When an air elemental goes whirlwind and trap someone inside it, how do ranged attacks to the trapped creature work?
Can the creature be targetted with ranged attacks/rays?
Does it have total concealment (the air elemental is all around it...).Than you
Franc
You posted after midnight (PST) so don't be alarmed if you do not get a fast response... Also this is just my opinion on the matter so take it how it is... with that said...
I would say range attacks work normally (albiet the forced called shot -4)to Small or Medium size Air Elementals, however the LARGE Size Elemental has a 10 foot Space ( so it occupies 4 Squares) and the Huge/Greater/Elder Elementals are 15 foot Space (thats 9 squares!.
So Technically the creatures inside are being slammed and tossed inside the Whirlwind (tornado like) winds. But nothing is said about range attacks to the creatures inside, so by RAW you can attack either the Air Elemental or the Creatures inside, but I bet some GM's would houserule a penalty of some sort.
The only time the trapped creature(s) have total concealment is when the Whirlwind touches the ground and causes a cloud of debris. Read the last Paragraph on this link.
FYI.. I'm playing a 7th Level Gnome Druid in a Jade REgent Campaign and its fun flying around as a Small Air Elemental, although the Whirlwind is almost useless for me right now.