Mephits: the same but different

[starburst98]

in your opinion which of the various mephits is the best? they each most likely do better depending on what you want done so list the type and what the task is.

[Keld Denar]

From a potency standpoint, Ooze and Dust are pretty strong.

In general, the paraelemental mephits tend to be stronger than the primary elemental mephits. Not always, but often.

Biggest things to look for are which SLAs they have per day. Not all spells were created equal. Stinking Cloud from the Oooze Mephit is much stronger than say...Magic Missile.

[starburst98]

hmmm, in a combat situation those would be best. but how about utility?

[juggalotis]

For a Utility purpose the Fire Mephit always wins because he can fry bacon for you.

[Starbuck_II]

hmmm, in a combat situation those would be best. but how about utility?

Lets analyze them:

a. Air:
1) 1/hr, Blur
2) 1/day Gust of Wind: tis okay, but not best.
3) Breath weapon: Just a damage breath, but weak save DC.

b. Dust:
1) 1/hr, Blur
2) 1/day Gust of Wind: Now we are talking.
3) Breath weapon: Damage breath that also penalizes them foes, but weak save DC.

c. Earth:
1) 1/hr, Enlarge Person, Personal (if wantthe Mephit to be a physical warrior i guess).
2) 1/day Soften Earth + Stone: utility mostly.
3) Breath weapon: Just a damage breath, but weak save DC.

d. Fire Mephit
1) Physical attacks deal fire
2) Immune to fire
3) Breath weapon: Just a damage breath, but weak save DC.
4) 1/hr, Scorching Ray (good spell)
5) 1/day, Heat Metal: occasionaly useful. If used in water can boil water dealing a huge amount of damage.

e. Ice
1) 1/day, Chill Metal: Same usefulness as Heat Metal
2) 1/hr, Magic Missile (good spell versus Willow Wisps)
3) Breath weapon: Damage breath that also penalizes them foes, but weak save DC.
4) immune to Cold

f. Magma
1) Physical attacks deal fire
2) immune to fire
2) Breath weapon: Damage breath that also penalizes them foes, but weak save DC.
3) 1/hr, Shapechange into Lava: Yes, the 20d6 damage/round Lava. Better yet, he can still move.
4) 1/day, Pyrotechnics: Uses self as source.

g. Ooze:
1) 1/day, Stinking cloud: DC okay.
2) Breath weapon: Damage breath that also penalizes them foes, but weak save DC.
3) 1/hr, Acid Arrow

h. Salt:
1) 1/hr, Glitterdust
2) Breath weapon: Damage breath that also penalizes them foes, but weak save DC.
3) 1/day, Fort partial 2d8 damage burst

i. Steam
1) Immune to Fire
2) Physical attacks deal fire
3) Breath weapon: Damage breath that also penalizes them foes, but weak save DC.
4) 1/hr Blur
5) Fireball that deals 2d6 damage (same area as a fireball but counts as a 2nd level spell)

j. Water:
1) 1/day, Stinking cloud: DC okay.
2) Breath weapon: Damage breath, but weak save DC.
3) 1/hr, Acid Arrow

Tecnically, Magma Mephit is broken.
20d6 damage is far too much for a 4th level spell (Summon Monster 4)

[Deth Muncher]

If the magma mephit is so broken, let's hope there isn't a "Summon Mephit Swarm" spell.


There isn't one, is there?

[Starbuck_II]

Wait, I'm wrong contact only deals 2d6/round (+3 rounmds after stop being in contact) unless the character is considered immersed then it is 20d6.

How many Magma Mephit Lavas must cover your area to be immersed?

[Jack_Simth]

If the magma mephit is so broken, let's hope there isn't a "Summon Mephit Swarm" spell.


There isn't one, is there?

Well... if you use Summon Monster V or VI rather than IV, you get the 1d3 or 1d4+1 options...

[starburst98]

sandstorm has "mephit mob" a 6th-lvl druid or bard spell that summons 2d6 mephits of your choice.

[Deth Muncher]

sandstorm has "mephit mob" a 6th-lvl druid or bard spell that summons 2d6 mephits of your choice.

That's why I had that thought in my mind. Now, twin it, augment it, quicken it and cast that Greater Arcane Thesis into two Arcane Theses into 4 Mephit Mobs. That's, oh, 4 GATs -> 8 ATs -> 16 MMs -> 32d6 Mephits. That stick around for a long time, and have extra health, I think.

[starburst98]

they are also all magma mephits, and you tell them to swarm the enemy and change form filling a large area with lava, decimating what ever it was you were fighting.

[Starbuck_II]

The one thing I don't get is why does Lava form only give DR 20/magic?

[Archpaladin Zousha]

I don't really get the mephits. Whenever I think of them, I think of what one of them says in Neverwinter Nights. When you release it from captivity it giggles "Heeheehee! Free to annoy! Free to destroy!"

So they exist solely to annoy people? What's the point in that?!

[Prometheus]

Mephits are awesome little buggers. They are better than imps for my money.

[Eldan]

Nah, they exist to be personal messengers for lower planar high-ups. They were made to be as annoying as possible so that no one would like to get a message delivered by them.

[Lemur]

Air Mephits have an interesting advantage over the others: they can gain fast healing anywhere by flapping their wings, while the rest have an environmental constraint.

[Starbuck_II]

Air Mephits have an interesting advantage over the others: they can gain fast healing anywhere by flapping their wings, while the rest have an environmental constraint.

Doesn't the Magma Mephits Lavaform heal him?

[starburst98]

no, he has to be touching another source of heat, at least a standard torch in size.

[Starbuck_II]

no, he has to be touching another source of heat, at least a standard torch in size.

So two Magma Mephits in Lavaform work?

[starburst98]

maybe, nothing says it can't but that is up to your DM, he may say that it has to be real lava.