The question came up during our last game.
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In most circumstances where it would matter, no.
The problem isn't with the earth glide or with moving through earth; it is burrowing and has a burrow speed. It is with line of sight.
"If you don't have line of sight to the opponent at the start of your turn, you can't charge that opponent."
There can be some odd terrain exceptions where the elemental has line of sight, but would need to use Earth Glide to maintain a direct line for the charge.
Elementals do have tremorsense. This allows pinpointing, but does not provide line of sight, unless I've missed something.
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Related question as I was thinking about it: does an obstacle that provides cover (wall, mound, etc.) made out of a material that the earth elemental can glide through still provide cover, or can he just slam through it?
Does it matter if it is cover vs. total cover?
Well, does he have line of sight?
If he can't see him then he can't charge him.
| 2 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
"If you don't have line of sight to the opponent at the start of your turn, you can't charge that opponent."
So, I suppose the question is, if the elemental starts on the surface, establishing line of sight to the opponent, could he then charge, using Earth Glide to move through the ground, to reach the opponent?
For example, to pass through difficult terrain (which would normally prevent the charge).
I would say Yes.
Now the following is mostly for GM's, since they are the ones setting up situations, but this does present an interesting aspect to exploit in fortification.
Now, if one were to create a fort purely staffed by Earth elementals, do you know one of the key architectural features you can leave out? Doors. Because why bother when everyone could just walk through the wall? Sure, there might be service entrances for loading goods (whatever those would be), but that could be handled by maybe a dumbwaiter system operated at the top of a wall.
So, in this situation, the elementals could simply create small windows to spot enemies at ground level, and thus they could charge. It makes an effective defense since they can charge without warning and they can retreat where enemies could not easily follow.
Now, obviously this whole situation either needs an easily exploitable entrance/exit, or you need the party to have a spontaneous caster with access to Transmute rock to mud or similar spells (stone mystery oracles are good too). I say spontaneous since....well, while a cool concept, this earth elemental fort would be bad game design if players can't get into it. A spontaneous caster can solve the problem without needing to wait a day just to prepare the right spell.
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elemental starts on the surface, establishing line of sight to the opponent, could he then charge, using Earth Glide to move through the ground, to reach the opponent? pass through difficult terrain
I don't see how. Since if he has line of sight he must make for the most direct path which wouldn't be through the ground.
Technically, you need to head directly for the closest square from which you can make an attack. In short, it doesn't allow for any "angling."
Can you move at an accelerated rate when burrowing? I thought it was like climbing, you have a climb speed but you can't run or charge while climbing, right?
I am somewhat curious too. The problem comes from the fact that earthglide makes your movement through stone like moving through "water". But let us presume that you only have a stone wall a few inches thick between you and a direct path to your target. Would that be burrowing, or would it be like moving through a thin waterfall? Would a waterfall count as difficult terrain?
You can't run or charge while climbing because the climbing skill specifically says so.
Other movement types, such as fly or swim, also clarify whether you can or can't run or charge.
Yet other movement modes, such as burrow, have very little rules governing them, and are as of yet unclear.
You can't run or charge while climbing because the climbing skill specifically says so.
Other movement types, such as fly or swim, also clarify whether you can or can't run or charge.....
Actually running is specifically mentioned in the climb and swim skills, but charging is not.
"A creature with a climb speed has a +8 racial bonus on all Climb checks. The creature must make a Climb check to climb any wall or slope with a DC higher than 0, but it can always choose to take 10, even if rushed or threatened while climbing. If a creature with a climb speed chooses an accelerated climb (see above), it moves at double its climb speed (or at its land speed, whichever is slower) and makes a single Climb check at a –5 penalty. Such a creature retains its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) while climbing, and opponents get no special bonus to their attacks against it. It cannot, however, use the run action while climbing."