Primeval (3.5e Monster)

Primevals are ancient representations of pure elemental force. Unlike ordinary elementals whose bodies are a single constituent of combined physical and spiritual form, a primeval lacks a definitive presence altogether. Primevals, as entities, are living planar fissures leading into a particular elemental plane. Rather than being energy compressed into such a characteristic form as an ordinary elemental, primevals tap into the infinity of the elemental plane they represent, drawing their presence from them as desired and molding it into a physical shape of accrued mass and energy.

Primevals customarily appear when the material plane is in great turmoil, or if the elements conspire to cause an imbalance within nature. Although they can appear on any plane that is contiguous with any of the elemental planes, they most often appear on planes lying central on the planar cosmology where all four elements exert influence.

* Includes -10 adjustments for Power Attack feat. Primevals cannot increase their attack bonus above the stated amount by turning off their Power Attack.

Swirling, everchanging primal masses of elemental energies, these creatures seek to draw forth ever greater manifestations from their respective realms.

Regardless of its element, a primeval is roughly 60 feet large and manifests in a shape approximating that of its kind. As such, primevals are often mistaken for ordinary elementals that have otherwise grown to an extraordinary size. A successful DC 30 Knowledge (the planes) check allows an onlooker to distinguish a primeval for what it is; an unstable vortex that delights in pulling elementals of its kind onto the prime material.

Combat
Regardless of its element, a primeval does not shy from combat if provoked, and may consider introducing the presence of a strong font of its opposing element to its close vicinity to be an act of aggression.

 (Su): A primeval is a literal fissure between planes, connecting the plane it exists on to its corresponding elemental plane. As it flexes itself to draw mass and energy from that elemental plane with which to sustain its form, it also calls forth a steady stream of elementals of its type. Every time that one or more elementals is called forth, the conduit needs time to recharge its energies before calling forth the next. At the start of every round that the planar conduit is idle, roll a d6. The power of the elemental released and the cooldown time in rounds between subsequent callings depends on the result of the roll.

As a byproduct of the primeval's planar conduit, summoning spells that summon one or more elementals of the primeval's element type only have a standard action casting time when cast within 60 feet of a primeval. This effect also applies to the primeval's own spell-like abilities.

Spell-Like Abilities: Primevals can cast all the spells within the cleric domain that corresponds with their element as spell-like abilities (Air for the primeval of air, Fire for fire, and so on). From that domain, they cast the first 5 levels of spells as at will spell-like abilities, the 6th and 7th level spells as 3/day spell-like abilities, and the 8th and 9th level spells as 1/day spell-like abilities. When a primeval uses its elemental swarm spell-like ability, the various stages of summoning occur simultaneously rather than in 10-minute intervals. Save DCs are 22 + spell level, and are Charisma-based.

Primeval of Air
 (Ex): Airborne creatures take a –2 penalty on attack and damage rolls against a primeval of air.

 (Su): A primeval of air can transform itself into a whirlwind once every 10 minutes and remain in that form for up to 4 minutes. In this form, the elemental can move through the air or along a surface at its fly speed.

The whirlwind is 20 feet wide at the base, up to 60 feet wide at the top, and up to 100 feet tall. The primeval of air controls the exact height, but it must be at least 10 feet.

The primeval’s movement while in whirlwind form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the primeval of air enters the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the whirlwind if it touches or enters the whirlwind, or if the primeval of air moves into or through the creature’s space.

Creatures of size Huge or smaller might take damage when caught in the whirlwind and may be lifted into the air. An affected creature must succeed on a DC 37 Reflex save when it comes into contact with the whirlwind or take 4d8 points of damage. It must also succeed on a second Reflex save or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful winds, automatically taking 4d8 points of damage each subsequent round for as long as it is inside of the whirlwind. A creature that can fly is allowed a Reflex save each round to escape the whirlwind. The creature still takes damage but can leave if the save is successful. The save DC is Strength-based.

Creatures trapped in the whirlwind cannot move except to go where the primeval of air carries them or to escape the whirlwind.

Creatures caught in the whirlwind can otherwise act normally, but must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the whirlwind take a –4 penalty to Dexterity and a –2 penalty on attack rolls. The primeval can have only as many creatures trapped inside the whirlwind at one time as will fit inside the whirlwind’s volume.

The primeval of air can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes, depositing them wherever the whirlwind happens to be.

If the whirlwind’s base touches the ground, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centered on the primeval and has a diameter equal to half the whirlwind’s height. The cloud obscures all vision, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment, while those farther away have total concealment.

Those caught in the cloud must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell.

An primeval in whirlwind form cannot make slam attacks and does not threaten the area around it.

 (Sp): A primeval of air is always shielded by a barrier of spiraling wind, creating the effects of a wind wall spell that deflects smaller creatures and objects away from it. In addition to stopping projectiles, creatures of size Large or smaller that enter the reach of a primeval of air must make a DC 20 Strength check for every 10 feet they advance towards it. Failure means that the creature attempting to approach the primeval stops in its tracks (but doesn't need to retreat) and may try to advance again next round. Even if successful, a creature may only advance towards a primeval of air at half its land speed.

If an approaching creature has a bonus to ability checks to avoid getting bullrushed or tripped (such as from the dwarven stability racial feature), this bonus also applies to Strength checks made to approach a primeval of air.

A primeval of air's wind barrier is treated as a 6th level spell that is continuously active, with an effective caster level of 20. As such, the effect can be dispelled, but the primeval may reactivate it again as a swift action next turn.

Primeval of Earth
 (Ex): A primeval of earth gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its foe are touching the ground. If an opponent is airborne or waterborne, the primeval of earth takes a –4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. (These modifiers are not included in the statistics block.)

 (Ex): A primeval of earth can extract a portion of its bodymass and use it to launch a direct attack at foes out of its reach. A boulder hurled by a primeval of earth has a maximum range of 200 feet, and is treated as a manufactured weapon dealing 10d10 damage with a critical multiplier of ×2.

 (Ex): A primeval of earth can start a bull rush maneuver without provoking an attack of opportunity. The combat modifiers given in earth mastery, above, also apply to the primeval’s opposed Strength checks.

 (Ex): A primeval of earth can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence.

Primeval of Fire
 (Ex): A primeval of fire's slam attack deals bludgeoning damage plus fire damage from the elemental’s flaming body. Those hit by a primeval of fire‘s slam attack also must succeed on a DC 40 Reflex save or catch on fire. The flame burns for 1d6 rounds, and a creature on fire takes 4d8 fire damage every round. A burning creature can take a move action to put out the flame. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Creatures hitting a primeval of fire with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the primeval’s attack, and also catch on fire unless they succeed on a Reflex save.

 (Ex): A primeval of fire is surrounded by flames that scorch anything that enters within its reach. A creature within the primeval's reach is affected by its burn special ability every round.

Primeval of Water
 (Ex): A primeval of water can move atop of bodies of water as if on land, and gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls if both it and its opponent are touching water. If the opponent or the primeval is touching the ground, the primeval takes a –4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. (These modifiers are not included in the statistics block.) Furthermore, a primeval of water can only move at half speed on land.

A primeval of water can be a serious threat to a ship that crosses its path. A primeval can easily overturn small craft (up to 200 feet long) and stop larger vessels (up to 400 feet long). Even large ships (up to 800 feet long) can be slowed to half speed.

 (Ex): The primeval of water’s touch puts out torches, campfires, exposed lanterns, and other open flames of nonmagical origin if these are of Huge size or smaller. The creature can dispel magical fire it touches as dispel magic (caster level 40th).

 (Su): A primeval of water can influence the tides of any body of water it touches. The body of water in question must be of sufficient volume to create the tides in question (a small pond with a limited volume of water present cannot be used in this fashion), such as seas and oceans or huge lakes, bays or rivers. When calling upon the tide, a primeval of water is able to raise the level of the water surface in a 200-foot radius by 5 feet per round up to a total of 30 feet, allowing it to overflow natural shorelines to flood waterside settlements. When a primeval of water is destroyed or leaves the area, the water it controlled immediately starts to recede and drain away at 10 feet per round. A primeval of water cannot maintain its tide mastery when in vortex form.

 (Su): The primeval of water can transform itself into a whirlpool once every 10 minutes, provided it is underwater, and remain in that form for up to 4 minutes. In vortex form, the primeval of water can move through the water or along the bottom at its swim speed. The vortex is 20 feet wide at the base, up to 60 feet wide at the top, and 60 feet tall. The primeval controls the exact height, but it must be at least 10 feet.

The primeval’s movement while in vortex form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the primeval enters the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the vortex if it touches or enters the vortex, or if the primeval moves into or through the creature’s space.

Creatures of size Huge or smaller might take damage when caught in the vortex and may be swept up by it. An affected creature must succeed on a DC 47 Reflex save when it comes into contact with the vortex or take 4d10 damage. It must also succeed on a second Reflex save or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful currents, automatically taking damage each round. An affected creature is allowed a Reflex save each round to escape the vortex. The creature still takes damage, but can leave if the save is successful. The save DC is Strength-based.

Creatures trapped in the vortex cannot move except to go where the primeval of water carries them or to escape the vortex. Creatures caught in the vortex can otherwise act normally, but must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the vortex take a –4 penalty to Dexterity and a –2 penalty on attack rolls. The primeval of water can have only as many creatures trapped inside the vortex at one time as will fit inside the vortex’s volume.

The primeval of water can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes, depositing them wherever the vortex happens to be.

If the vortex’s base touches the bottom, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centered on the primeval and has a diameter equal to half the vortex’s height. The cloud obscures all vision, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment, while those farther away have total concealment.

Those caught in the cloud must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell.

A primeval of water in vortex form cannot make slam attacks and does not threaten the area around it.

Skills: A primeval of water has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.