ELemental types

[carrdrivesyou]

So, aside from elementals, dragons, and a handful of other creatures with immunities, how effective would you lot rate the usefulness of each element? (Fire, Cold, Acid, Electric, Sonic)

Personally I think sonic is the least resisted, but I am not sure. Any thoughts?

[Belzyk]

Fire- useless most things have fire resistance.
Ice- not sure
Electricity- not sure
Acid- not sure
Sonic- wrecks anything that's solid and least resisted
Negative- beastly against all but undead
Posative-, wrecks undead

[ZamielVanWeber]

Fire is, oddly enough, the best thanks to Searing spell. If that is not a factor positive energy damage is the rarest resistance (but is an insanely rare damage type). Next is sonic, the negative energy.

[DrMotives]

Fire is, oddly enough, the best thanks to Searing spell. If that is not a factor positive energy damage is the rarest resistance (but is an insanely rare damage type). Next is sonic, the negative energy.

Well than, shouldn't you tie fire with cold due to Uttercold? Basically the same as Searing Spell.

[ZamielVanWeber]

Well than, shouldn't you tie fire with cold due to Uttercold? Basically the same as Searing Spell.

Not even close. Uttercold converts half the damage to negative energy and half is still cold. It can bypass immunity partially but only if they are immune to cold. Undead with resistance to cold (or tomb tainted with cold resistance) having nothing to fear. Searkng, on the other hand, bypasses everything.

[DrMotives]

Not even close. Uttercold converts half the damage to negative energy and half is still cold. It can bypass immunity partially but only if they are immune to cold. Undead with resistance to cold (or tomb tainted with cold resistance) having nothing to fear. Searkng, on the other hand, bypasses everything.

My mistake, I was confusing it with Piercing Cold, which allows spells with the cold descriptor to ignore cold resistance.

[ZamielVanWeber]

My mistake, I was confusing it with Piercing Cold, which allows spells with the cold descriptor to ignore cold resistance.

Oddly enough Piercing Cold is ultimately worse than Searing Spell because Searing Spell goes to more useful spells.

[Crake]

My mistake, I was confusing it with Piercing Cold, which allows spells with the cold descriptor to ignore cold resistance.

There is a difference though, piercing cold still doesn't damage creatures with the cold subtype, but searing spell damages creatures with the fire subtype.


Oddly enough Piercing Cold is ultimately worse than Searing Spell because Searing Spell goes to more useful spells.

that isn't really an argument when energy substitution is a thing

[Uncle Pine]

Usually it's something like sonic > acid >= electricity > ice > fire, with acid and electricity being similar in power.

[Khedrac]

Usually it's something like sonic > acid >= electricity > ice > fire, with acid and electricity being similar in power.
This - though I would rate acid as > electricity with one small rider - sonic effects usually do less damage (not always though).

[ben-zayb]

Usually it's something like sonic > acid >= electricity > ice > fire, with acid and electricity being similar in power.

Except for when you are destroying objects, where electricty only deals half damage. It is situationally useful, however, in rare cases where electricty can heal you or your ally.

[ShurikVch]

Force is less resisted

[Uncle Pine]

Force is less resisted

Let's not start the debate about whether or not Force is an elemental type.

[Crake]

Let's not start the debate about whether or not Force is an elemental type.

I think it's easily arguable that force is not an elemental type, though it is definitely an energy type.

That said though, sonic isn't an elemental type either, but it is an energy type.

[carrdrivesyou]

Let's not start the debate about whether or not Force is an elemental type.

Agreed. Force damage is seldomly resisted, and normally bypasses just about everything aside from SR. Energy type? Yes. Elemental type? No.

So far, I have gathered that the general premise is:
Sonic > Acid = Electric > Cold > Fire

Fire spells are effectiely useless unless you have Searing Spell.
Cold Spells need piercing cold for the same reason.
Acid and Electric spells are useful most of the time, and are seldom resisted.
Sonic spells are rarely resisted, but tend to do less damage.

Energy Substitution gets around just about any of the above problems.

That about right then?

[Zombimode]

Fire- useless most things have fire resistance.

"Useless" in the sense of "effective against the vast majority of enemies" then this is a correct statement.

[nedz]

"Useless" in the sense of "effective against the vast majority of enemies" then this is a correct statement.

It does depend upon the campaign.

Fire can be good for collateral damage — many fire spells set things alight — though that might be undesirable.

In a game set in the far north, or in the mountains, where there are lots of Cold type creatures: then Fire is excellent since most of these are vulnerable to Fire.

In many games however Fire Creatures are the most common energy typed monsters in the box.

It can be tricky underwater too.