Knight of the
Round Table
Thenameless
Warlord
12481 Posts
    
The Fortress of Solitude
 | | 04/23/2006 6:52 PM |
| | Would the Ice Golem from Frostburn melt in a VERY hot climate, like say a desert? It says that it is carved from a block of ice, but is also magically created. Then there's the part where it's vulnerable to fire. How would you rule this? Thanks. | |
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IHawk
Underboss
1054 Posts
Lisle, Illinois
| | 04/23/2006 11:11 PM |
| I'd say that ice elemental is going to have a bad day!
I can't remember the specific game mechanical for deserts...
but it was something like you have to make a fort save every hour
and the DC progressively gets worse if you fail. You would
take damage and become fatigued, exhausted, etc. If a character
wears medium or heavy armor, those saves are more frequent,
like every 10 minutes.
Since Elementals are immune to fatigue effects and subdual
damage, that part is not worth thinking about.
I'd say that the ice elemental would have to make a fort
save every 10 minutes (you could even give him a circumstance
penaly for being ice in a desert). if he makes it
take 1/2 d6, if he fails take 2d6. If he fails a save
add a +2 to DC and that becomes cummulative. he will eventually
fail saves and ceratainly die. The damage would also be
considered permanent...can't heal until out of the climate.
If you come up with a better reference to the game mechanic,
let me know...i'm sure it will come in handy when my home game
player's fire mephit and elemental archon (fire) end up in
the Tundra...he he he.
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Knight of the
Round Table
Thenameless
Warlord
12481 Posts
The Fortress of Solitude
| | 04/23/2006 11:51 PM |
| | Thanks for the reply. I don't know what it is, but I've always felt that a fire subtype would fair a little better in the cold than vice versa. Probably the idea that it is easier to keep warm, than to fight off stifling heat. I know it shouldn't be that way from a game mechanic standpoint, but that's just me. | |
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Benimoto
Underboss
1125 Posts
| | 04/23/2006 11:51 PM |
| Haha, since there's no rules for it, it's really up to the DM. I would say to look at the wizard who made the golem. If he thought of the fact that the golem might be in hot climates, he might have woven something like a protection from elements spell into the mix. If not, then that could be a golem having a bad day.
Really, whichever way makes for a more interesting story is the way I would rule. | |
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The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
13069 Posts
Mud Lick, Kentucky
| | 04/24/2006 7:27 AM |
| I agree with Benimoto. If some wizard was going to create an ice golem in a desert climate, he/she should be smart enough to research a way to incorporate this kind of protection included in the golem creation process.
Personally, i would rule that just such a thing has indeed happened and that the golem is magically immune to the heat of the desert | |
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taliesin
Underboss
1113 Posts
| | 04/24/2006 1:30 PM |
| Well, since desert heat only deals damage on a failed fortitude save, and constructs (like undead) are immune to effects that force fortitude saves unless it also affects objects, I'd say the Ice Golem would funtion just fine in the desert heat.
Now, if the golem had the cold subtype, and was in an area that dealt fire damage with no save (elemental plane of fire), the golem wouldn't last that long.
Also, and my memory is hazy here, but if the Ice Golem has a form of fast healing that only functions in cold climes, then it would be at a disadvantage (and might merit a decrease in it's CR). | |
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qstor
Sneak
136 Posts
| | 04/24/2006 5:56 PM |
| I think a house rule would be in order so that the ice golem would take damage from the tempature.
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Lachlarlan_the_Mad
Sergeant
470 Posts
| | 04/25/2006 11:25 AM |
| Some golems function as if under the effects of a Slow spell if certain conditions are met.
I'd deal with the Ice Golem in this manner.
An Ice Golem in any sort of warm climate should function as if under the effects of a Slow spell. | |
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reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 04/25/2006 12:31 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Lachlarlan_the_Mad
Some golems function as if under the effects of a Slow spell if certain conditions are met.
I'd deal with the Ice Golem in this manner.
An Ice Golem in any sort of warm climate should function as if under the effects of a Slow spell.
This is the one that I would most likely go with as well. | |
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The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
13069 Posts
Mud Lick, Kentucky
| | 04/25/2006 12:37 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by reezel
quote:
Originally posted by Lachlarlan_the_Mad
Some golems function as if under the effects of a Slow spell if certain conditions are met.
I'd deal with the Ice Golem in this manner.
An Ice Golem in any sort of warm climate should function as if under the effects of a Slow spell.
This is the one that I would most likely go with as well.
That's reasonable, but a larger question is why on earth would any spellcaster make an Ice Golem in a desert climate knowing that it would be diminished in skills and abilities?
That's just silly. The wizard WOULD research a way to build heat protection into the golem construction process.
Yes, I know there's all sorts of things that could explain why an Ice Golem is located in a desert area. | |
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Some of my favorite Maxminis quotes
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
Could somebody explain Snatch to me? I understand the basics, but not how to enter/use it. - Posted by orcmonk220
G's the man. - Posted By greyhaze on 11/11/2008 8:58 AM
I dont mind butting heads every once in a while. It makes thing interesting. Thats why I'd be heartbroken if Ghendar ever left - Posted By Count Dooku on 04/03/2006 11:58 AM
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Malin Lug
Sergeant
742 Posts
| | 04/25/2006 1:59 PM |
| Magic and all aside... sometimes common sense should be taken into account. Sure there are reasons for making an ice golem in the dessert, a wizard needs to keep his wine chilled is one. But thinking realistically (I can't believe I am using that word in refference to D&D) an ice golem in the dessert just doesn't make sense and would melt or be at some severe disadvantages... I personally like the slow effect. Don't summon fire elementals underwater, don't summon fiendish sharks in a forest and don't make an ice golem in the dessert. Some pretty simple but effective rules.
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Knight of the
Round Table
Thenameless
Warlord
12481 Posts
The Fortress of Solitude
| | 04/26/2006 12:11 AM |
| | Just to lend some sanity to the Ice Golem in the desert.....The campaign was set in the north for a time. An Ice Golem was tasked with killing one of the PC's, and it doesn't look like that it wants to give up any time soon. The campaign has since moved to a hot climate. | |
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reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 04/26/2006 8:17 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Thenameless
Just to lend some sanity to the Ice Golem in the desert.....The campaign was set in the north for a time. An Ice Golem was tasked with killing one of the PC's, and it doesn't look like that it wants to give up any time soon. The campaign has since moved to a hot climate.
I had thought of other reasons. Say the dungeon in the dessert was built before that great cataclysm every good D&D world has. Let's say before hand it was an artic area that became dessert by some freak accident. Then the ice golem now has a really valid reason for being there. | |
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