| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 25 Jun 2012 : 01:45:12
I'm betting this was discussed at some point over the past few years on these boards somewhere, but I'm just wondering if anyone's seen a really good system for portraying the "bending" arts as represented in Avatar: the Last Airbender. While I think it could be interesting to run a campaign in a bender society as represented in that series, I'm more inclined towards the concept of that kind of "magic" as being interspersed within a society that also has wizards, warlocks, sorcerors, psions, elementalists <I specify this as purely mages who focus on the elements>, druids etc... thus a "class" if you will that focuses on not just the elemental mastery, but also the physical intermingling of such (i.e. elemental monks or elemental warriors). Even as I write this, I'm thinking some of this may have been explored within tome of battle with swordsages (and I just glanced through and see the basic workings of a firebender as a swordsage with a focus on desert wind). I don't think they had anything equivalent though to earth, water, and air bending... and even the desert wind stuff didn't go to the extremes we see in Avatar (people channeling fire to fly like jets, redirecting lightning, etc...). Also, the ability to mix your skills in Tome of Battle may end up giving so many options that it blurs the class (not saying it would be a bad system, but if you wanted to duplicate the "you can only do one element, but you can do a lot with it" aspect of bending).
Anyway, I could easily see where some third party out there may have written up some old 3rd edition rules for such already, or maybe someone's discussed it, etc... so if someone might point me in the direction, I'd be interested in reading. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 18 Jul 2012 : 01:57:33
Oh, and hey, I just realized I hadn't put lvl 20 abilities on either fire or waterbenders. I was thinking fire resist 15 and cold resist 15, but wanted something better. I gave the air bender another twin fisted bending and the earth bender slightly improved DR, so I wanted something that someone would really care about (without it being a daily spell or something). |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 18 Jul 2012 : 01:46:57
Ok, I've gotten it to a point that its at least readable and the general concepts can be seen. Check it out at the below link and feel free to give me your feedback (positive or negative, as long as its well thought out, its sure to improve the end idea).
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsCYc8h_6sg8dDdLWXpjRmtZRTZza0laMVEzcUpKQkE#gid=0 |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 09 Jul 2012 : 21:39:04
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
To add to your cool ideas, here's some other Bending powers ala ToB style:
Guiding Winds
Air elemental (counter)
Level: 4th
Initiation Acton: 1 immediate action
Range: 50 ft.
Target: One ally within range
As your ally is attacked, you gently push them away.
When a creature makes an attack roll against one ally within range, you may push that ally 10 ft. in any direction away from the attack. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Use this ability after the DM rolls the attack but before the outcome is known.
Columns of Earth
Earth elemental
Level: 4th
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: A 10-ft high, 25-ft long wall
Duration: Concentration + 3 rounds
A large plate of earth blocks the way between you and your foes.
You create a wall in unoccupied areas that blocks movement and line of sight. The wall is 10-ft. high and is 25-ft. long from the originating point. It has a hardness of 20 and 15 hp/level per section. The wall is apart of the floor and cannot be toppled or pushed over.
Daggers of Flame
Fire elemental (boost)
Level: 4th
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Touch
Target: Any weapon your wielding or your unarmed strikes
Duration: 1 round/ level
You shroud your weapon in great flames.
For a number of rounds equal to your level (max 10 rounds) you deal +1d6 fire damage with any melee attack you make.
Ice Barrier
Water elementalist (boost)
Level: 4th
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 15-ft.
Target: One creature
Duration: Concentration +1 round
You throw water at your ally, solidifying it into a protective barrier.
For as long as the duration holds, you grant one ally within range DR 3/bludgeoning.
thank you, I've gotten actually a lot done this past weekend. Hopefully I'll be able to post a general idea and get feedback this week. |
| Bladewind |
Posted - 09 Jul 2012 : 20:45:26
Air bender duels to me seem to involve sweeping close ranged elemental attacks mixed with martial arts that infuse attacks with elemental energy. A variant monk or swordsage would be the best fit I think if you want to capture this flavourful way of battling. Two benders going at it seem to be able to form and deflect, redirect or reflect their own elements into attacks, blocks and repostes at a pace that seems slightly faster than regular spell battles. So the idea to let them get iterative warlock like blasts as elemental attacks or defensive manifestiations is sound.
I would hesitate at giving them acces to wizards spell too. If they choose to devote their study to magic they already have the option to multiclass to enable that, without it hurting their bending abilities (if you choose to let BAB control the power of their elemental abilities that is). |
| Diffan |
Posted - 08 Jul 2012 : 17:16:07
To add to your cool ideas, here's some other Bending powers ala ToB style:
Guiding Winds
Air elemental (counter)
Level: 4th
Initiation Acton: 1 immediate action
Range: 50 ft.
Target: One ally within range
As your ally is attacked, you gently push them away.
When a creature makes an attack roll against one ally within range, you may push that ally 10 ft. in any direction away from the attack. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Use this ability after the DM rolls the attack but before the outcome is known.
Columns of Earth
Earth elemental
Level: 4th
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: A 10-ft high, 25-ft long wall
Duration: Concentration + 3 rounds
A large plate of earth blocks the way between you and your foes.
You create a wall in unoccupied areas that blocks movement and line of sight. The wall is 10-ft. high and is 25-ft. long from the originating point. It has a hardness of 20 and 15 hp/level per section. The wall is apart of the floor and cannot be toppled or pushed over.
Daggers of Flame
Fire elemental (boost)
Level: 4th
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Touch
Target: Any weapon your wielding or your unarmed strikes
Duration: 1 round/ level
You shroud your weapon in great flames.
For a number of rounds equal to your level (max 10 rounds) you deal +1d6 fire damage with any melee attack you make.
Ice Barrier
Water elementalist (boost)
Level: 4th
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 15-ft.
Target: One creature
Duration: Concentration +1 round
You throw water at your ally, solidifying it into a protective barrier.
For as long as the duration holds, you grant one ally within range DR 3/bludgeoning. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 06 Jul 2012 : 16:00:37
Ok, I'm still working on the base class structure, but my mind keeps going out to invocation ideas. I'm looking for neat, repeatable things that these benders might be able to do without overdoing it so much that they would need to be spells. You don't necessarily need to stat them so much as describe them. They can even be things that possibly cross multiple bending paths (like steam crosses fire, air, and water... or lava crosses earth and fire... or mud crosses earth and water). Just to give you some ideas of what I'm talking about here's some ideas I have going so far. All will have some kind of requirement (like must be an earthbender, must have blood bender feat, etc...). Depending on strength, some will be activatable in place of an elemental blast, others will have to be standard actions.
steam shield - 20% concealment
elemental ladder bridge - need a better name, but you get the idea ... bridge or ladder of ice or earth
toxic aura - retributive poison dmg for airbenders in melee (requires toxic bender feat)
noisy aura - distracting noises for airbenders in melee
earth dome - grants cover
weapon metallurgist - apply adamanatine, silver, or cold iron quality to metal weapon (requires metalbender feat)
earth shield - self explaining
fiery aura - retributive fire dmg
flame weapon - surround weapon with fire
lightning weapon - surround weapon with electricity (requires lightningbender feat)
blazing aura - grants concealment (requires lightbender feat)
frosty aura - retributive cold dmg
ice shield - +1 bonus to AC, fire resist 10
minor healing - not quite sure where to go here mechanics wise other than to put in X times a day... maybe make it dependent on fortitude score?
major healing - stronger version, not quite sure where to go here mechanics wise other than to put in X times a day... maybe make it dependent on fortitude score?
cold blood - -2 to victim hit, saves, ac, and skill checks, (requires bloodbender)
freeze blood - as hold monster on living beings with blood (requires bloodbender.... and nope won't work on vampires)
entangling vines - as entangle (requires woodbender feat)... might want to make the DC of this not bespell level based |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 06 Jul 2012 : 13:24:44
quote:
Originally posted by Xnella Moonblade-Thann
And how in the Spirit World are we going to get the animals from the series to feel like they should?
You know, I was looking at the ranger for its combat style info, as I figured airbenders might go either archer or two weapon fighter (I changed it though, made it point blank shot or unarmed strike). Anyway, I kept looking at the animal companion, but I'm like... only Aang had special animal companions and well he's not what I'm developing.
Also, what I'm developing is a bending culture that would exist alongside wizards, so I'm focusing a little less on big displays of elemental energy hurling and a little more on weapon crunch (i.e. feats) than I originally thought. Also, I've worked in the idea of additional blasts during combat as something akin to the two-weapon fighting feat (such that if you add in some additional blasts you take -2 to hit on all attacks).
I also redid their spellcasting so far so that they do get 9th level spells, but their spell progression doesn't even start until 3rd lvl. I'll need to review the numbers of spells though against various different classes. I think with the idea of having their blast that they can use over and over, along with invocations to modify said blast or perform minor elemental effects, their number of spells per day should be relatively low... just enough to give them the variety. Finally, while they are arcane spellcasters, I want their spellcasting ability to be based upon a more physical attribute. Essentially, they study both arcane and divine spells that modify their element and learn to duplicate the effects but not necessarily the source of the energy. For airbenders, for instance, dexterity will define their max spell level and wisdom will modify their DC's and determine bonus spells. For earthbenders, I'm thinking strength for max level and fortitude for DC's and bonus spells. For firebenders, I'm thinking dexterity for max level and charisma for DC's and bonus spells. For waterbenders, I'm thinking dexterity for max level and fortitude for DC's and bonus spells.
I've actually made a decent amount of progress so far, so I may post a general idea for a sanity check.
Sidebar, anyone know if the warfan was ever put into any supplements as a decked out weapon. Any other specifically martial artsy type weapons out there that aren't in the PHB worth looking at? |
| Xnella Moonblade-Thann |
Posted - 06 Jul 2012 : 08:33:15
And how in the Spirit World are we going to get the animals from the series to feel like they should? |
| Xnella Moonblade-Thann |
Posted - 06 Jul 2012 : 08:29:38
Again, my head is spinning and it's not from the cactus juice 
I think you guys are definately on the same page as me. I got to thinking on how to maybe do some of the number crunching for the "Bending" class(es) and you guys seem to have found a better system of making it work. Besides, math has never been my strong suit unless it comes to working out base stats for a certain video game series I still play or when I'm messing with hexdecimal codes for gameshark or action replay devices. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 05 Jul 2012 : 22:17:42
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
The hardest thing about creating a Bender using the v3.5 system is that spells are often limited to X/day and that doesn't fit well with the 'Bender' style from the show. Additionally, most benders use forms of Martial Arts for their stances, strikes, and counters. So you have two unique yet strong aspects that should be addressed. But I think giving a class with powers akin to a 'Bender PLUS say...a full Base Attack Bonus might be considered too powerful.
A sub-system might be creatued using the forms found in the Tome of Battle: Book of 9 Swords. In there, they have maneuvers, stances, boosts, and counters plus a number of powers that just do cool stuff (like Shadow Jaunt). For the elementalist class I was making, it was my intent to draw upon the ToB:Bo9S as inspiration for a new system of powers. But I got caught up with so much stuff that it fell to the wayside. The easiest thing for me to think of is using feats AND the ToB subsystem as-is and reflavor/rename some of the powers to fit the 'Bending' styles. From there, create different powers as one increses in power. It be easier if you used just one class and made it unique via Powers and specific Feats instead of making multiple Bending classes.
So some points on converting the ToB to 'Bending':
- The class has Full BAB and 1 good save. What save is good is based on what Bending you enjoy. Earth is definitly Fortitude, strong and immovable like the earth. Air is Reflex due to their avoid/evade tactics (thanks Bumi). Water could be Reflex for the fluidity or Willpower due to cultural independence. Fire is Reflex because you have to be quick with flames OR Fortitude to stand the heat. So maybe a decision of one or the other when you choose your 'Bending' element.
- Each element gets 1 at-will attack that simulates their unique bending. This is what I did with the elemental class. As you get better (ie, higher level) it should either attack more times or deal more damage (or maybe both?). So someone can shoot fire at-will, but it targets 1 person for 1d6 + 1 per 2 levels. At say....6th level, you get two attacks and at 11th level, you get 3 attacks.
- Each class gets maneuvers that make it distinct and these maneuvers are 'renewed' after every battle. But they can only be initiated 1/enconter with no recharge (unlike the ToB). This simulates that at some point, they'll run dry and have to resort to spells and their Basic Attack Bonus combat system. It also opens the door for feats and prestige class features that allow them to recharge some powers later.
- Resistances. Each one should get some resistances to their element to simulate their ability to control said elemental forces and to show that they're used to working with the dangerous elmental effects. An Assassin, for example, can't poison himself so a Fire Bender should be burned by a camp fire or a lowly 1st or 2nd level fire spell.
That's all I got right now, but I hope some of this helped.
Diffan, you and I are thinking a LOT alike. I've spent the last 2 hours making up a spreadsheet to start doing the powers. Basically, I plan on giving each class a type of blast, similar to a warlock. HOWEVER, dissimilar from a warlock, the amount of damage won't be near as much. The type of damage will also vary depending on the elemental type. Also, a standard attack can be replaced by a blast (so even though you only get a small amount of damage with each, you can get multiple per round).
Each blast type should be unique in the type of damage as well, and some of the blast invocations will allow you to change the damage type (for instance an earth blast is by default bludgeoning, but you could change it to piercing or slashing, similarly air damage by default will be subdual but you could change it to maybe force or sonic or poison). Also, the method of the blast attack occurring may need some differences. For instance, maybe an air blast does less damage, but its also against an opened touch AC. Meanwhile an earth blast is more damage, but its against the person's normal AC, but its also not blockable by spell resistance, etc... I'd have to work on the wording.
Also, the ranges on the blasts will vary by class, but none of them will have the ranges you see on wizard spells. I'm thinking they start out with like 5 ft and go up to like 25 ft (air goes twice as far).
You read my mind when it comes to saves. My views are for good saves, air (ref & will), earth (fort & will), fire (ref & will), water (ref & fort). Maybe some can make some arguments to stir me differently for a given one, but at a glance, I figured that was good.
I really like the idea of an extra attack with an elemental blast. I may put it in as an option similar to a monk flurry.... or I just may flat out put it in as "you get X free elemental blasts when performing a full attack action", with X possibly going up to where at some point you're getting 2 free ones. Maybe at some time or with a feat, you can combine these free attacks while spellcasting too.
Definitely they should get some elemental resistance. I just need to look at comparable classes for the number.
Obviously, all of this is still burning ideas in my head, and I really appreciate the feedback. Oh well, back to the spreadsheet.
Oh, and if anyone has possibly a good list of spells by element for 3.5 edition, I'd appreciate it. The one thing I kind of dread is building out the spell list for each class (which given I'm a mage guy I shouldn't... but....). I'm thinking they should have a decent list of say 8 spells per spell level that they just know, and I'll throw in advanced learning as well so that they can also be unique. With the progression I just filled out for them, at level 20 they're JUST getting 8th lvl spells, so their spell progression is slower than say the warmage (and they get less spells).
Hopefully, I'm not overpowering this with ideas, |
| Diffan |
Posted - 05 Jul 2012 : 19:21:50
The hardest thing about creating a Bender using the v3.5 system is that spells are often limited to X/day and that doesn't fit well with the 'Bender' style from the show. Additionally, most benders use forms of Martial Arts for their stances, strikes, and counters. So you have two unique yet strong aspects that should be addressed. But I think giving a class with powers akin to a 'Bender PLUS say...a full Base Attack Bonus might be considered too powerful.
A sub-system might be creatued using the forms found in the Tome of Battle: Book of 9 Swords. In there, they have maneuvers, stances, boosts, and counters plus a number of powers that just do cool stuff (like Shadow Jaunt). For the elementalist class I was making, it was my intent to draw upon the ToB:Bo9S as inspiration for a new system of powers. But I got caught up with so much stuff that it fell to the wayside. The easiest thing for me to think of is using feats AND the ToB subsystem as-is and reflavor/rename some of the powers to fit the 'Bending' styles. From there, create different powers as one increses in power. It be easier if you used just one class and made it unique via Powers and specific Feats instead of making multiple Bending classes.
So some points on converting the ToB to 'Bending':
- The class has Full BAB and 1 good save. What save is good is based on what Bending you enjoy. Earth is definitly Fortitude, strong and immovable like the earth. Air is Reflex due to their avoid/evade tactics (thanks Bumi). Water could be Reflex for the fluidity or Willpower due to cultural independence. Fire is Reflex because you have to be quick with flames OR Fortitude to stand the heat. So maybe a decision of one or the other when you choose your 'Bending' element.
- Each element gets 1 at-will attack that simulates their unique bending. This is what I did with the elemental class. As you get better (ie, higher level) it should either attack more times or deal more damage (or maybe both?). So someone can shoot fire at-will, but it targets 1 person for 1d6 + 1 per 2 levels. At say....6th level, you get two attacks and at 11th level, you get 3 attacks.
- Each class gets maneuvers that make it distinct and these maneuvers are 'renewed' after every battle. But they can only be initiated 1/enconter with no recharge (unlike the ToB). This simulates that at some point, they'll run dry and have to resort to spells and their Basic Attack Bonus combat system. It also opens the door for feats and prestige class features that allow them to recharge some powers later.
- Resistances. Each one should get some resistances to their element to simulate their ability to control said elemental forces and to show that they're used to working with the dangerous elmental effects. An Assassin, for example, can't poison himself so a Fire Bender should be burned by a camp fire or a lowly 1st or 2nd level fire spell.
That's all I got right now, but I hope some of this helped. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 05 Jul 2012 : 18:12:03
A Dread Necromancer who also takes a few level of Bloodmage should be able t do some blood-bending.
And I TOTALLY hear you about feedback - sometimes a simple 'good job' is all the fuel you need to keep going. If you think no-one is interested, why bother? |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 05 Jul 2012 : 17:34:29
You know, noone else had really responded, so I kind of sidelined it. Sometimes you just need feedback from another individual that you're not wasting your time throwing out ideas. My initial thoughts were to make each bender separately, but I feel I should make them concurrently for balance reasons. I think what I'll do after work today is just sit here and make a table with BAB, Saves, and abilities (generic version). Then I'll work on the differences in weapon proficiencies and armor proficiencies and how that may modify some abilities (for instance air benders will probably get some kind of monk-like wisdom bonus to A/C, whereas earth benders may get medium armor proficiency). Then I'll focus on the blast shape invocations and energy modification invocations (just the generic ideas/shapes). Then I'll work on a generic list of sidepath bending (i.e. metal bending, blood bending, sonic bending, lightning bending, etc...). Then maybe a list of feats. I think the idea would be best to get all the options on the table, then start working on the numbers.... which is entirely different from the path I would normally take when designing a prestige class, but I think on this scale its best to work out the big kinks first then the details later.
Oh, and as goes the PrC stuff, yeah, I can definitely see several different priestly combinations (shukenja is a good point, druid, spirit shaman, elemental priests of Kossuth, Akadi, Grumbar, Istishia, etc...). On the mage side, definitely wu jen, wizard, sorceror, and warmage should all be able to bend with a generic prestige class. I'm thinking a disclaimer of needing to be able to cast spells from said element, but there's probably gotta be some better prereqs to prevent people from doing say a "dread necromancer/bender" combo easily <not impossible mind you, as I could see a dread necromancer/waterbender who does bloodbending>. It'd also be interesting to see a bender/bard combo and a bender/monk and a bender/fighter combo.
Anyway, thanks for the encouragement. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 04 Jul 2012 : 15:19:57
I like where you are going, but I would definitely use the Elemental Specialists as the Base for a Bender. Some sort of cross between those and the Warlock (they should have the same limitations as a Specialist). Also, Specialists normally get an extra spell, but a bender would get their elemental blast spell.
Then all the spells they learn should revolve around them using and shaping that element. You should probably also look at Al-Qadim's Sha'ir class as well.
I started doing something similar awhile back in the old Kara-Tur thread - I had considered a double-specialized PrC for the Shukenja Class (which already has a lot of the same flavor as the Benders, or at least, Aang himself). Basically, each element you gave up made you stronger in yours. There was also supposed to be a hybrid class (combining all four elements) - Life bending (Ecomancer) - and one where you gave up all elements (Void).
Keep sharing your ideas - I like what you are doing here.  |
| Xnella Moonblade-Thann |
Posted - 04 Jul 2012 : 10:37:27
My head's spinning, and it's not from the cactus juice. I really think you've got something, sleyvas. I've tried a few ideas of how to get the attacks to feel like bending, but nothing worked. Maybe I'm just not that good at designing classes as I think I am. Please, when you get more figured out, could you post them here or send them as a pm or email? |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 26 Jun 2012 : 00:32:46
ok, just have to throw out more ideas. The more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to a base warlock type ability. In other words, the class gets a "elemental blast" of their appropriate element that does increase in damage over time. However, unlike the warlock, the advancement of this damage should be much slower, but instead the class should get iterative attacks per round with their elemental blast based on their Base Attack Bonus (say at 6th lvl 2d6 dmg per attack, 12th lvl 3d6 dmg per attack, 18th level they get up to 4d6 dmg per attack). Initially, I'd say that the range of bender's attacks should be merely 5 feet. Then we could throw in different "invocations" that could shape these attacks, and possibly tying those abilities to certain weapon types. For instance, maybe the ability to make an arc of flame would require the use of a war fan. Each different element type would have different invocations, but may have some shared ones as well. Some invocations may require knowing a prerequisite one first. Maybe it would be possible to use "defensive" invocations as well that put up some basic defenses rather than attacking, and maybe each time you apply an invocation to an effect it also decreases the number of attacks that round by 1. So for instance, lets just suppose some earth bender had 4 attacks, and they use one to apply some kind of ranged burst effect to an invocation and another to turn one of their attacks into creating a earthen wall in front of them that gives them say a bonus to saves and ac, they'd then only have 2 attacks that round.
Some ideas for these invocations just to throw them out
rock throw / ice missile / fire bolt / air bolt - extend range of the elemental blast up to 20 feet, but it is a line effect extending from the bender to the target and affecting anyone in the path, including allies
water whip - extend range of the elemental blast to 20 feet, within line of sight, but able to bypass any individuals between the bender and the target
fire fan - cone effect, extending 10 feet, affecting all targets within 120 degree arc (this could probably use better description)
multiple missiles - description explains it, mechanics would need to be worked out
rock wall - wall that provides cover
repelling blast (for earth and air elementalists, knocks target back)
Other basic ideas: localized burst effect, ranged burst effect, extended cone effect, extended range effect (extend range to 100 feet), extreme range effect (extend range to 250 feet), weapon dmg channeling (maybe have certain weapons work best with certain benders), retributive elemental shield on bender (surrounded by flame, whirling rocks, ice shards that do dmg, or for the air bender simply providing better protection somehow), an effect that can help overcome elemental resistance, an effect that lets the bender combine all of his attacks for one round into one massive attack at double dmg if he has 3 attacks and triple dmg if he has 4, a silent & stilled invocation requiring only thought
In addition, maybe they can also learn to infuse their elemental blast with certain energies (hellfire, water from the river styx, holy fire / holy water / consecrated grave earth, acids, toxic gases, fey energy, etc...)
I'm starting to like this idea, and I'd also like it that these benders also study spellcasting (literally, arcane spellcasting) in addition to learning to shape these elemental blasts. Like warmages, I'd say they have a base list of spells that they know, but they can't cast nearly as many, and have them limited by the benders charisma. Also, I'd put their spell advancement at a slower pace (maybe going up in spellcasting every 3 levels, such that at 18th lvl they're up to 7th lvl spells).
In addition to all this, I could definitely see some prestige classes that could be developed as well. This would scream for a priest/druid and bender combo class, plus a wizard / bender class, plus maybe a monk/ bender class. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 25 Jun 2012 : 15:59:24
ah, and as long as I'm throwing out general ideas. I was talking about a feat choice idea to open up other types of casting. I could see air benders also opening up a sonic option. Similar to warlocks & dragonfire adepts, I'd also like to throw in the idea of blast shape invocations on their base ability (i.e. maybe their base bending ability is a very short range blast, so opening up an extended range ability, a fan shaped close range attack, maybe a "shield surrounding me in my element" ability, multiple directed missiles, a ranged burst ability, maybe channeling their ability through a weapon, etc...). The blast shape invocations shouldn't be all that special (that's what the spells are for), but it should be something that they're not constantly just hurling "I do another fire bolt". You know, I may have to sit down and start scripting something up. I think the hardest thing to nail down will be the advanced learning option, since not all spells are labeled with an appropriate elemental label. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 25 Jun 2012 : 15:30:21
What is the BESM system? Not familiar with that, but I believe I've seen that anacronym before somewhere.
I'll definitely see what I can find on this Occult Lore book. Hopefully I can find it.
Hmmm, I might be interested in seeing the 4E take on it, even though I don't particularly like 4E. My thoughts are though that I'd like to see something SOMEWHAT akin to the dread necromancer and warmage classes and possibly with a mix , but focusing on their specific element. Like the dread necromancer, having them be able to learn abilities/spells from other classes that deal with their element would also be key. Another idea might be to swipe base mechanics from warlock / dragonfire adept type classes (incremental attacks, periodically getting access to special mysteries). I'd then like to see each of the classes have some kind of "feat" choice that can allow them to open up additional elemental mechanics (i.e. earth being metal bending and maybe something to do with gems, water bending also including blood bending, nature bending, and maybe even more advanced healing, fire bending including lightning and possibly light bending, air bending also including manipulation of toxic gases).
I like the general idea you were going with with your version of the class. I'd put their spellcasting as akin to a dread necromancer (they have a class list that they all know, but they get some advanced learning slots to add some additional spells). In addition, possibly putting in advanced learning "paths" as well with pre-determined "you'll get X, Y, and Z" spells listed. The only thing I'm not real fond of from your class was the addition of shadow, light, tree, etc... elements. I understand why you did it, but I'd rather see this idea be bound to the 4 basic elements. I'd also say that tying the class to monkish combat styles isn't really necessary, and actually I think it might be interesting to see that the different elements might have different approaches (maybe the earth elementalists fight more with warhammers, morning stars, etc... maybe air benders do more thrown & bow weapons). Please don't take these views as critical, as I'm literally just throwing out general ideas as they pop in my head right now. As with many things, once you start plotting powers to levels and such, a lot of ideas go out the window in the name of balance, but I like to free form ideas at the beginning so that I can not tie myself to anything specific. |
| Diffan |
Posted - 25 Jun 2012 : 10:51:06
I created a class with a sort of Avatar: The Last Airbender feel, the thread was called The Elementalist and I had the class pretty much done. Additionally, there's a Source Book called Penumbra's Occult Lore (3e) back in 2002 that sort of dealt with the same stuff if your interested.
Additionally, there is a whole book specifically named after the Avatar series for 4th Edition. You can play as an Air Bender, Fire Bender, Earth Bender, Water Bender, a Freedom Fight, the actual Avatar, in addition to specific show aspects like specialized fighting with Hook-Swords or being Zuko's alternate ego, the Blue Spirit. |
| Eldacar |
Posted - 25 Jun 2012 : 05:49:19
The BESM system is surprisingly not that bad at duplicating Avatar: The Last Airbender. Mutants and Masterminds (2E, anyway - I don't know about 3E) is also tentatively okay. |
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