Can Elementals wield weapons?

[BiggDawg]

The title pretty much sums up my query, can an elemental wield a weapon?

I had a player who wanted to use Elemental Body IV to change into an air elemental, but instead of having his weapon merge he would drop the weapon and then pick it up and use it.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

PS - Can a caster in Elemental body form cast spells?

[Tom S 820]

I. F. M. IT Freaking Magic! So yes. but it gose both way attack PC with earth elemental wielding Great swords.

[Ambrus]

As outsiders, elemental are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and any weapons mentioned in their entry. Since they've a strength score with which to pick up and manipulate objects and proficiency in their use, I don't see any reason why elementals couldn't wield weapons.

The same things goes for casting; there's nothing in their writeup that says they can't cast spells like any other creature.

[Chakfor]

BiggDawg wrote:

The title pretty much sums up my query, can an elemental wield a weapon?

I had a player who wanted to use Elemental Body IV to change into an air elemental, but instead of having his weapon merge he would drop the weapon and then pick it up and use it.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

PS - Can a caster in Elemental body form cast spells?

Subject to DM ruling.

I'd rule that earth elementals couldn't cast spells requiring somatic components but that air, water, and fire elementals could.

None of this is RAW to my knowledge, just my interpretation of the rules. Remember, he has to drop his spell component pouch prior to casting elemental body, otherwise it transforms with him.

Also, if he's transforming into a fire elemental he'd better be sure it's not flammable.

[Kazejin]

BiggDawg wrote:

The title pretty much sums up my query, can an elemental wield a weapon?

I had a player who wanted to use Elemental Body IV to change into an air elemental, but instead of having his weapon merge he would drop the weapon and then pick it up and use it.

Technically yes. Elementals are outsiders, and outsiders are racially proficient with all martial weapons, implying that they could. However, he needs arms and hands to hold the weapon with.

BiggDawg wrote:

PS - Can a caster in Elemental body form cast spells?

It depends. While in elemental form, you MAY lose three abilities as a spellcaster.

He can't access any of his material components.

EDIT: Need to adjust myself here.

He can't fulfill any verbal component, unless his new form can speak.

He can't fulfill any somatic component, unless his new form has such capability.

If he has any spells that can be cast without requiring any of those three things, then yes. But that will be hard. Non-expensive material components (components that have no value or a value less than 1gp) can be ignored if he has the Eschew Materials feat. And he would have to also have Silent Spell and/or Still Spell metamagic feats to compensate for his loss of verbal and somatic ability, unless his new form has those abilities.

You could argue either way, and it's sort of a DM call. Elementals aren't technically bound to a specific shape definition, and they do have a language to speak with; meaning they can speak. So he has the verbal, but the somatic is very debatable.

[Quandary]

Elementals can be of any general form, including humanoid...
There´s nothing saying they work differently than other humanoids in regards either issue.

Elemental Sub-Type wrote:

Proficient with natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with all simple weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry.

If humanoid-shaped , you should be able to use weapons since otherwise having proficiency in them wouldn´t make any sense.

As well, humanoid-shaped Elementals (which you can choose if you want when casting Elemental Form) should also be able to cast spells in the same way humanoid casters usually do (note: any creature can cast spells, but if it is a non-humanoid form (rather, lacking arms and hands), a humanoid caster in that form cannot do so without special means allowing that, e.g. Natural Spell or Still Spell/Eschew Materials).

It´s hardly clear by the RAW (Burn only applies to creatures attacking a Fire Elemental and those it attacks), but some GMs may call for Material Components to make a Save vs. Burn for Casters adopting Fire Elemental Form. Natural Spell and/or Eschew Materials would deal with that issue though.

[Tom S 820]

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BiggDawg wrote:

PS - Can a caster in Elemental body form cast spells?

It depends. While in elemental form, you MAY lose three abilities as a spellcaster.

He can't access any of his material components.

If they can touch weapon then they can touch material components
Common Sense

He can't fulfill any verbal component, unless his new form can speak.

Has the form has a Languages so they can still speak.
Common Sense

He can't fulfill any somatic component, unless his new form has such (components that have no value or a value less than 1gp) can be ignored if he has the Eschew Materials feat. And he would have to also have Silent Spell and/or Still Spell metamagic feats to compensate for his loss of verbal and somatic ability, unless his new form has those abilities.

Again if it can touch item then it can wave it hand or what ever it has. Common Sense

You could argue either way, and it's sort of a DM call. Elementals aren't technically bound to a specific shape definition, and they do have a language to speak with; meaning they can speak. So he has the verbal, but the somatic is very debatable.