I feel like monsters shouldn't be allowed to attack if they're in a space that gives them total cover even if they have the ability to move through it. Mostly because I wouldn't allow PCs to employ such tactics. Similarly, the elemental's Earth Glide ability doesn't say anything about the elemental being able to take other creatures with it, so I wouldn't allow it.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I feel like monsters shouldn't be allowed to attack if they're in a space that gives them total cover even if they have the ability to move through it. Mostly because I wouldn't allow PCs to employ such tactics. Similarly, the elemental's Earth Glide ability doesn't say anything about the elemental being able to take other creatures with it, so I wouldn't allow it.
Yes, it has a burrowing speed because that's how fast it moves while using Earth Glide.
Earth Glide says it can, not that it does or must. Not a huge deal though. However because it can move without disturbing the soil, it is an argument for it being able to attack at 10 feet. Combat modifiers mostly focus on the area of the target - if it is behind cover or obscured. But the elemental has tremorsense so it knows where the target is, just like blindsight.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
Yes, it has a burrowing speed because that's how fast it moves while using Earth Glide.
Earth Glide says it can, not that it does or must. Not a huge deal though. However because it can move without disturbing the soil, it is an argument for it being able to attack at 10 feet. Combat modifiers mostly focus on the area of the target - if it is behind cover or obscured. But the elemental has tremorsense so it knows where the target is, just like blindsight.
Earth Glide says only that it can burrow through the ground, not attack through the ground
If you don't like that answer, then try this one: the ground would provide total cover to someone on the surface if the elemental is burrowing under it
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
1 - Can an Earth Elemental attack a surface target while 5 or 10 feet underground? I'd say yes.
2 - If 1 is yes, can the elemental grapple the target?
3 - If 2 is yes, can the elemental pull the target underground?
1 - Yes an Earth Elemental can attack while 5 feet underground. It can't attack while 10 feet underground because in between will be 5 feet of earth granting the target total cover. Earth Glide relate to burrow speed when moving, not attacks.
2- Yes any creature can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack, a grapple.
3- No a Earth Elemental can't do this because it doesn't have the ability to leave a tunnel, such as the Tunneler trait. It could drag or carry the grappled creature with it on the surface though.
Here's two official ruling from Sage Advice Compendium that relates to this:
Can an earth elemental grapple with a creature and then pull it underground and leave it there to die? No. An earth elemental’s Earth Glide is meant to apply to itself. The elemental doesn’t take other creatures with it when it moves in this way.
Can a creature that burrows grapple a target and drag them into the ground by burrowing? No. A burrowing creature can drag another creature with them only if they have the ability to leave a tunnel. For example, a purple worm has the Tunneler trait, so it can drag a grappled creature into a tunnel it creates when burrowing. Conversely, an earth elemental can’t drag a creature into the ground with it.
It would be able to spend 5 ft. of movement to pop out of the ground, make its attacks, then spend more movement to go back underground. Then it becomes a game of Readied Attack Whack-A-Elemental.
It would be able to spend 5 ft. of movement to pop out of the ground, make its attacks, then spend more movement to go back underground. Then it becomes a game of Readied Attack Whack-A-Elemental.
It would still draw an opportunity attacking each time it leaves.
It would be able to spend 5 ft. of movement to pop out of the ground, make its attacks, then spend more movement to go back underground. Then it becomes a game of Readied Attack Whack-A-Elemental.
It would still draw an opportunity attacking each time it leaves.
Only if the target had a reach weapon. The reach on the Earth Elemental's slam attack is 10 ft.
It would be able to spend 5 ft. of movement to pop out of the ground, make its attacks, then spend more movement to go back underground. Then it becomes a game of Readied Attack Whack-A-Elemental.
It would still draw an opportunity attacking each time it leaves.
Unless the PC has Mobile Feat.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
An Earth Elemental leaving the surface's space shouldn't provoke an opportunity attack because it's not moving out of your reach since it's still within it.
An Earth Elemental leaving the space below the surface shouldn't provoke an opportunity attack because you don't see it underground doing so, nor can you attack it in total cover.
Sorry asking for clarification, The elemental CAN attack a target if it is in the ground, but the target CANNOT attack the elemental because it is in the ground?
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
The rules for tunneling (and phasing) do not say that a creature is capable of ignoring total cover provided by a material it can tunnel through, though it's not a silly assumption. However, even if you allow it, the earth elemental has no senses that can provide vision through earth (tremorsense does not count as a form of vision) so it will have to stick its head above ground to avoid having disadvantage.
The rules for tunneling (and phasing) do not say that a creature is capable of ignoring total cover provided by a material it can tunnel through, though it's not a silly assumption. However, even if you allow it, the earth elemental has no senses that can provide vision through earth (tremorsense does not count as a form of vision) so it will have to stick its head above ground to avoid having disadvantage.
So it's a normal attack then. It cannot see the target and the target cannot see it. Normal roll yes?
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
1 - Can an Earth Elemental attack a surface target while 5 or 10 feet underground? I'd say yes.
2 - If 1 is yes, can the elemental grapple the target?
3 - If 2 is yes, can the elemental pull the target underground?
1 - Yes an Earth Elemental can attack while 5 feet underground. It can't attack while 10 feet underground because in between will be 5 feet of earth granting the target total cover. Earth Glide relate to burrow speed when moving, not attacks.
2- Yes any creature can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack, a grapple.
3- No a Earth Elemental can't do this because it doesn't have the ability to leave a tunnel, such as the Tunneler trait. It could drag or carry the grappled creature with it on the surface though.
Can a PC attack an elemental while it is 5 feet underground? If no, then I would say the elemental cannot attack above ground. Otherwise why wouldn’t it just park itself 5 feet down and be invincible
1 - Can an Earth Elemental attack a surface target while 5 or 10 feet underground? I'd say yes.
2 - If 1 is yes, can the elemental grapple the target?
3 - If 2 is yes, can the elemental pull the target underground?
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
I feel like monsters shouldn't be allowed to attack if they're in a space that gives them total cover even if they have the ability to move through it. Mostly because I wouldn't allow PCs to employ such tactics. Similarly, the elemental's Earth Glide ability doesn't say anything about the elemental being able to take other creatures with it, so I wouldn't allow it.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I AM the PC =)
And it still has a tunneling speed.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Yes, it has a burrowing speed because that's how fast it moves while using Earth Glide.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Earth Glide says it can, not that it does or must. Not a huge deal though. However because it can move without disturbing the soil, it is an argument for it being able to attack at 10 feet. Combat modifiers mostly focus on the area of the target - if it is behind cover or obscured. But the elemental has tremorsense so it knows where the target is, just like blindsight.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Earth Glide says only that it can burrow through the ground, not attack through the ground
If you don't like that answer, then try this one: the ground would provide total cover to someone on the surface if the elemental is burrowing under it
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
1 - Yes an Earth Elemental can attack while 5 feet underground. It can't attack while 10 feet underground because in between will be 5 feet of earth granting the target total cover. Earth Glide relate to burrow speed when moving, not attacks.
2- Yes any creature can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack, a grapple.
3- No a Earth Elemental can't do this because it doesn't have the ability to leave a tunnel, such as the Tunneler trait. It could drag or carry the grappled creature with it on the surface though.
Here's two official ruling from Sage Advice Compendium that relates to this:
It would be able to spend 5 ft. of movement to pop out of the ground, make its attacks, then spend more movement to go back underground. Then it becomes a game of Readied Attack Whack-A-Elemental.
It would still draw an opportunity attacking each time it leaves.
Only if the target had a reach weapon. The reach on the Earth Elemental's slam attack is 10 ft.
Unless the PC has Mobile Feat.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Which issues another question. If the elemental is 5 feet underground, can it be attacked? 1 space or 1 hex?
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
An Earth Elemental leaving the surface's space shouldn't provoke an opportunity attack because it's not moving out of your reach since it's still within it.
An Earth Elemental leaving the space below the surface shouldn't provoke an opportunity attack because you don't see it underground doing so, nor can you attack it in total cover.
While not official ruling, for those interested the Devs did answer this question in the past on X
Sorry asking for clarification, The elemental CAN attack a target if it is in the ground, but the target CANNOT attack the elemental because it is in the ground?
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
The rules for tunneling (and phasing) do not say that a creature is capable of ignoring total cover provided by a material it can tunnel through, though it's not a silly assumption. However, even if you allow it, the earth elemental has no senses that can provide vision through earth (tremorsense does not count as a form of vision) so it will have to stick its head above ground to avoid having disadvantage.
So it's a normal attack then. It cannot see the target and the target cannot see it. Normal roll yes?
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Can a PC attack an elemental while it is 5 feet underground? If no, then I would say the elemental cannot attack above ground. Otherwise why wouldn’t it just park itself 5 feet down and be invincible
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
A PC can't attack an Earth Elemental in the ground, it has to wait until it come out of total cover to do so.