Hi All
I am trying to create some Elementals/spirits from alle of the diffrent hermetic forms 
, but I would like them to have a specific weekness 
, but the problem is what kind of weekness should an elemental/spirit have compared to the form they representate 
Depends on what kind of thinking you want as basis.
For a simple example, there´s the "opposition" basis, ie fire and water are both weak to each other and the same goes for earth and air...
Then there´s the "specifics" basis, where you come up with one thing or one range of things or one theme of things for EACH individual sort of elemental to be weak(and possibly another to be "extra strong" as well) against.
And then there´s the "rock, scissor, paper" style basis where for example fire consumes air, air withers earth, earth absorbs water, water smothers fire...
Hope you can get something useful from that at least, even if its brief and simplified.
When trying opposition, problem comes with the forms of Herbam, Imaginem, Animal and Vim
While the others have relatively easy opposites (Fire-Water, Air-Earth, Mentem-Corpus), these 4 don't mesh well with this.
So, the other two approaches are probably better.
I have considered the folowering with the opposision as basis.
But i still need the form and the weekenss of some of hermetic forms, a littel help with that would be nice.
The idee was to use only one kind of weekness once.
Eksampel: Herbam could have weekness to fire but Auram has that weekenss.
Hope you understand what I meen?
Animal a pack of wolves = Weakness ?
Aquam a Water element = Weakness Earth
Auram a Air element = Weakness Fire
Corpus a ? = Weakness ?
Herbam a large tree = Weakness ?
Ignem a fire element = Weakness Water
Imaginem a ? = Weakness ?
Mentem a ? = Weakness ?
Terram a earth element = Weakness Air
Vim a ? = Weakness ?
For wolves, perhaps cold, hunger, or civilisation? Depending on the type of animal, they might be susceptible to taming or to a certain type of predator. Some animals also have a weakness for a certain type of plant or herb (e.g. catnip).
I understand the principle of opposition but I still don't really see a watery being being much harmed by earth - or at least most types of earth. Throwing a stone in a pond doesn't really damage it... I'd suggest something like cold (to freeze the water) or something fine-grained or powdery (e.g. sand) to absorb it. Also fire, but less effective since water generally "wins" over fire and it takes a prolonged effort to boil water away.
Don't really see this... The best thing you can do against something insubstantial is to try and blow it away/apart. Thus the best defence against air would be... air.
Presumably this would be something like a skeleton, a ghoul, or a magic human. Iron is good for wounding, shackling, or imprisoning human bodies. If a skeleton, stone is good for smashing. Also Mentem, since the mind rules the body, and humans are susceptible to being ruled or enslaved.
Trees are susceptible to fire, lightning, and being felled with iron axes.
Yes, this is the elemental opposition that makes the most sense! As per water, something powdery could also be used to smother a fire.
Illusion is countered by perception (Intellego). The weakness of such a being would be being able to see its true nature.
Presumably some kind of ghost? Such beings are susceptible to all mortal weaknesses: temptation, deception, flattery(pride)... In other words, Mentem would be countered by Mentem.
Something made of earth or stone is unlikely to be bothered by a bit of wind! Stone can be countered by iron tools or ice. Soil can be broken by tree roots or heat, or washed away by water.
The trickiest one! Magic is generally countered by magic... The power of the Divine is also an obvious weakness.
Thanks for the reply APSmith.
It gave me something to think about.
I think I will let the players find the best way to solve the challenge, of the elementals / spirits, and I will give them a bonus compared to how great the idea is, even if they tries to sweat talk their way out harm’s way.
Now i just need a form for Wim
Earth can absorb water, earth can trap water. For example...
Of course it can be just as well used the opposite way, ie. water erodes earth...
Ignem then... :mrgreen:
You dont see water harmed by earth and then suggest earth as a counter anyway?
Sand is still terram.
Ever seen something flashboil? Or witnessed how ineffective pure water is against fire if there´s not enough of it? No, boiling away water can easily be the work of a moment.
Or see above where you yourself suggest cold, which is still ignem.
Fire consumes air just by its very existance, thats VERY effective as a weakness i would say.
Depends on the wind. Air causes both erosion and corrosion for example. And since lightning is part of Auram, well it tears through earth VERY effectively.
Example, the worst ever direct result of a lightning strike i have seen, was where a single strike caused an almost 50m long, 2m deep and 1-2m wide "trench" where it had hit and followed a buried phone line. Utterly spectacular. Wish someone had happened to catch it on video, as it happened in an instant.
Yeah, Vim will probably have to be have itself as its weakness.