Confusion on Fire Elementals

[Calar_Gaia]

I'm running a campaign that involves a Druid that enjoys running around in Fire Elemental Form and just lighting everything on fire. But the question at hand is from the confusing wording of the Fire Elementals "Water Susceptibility" feature. It says that the elemental takes 1 damage for every 5 feet of water it moves in, and also takes 1 damage for every gallon of water splashed on it.

Does it mean it can travel underwater 20 feet and only take 4 damage, where a pail of water splashed on it would do similar damage? This seems just odd to me, but I can see if this is the intent since splashing water is an action of another creature, and moving in water is its own choice.

Or rather, when it says "moves 5 feet in water" that its intent is moving across water rather than through it, as in a wet environment (Rain, swampy terrain, etc).

Side note.. Its Fire Form feature does allow it to move through multiple creatures squares during its turn, lighting them all on fire, correct?

[Nifft]

The way I play it, you take the maximum damage of either (1hp per 5 ft.) or (1hp per gallon). If you want to go underwater, then I'm going to have to calculate how many gallons of water you displace -- which is probably more than 4.

The (1hp per 5 ft.) aspect comes into play with watery environments, as you described: swamps, moving across the surface of an ocean, a heavy rainstorm, etc.

- - -

For an ocean-going game, the obvious solution is to carry around a lot of oil and set the surface of the ocean on fire. This is how Druids destroyed the environment.

[Regitnui]

For an ocean-going game, the obvious solution is to carry around a lot of oil and set the surface of the ocean on fire. This is how Druids destroyed the environment.

I didn't know Shell was sponsoring druids now

[Nifft]

I didn't know Shell was sponsoring druids now
All Land / Coast Druids are sponsored by them.

Thus, the famous tongue-twister:

She shills Shell spells by the sea-shore.

[gullveig]

It reminded me this guy...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_itwMdxBvpt4/TP0zg8DlwoI/AAAAAAAAATU/3XOQbSRaKYA/s1600/81340.jpeg

[McNinja]

In my campaign, my players actually figured out how many gallons of water were in the Tsunami spell. Hint: it's a lot.

300x300x50 feet = 4,500,000 cubic feet

1 gallon = 0.133681 cubic feet

which means that the tsunami spell deals 33,662,337 damage to a fire elemental. Plus the 6d10 bludgeoning damage. Just a fun fact.

Basically, underwater travel is impossible for a fire elemental. The damage/feet is when you or it moves across a wet surface, like a large puddle or something.

[Talamare]

"Splashed" on you is an instant effect
So you take 1 damage when 1 Gallon of water touches your skin

Being submerged is a perpetual effect, every millisecond dozens of gallons are being splashed on you.
Suffice it to say, you would basically die instantly.

[Gnomes2169]

So new question (and it fits here rather well, despite not being really all too related to the original), the fire elemental ignites creatures that it comes in contact with (passes through the first time, or deals damage to with its creepy fire hands). This ignition deals 1d10 fire damage to creatures at the start of their turn unless it's put out as an action.

So here is the question, since this is not a spell and the effect does not say it can't stack... Does it? For example, let's say that the fire elemental runs through Isaac the Ignitable's square and then hits him with an attack... Which situation should happen?

A) Isaac is dealt 1d10 fire damage at the beginning of his turn.

B) Isaac is dealt 2d10 fire damage at the beginning of his turn.

[RickAllison]

So new question (and it fits here rather well, despite not being really all too related to the original), the fire elemental ignites creatures that it comes in contact with (passes through the first time, or deals damage to with its creepy fire hands). This ignition deals 1d10 fire damage to creatures at the start of their turn unless it's put out as an action.

So here is the question, since this is not a spell and the effect does not say it can't stack... Does it? For example, let's say that the fire elemental runs through Isaac the Ignitable's square and then hits him with an attack... Which situation should happen?

A) Isaac is dealt 1d10 fire damage at the beginning of his turn.

B) Isaac is dealt 2d10 fire damage at the beginning of his turn.

I will cite the DMG errata:


Combining Game Effects (p. 252). This is a new subsection
at the end of the “Combat” section: “Different game features can
affect a target at the same time. But when two or more game features
have the same name, only the effects of one of them—the
most potent one—apply while the durations of the effects overlap.
For example, if a target is ignited by a fire elemental’s Fire Form
trait, the ongoing fire damage doesn’t increase if the burning target
is subjected to that trait again. Game features include spells,
class features, feats, racial traits, monster abilities, and magic
items. See the related rule in the ‘Combining Magical Effects’
section of chapter 10 in the Player’s Handbook.”

So they actually call it out by name :smallbiggrin:

[Gnomes2169]

Aha! So what I need is the DMG errata... And also the MM errata, because I didn't know either of those were actually out. Thanks for telling me!

[RickAllison]

Aha! So what I need is the DMG errata... And also the MM errata, because I didn't know either of those were actually out. Thanks for telling me!

Absolutely! I was freaking out because I could have sworn I had seen something directly about that, but couldn't find it in Sage Advice. So easy to miss those errata :smallbiggrin:

[Slipperychicken]

DMG 249, "improvising damage". A human stumbling into a vat of acid takes 4d10. A human submerged in lava takes 18d10. I'd use one of these two figures for total submersion.