Earth Elementals
Living Mountains of Stone and Soil
Earth elementals are hulking masses of rock and earth given terrifying life. They glide through solid stone as easily as a fish swims through water, erupting beneath unsuspecting foes or collapsing entire tunnels with a single blow. What makes them truly dangerous isn't just their crushing strength—it's their patient, implacable nature. An earth elemental might wait motionless for centuries, mistaken for a natural formation, only to spring into devastating action when intruders threaten its domain.
Earth Elemental Lore
- Earth elementals are spirits of stone that merge with rock and mineral to form walking mountains
- They move through solid earth and stone via Earth Glide, sensing vibrations through tremorsense
- Earth elementals often take offense at mortal's unnatural stone constructions and find them irresistible targets
- Some earth elementals have veins of gold, gems, or magical metals woven through their bodies like natural armor
- Ancient memories preserved in stone drive them to guard ruins, petrified forests, and forgotten battlefields
Earth Elemental Tactics
Earth elementals combine overwhelming physical power with terrain manipulation. They excel at controlling the battlefield and crushing enemies with crushing stone.
- Use Earth Glide to bypass defenses and emerge behind enemy lines
- Open combat with Boulder or Earthshaker to knock multiple foes prone
- Grapple and restrain spellcasters with Grappling Attack or Earthen Grasp
- Create difficult terrain and control zones with Stone Spike Eruption and Mud Trap
- Tank damage with Metallic Body while disrupting enemy formations
- Target structures with Siege Monster, dealing devastating damage to walls and fortifications
- Retreat underground when wounded, using tremorsense to track enemies from below
Earth Elemental Statblocks
Earth Elemental Pebblar
An Earth Elemental Pebblar is a smaller earth spirit, but still dangerous with its rocky hide and seismic attacks.
Earth Elemental Pebblar
Summoned with Foe FoundrySmall Elemental (Earth, Elemental)
AC 12 Initiative -2 (8)
HP 11 (2d6 + 4)
Speed 20 ft., burrow 15 ft.
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Str | 16 | +3 | +3 |
| Dex | 7 | -2 | -2 |
| Con | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Int | 5 | -3 | -3 |
| Wis | 10 | +0 | +0 |
| Cha | 5 | -3 | -3 |
Vulnerabilities Thunder
Immunities Poison; Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages Terran
CR 1/4 (50 XP; PB +2)
Traits
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental doesn't disturb the material it moves through.
Actions
Pebble Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Reactions
Limited Magic Immunity. When the elemental is attacked by a spell, targeted by a spell, or forced to make a saving throw by a first level spell or lower then the elemental can force the spell attack to miss or can choose to succeed on the saving throw.
Earth Elemental
An Earth Elemental is a living avalanche of rock and soil that glides through stone as easily as water.
Earth Elemental
Summoned with Foe FoundryLarge Elemental (Earth, Elemental)
AC 16 Initiative -1 (9)
HP 102 (12d10 + 36)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Str | 20 | +5 | +5 |
| Dex | 9 | -1 | -1 |
| Con | 16 | +3 | +3 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Int | 7 | -2 | -2 |
| Wis | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| Cha | 7 | -2 | -2 |
Vulnerabilities Thunder
Immunities Poison; Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Terran
CR 5 (1,800 XP; PB +2)
Traits
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental doesn't disturb the material it moves through.
Siege Monster. The elemental deals double damage to objects and structures.
Actions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two Boulder Fist attacks.
Boulder Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage. On a hit, the target is Grappled (escape DC 15).
Reactions
Just A Scratch (1/day). When the elemental is reduced to 50 hit points, it roars in defiance and gains 25 temporary hitpoints. While those temporary hitpoints are active, the elemental has advantage on all attack rolls and saving throws.
Earth Elemental Massif
An Earth Elemental Massif is a towering colossus of stone and earth, capable of leveling fortifications with a single blow.
Earth Elemental Massif
Summoned with Foe FoundryHuge Elemental (Earth, Elemental)
AC 18 Initiative -1 (9)
HP 157 (15d12 + 60)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft.
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Str | 22 | +6 | +6 |
| Dex | 9 | -1 | -1 |
| Con | 18 | +4 | +4 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Int | 7 | -2 | -2 |
| Wis | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| Cha | 7 | -2 | -2 |
Vulnerabilities Thunder
Immunities Poison; Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Terran
CR 8 (3,900 XP; PB +3)
Traits
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental doesn't disturb the material it moves through.
Earthshaker. Whenever the elemental moves, all medium or smaller creatures that are within 10 feet of the elemental must make a DC 15 Strength check or fall Prone. A creature that falls prone in this way loses concentration.
Siege Monster. The elemental deals double damage to objects and structures.
Actions
Multiattack. The elemental makes three Mountain Slam attacks. It may replace two attacks with a use of its Earthshaker Stomp.
Mountain Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit 16 (3d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage. On a hit, the target is pushed up to 20 feet horizontally.
Earthshaker Stomp (1/day). The elemental stomps its foot, creathing a massive shockwave. Each creature in a 45 ft cone must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or take 22 (5d8) Thunder damage and be Dazed. A Dazed creature can move or take an action on its turn, but not both. It cannot take bonus actions or free object interactions. A creature that is immune to being Stunned cannot be Dazed
Reactions
Metallic Body (2/day). When the elemental would be hit by an attack, it gains +3 to its AC. If the attack still hits and was made with a mundane weapon or projectile, the attacker rolls a d20. On a 1-9, the weapon or projectile shatters.
Earth Elemental Encounter Ideas
These earth elemental encounters for 5E campaigns bring stone-crushing combat and terrain control to mines, mountain passes, and wilderness settings.
- The PCs investigate a collapsed mine where survivors report a "walking mountain" that crushed the support beams. An Earth Elemental glides through the ore-rich walls, defending crystalline formations it considers sacred
- A statue in a mountain pass suddenly lurches to life as an Earth Elemental when the party approaches. "None have passed this way for a thousand years. What business have you here?"
- Minor earthquakes lead the party to a meadow where an Earth Elemental is slowly surfacing. It mistakes the PCs for underground threats and attacks, believing they're trying to force it back down
- A massive boulder rolls toward a merchant caravan at impossible speed. Up close, it's revealed to be an Earth Elemental Massif responding to some primordial instinct
Earth Elemental Adventure Ideas
These earth elemental adventure hooks create longer story arcs involving ancient guardians, mining disasters, and primordial conflicts perfect for D&D 5E.
- A farming village has angered a group of Earth Elemental Pebblars by trying to clear otherwise fertile farmland that is dotted with many boulders that are now coming to life
- The wives of a group of trapped miners beg the PCs to free their partners. The miners broke through into a sealed chamber, releasing an Earth Elemental that was imprisoned centuries ago in a chamber of solid steel. It has since methodically destroyed the entire mine complex
- A Druid has awakened ancient menhirs and sent them shambling towards a nearby city. They're Earth Elementals commanded to level the city and return it to the wilderness
- An Earth Elemental Massif with veins of mithril running through its body has been awakened by dwarven excavation. The dwarves offer rich rewards to deal with it, but the elemental simply seeks to protect its natural environment