Earth Control

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Earth Control
Type Utility Trait
Fields Control, Earth
Cost 100 rupees

Earth Control is a mystical power assumed to be a form of spell, though it is never actually cast, and remains in use for as long as the user knows it.  As its name implies, it allows the user to manipulate dirt, sand, stone and similar earthy materials.  It cannot affect process metals, gemstones, alloys, or any form of fluid.  Though Earth Control has a set cost, a user with a Specialty in Earth can reduce its cost by 20 rupees, and reduce the cost of any of its augments by 10 rupees.

Though there are specific limits on to the extent to which earth can be controlled, Earth Control fundamentally works in one way.  When the user draws his hand within 1 foot (or 1/3m) of a sizable source of earthy material, he can control its shape, causing it to rise higher, twist, grow, separate, move, or shrink, as easily as if it was a part of his own body.  He can effortlessly carve or smooth these materials into chunks, as if hammered or shaped by unseen hands.  With practice, he can even form simple objects, such as a shield of stone, or a veil of sand.

At the most basic level, an Earth Controller has four specific limits, or "laws."  As he gains augments to his ability, he can reduce or negate some of these laws.

  • Law of Mass: The controller can never control a mass of earth larger than half that of his own body.  If he attempts to do so, it will revert to normal earth which he cannot control.  He can, however, take a small amount of earth from a large body of it, and control that separate entity.
  • Law of Distance: To gain initial control of earth, the controller's hand must be within a foot (1/3m) of it.  To maintain control, the controller's hand must be within 3 feet (1m) of it.
  • Law of Familiarity: The controller cannot gain control over earth magically created by any entity which actively opposes him.  Such substances bear the original caster's ill-will, and thus will fully resist any attempt to be controlled.  If earth persists on its own more than approximately 1 minute after being magically created, and hasn't been under the creator's control for 1 minute or more, then the user can gain control of it as normal.
  • Law of Speed: The controller cannot move earth faster than he can move his arms through the air.  Thus, if he were to create a hammer made from stone, he could not swing the hammer with his arm, and have the hammer move forward faster than his wielding arm.

Augments

Transmute
Additional
Cost
50 rupees

The user can gain the Transmute, Reach, or Variation augment simultaneously with the original treasure for an additional cost, or as a separate treasure at a later time.

With the Transmute augment, the user can freely transform one form of earth into another--such as dirt into coal, or coal into granite.  Any such transformation can be completed in a couple seconds.  The user cannot create complex materials such as tempered metal, or chemical mixtures such as concrete.  Several minutes after the transformed material leaves the user's control, it returns to its original form.

Reach
Additional
Cost
50 rupees

The Reach augment partially alleviates a restriction in the Law of Distance.  In effect, the user can reach his hand towards earth within 30 feet (or 10m) of himself, and will to control it.  If he would otherwise be able to control it, a fist-sized piece of the earth moves towards him (at approximately 10mph), and enters his control.  Once earth has entered his control in this way, it still can only be maintained within three feet of his hands, as per the Law of Distance.

Variation
Additional
Cost
50 rupees

The Variation augment enables the user to control a wider variety of materials--including gemstones, tempered metals, and even steel.  Similarly, if the user also has the Transmute augment, he can transform more mundane materials into these special forms.

Trivia

  • Similar treasures include Fire Control, Water Control, and Wood Control.
  • The Earth Control treasure is an original creation by one of Hyrule Castle's members. Its concept is credited to Guy.  A nearly identical treasure existed on the predecessor of Hyrule Castle, under the name of Earth Alchemy.