understand most Prime Material languages.
COMBAT
If attacked, a shadow elemental will fight back to the best of its ability by draining its enemies' strength and using that to conjure spell effects and allies via its Shadow Creation ability. It may use its Shadow Walk ability to gain an advantageous position during the fight. If it is in danger of being destroyed, it will Shadow Walk to safety if possible.
-Strength damage: The touch of a shadow elemental deals 1d6 Strength damage to a living foe. A creature reduced to 0 Strength by a shadow elemental is not slain, as it would be if touched by a true shadow, but does remain paralyzed until the ability score regenerates (and may appear dead in the meantime).
-Shadow Creation: Each time a shadow elemental drains Strength from an opponent, it adds an amount equal to the amount drained to its shadow reserve pool. As a standard action during its turn, the elemental can spend energy from this pool to cast one of the following spells as a spell-like ability (caster level 10th): Shadow Evocation (4 points), Greater Shadow Evocation (7 points), Shadow Conjuration (3 points), Greater Shadow Conjuration (6 points), Shades (8 points). When using a Conjuration ability, it will typically imitate a Summon Monster spell of the maximum possible level to defend it. Evocation spells replicateed will almost always be damage-dealing spells, though the elemental is intelligent enough to utilize a Bigby's Hand spell if needed.
-Shadow Walk: A shadow elemental can use Shadow Walk as a spell-like ability at will, as per the spell. Because the elemental is composed of the very stuff of Shadow, it always knows exactly where it will emerge, and can utilize the ability to make short jumps around in combat as if teleporting.
-Shadow Shroud: The outline of a shadow elemental constantly blurs and shifts, making it difficult to target. Shadow elementals are treated as if under the effects of a constant Blur spell, granting them concealment from all enemies (20% miss chance). This does not stack with the 50% miss chance from being incorporeal, but does remain in effect if the elemental is struck with a ghost touch weapon or a force effect.
Skills: A shadow elemental recieves a +10 bonus to Hide checks in areas of shadowy illumination, and a -10 penalty on Hide checks in brightly lit areas.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Spirit Elemental - Astral Plane
All elementals come in various sizes. The Spirit Elemental shown below is Large, other sizes of Spirit elementals should be created using the HD and advancement of a Air elemental.

Large Spirit Elemental
Size/Type: Large Elemental (Extraplanar, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice:8d8+32 (68 HP)
Initiative: +12
Speed: Fly 80ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 22 (-1 size, +8 Dex, +5 deflection), touch 18, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/-
Attack: Incorporeal slam +14 melee (1d3 Wis plus astral touch)
Full Attack: 2 incorporeal slams +14 melee (1d3 Wis plus astral touch)
Space/Reach: 10ft./10ft.
Special Attacks: Astral touch, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Quickened spell-like abilities, Darkvision 60ft., elemental traits, incorporeal traits
Saves: For +6, Ref +13, Will +6
Abilities: Str -, Dex 26, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 20
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +6
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Ability Focus (astral touch), Dodge, Weapon Finesse(B), Improved Initiative(B)
Environment: Astral Plane
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually Neutral
Advancement: 9-15 HD (Large), 16-20 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
Spirit elementals are difficult to see, resembling only a vaguely humanoid shimmer of dense air To a creature wih the ability to see invisible creatures, they appear clearly as a transparent, humanoid figure with a wisp-thin body. Spirit elementals speak Auran, though they almost never do so.
COMBAT
Astral elementals are habitual wanderers, exploring the various planes for no particular reason other than their ability to do so. If attacked or threatened while on another plane, they will fight back until enough of their opponents have been incapacitated by their astral touch to allow a safe escape via plane shift.
-Astral Touch: Born of the Astral Plane, the touch of a spirit elemental bears faint traces of the plane's power. Any creature hit by a spirit elemental's touch attack must succeed on a DC21 Will save or fall asleep as per the Sleep Spell, except that it can affect creatures of any HD. In addition, a creature touched by the elemental cannot regain ability damage or hit point loss through natural means for 24 hours, after which time all such recovery is applied retroactively. Fast Healing and Regeneration abilities are also suppressed during this time. A DC21 Fortitude save negates the supressive effect. The save DC's are Charisma based.
-Spell-like Abilities: A spirit elemental can use the following as spell-like abilities, with a caster level equal to its HD: (At will) - Dimensional Anchor, Obscuring Mist; (3/day) - Deeper Slumber, Dimension Door; (1/day) - Plane Shift (to/from Astral plane only)
-Quickened Spell-like Abilities: A spirit elemental can use any one of its spell-like abilities as a swift action each round, with no limit on the number of times this can be performed per day.

[The Glyphstone]

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[The Glyphstone]

Please, Comments welcome. I especially need a better name for the Void Elemental, and ideas on what the Astral Elemental could be capable of doing.

[McDeath]

Void Elemental = Null Elemental?

Good luck with the contest, Glyphstone, not that you've needed it before.

[Everyman]

Well, you don't necessarily need to name them "_____ elemental". You could name it something like "Voidwalker" or "Nulling Force" or "Jim Bob, the Anti-life Glowy Thingie". Maybe you should consider moving away from the notion that all your elementals need to have names that end in "elemental".

PS. Jim Bob would easily win you the funny award, though I'd question any negative energy elemental that has a Southern ring to it. Dueling Banjos and level loss just seems...wrong.
PSS. I'm Southern, so I can make that joke. ;D

[Rykounagin]

Mortis Elemtental, Mortix Elemental *shrugs*. Both refer to death.

[The Glyphstone]

Thanks, Mortis Elemental has a nice ring to it. I think I'll keep that.

And on naming them "------- elemental", well, every other creature with the elemental type is named that (I think), so I want to stay consistent. Also, Libris Mortis has the Voidwraith and Cinderspawn (undead air and fire elementals respectively), so I need to keep a distinction.

Any suggestions on powers? The Radiant is going to have an aura like beng on the PEP, where you heal a whole bunch every round but run the risk of blowing up if you heal too much. The Mortis will be the opposite, draining lifeforce (I'm thinking maybe an aura, DC? Fort save or lose 1d3 to a random stat?) The Shadow will have lots of shadow powers, like Shadow Conjuration/Evocation and Shadow walking. The Astral is completely up for grabs, aside from the ability to Astrally Project at wil (effectively Planeshift to and from the Astral Plane).

[Everyman]

Ah...well, just trying to help you out there, Glyphie. I've seen so many elementals, it always seem nice to see at least one that doesn't follow the same naming trend. Your choice though. ;D

An astral elemental would come (as the name suggests) from the Astral plane. Why not give it traits similiar to the plane?
*Quickened Spell-like abilities
*The ability to prevent people from healing normally from wounds
*Planeshift (since all modes of travel touch the astral plane)

[JustinCognito]

Seeing as the Astral Plane plays such a big role in psionics, you could probably give high-level astral elementals the ability to use catapsi as a spell-like ability.

[Sucros]

You don't even have monsters and you've got way more comments than anyone. :P

I'm looking forwards to your shadow elemental. As someone who's entry is living illusions, I'll be interested to see what you make of it.

[Safria]

Why are you guys HELPING glyph, It's not like he NEEDS it I mean do you WANT him to win AGAIN :P?

Seriously Glyph, looking forward to it :p

[The Glyphstone]

Thanks. I'm not sure myself why everyone volunteers so many suggestions...
Good work, my mindslaves. Continue to supply ideas, and remember to vote for me alone...

EDIT: Okay, #1, the Animus Elemental, is COMPLETE!! (minus fluff, of course).

EDIT #2: Same for the Mortis Elemental. Feedback, please!

EDIT #3: Shadow Elemental is finished.

[Sucros]

nitpick: in your stat block for shadow elemental, you have the strength damage as 16 instead of 1d6.

otherwise I quite like it.

[Cantankerous]

I like the idea. Although you might want to check your monsters' grapple bonuses and their skill points.

The major issue I have is that an elemental is defined as "is a being composed of one of the four classical elements: air, earth, fire, or water." Still, that's not earth-shattering, since there is precedent for breaking that rule (there are monsters that are composed of MORE than one element).

I do like the fact that you named the monsters "Animus elemental" and "Mortis elemental" instead of something awkward like "positive energy elemental."

[The Glyphstone]

Well, yeah, that's the "gimmick" of the set - that while the most well-known elementals are those composed of the primary elements, there are other, less famous types as well. And like you said, it's not like there are only 4 established elementals - the quasi-elemental groups, the para-elemental groups, Storm elementals from MMII, etc.

The names were a sticking point, till someone in another thread suggested Mortis Elemental. The Astral Plane will probably be a Spirit Elemental.

I'll fix the typos. 16 should be 1d6 (or should it stay 16 str damage per hit? ;D), they each get another skill point (the v1.0 rules had them with 7HD, I forgot to change the skills when I boosted the HP)..and I forgot that Large creatures get a bonus to Grapple checks (And a penalty to attack rolls :-[).

[Cantankerous]

If an elemental has 8 HD and 8 Intellligence, shouldn't it have 11 skill points? And thus if you gave one of those elementals, say, 6 ranks in Spot and 5 ranks in Listen, wouldn't its Skills read, "Spot +7, Listen +6"?

[The Glyphstone]

The skill ranks listed are unadjusted by the Wisdom modifier. They should each have 11 skill points now.

[The Glyphstone]

Aaaand..... DONE. The Spirit elemental is now available for comments. The entry's pretty much complete, though I may add some extra content later.

[Cantankerous]

Spirit elemental looks very innovative. I like how they can delay healing and such. Although I would like to note that in the books, ability scores are added to the skill ranks in a monster's Skill entry.

[The Glyphstone]

Ah, thanks - I couldn't tell by looking at the book if modifiers were included or not..I'll edit that.

[Rykounagin]

I could be wrong (I hope I am for your sake) but don't you DIE if you go to the positive energy plane? Or is that only if you're undead?

[The Glyphstone]

Going by the DMG's Planar section and the SRD, no you don't. The basic description is that a entire plane of pure "life" energy is too much for most creatures, who will eventually burn out and explode from the overdose - picture a pocket flashlight(torch?), with a battery, then wire it up to a car battery, it'll most likely fry the bulb. RAW_wise, you don't die outright from visiting the Positive Energy Plane, but you get a whole bunch of temporary hit points each round - if this goes over your full normal total, you explode.











N-something Rakshasa Rogue 10/Assassin 1

Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Arterial Strike, Deadly Precision

Will deal 12d6 sneak attack