The Dresden Files > DFRPG

How would you handle differences between elements?

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Nomad:
The different elements come into play mainly in 3 different areas: Satisfying Catches, Rube Goldberging and additional effects:

Satisfying Catches is probably the main point. Except for closing bleeding, I can't see how one could use "fire" to "heal" for example

Additional effects don't cost anything; a water based attack will deal blunt (water ball) or suffocation damage, a fire based attack will burn the target and the envirolment and a cold based attack may be piercing (icicle) or burn (cold coating) and so on.

As I said above the only time I would penalty the player would be the extreme rube goldberg moments.

John Galt:
Being elementally diverse doesn't do much within dfrpg as written.   If you want it to you'll have to house rule it.  Simple as that.  Were I to try, I'd start WoT style: fire and earth easier to generate power, water and air easier to control.  Spirit wouldn't get a bonus, being the most versatile.  Then I'd add effect shifts when elements are used outside their norm.   So Harry 's lake trick might cost him 8 shifts of power or control and Carlos, who'd use water, 5 or 6

I should add.  The latter can be done by a clever GM or PC and scene aspects

Nomad:
The lake trick also shows a reliable way to acquire new "elements" btw. If your player starts to use his existing elements creatively to intrude in a new element's domain (using fire to create cold, water to erode, entropy to make a sand pit) than it is a very natural and narratively satisfying way to grow his character into with new element specilisations. I like rewarding such natural growth with some little bonuses now and then.

Stormraven:
Fire for healing?  Sure, I can see it.  It's an unbelievably subtle application (meaning Harry will probably never be able to manage) but use Fire to enhance the subject's energy reserves, or to selectively burn out poison or disease.  Very high power, very subtle, but I would allow them.

CMEast:
Plus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauterization

Fire can't really handle non-lethal effects like knocking people unconscious.

Air might struggle with structural damage, breaking down doors/walls and objects that it can just flow around. It might also struggle to deal damage to heavy objects.

Water is similar to air, though it can use rust effects for damaging certain objects.

Earth isn't very subtle when it comes to damage. It's good with area effects, launching large boulders and things, pebbles aren't so effective though. Can't produce light.

Spirit can manipulate light and matter telekinetically, but it can't create any of the elements themselves.

With enough thought you can replicate most effects with any element, but some effects are easier than others. For instance you could use air to create sparks of lightning; or water could be used for a phosphorescent chemical perhaps; but it's not as good a light as creating a small ball of fire or creating pure light out of spirit magic.

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