Using the Paizo Critical hit deck in a pickup game recently one hit resulted in "Normal Damage and target is sickened" which I figured didn't apply to a creature made of fire. Looking through the Bestiary I only found that they are immune to being stunned but nothing about fire elementals stated they couldn't be sickened, this doesn't make much sense to me so I decided to ask here:
Can an elemental be sickened?
Creative Director
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Using the Paizo Critical hit deck in a pickup game recently one hit resulted in "Normal Damage and target is sickened" which I figured didn't apply to a creature made of fire. Looking through the Bestiary I only found that they are immune to being stunned but nothing about fire elementals stated they couldn't be sickened, this doesn't make much sense to me so I decided to ask here:
Can an elemental be sickened?
Yes. Although it does seem weird that they can. Note that elementals are also immune to things like poison... and honestly, I think they should probably be immune to disease as well.
Of course, in your case, it's worth pointing out that elementals are also immune to critical hits, so in this case it'd be immune to the sickened condition simply because it's immune to the effect that would have normally caused it.
So yeah, I could see a case being made for elementals being immune to "sickened," but in this case that doesn't matter since they're immune to crits in the first place.
That's my slip as a DM then >.<
Think there might be errata on the whole sickened thing or will you guys be leaving that up to DM's to choose to house rule or not?
Elementals are immune to critical hits...
Yes. Although it does seem weird that they can. Note that elementals are also immune to things like poison... and honestly, I think they should probably be immune to disease as well.
Well, I personally believe that most kind of Elementals should also be immune to Grapple or Trip (how do you wrestle a Water Elemental, do you DRINK him ?!?...), but well, it can easily be house-ruled.
Elementals are immune to critical hits...
Yep, as mentioned above I flubbed on that one :P Still, that they aren't immune to the sickened condition strikes me as odd. Does this mean a living pillar of flame can get bird flu?
Elementals are immune to critical hits...Yep, as mentioned above I flubbed on that one :P Still, that they aren't immune to the sickened condition strikes me as odd. Does this mean a living pillar of flame can get bird flu?
Sickened isn't sick as in afflicted by a disease. If a virus or bacterium gets you, you become sick. If you watch 2 girls 1 cup*, you become sickened.
Maybe the mere thought of "firewater" or burning dwarf flesh will turn the fire elemental into a flamethrower, shouting magma soup.
*I strongly suggest that nobody goes and looks that up. Believe me. Unless you are really jaded and/or actually want to chunder.
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I think you use DM discretion based on the delivery of the effect and the target. In this case, I have a hard time applying the RAW for sickness to an elemental. As an example, I use the druid companion Camel's spit.
Without anatomy much less a need to breathe or eat, not sure how a camel's spit could sicken an elemental or affect it at all. However, a spell effect like Eyebite inflicts pain/fever, which imposes a sickened condition, and isn't necessarily physical (acts as a Curse).
Personally I'd add immunity to sickness, nausea, and other conditions that implicitly rely on having an anatomy to the elemental subtype immunities. Other than that, always remember there isn't a rule for everything and sometimes you just have to "think on your feet."