Swallowed and the Moon Druid

[sithlordnergal]

So...I have run into an odd event during my home game. The game is based in Chult, and we have a level 10 Moon Druid. The party was ambushed by the Gigantasarus while trying to steal eggs, and the Druid was eaten before he could wild shape on the Surprise Round. The Druid then rolled low on initiative, and ended up being swallowed. Upon their turn they turned into a Fire Elemental, and that's when I realized the issue:

Mechanically, being Swallowed only causes you to be Blinded and Restrained. A Fire Elemental is immune to being Blinded and Restrained, and can move through any opening that is at least an inch wide. Our Moon Druid realized this as well, and asked if he could essentially use his movement to leave the Gigantasarus's stomach without making any checks since he was immune to being Restrained.

I went ahead and allowed him to leave the Gigantasarus's stomach in the end, but I was wondering if I was following those rules correctly.

[Eragon123]

I don't think most dinosaurs could digest fire so I think that's fine. Also it costed a resource.

[sambojin]

Which end did he go out, incidentally?

And did its insides catch fire?

That's going to be one sorry dinosaur either way :)

[No brains]

It may have been a better idea to turn into a water elemental and stay in the stomach. Halve the acid damage and not risk any more attacks. I've never seen a gigantosaurus, so I don't know how its damage compares on the inside vs outside. Sometimes it is actually safer inside the monster than outside.

In case it ever matters, 1 black dragon, barghest, clay golem, or mimic can defeat the tarrasque if they survive being swallowed. Immunity to acid gives big creatures severe indigestion.

[Damon_Tor]

and can move through any opening that is at least an inch wide. Our Moon Druid realized this as well, and asked if he could essentially use his movement to leave the Gigantasarus's stomach without making any checks since he was immune to being Restrained.

I went ahead and allowed him to leave the Gigantasarus's stomach in the end, but I was wondering if I was following those rules correctly.

It's not just an open shot from the stomach to the mouth. There's at least one sphincter which closes at the top of the stomach preventing things from leaving the gut. It's why burping is sometimes difficult: there's a muscle there, one you don't have voluntary control of.

That said, most swallow rules have provisions for damage from inside the stomach of the creature being able to cause the creature to be ejected, and the Fire Elemental subjects anything that "touches" it takes 1d10 damage, and again when it "moves into" the space of a hostile creature, both of which I would apply when the shapeshifting occurs, then the druid could make whatever attacks are available to him. For the purple worm, the regurgitation occurs at 30 damage taken internally on a single turn, but I'm not sure what that would be for a gigantosaurus. Lower, I would expect.

[MaxWilson]

A Fire Elemental is immune to being Blinded and Restrained

Restrained yes, blinded no.

Hilarious story though. :) Good game.

[sithlordnergal]

Heh, he went back up the way he came down. XD The poor dino had some really bad heart burn. And Max is right, they're immune to restrained, not blinded. XD

As for the damage needed: The Gigantasarus requires 30 damage d0one in a round as well, then it gets to make a con save to see if it throws up. If it makes the con save, the stuff stays in its belly.

[sambojin]

May not be that useful when it's a fire elemental its belly. Still, that's natural selection for you. And why druids get along really well with beasts. It's an understanding. No creature wants a 1" thick "firey taco burn" inherent to their idiocy. If they do, they don't have kids.
Druids: natural selectors.

[Dalebert]

It's not just an open shot from the stomach to the mouth. There's at least one sphincter which closes at the top of the stomach preventing things from leaving the gut. It's why burping is sometimes difficult: there's a muscle there, one you don't have voluntary control of.

For sure you're right, but a creature that large I suspect there's an inch. Judgment call of course. I would still treat it like a really good grapple as opposed to a solid barrier. it's a sphincter muscle holding someone, i.e. grappling and restraining them there. A creature immune to being restrained couldn't be held in there, e.g. fire, water, air elementals. It could push and ooze through in the same way it oozes right out of a creature's grip without even needing to use an action.

Have you seen that scene where rhino puppet gives birth to Ace Ventura? Like that but effortless because you're a fire elemental.

[Dr. Cliché]

I would definitely allow the druid to do this.

Also, that Gigantasarus would definitely be taking some fire damage.