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jiriku
2010-07-16, 11:00 PM
LATEST: Elemental guardsman is uploaded! Click the link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8939496&postcount=4) to jump right into the action!

This is a collection of options intended for use with my arcane elemental casters:

Fire, the emberhaunt (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158205)
Air, the storm lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157750)
Earth, the earth dreamer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155003)
Water, the wavekeeper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8873995)
Void, the void disciple (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159776)

Below you'll find feats intended for elemental casters, both homebrew feats of my own creation and official WotC material. Also included are the master of elements (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8939475&postcount=3), a class similar in role to the archmage, and the elemental guardsman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8939496&postcount=4), a gish class for those seeking a more martial spellcaster (think swiftblade meets jade phoenix mage).

Current Status: All items are uploaded. Please critique.

jiriku
2010-07-16, 11:05 PM
Blistering Spell (PH2 91)

Death Frost Spell (DU 109)

Earth Spell (RoS 138)

Earthbound Spell (PH 91)

Elemental Admixture [Metamagic]
You can modify a spell that uses one element to add an equal amount of another element.
Prerequisite: Elemental Study
Benefit: Choose one element (air, earth, fire, void, or water) that matches an element you have selected for study via the Elemental Study feat. You can then modify any spell that with an elemental descriptor that deals damage by adding an equal amount of the chosen element to the spell's normal effects. The altered spell deals additional damage of the type shown on the table below (select a type of your choice), with each element counting separately towards the spell's damage cap. Thus a void lightning bolt cast at 10th level or higher deals 10d6 points of electricity damage and 10d6 points of untyped damage. Even opposed elements can be combined using this feat.

{table=head]Element|Damage Type
Air|Electricity or nonlethal
Earth|Acid or bludgeoning
Water|Acid or cold
Fire|Fire or light
Void|Untyped[/table]

An elemental admixtured spell uses up a spell slot four levels higher than the spell's actual level. As well, the spell's descriptors change to include all elements and energy types present in the spell.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times, choosing a different element each time. The element selected with this feat must match an element you have also selected for for study via the Elemental Study feat. You may admix elements in any combination.

Elemental Essence (CC 58)

Elemental Spell Focus [General]
Your spells of a particular element are more potent than normal.
Benefit: Select air, earth, fire, void or water. Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the element you select.
Special: You can take this feat more than once. Each time, it applies to spells of a different element.

Elemental Spell Focus, Greater [General]
Select an element to which you have already applied the Elemental Spell Focus feat. Your spells of that element are even more potent than normal.
Benefit: Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the element you select. This bonus stacks with the bonus from Elemental Spell Focus.
Special: You can take this feat more than once. Each time, it applies to spells of a different element to which you have already applied the Elemental Spell Focus feat.

Elemental Study [General]
Select air, earth, fire, void, or water. You have broadened your elemental focus to include spells of that element.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 8, Spellcraft 8, plus any one of the following class features: Channel the Dream, Call the Storm, Ritual of Flame, Crashing Waves, or Sense Void.
Benefit: If you know a spell that can be aligned with one of several elements when cast (such as primal form or summon greater elemental), you may now choose your selected element when casting that spell. If you could already do this, then you gain no additional benefit.
Additionally, you may cast from the spell list of the class associated with your chosen element a certain number of times per day, as shown on the table below.

{table=head]Element|Class
Air|Storm Lord
Earth|Earth Dreamer
Fire|Emberhaunt
Void|Void Disciple
Water|Wavekeeper[/table]

Casting a spell in this fashion requires two spell slots rather than one, and increases the spell's casting time to a full-round action unless it is already longer, as if you were applying a metamagic feat. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to the stat bonus of your highest arcane spellcasting attribute.
For example, Isawa Sezaru is a 6th level void disciple with Intelligence 18, 8 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft, and has the Sense Void feature (acquired through void disciple 6). For his 6th level feat, he takes Elemental Study and selects the element of fire. He may now expend two void disciple spell slots to cast a fire spell from the emberhaunt spell list. He may do this four times per day.
Special: You can take this feat more than once. Each time, it applies to spells of a different element.

Energy Admixture (CA 78)

Energy Substitution (CA 79)

Flash Casting (DR314 21)

Flash Frost Spell (PH2 91)

Lord of the Uttercold (CA 80)

Magic of the Land (RotW 152)

Radiant Spell (DR314 21)

Spell Thematics (PGF 44)

Steam Magic (SW 93)

jiriku
2010-07-16, 11:09 PM
MASTER OF ELEMENTS


http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab24/gallopinggiraffes/Master_of_Five/Stanley-Lau-Artgerm_shot4.jpg


This is a 5-level prestige class based on the archmage from the Dungeon Master's Guide (pp. 178-179). The Master of Elements presents options for players of my arcane elemental casters who are interested in branching out and learning to manipulate spells of more than one element. Characters can focus on two or three elements and greatly enhance their power when casting spells of those elements, or expand their versatility and learn to cast from four or even all five elements.

TL;DR comments are spoilered here.

This class supports the archetype of the powerful master of a single element whose talent and skill allow him to rapidly master other elements, bypassing the years of study that others have devoted to learning their element. The class quickly grants access to the iconic abilities and high-level spells of the other elemental casters, and allows access to multi-element spells. This comes at the cost of some durability and combat prowess, however, as the master of elements has inferior saves and does not gain energy immunity or an elemental wildshape.
Unlike the standard archmage, the master of elements does not permanently sacrifice spell slots to gain his abilities. This is because while the archmage assumes an entry from the wizard or sorcerer, in which the character gives up nothing but familiar progression and perhaps a bonus feat, the master of elements assumes entry from one of my base elementalists, and it's understood that the character is giving up potent abilities to take levels in this class.
I have tried to ensure that it gets fun, interesting abilities at all levels, such that players will never be bored or disappointed on level-up and will truly feel that the benefits gained are worth the sacrifice of their base class features.
I'd like this to balance at the power level of the archmage or perhaps somewhat stronger, since the intended entry classes are weaker than the wizard or sorcerer.


Changes made in response to Playgrounder feedback will be spoilered here:


REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become a master of elements, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 15 ranks, Spellcraft (15 ranks).

Feats: Elemental Study in two different elements, Elemental Focus in one element

Spells: Ability to cast 7th level arcane spells, including spells from at least two of the following elements: air, earth, fire, void, and water.

Special: Must have either Call the Storm, Channel the Dream, Crashing Waves, Ritual of Flame, or Sense Void.


Hit Die: d6

{table=head]Level|Base Attack|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spells Per Day

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Expanded learning, continued study, elemental secret|+1 level of existing class

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Elemental secret|+1 level of existing class

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Elemental secret|+1 level of existing class

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Elemental secret|+1 level of existing class

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Elemental secret|+1 level of existing class[/table]


CLASS SKILLS (2 + Int mod per level, x4 at 1st level)
A master of elements' class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (alchemy) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (any) (Int), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Swim (Str).


CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the master of elements.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The master of elements gains no proficiency with weapons or armor.

Spells: At each level, the master of elements gains increased caster level, new spells known, and spells per day as if he had also gained a level in the arcane spellcasting class that qualified him for this class.

Expanded Learning (Ex): A master of elements learns to blend the elements he has mastered, combining them to produce new effects. Consult the list of multi-element spells below. If the master of elements is capable of casting both elements listed for a spell (either directly from his spell list or via the Elemental Study feat), he adds that spell to his list of spells known.

Continued Study (Ex): A master of the elements continues his study in the iconic abilities of his previously mastered elements. From now on, he progresses Call the Storm, Channel the Dream, Crashing Waves, Ritual of Flame, and Sense Void with his character level, rather than his level in the class that granted the feature, gaining additional uses per day and unlocking additional abilities and other level-based benefits accordingly. He does not learn these features if he did not already know them.

Elemental Secret (Ex): A master of elements learns hidden secrets that are unknown to more specialized elemental casters. At each level, you may learn one of the secrets below. You may choose each secret only once unless otherwise noted.


Elemental Mastery: Select an element you are capable of casting, either directly from your spell list or via the Elemental Study feat. Your caster level for all spells of this element increases by +1. Additionally, you gain the class feature associated with your element, as shown on the table below, or you gain two additional uses per day of the feature if you already have it. You may select this secret more than once.

{table=head]Element|Class Feature|From Class
Air|Call the Storm|Storm Lord
Earth|Channel the Dream|Earth Dreamer
Fire|Ritual of Flame|Emberhaunt
Void|Sense Void|Void Disciple
Water|Crashing Waves|Wavekeeper[/table]


Elemental Metamagic: Whenever you cast a spell that has two or more elemental descriptors and you modify this spell with a metamagic feat, reduce the final spell level adjustment (after all metamagic has been applied) by one, to a minimum of +0. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence bonus + your master of elements class level.


Elemental Study: Your mastery of the elements grows even broader. You gain Elemental Study as a bonus feat. You may take this option twice. Each time you do, it applies to a different element for which you do not yet have the Elemental Study feat.


Elemental Synergy: Your spells are more powerful when you blend the elements you have mastered. Whenever you cast a spell that includes two or more elemental descriptors, the spell gains +2 caster level and +1 save DC.


Elemental Versatility: You can alter an arcane spell when you cast it to use any element you have mastered. When you cast a spell with an elemental descriptor, you may change its descriptor to any element you are capable of casting (either directly from your spell list or via the Elemental Study feat). The spell's casting time is unaffected.


Secret of Swift Casting: Applying metamagic to any spell with an elemental descriptor no longer increases its casting time for you. This benefit extends to any increase in casting time from an ability that functions “as if you were applying a metamagic feat”, such as spontaneously converting a prepared spell or using the Elemental Study feat to cast a spell from another class list.


MASTER OF ELEMENTS SPELL LIST
The master of elements spell list appears below. All spells are notated with the name and page number of the sourcebook in which they appear.

1st Level: jet of steam (fire, water) (CM 108)

2nd Level: black sand (earth, void) (SS 111), blood snow (void, water) (FB 89), flash-freeze (earth, water) (FB 94), obscuring snow (air, water) (FB 103), thaw (fire, water) (FB 105)

3rd Level: control temperature (fire, water) (FB 92), flash-freeze (air, water) (FB 94), haboob (air, earth) (SS 117), steam breath (fire, water) (CA 124), storm mote (air, water) (SS 121)

4th Level: burning blood (fire, water) (SC 40), cometfall (water, earth) (SC 50), metal melt (fire, earth) (SC 140), murderous mist (air, water) (SC 145), passage of the shifting sands (air, earth) (SC 70)

5th Level: airy water (air, water) (Storm 113), blizzard (air, water) (FB 89), earth reaver (earth, fire) (SC 75), flaywind burst (air, earth) (SS 115), ice flowers (earth, water) (SC 119), transmute mud to rock (earth, water) (PHB 295), transmute rock to mud (earth, water) (PHB 295), wall of magma (earth, fire) (SS 126)

6th Level: blood sirocco (air, earth) (SC 33), death hail (void, water) (FB 92), haze of smouldering stone (earth, fire) (SC 68), ice rift (earth, water) (FB 99), mudslide (earth, water) (Storm 119), sandstorm (air, earth) (SS 119), scalding mud (fire, earth) (SS 120), storm of fire and ice (fire, water) (CM 119)

7th Level: adamantine wings (earth, fire) (CM 95), body of war (earth, fire) (SC 35), control weather (air, water) (PHB 214), energy absorption (all) (CM 103), glorious master of elements (all) (SC 67), storm of elemental fury (all) (SC 209), vitrify (earth, fire) (SS 117), whiteout (air, water) (FB 106)

8th Level: deadly lahar (earth, fire) (PH2 101), iron body (PHB 245)

9th Level: shadow landscape (air, void) (SC 184), transcend mortality (earth, void) (SC 121), transmute rock to lava (earth, fire) (SC 222)

jiriku
2010-07-16, 11:11 PM
ELEMENTAL GUARDSMAN


http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab24/gallopinggiraffes/Swordsman_Concept_by_ATArts.jpg


This is a 10-level prestige class for my previously published elemental casters. Inspired by its namesake, the Elemental Guardsmen originally presented in the Rokugan Campaign Setting (pp. 68-70), it also borrows from the Swiftblade and Jade Phoenix Mage. The elemental guardsman enables an elemental caster to adopt a more martial role in combat, taking the fight to his foes with spell and steel.

TL;DR comments are spoilered here.

This class supports the archetype of the swords-and-sorcery hero who wields both spell and blade, with a strong alignment towards a single element (although you can easily dip other elements with the feats provided earlier in this thread). It blends spellcasting, martial maneuvers, and elementally-themed immediate and swift action abilities. Although it has many powers, most of them are of short duration, and you'll quickly find your swift and immediate actions at a premium. Especially after 3rd level, the elemental guardsman tends to be more mobile than other characters, because martial maneuvers and quickened smiting spells tend to make you hit hard enough that a full attack is often not necessary.
At higher levels, elemental aspect allows you to gain the benefit of powerful elemental forms without sacrificing your gear or ability to make weapon attacks (although an elemental guardsman with void as a chosen element will need to invest in a ghost touch weapon).
I have tried to ensure that it gets fun, interesting abilities at all levels, such that players will never be bored or disappointed on level-up and will truly feel that the benefits gained are worth the sacrifice of their base class features.
I'd like this to balance at the power level of the swiftblade or jade phoenix mage, both of which were strong inspirations for the class.


Changes made in response to Playgrounder feedback will be spoilered here:


REQUIREMENTS
To join the elemental guardsmen, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Base Attack Bonus: +3.
Skills: Concentration 6 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks.
Feats: Elemental Spell Focus, Smiting Spell.
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 3rd level arcane spells (without early entry tricks)
Weapon Proficiency: Must be proficient with at least one martial weapon.
Special: Must fulfill either of the following requirements;

Possesses one of the following class features: Call the Storm, Channel the Dream, Crashing Waves, Ritual of Flame, or Sense Void; or
Must have spent the entire previous level using all 3rd-level spell slots to exclusively cast spells of the element for which you have Elemental Spell Focus.



Hit Die: d8

{table=head]Level|Base Attack|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spells Per Day|Man. Known|Man. Readied|Stances Readied

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Chosen element, elemental smite, elemental guard stance, soul of the elements 1/day (clarity)|--|1|1|1

2nd|
+2p|
+3|
+0|
+3|Spell and steel|+1 level of existing class|0|0|0

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Swift elemental smite|+1 level of existing class|1|0|0

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Elemental infusion, soul of the elements 2/day (repose)|--|0|1|0

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Purity of the elements|+1 level of existing class|1|0|0

6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Elemental aspect 1/day (medium)|+1 level of existing class|0|0|1

7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5|Greater elemental spell focus, soul of the elements 3/day (stillness)|--|1|1|0

8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Elemental aspect 2/day (large)|+1 level of existing class|0|0|0

9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Elemental archon stance|+1 level of existing class|1|0|0

10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Mastery of elements, elemental aspect 3/day (huge), soul of the elements 4/day (fury)|--|0|1|0[/table]


CLASS SKILLS (4 + Int mod per level)
An elemental guardsman’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Iaijutsu Focus (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int) and Spot (Wis).

An elemental guardsman learns an additional class skill based on his chosen element: Tumble (Dex) for fire, Sense Motive (Wis) for air, Balance (Dex) for earth, Swim (Str) for water, and Hide (Dex) for void.


CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the elemental guardsman.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The elemental guardsman gains no proficiency with weapons or armor.

Spells: At each level except 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th levels, the elemental guardsman gains improved caster level, spells known, and spells per day as if he had advanced a level in another arcane casting class he possesses.

Maneuvers: At each odd-numbered level, you gain an additional martial maneuver known. You may select your maneuvers from the Iron Heart or Tiger Claw disciplines. You also have access to an additional discipline based on your elemental focus: Desert Wind for fire, Setting Sun for air, Stone Dragon for earth, Diamond Mind for water, or Shadow Hand for void.


You gain an additional maneuver readied at 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th level.

Stances Known: At 1st level and again at 6th level, you learn a martial stance from one of your disciplines listed under Maneuvers above.

Chosen Element (Ex): Upon taking your first level in the elemental guarsdsman class, declare one element for which you have the Elemental Spell Focus feat. This element becomes your chosen element, and it is this division of the guardsmen that you join. Your choice of element influences your list of class skills and available martial disciplines, as described above. It also determines what benefit you gain from most of your other class abilities, as described below. Your chosen element is the defining characteristic for this class, and once made, the choice cannot be changed, even if your DM normally allows retraining.

Elemental Smite (Ex): When casting a spell of your chosen element, you can apply the Smiting Spell metamagic feat to the spell without increasing its casting time or spell level.

Elemental Guard Stance (Su): You learn how to channel the energy from one of your stances in a new way, adopting the traditional martial stance of the elemental guard. While you are in a stance from any discipline you know, you can forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain the effect of elemental guard stance. This ability lasts as long as you would maintain the stance. You can also stop using elemental guard stance and resume gaining the normal benefit of the stance as a swift action.


While you use this ability, your caster level increases by half your class level (minimum +1), up to a maximum of your Hit Dice. You also gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC. In addition, when you first activate this ability, you can choose to expend an arcane spell slot or prepared arcane spell of your chosen element. If you do, you also gain an elemental aura that damages your attackers. Any creature that strikes you takes 3 points of damage per spell level, with a type shown on the table below (select a type of your choice when assuming this stance).

{table=head]Element|Damage Type
Air|Electricity or nonlethal
Earth|Acid or bludgeoning
Water|Acid or cold
Fire|Fire or light
Void|Untyped[/table]


Reach weapons, such as longspears, do not endanger their users in this way. Creatures that are in a grapple with you take the damage once per round at the beginning of their turn. To those who can see you, your aura appears as pulsating sheath of your chosen element visible just below your skin (turbulent winds or crackling electricity for air, blowing ash or whirling stones for earth, globules of acid or eddies of snow for water, licking flames or motes of light for fire, and pitch blackness broken by twinkling stars for void).

Soul of the Elements (Su): The elemental guardsman learns to embody his chosen element to empower himself, and possibly affect nearby allies or enemies as well. An elemental guardsman can activate Soul of the Elements as an immediate action, once per day. To use this ability, the elemental guardsman must currently be under the effect of elemental guard stance, elemental archon stance, or elemental aspect. Each ability described below requires both a minimum elemental guardsmen level and a minimum number of ranks in the Knowledge (arcana) skill to qualify. If the elemental guardsman does not have at least 9 ranks in Knowledge (arcana), he does not gain Soul of the Elements until he acquires the needed ranks. Soul of the Elements has the descriptor of the elemental guardsman's chosen element.


Soul of the Elements is similar to several other class features, such as Call the Storm, Channel the Dream, Crashing Waves, Ritual of Flame, and Sense Void. The elemental guardsman may expend daily uses of any of these abilities to activate Soul of the Elements, and vice versa, provided the abilities share the elemental descriptor of his chosen element. For example, an emberhaunt/elemental guardsman has Chosen Element (fire) and possesses both Ritual of Flame and Soul of the Elements. Both of these abilities have the fire descriptor, so he may pool his uses per day in the two abilities.


At 1st level, an elemental guardsman with at least 10 ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can embody elemental clarity, gaining an ability from the menu below according to his chosen element. He gains the benefit listed below, and may also provide a benefit or hindrance for allies or foes within 30 ft as well. If the effect is not immediate, it lasts until the beginning of the elemental guardsman's next turn.


{table=head]Element|Effect on self|Effect on others
Air|see through illusions|foes' invisibility is suppressed
Earth|ignore cover and penalties for attacking/defending while prone|foes cannot claim cover
Water|immune to surprise|foes cannot make Hide checks
Fire|ignore concealment and total concealment penalties|foes cannot feint or demoralize
Void|gain blindsight 60 ft range|allies gain uncanny dodge[/table]



At 4th level, the elemental guardsman gains an additional use per day of Soul of the Elements, and if he has at least 13 ranks in Knowledge (arcana), he can embody elemental repose, gaining an ability from the menu below according to his chosen element.


{table=head]Element|Effect on self|Effect on others
Air|next ranged attack or ranged touch attack is reflected on attacker|allies may use normal AC against next ranged touch attack
Earth|gain DR 20/-, immune to trip, grapple, stun|allies gain DR 5/-
Water|heal all damage, up to ½ maximum hp|allies automatically stabilize
Fire|cure all fatigue/exhaustion and fear on self|cure either fatigue/exhaustion or fear on allies
Void|next damaging effect is reflected on attacker|allies gain improved uncanny dodge against next attack[/table]



At 7th level, the elemental guardsman gains an additional use per day of Soul of the Elements, and if he has at least 16 ranks in Knowledge (arcana), he can embody elemental stillness, gaining an ability from the menu below according to his chosen element.


{table=head]Element|Effect on self|Effect on others
Air|immune to ranged attacks and ranged touch attacks|--
Earth|immune to all damage|--
Water|ignore all effects that limit mobility|--
Fire|ignore all magical penalties to attacks, saves, checks, and AC|--
Void|gain spell immunity|--[/table]



At 10th level, the elemental guardsman gains an additional use per day of Soul of the Elements, and if he has at least 19 ranks in Knowledge (arcana), he can embody elemental fury, gaining an ability from the menu below according to his chosen element.


{table=head]Element|Effect on self|Effect on others
Air|Mighty cyclone, as the 17th level storm lord ability|--
Earth|Rock storm deals 1d6/level bludgeoning damage to all foes|--
Water|Maelstrom, as the 17th level wavekeeper ability|--
Fire|Burning heat, as the 17th level emberhaunt ability|--
Void|Void pulse deals 1d6/level damage to all foes; slain foes are disintigrated|--[/table]


Spell and Steel (Su): An elemental guardsman knows that some foes cannot be defeated with magic alone, but must be put down with cold steel. Upon reaching 2nd level, you may expend an arcane spell slot or a prepared arcane spell of your chosen element as a swift action to refresh an expended martial maneuver of equal or lower level.

Swift Elemental Smite (Ex): When an elemental guardsman of 3rd level or higher applies the Smiting Spell metamagic feat to a spell of his chosen element, the spell is also quickened, as if with the Quicken Spell feat, without increasing its spell level.

Elemental Infusion (Su): An elemental guardsman of 5th level or develops profound insight into his chosen element, and gains the class feature associated with his element, as shown on the table below.

{table=head]Element|Class Feature|From Class
Air|Cloud Sight|Storm Lord
Earth|Earth Sight|Earth Dreamer
Fire|Constant Searing Spell|Emberhaunt
Void|Self/No Self|Void Disciple
Water|Fog Sight|Wavekeeper[/table]


While you are using your elemental infusion, your eyes acquire a distinctive otherwordly appearance appropriate to your element.

Purity of the Elements (Su): One cannot harm the mountain, the ocean, the wind, or the raging volcano. One cannot harm the world. As an immediate action, an elemental guardsman of 5th level or higher can embrace this truth and immerse himself within his element to gain protection from hostile magic. By expending an arcane spell slot or a prepared arcane spell of his chosen element, he gains spell resistance equal to his character level +10. This benefit lasts for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell or spell slot expended.

Elemental Aspect (Su): At 6th level, an elemental guardsman gains the ability to encase his form in a protective shell of his chosen element once per day. He may increase his size if he wishes, up to a maximum of Medium. His gear also grows to match his size, although any piece of equipment returns to its normal size one round after leaving his possession. He gains racial bonuses to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and natural armor as if he were an appropriately sized elemental of his chosen element, and gains the elemental’s slam attack (although he can use weapons instead, if he prefers), movement modes, and extraordinary and supernatural abilities. He also gains the feats listed for an elemental of his size. He retains his own type and racial attributes, but gains the subtype of his chosen element.


The effect lasts one minute per character level, or until the elemental guardsman changes back. Changing form is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Elemental Aspect is a wild shape ability (and counts as such when meeting prerequisites) and has the descriptor of the elemental guardsman’s chosen element. It doesn’t interfere with the elemental guardsman's spellcasting.


Upon activating Elemental Aspect, the elemental guardsman regains hit points (but nothing else) as if he had rested for the night. If slain in aspect form, he reverts to his normal shape (but remains dead).


The elemental guardsman gains an additional use per day of this ability at 8th level, and may assume up to Large size. He gains a further use per day at 10th level, and may assume up to Huge size.


If your chosen element is Void, you gain Strength and Dexterity bonuses appropriate to an air elemental of your size, and also gain the elemental’s fly speed and feats. You do not gain its special abilities. Instead, you gain the following abilities:



Airless Aura (Su): Your body is surrounded by an aura of near vacuum at all times. The means that any creatures adjacent to you have no air to breathe and must hold their breath.



Disrupt Essence (Su): Living creatures hit by your touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ hit dice + Cha modifier) or take 1d2 points of Constitution drain. When you drain a victim’s Constitution, you gain 5 temporary hit points, no matter how many points you drain. These points last for up to 1 hour. Constitution drain will reduce the number of rounds of remaining breath for any creature affected by your airless aura.



Incorporeal (Su): You are incorporeal and gain the incorporeal subtype. You gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to your Charisma bonus (minimum 1). You gain an incorporeal touch attack that deals 1d4 points of damage. This damage does not increase when your size increases. If you are 8th level or higher, you may make 2 incorporeal touch attacks as a full attack; these are not weapon attacks and you do not qualify for iterative attacks.

Greater Elemental Spell Focus: Upon reaching 7th level, an elemental guardsman gains Greater Elemental Spell Focus for his chosen element as a bonus feat. If he already has Greater Elemental Spell Focus from an earlier feat slot, he may immediately retrain that earlier feat slot.

Elemental Archon Stance (Su): You learn how to channel the energy from one of your stances in a new way, adopting the traditional martial stance of the elemental guard. While you are in a stance from any discipline you know, you can forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain the effect of elemental archon stance. This ability lasts as long as you would maintain the stance. You can also stop using elemental archon stance and resume gaining the normal benefit of the stance as a swift action.


While you use this ability, your caster level for spells of your chosen element increases by +7, up to a maximum of your Hit Dice + 2. You gain Fortification and a +4 enhancement bonus to your natural armor. In addition, when you first activate this ability, you can choose to expend a 2nd level or higher arcane spell slot or prepared arcane spell of your chosen element. If you do, you also gain the ability to reroll any attack rolls, saves, skill checks, or ability checks that roll lower than the level of the spell slot you expended. You may not reroll any die roll that has already been rerolled, nor may you reroll if you rolled a natural 1 on an attack roll or saving throw. After rerolling, you must take the second result, even if it is worse than the first.


Your reroll abilitylasts for only one minute, although the other abilities of this stance persist normally thereafter. You can take a swift action to refresh this stance if you wish, expending another spell slot or prepared spell to activate the reroll ability as normal.

Mastery of Elements (Su): At 10th level, your connection to your chosen element grows so profound that when you assume an elemental aspect, you can become a mighty engine of destruction, overwhelming foes with your raw power. When you assume an elemental aspect, you may expend a 6th level or higher arcane spell slot or prepared arcane spell of your chosen element as part of the action required to change your form. If you expend a 6th level spell, you assume the form and abilities of a greater elemental of your chosen element, instead of a huge elemental. You also gain a +2 bonus to the save DCs of any abilities granted by elemental aspect. If you expend a 7th level spell, you assume the form and abilities of an elder elemental, and your bonus to save DCs increases to +4. If you expend a spell of 8th level or higher, you assume the form and abilities of an elemental monolith, and your bonus to save DCs increases to +10.


Invoking mastery of elements reduces the duration of your elemental aspect to 1 round/level.


If your chosen element is void, you gain the normal benefits as described under elemental aspect, but your stat bonuses and bonus feats are as for a greater air elemental, elder air elemental, or air elemental monolith of the appropriate size.

Tinydwarfman
2010-07-17, 08:09 AM
Just noticed something: If your character has one level in all of your elemental adept classes, Continued Study will allow you to have them all equal to your character level. Was this intended?

jiriku
2010-07-17, 01:38 PM
That would be a bad thing, too much juice for a one-level dip. But check the last line of Continued Study, which states "He does not learn these features if he did not already know them." Since the iconic abilities are all granted at level 5 (except for Sense Void, at level 6), you'd need five levels in another class to pick up a second one.

Maybe I need a less wordy way to write this. What I'm trying to say with it is "You probably have one of the iconic abilities on this list. If you have it, you continue advancing it." Maybe I should say "If you already have features VWXYZ, your levels in master of elements stack with levels in classes ABCDE for the purpose of advancing those features." Better?

un_known
2010-07-28, 02:31 PM
I like the looks of it. Though somethings seem a little iffy. I guess time(And testing) will tell how this class turns out but great job. I love all your elemental classes. One question though. Do you think you'll do prestige classes for ontop of your elemental classes. Ones that specialize even further? (Don't know how'd you do it! But just an idea)

jiriku
2010-07-28, 02:57 PM
I'm about halfway through developing an elemental guard prestige class, which will sort of be like OA elemental guard meets swiftblade. It should make a good gishy class, with powerful, crunchy abilities, although you won't get 9th level spells if you take all 10 levels of it.

I doubt I'd make a prestige class to further specialize the elemental casters into their respective elements; feats and ACFs would be more appropriate for that.

What seems iffy about the master of elements?

ForzaFiori
2010-07-28, 03:22 PM
That would be a bad thing, too much juice for a one-level dip. But check the last line of Continued Study, which states "He does not learn these features if he did not already know them." Since the iconic abilities are all granted at level 5 (except for Sense Void, at level 6), you'd need five levels in another class to pick up a second one.

Maybe I need a less wordy way to write this. What I'm trying to say with it is "You probably have one of the iconic abilities on this list. If you have it, you continue advancing it." Maybe I should say "If you already have features VWXYZ, your levels in master of elements stack with levels in classes ABCDE for the purpose of advancing those features." Better?

If they take Elemental mastery, and gain one of the other classes features, do you want them to use their full character level, or their master of elements level + class ABCD or E level?

jiriku
2010-07-28, 04:13 PM
Good point. It would have to be full character level, because Elemental Mastery can give you a class feature from a class you don't have, and there aren't enough levels in Master of Elements to go anywhere with it on your own.

So, example, an earth dreamer 14/master of elements 1 with the Elemental Study (fire) feat learns the Elemental Mastery (fire) secret. He gains +1 caster level for fire spells and Ritual of Flame as a 15th level emberhaunt. If it worked the other way, he'd get Ritual of Flame as a 1st level emberhaunt, which is useless because 1st level emberhaunts don't have Ritual of Flame yet.

jiriku
2010-07-30, 02:50 AM
LATEST: Elemental guardsman is uploaded! Click the link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8939496&postcount=4) to jump right into the action!