Ok, so I was making a cleric that serves an elemental deity only to find out they no longer command elementals. Simple fix, take Elemental Channel and Command Undead and Command Undead should also work on elementals.
Not the case, sadly. And I don't understand why?
First, I don't understand why any Cleric can take the Elemental Channel feat. Why wasn't there a prerequisite where you had to have one of the elemental domains to take the feat? That would've made much more sense. I don't like the idea of, say, a Cleric serving a god of strength or a god of life and such being able to call power to damage or heal...water elementals?
Then I find out I can't give them a command elemental ability? WHAT!? So my Elder Elemental Eye clerics for my adventure that have varying elemental powers depending on which they focus on are going to be surrounded by commanded...undead...and not elementals as I had thought?
Will there be a Command Elemental feat for Clerics in Ultimate Magic!? I hope so...
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While I did not address commanding elementals, if you have not already done so, you might check out The Secrets of Divine Channeling for some additional ways to make your elemental clerics more unique.
I just think it's lame not to include something to allow elemental clerics to command elementals. I guess I'll have to just homebrew a Command Elemental feat in the meantime, with Elemental Channel as a prerequisite.
I just think it's lame not to include something to allow elemental clerics to command elementals. I guess I'll have to just homebrew a Command Elemental feat in the meantime, with Elemental Channel as a prerequisite.
Because the second you allow them to command fire subtypes you allow them to command giants, dragons and all manner of beasts. If you limit it to fire type outsiders then we are just telling balors and the like what to do...
The question is then, how do you limit it to just elemental type monsters without going "what the heck I can only command one type of elemental creature? That's lame!"
Until the bestiary expands there just isn't a nitch for it yet.
The question is then, how do you limit it to just elemental type monsters without going "what the heck I can only command one type of elemental creature? That's lame!"
Um... by limiting it to creatures that have the Elemental subtype, which as far as I know only Elemental-type monsters have?
The question is then, how do you limit it to just elemental type monsters without going "what the heck I can only command one type of elemental creature? That's lame!"Um... by limiting it to creatures that have the Elemental subtype, which as far as I know only Elemental-type monsters have?
So a fire cleric should be able to do this to all elemental creatures?
One way to make them more unique or more to your liking is take a look at the sorcerer bloodline elemental and or wizards elemental school, then take what you like about both and the cleric elemental class and combine them.
This I really don't like -- It's bad enough the cleric has everything already there is no reason to give them even more.
I do see what you are saying. It was just a suggestion for the origonal poster to look at to make the game more injoyable.One way to make them more unique or more to your liking is take a look at the sorcerer bloodline elemental and or wizards elemental school, then take what you like about both and the cleric elemental class and combine them.This I really don't like -- It's bad enough the cleric has everything already there is no reason to give them even more.
Fair enough. I don't mind the general idea of what he's going for -- I'm just trying to point out all the issues that were involved with it from 3.5 on -- and part of the reasons why this particular type of ability wasn't carried over yet.
So a fire cleric should be able to do this to all elemental creatures?The question is then, how do you limit it to just elemental type monsters without going "what the heck I can only command one type of elemental creature? That's lame!"Um... by limiting it to creatures that have the Elemental subtype, which as far as I know only Elemental-type monsters have?
The obvious solution here is that, say, fire clerics can command creatures with both the fire and elemental subtypes.
Granted this is a house rule... but I would just add another home brew sub domain to the various elemental domains called something like "Fire (Divine)" or the like. This sub domain would have powers similar to the Death domain for commanding undead but only apply it to Fire Elementals. That should work OK and not require any special feats.
I just think it's lame not to include something to allow elemental clerics to command elementals. I guess I'll have to just homebrew a Command Elemental feat in the meantime, with Elemental Channel as a prerequisite.Because the second you allow them to command fire subtypes you allow them to command giants, dragons and all manner of beasts. If you limit it to fire type outsiders then we are just telling balors and the like what to do...
The question is then, how do you limit it to just elemental type monsters without going "what the heck I can only command one type of elemental creature? That's lame!"
Until the bestiary expands there just isn't a nitch for it yet.
In 3.5e, elemental clerics had the ability and were not considered broken. For one, it only applies to elementals. In Pathfinder's case, it would only apply to those with the elemental subtype, and even further, either the earth, fire, air, or water subtypes.
Next, I say one would need to get the Elemental Channel feat, choosing the same subtype as the one for Elemental Channel in order to Command Elemental.
So if I wanted my Cleric of the fire god to command elementals, he'd need Elemental Channel (fire) feat, and Command Elemental (fire) feat. Two feats for commanding only fire elementals is not bad, there's wide range of them. Not as much as undead, but there's a lot.
I just found it a nerf and a flavorless thing to do to the elemental clerics, taking away their command elementals ability. I serve an earth god, but yet my main powers harm or heal undead!?
For those with the Air, Fire, Earth or Water domains, I give them Command Elemental for free.
So a fire cleric should be able to do this to all elemental creatures?The question is then, how do you limit it to just elemental type monsters without going "what the heck I can only command one type of elemental creature? That's lame!"Um... by limiting it to creatures that have the Elemental subtype, which as far as I know only Elemental-type monsters have?
I could easily just sit here and apply your argument to channeling against elementals at all, except they can already do that, can't they?
Anything they can channel against should be able to apply other channeling abilities against.
I think what you're looking for would be an archetype.
The archetype would replace the Channel feature with Elemental Channel instead. Instead of converting to heals or harms, convert to summon monster (only creatures with elemental subtype of chosen type).
If turn undead feat is taken, it applies to elementals of chosen type instead.
One of the chosen domains must be an elemental domain.
The obvious solution here is that, say, fire clerics can command creatures with both the fire and elemental subtypes.So a fire cleric should be able to do this to all elemental creatures?The question is then, how do you limit it to just elemental type monsters without going "what the heck I can only command one type of elemental creature? That's lame!"Um... by limiting it to creatures that have the Elemental subtype, which as far as I know only Elemental-type monsters have?
Which covers exactly one creature (and it's more advanced forms) in the game. Which goes back to my above comment.
And it did exist in 3.5 and the second you realize it says "any creature of (this) subtype" and just how many creatures fit under that subtype the question of balance goes out the window even faster --
The following is a small list of fire subtype monsters:
Fire Giants
Red Dragons
Efreeti
A fire domain cleric could command and bolster any of those monsters. Any of them, with nothing else going on but his class features.
Red Dragon pops up Cleric goes "I command you" and that ends that.
The domain command abilities really were much more powerful than people realized.