| wheatleymr |
I've been checking my assumptions about what traits various things have, and what effects they have, and as far as I can tell, the "elemental" trait is actually very limited.
E.g. consider a druid with a fire elemental companion, a fire elemental familiar, who summons a fire elemental, and then shifts into elemental form as a fire elemental.
All 4 "don't need to breath" but only 2 of these 4 have immunity to "bleed, poison, sleep, paralysis".
Because those keywords are not built into the "elemental" trait, they are just things that (summoned) elementals all have, but are built into the familiar "elemental" ability.
Is this correct?
Are there any feats that allow companions with the "elemental" trait to have these immunities?
Likewise, are there any feats that allow shape shifted druids to have these immunities?
Is this something that would make sense for a future product? Would it be balanced?
| Castilliano |
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You are correct in that you only get the abilities listed; Paizo doesn't require investigation to unearth further traits. Also, few creature traits provide blanket immunities any more, i.e. "Construct" comes with none though in practice nearly all share a large set of immunities. This makes it easier to make exceptions.
As for the Elemental Form, it is only a form, not becoming an actual Fire Elemental. So you're going to fall short of some abilities which is something true for most every Form spell to keep their bonuses balanced while giving the player the desired imagery. You get as close as mechanically feasible for the spell level and again, only assume the form, not become any of the actual creatures.
Similar for the Familiar; You get as close as mechanically feasible for the feat/familiar-abilities spent on it. So yes, there could be a balanced version where you pay a higher level feat. PF2 stripped a lot of immunities from the game, so it'd be costly and I doubt people would pay for it, not on a Familiar.
The other two work it into their power balance too (which is why many complain about Summon spells being too weak, the caster's paying for those fringe abilities).
What factors went into Paizo's budgeting? I don't know.
There are some high level spells that achieve this, like Ferrous Form, but Fiery Body doesn't if you're focused on a fire form.
| wheatleymr |
Similar for the Familiar; You get as close as mechanically feasible for the feat/familiar-abilities spent on it. So yes, there could be a balanced version where you pay a higher level feat. PF2 stripped a lot of immunities from the game, so it'd be costly and I doubt people would pay for it, not on a Familiar.
Actually it's the Familiar that does get the immunities and the "animal" companion that doesn't.
https://2e.aonprd.com/Familiars.aspx?ID=112And I would rather like to have a feat to grant the appropriate resistances & vulnerabilities to both Companions and shape-shifted forms, if Paizo are looking for content for a future product?
;-)
But I'm glad I have correctly understood what the rules are now, thanks.