Well, I've heard quite often that elemental guards (the ones summoned by Druid/Mage guilds) are fairly useless in comparison to the other guards. I wonder if there are any changes we could make to their function that would improve their value.

Here are some suggestions (yes, Narsrim, release the dogs):

1. Infused elementals knock people from trees, burrowed, or flying elevations.

2. Infused elementals report intruders to their organization.

3. Infused elementals that are in hostile demesnes periodically deal damage to the mage/druid while they are in the local area.

4. Infused elementals have a chance of blocking magical transport.

Note these are different options.. not meant to be simultaneous. Begin the flames.

Any other suggestions?

Not 1, definitely 2, maybe 3, and maybe 4.

I'm with Shiri, the nicest change to them could be reporting; even if it was just bubbling, rumbling, buzzing or babbling or their appropriate guild channel.

The last time I got hit by one it only did 200 damage to me. I'm not sure what gloms/mags/celest's do, but Greater Nature elementals (should be as worthwhile as a hag, or a centaur) only do a paltry attack, and nature vine something like 25% of the time.

My random other suggestions:

Make them use they special attack more of the time, maybe 50%.

Make them to a greater percentage of the damage that other guards do.
(at the moment anyone above level 50 who knows what they are doing could stand in a room with one indefinitely, sipping on occasion, if need be)

All of the above, but on the outer planes they are associated with (ethereal/water/earth)


At current they are the least used guard, and even though they can't be killed, you can only place 1 per room, and lining the whole of a nation with them couldn't harm intruders as effectively as a group of 10 or so of other guards.

Edit:What -is- the special attack of the other 3 elementals?

All of them do the same thing (damage and web).

The webbing is the real attraction for using them.

Make them able to pull down enemy flyers and tree climbers and then they are very useful, they become the hindering mobs so the other guards can kill the target.

I don't know, if they could get people out of the ground, and pull them out of the trees/air, that would be a HUGE increase in their effectiveness, most likely to much of an increase.

I don't care so much about the air, but the nature elementals should definitely have a chance to knock someone out of the trees-- it's kind of sad how the biggest security threat for the forests are the trees themselves.

The reason they don't do anything is because they can't be killed. I doubt that will change until they can be killed. My personal favorite is they report.

Yeah. But if they're going to be killable then they will need to be much more resilient, as they die in only a few hits when not infused.

Yeah, until elemental guards can be slain, don't change them.

Make them slayable, and make it so they web and geyser people or something. Makes it so they are vital for defence but you need to have a fair number of the tougher guards to protect them.

Actually I like the fact that they can't be slain, and wouldn't want to give that up for much else, cept reporting, and if by reporting they then change completely and turn into copies of the other guards... no thanks.

It always annoyed me as Hartstone security that Narsrim was running around with bunches of hags, and I got stuck putting 3 or 4 elementals into a village now and then. Especially since the damn things don't follow properly half the time and have to be ordered every room.

The damage may as well not even be there. I can stand at the Megalith on Earth indefinitely with just Mother, and completely ignore the elemental. I'd much prefer 50% web, 50% geyser.

I'd be happy for them to be killable if mage/druid security could have a useful function.

Raiding is already rediculously hard enough as it IS without more guards, sheesh.

That's true, but having functional guards isn't the issue.

having more hindering ones is, its hard enough to get out without being hindered more

Only one of the suggestions would be further hindrance to escaping.

I get out of Acknor fine. Being able to fly really helps. Warriors are far from the best at moving around and escaping.

Exactly. If you want to run away, play Narsrim.