[RPG] Air Elemental’s Whirlwind

pathfinder-1e

Ref: Small Air Elemental, Whirlwind

  1. What kind of action must an Air Elemental take to become a whirlwind?

  2. How often can an Air Elemental use Whirlwind?

    The ability's template includes a frequency

    whirlwind (3/day, 10–30 ft. high, 1d6+6 damage, DC 15)

    But the bestiary entry for Small Air Elemental doesn't.

    whirlwind (DC 12, 10-20 ft.)

  3. If a Small Air Elemental creates a 20' tall whirlwind, what's the size category of the whirlwind?

    Creatures one or more size categories smaller than the whirlwind might take damage when caught in the whirlwind […]

    Is it the size of the creature in its normal form (Small Air Elemental affects Tiny creatures), or does it go by the height of the whirlwind (≥10' affects Medium creatures, ≥20' affects Large creatures, etc)?

Best Answer

Answers

  1. The special attack whirlwind is a supernatural ability and, as a supernatural ability with an unstated activation time, it takes a standard action to activate.
  2. According to the whirlwind ability and the description of the Small air elemental, a Small air elemental can remain a whirlwind for 1 round after which it resumes its original form. It can then take a standard action to once again assume whirlwind form. It can do this any number of times per day (which, given the ability's limited duration, isn't usually a big deal).
  3. A Small air elemental can create a whirlwind with a height between 10 ft. and 20 ft. According to this chart a whirlwind with a height of 10 ft. to 15 ft. is Large, and a whirlwind with a height of 20 ft. is Huge. The size categories of affected creatures are determined by the whirlwind's size category not the size category of the creature making the whirlwind (i.e. "Creatures one or more size categories smaller than the whirlwind...").
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