Elemental Traits [Archive] - Wizards Community

Elemental Traits [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
AlexVADnD
02-17-06, 02:15 PM I was looking at the Elemental traits and noticed that Elementals do not apprear to be immune to disease.

What gives?

I mean, I know this game has little to do with logic, and it may have something to do with Game Balance issues, but seriously now.

If an Elemental is just living flame, earth, air or whatever, what is there for the germ/virus to infect?

To me, they should be immune to disease.
pileobone
02-17-06, 03:02 PM Yeah, they don't have a "discernable anatomy", aren't subject to critical hits, sneak attacks, or the like so I just assume they aren't affected by disease. Probably just something they've overlooked that needs to be errata'd.
runestar
02-17-06, 11:53 PM What does a descernable anatomy have to with falling sick? :confused: It doesn't mean they don't have one, just that you can't discern it. And they have a biological physiology like all living things, so I suppose they can contract diseases like everything else.
The Vorpal Tribble
02-18-06, 12:16 AM And they have a biological physiology like all living things, so I suppose they can contract diseases like everything else.
Heh, a fire elemental catching a cold. That must be one tough viral strain I tell ya.
Shemeska the Marauder
02-18-06, 03:31 AM What does a descernable anatomy have to with falling sick? :confused: It doesn't mean they don't have one, just that you can't discern it. And they have a biological physiology like all living things, so I suppose they can contract diseases like everything else.

Discernable anatomy is a broad, generic game mechanic not created to specifically address the physiology, or lack thereof, of elementals. It's too nonspecific to really do them justice, and I would avoid trying to use a lack of specificity in that game mechanic's wording to apply to specific things on elementals.

It's a being of solid flame, solid water, a moving block of granite, an animate rush of wind... somehow I don't think that filth fever is going to affect them one way or the other. Saying it does might work by the RAW, but it fails miserably in any judgement of common sense when you take a deeper look at elementals, and what they are beyond a listing of their hit dice or other crunchy game stats.
Kraleck
02-18-06, 09:18 AM Maybe they only get diseases native to their respective elemental planes?
AlexVADnD
02-21-06, 11:43 AM Maybe they only get diseases native to their respective elemental planes?

Ok now that makes some sense...

I wil have to talk with my DM about this...
pileobone
02-21-06, 12:08 PM Maybe they only get diseases native to their respective elemental planes?

Like what? I've never really heard of one, but then I have quite a poor knowledge of diseases in general. Just curious.
cwslyclgh
02-21-06, 12:39 PM Like what? I've never really heard of one, but then I have quite a poor knowledge of diseases in general. Just curious. Quartzthrax? Hydrofluenza? flame-eating bacteria? Nitrogen cough?
cwslyclgh
02-21-06, 12:43 PM but it fails miserably in any judgement of common sense any judgement of common sense would tell you that a living creature composed interly of fire can not exist, there for this argument has little validity in dtermining whether that creature can contract slimy doom or not.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AlexVADnD 02-17-06, 02:15 PM	I was looking at the Elemental traits and noticed that Elementals do not apprear to be immune to disease. What gives? I mean, I know this game has little to do with logic, and it may have something to do with Game Balance issues, but seriously now. If an Elemental is just living flame, earth, air or whatever, what is there for the germ/virus to infect? To me, they should be immune to disease.
pileobone 02-17-06, 03:02 PM	Yeah, they don't have a "discernable anatomy", aren't subject to critical hits, sneak attacks, or the like so I just assume they aren't affected by disease. Probably just something they've overlooked that needs to be errata'd.
runestar 02-17-06, 11:53 PM	What does a descernable anatomy have to with falling sick? :confused: It doesn't mean they don't have one, just that you can't discern it. And they have a biological physiology like all living things, so I suppose they can contract diseases like everything else.
The Vorpal Tribble 02-18-06, 12:16 AM	And they have a biological physiology like all living things, so I suppose they can contract diseases like everything else. Heh, a fire elemental catching a cold. That must be one tough viral strain I tell ya.
Shemeska the Marauder 02-18-06, 03:31 AM	What does a descernable anatomy have to with falling sick? :confused: It doesn't mean they don't have one, just that you can't discern it. And they have a biological physiology like all living things, so I suppose they can contract diseases like everything else. Discernable anatomy is a broad, generic game mechanic not created to specifically address the physiology, or lack thereof, of elementals. It's too nonspecific to really do them justice, and I would avoid trying to use a lack of specificity in that game mechanic's wording to apply to specific things on elementals. It's a being of solid flame, solid water, a moving block of granite, an animate rush of wind... somehow I don't think that filth fever is going to affect them one way or the other. Saying it does might work by the RAW, but it fails miserably in any judgement of common sense when you take a deeper look at elementals, and what they are beyond a listing of their hit dice or other crunchy game stats.
Kraleck 02-18-06, 09:18 AM	Maybe they only get diseases native to their respective elemental planes?
AlexVADnD 02-21-06, 11:43 AM	Maybe they only get diseases native to their respective elemental planes? Ok now that makes some sense... I wil have to talk with my DM about this...
pileobone 02-21-06, 12:08 PM	Maybe they only get diseases native to their respective elemental planes? Like what? I've never really heard of one, but then I have quite a poor knowledge of diseases in general. Just curious.
cwslyclgh 02-21-06, 12:39 PM	Like what? I've never really heard of one, but then I have quite a poor knowledge of diseases in general. Just curious. Quartzthrax? Hydrofluenza? flame-eating bacteria? Nitrogen cough?
cwslyclgh 02-21-06, 12:43 PM	but it fails miserably in any judgement of common sense any judgement of common sense would tell you that a living creature composed interly of fire can not exist, there for this argument has little validity in dtermining whether that creature can contract slimy doom or not.