How many times / day can an Air Elemental use Whirlwind?

[Naj]

How many times per day can an air elemental use its whirlwind ability? It doesn't specify in neither the monster nor the ability.

There is an example in the whirlwind ability description that says 3/day, but I don't know if this is an example, or if the 3/day is a blanket description for all creatures able to use the whirlwind ability.

[cwslyclgh]

air elementals can use whirlwind as many time per day as they want to.

The format mat line in the universal monster rules section is just an example of how the ability might look in a statblock.

[Starglim]

There isn't a standard number of times per day. Compare, for example, the djinni, which can use this ability once per 10 minutes.

Since none of the air elementals specify a limit, they can use it at will. Forming a whirlwind requires a standard action, since it's a Special Attack and is not specified to be any other action type. The creature can remain in whirlwind form for 1 round per 2 hit dice (Bestiary, page 306) before it has to end the whirlwind, dropping trapped creatures, and re-form it with another action.

[Naj]

Is ending the whirlwind a standard action too?

[cwslyclgh]

I'd say not necessarily, since whirlwinds have a limited a duration and end after the time limit runs out... I'd say that if the elemental wanted to end the effect early they could do so as a standard action (similar to dismissing a spell) but if the whirlwind time limit expires it just ends (not an action on the elementals part).

[Naj]

So an air elemental's turn could go something like this:

rd1) Start Whirlwind(reflex saves)+ move
rd2) Move
rd3) Move
...
Last rd)Whirlwind effect ends (non-action), trapped PCs freed(non-action), start whirlwind(reflex saves)+ move

or would the effect stop at the end of the elemental's last round, giving all the PC's time to scatter? then the elemental can start all over again.

Also, RAW says " ...A creature that can fly is allowed a Reflex save each round on its turn to escape the whirlwind...", and then it says"...Creatures trapped in the whirlwind cannot move except to go where the whirlwind carries them or to escape the whirlwind. ..." Does that mean that PCs with no flying ability who failed their reflex saves are stuck until the effect ends?

[cwslyclgh]

hmmm... must ponder the whirlwind ending question...

non-flying creature stuck: it would seem so, the will simply get carried along with the whirlwind unless the elemental chooses to eject them, but remember they can still take actions, including attacking the 'whirlwind' (air elemental) that is holding them.

[Diego Rossi]

Don't take advice from an AI publicizing ventilation systems.
An Air elemental Whirlwind has no limit on the number of daily uses.