Due to my earlier discovery of Druidic potentials, (a quick search can likely find the thread for those curious), I decided to delve further into Druidic powers and came across another little tid-bit of rules questions I want confirmed/denied.
The Set-up: Druid wild-shapes into an Air Elemental, we'll assume one who's reached the end of the wild-shape "tree" per se. (In other words, a level 12 Druid shifting into a Huge Air Elemental). The special attack has been discussed elsewhere multiple times, but a question I have yet to see be asked...
If a Druid such changed to a Huge Air Elemental uses its Whirlwind ability. The start-up costs a Standard action, maintaining it from that point on until his rounds-per-use end. (6 rounds for the level 12 Druid). In the mean-time, I find no-where that suggests maintaining the WhirlWind is anything but entirely free (not even the cost of a "Free Action" per se). And while the ability specifically prevents the character from gaining his normal attacks or threatening the squares around it... No-where have I found it saying the Druid cannot cast spells during the interim turns. (Assuming, of course, he took the Natural Spell feat, and many cases the Eschew Materials feat aswell).
This allows the Druid to effectively use his move action to "suck up" any character who threatens him, move out of range of anyone who doesn't fail their save, without incurring any AOOs, and cast up to level 6 spells (including healing spells to handle that pesky damage those picked up creatures are hitting you with). Am I correct so far?
If so I must ask another question. Do the creatures allready caught in the WhirlWind get AOOs on him if he doesn't cast defensively? While this seems entirely reasonable since they still get to make attacks (at a -2 to hit, and against DR 5/- all-beit, not to mention the -4 to dex. {However as it's only a negative, and not a complete "loses Dex bonus" can't call them flat-footed}) it also seems strange that a creature so caught in a whirling mass of wind, unable to extricate themselves without flight, and thus carried any such way that the Druid wishes. Can pin-point the portion of the Caster that is actually casting a spell. Especially since the creature did not recieve an AOO against it when first yanked up into the vortex. (Where the creature had more stable ground and view of what all was happening.)
EDIT: had a few spelling errors, cleaned up for ease-of-read
