Making an airbender

[Dr.Epic]

Long story short, I want to play a halfling named Meelo.:smallwink:

I'm just wondering what's the best build to imitate an airbender. I'm thinking cleric, though druid might also work. If I can find a creature similar enough to an air bison, that could be an animal companion.

[Jarian]

Well, you could always play an Airbender. (http://sites.google.com/site/avatard20/)

Failing that, a Druid is probably your best bet, depending on the level. A good deal of the Druid spells don't fit, but the ones that do fit very well. Alternately, grab a wizard and add Spell Thematics. Voila, everything is air!

[Hiro Protagonest]

Long story short, I want to play a halfling named Meelo.:smallwink:
Permission denied.

Well, you could always play an Airbender. (http://sites.google.com/site/avatard20/)

I prefer this one (http://www.brainmurk.com/kasan/Avatar_RPG.pdf). Playgrounders made it.

[AmberVael]

I'm pretty sure the avatar d20 site and the pdf on Brainmurk both came from the playground and actually share a lot of the same work.

The Brainmurk pdf is better though, from what I've seen. It's a bit less breakable and cleaner system.

[Dr.Epic]

Permission denied.

But how am I supposed to be the leaf?:smallfrown:

Also, (battle) sorcerer could work too. Thoughts?

[Hiro Protagonest]

But how am I supposed to be the leaf?:smallfrown:

1. Get a caster to cast Animate Object
2. Get your DM to allow Permanency to apply to Animate Object
3. Get your DM to allow Awaken on a leaf

And now I'm just imagining a leaf drifting across the ground, into the middle of enemy territory without suspicion, then suddenly spinning around really fast, creating a tornado to wreak havoc.

[Randomguy]

There is the avatar d20 system, if you want to inport the bending mechanics (or the stats of a flying bison) from that.


I suggest spontaneous casting druid/cleric, since I think spontaneous casting mimics bending a bit better than perpared casting.

I'd say druid with the swift hunter druid ACF, since wildshape isn't very airbenderish but a high AC (via wisdom to AC) is, and airbenders don't wear armour anyway. Fast movement is another airbenderish thing that the class offers. You also get the track feat, swift tracker (as ranger) and favoured enemy, so see if there are some airbender like things that you can trade those for. You could trade favoured enemy for favoured environment or favoured organisation (cityscape), assuming ACF chaining is allowed, but even then those only make slightly more sense than favoured enemy does.

Consider taking the hurricane breath and borne aloft reserve feats, for some airbending tricks to pull even when you're out of spells for the day.

It wouldn't hurt to take a one level dip in cleric or cloistered cleric, for the windstorm domain (for the domain power) and air devotion. If you go full cleric, then it would be better to take the air domain (and pick up air devotion without trading it out).

Some good druid that are either air controlling or can be refluffed as controlling the air are: jump, longstrider, fog cloud, gust of wind, control winds, aura against flame, cloudburst, wall of smoke, updraft, binding winds, wind wall, air walk, earthbind, control weather, whirlwind, summoning elementals, thunderous roar, wind at back, wings of air, wind tunnel, miasma, cloud walkers, and so on.

One of the downsides is that balance, jump and tumble aren't class skills for a druid.

[Absol197]

There's also the Avatar system I cooked up, with the link in my sig.

Unfortunately, I haven't updated it in a while, and a lot of the stuff there is out of date. I've been wanting to put the first version of th PDF online, but the fir

Riend who was going to do so is both extremely forgetful and very busy with work, so it hasn't happened yet.

The other problem, of course, is that my system is built specifically for the Avatar world, and I'm not sure how well it would translate to a normal D&D game.

You're more than welcome to check it out, though.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Perhaps Monk/Shugenja/Sacred Fist, or Monk/Wu-Jen/Enlightened Fist.

[nedz]

But how am I supposed to be the leaf?:smallfrown:1. Get a caster to cast Animate Object
2. Get your DM to allow Permanency to apply to Animate Object
3. Get your DM to allow Awaken on a leaf

And now I'm just imagining a leaf drifting across the ground, into the middle of enemy territory without suspicion, then suddenly spinning around really fast, creating a tornado to wreak havoc.

Surely this is just a variation on the psionic sandwich ?

[Dr.Epic]

Perhaps Monk/Shugenja/Sacred Fist, or Monk/Wu-Jen/Enlightened Fist.

I do like the Sacred/Enlightened Fist. It's like being Gene from God Hand.:smallwink:


Surely this is just a variation on the psionic sandwich ?

Psionic sandwhich? That anything like a sandvich (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMfzUZNXRbE) or a Jill sandwhich (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtTfptkUgj0)?:smallwink:

[Flickerdart]

Duskblade 13/Spellwarp Sniper 5. Channel a Spellwarped Cyclonic Blast and be the best airbender.

[Cespenar]

Make a wizard and fill the entirety of your slots with Gust of Wind and metamagicked variants of it. :smalltongue:

[Kuulvheysoon]

Stepping away from everybody else here, I'd suggest Master of the Unseen Hand.

Telekinesis can replicate some of the iconic abilities (pushing people away, moving yourself through the air, deflecting attacks) fairly well.

That and TK is hilarious. The only problem would be getting access to it enough times per day at a reasonable level.

[SSGoW]

Binder 1 gives you access to Ronove which has some pretty cool air bending like abilities. May need a bit of a refluff though.

[nedz]

Surely this is just a variation on the psionic sandwich ?
Psionic sandwhich? That anything like a sandvich (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMfzUZNXRbE) or a Jill sandwhich (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtTfptkUgj0)?:smallwink:

Er, no: Psionic Sandwich (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1187.0) :smallcool:

[Empedocles]

Air wu-jen or shugenja?

[Kuulvheysoon]

Air wu-jen or shugenja?

Funny enough, there IS no Air Wu Jen - it's the only one of the 4 classical Roman elements that the Chinese didn't share - they have Wood and Metal instead.

[Empedocles]

Funny enough, there IS no Air Wu Jen - it's the only one of the 4 classical Roman elements that the Chinese didn't share - they have Wood and Metal instead.

Brain fart on my part. In that case, since an air shugenja is like an illusionist IIRC a druid might be best, or possibly some homebrew stuff...

[Invader]

Playing an air mephit or genasi or a number of other races that lend themselves better to an airbender would be better fluff and possibly crunch with the right build.

[Flickerdart]

Playing an air mephit or genasi or a number of other races that lend themselves better to an airbender would be better fluff and possibly crunch with the right build.
Airbenders aren't made out of elemental air, so I'm not sure how saddling yourself with LA for no reason would be better fluff somehow.

[Invader]

Airbenders aren't made out of elemental air, so I'm not sure how saddling yourself with LA for no reason would be better fluff somehow.

Lets look at an Air Mephit.

They get an air breath weapon just like Aang has used in the show
The can use the spell gust of wind just like Aang has used in the show
The can cause a cloud of vapor to surround themselves just like Aang has done in the show

[Dr.Epic]

Lets look at an Air Mephit.

They get an air breath weapon just like Aang has used in the show
The can use the spell gust of wind just like Aang has used in the show
The can cause a cloud of vapor to surround themselves just like Aang has done in the show

Aren't mephits those tiny, imp things? I don't want to be one of those. I specifically said I want to go halfling.:smallwink:

[Invader]

Aren't mephits those tiny, imp things? I don't want to be one of those. I specifically said I want to go halfling.:smallwink:

It started out as just a friendly suggestion for another race but that answer was for flikerdarts snarky reply to why they didn't make any sense.

Mephits are actually taller (albeit lighter) than halflings btw :smallbiggrin:

[Flickerdart]

Lets look at an Air Mephit.
Let's. The 1-pound, 4-foot Air Mephit, which is apparently a typical airbender somehow.


They get an air breath weapon just like Aang has used in the show
Aang has never used anything that could be described as a "cone of dust and grit".


The can use the spell gust of wind just like Aang has used in the show
I am reasonably confident that Aang used this more than once per day.


The can cause a cloud of vapor to surround themselves just like Aang has done in the show
Aang has never done this. The closest thing we see to him doing this is in the episode about the water scroll, where he manipulates fog, but he has never once gone "hey I'm going to throw a bunch of vapor around me and that way people will have a harder time hitting me, though not a very hard time because it's only a 20% miss chance".

So you blow 6 levels in return for nothing. Great job.

The wiki page on Airbending (avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Airbending) describes the following techniques:

"Air manipulation: By using circular, evasive movements, airbenders build up massive momentum; this build up of energy is released as massive power. It also allows for wind-based counter-attacks that knock opponents off-balance, mimicking the sudden directional shifts of air currents. Attacks vary from simple gusts of wind to miniature tornadoes and cyclones, maintaining the circular theme."
Gust of Wind is pretty clearly insufficient to replicate this, as it merely checks Medium creatures, whereas we often see airbenders knocking about larger things with ease. Plenty of spells exist that push people around.

"Air shield: ...an airbender can still deflect as needed by throwing up gusts of air close to their bodies as a shield."
This is quite obviously Wind Wall. Your mephit has nothing like this.

"Air barrier: This is a more powerful defensive technique where the entire body is surrounded by a dome of air that deflects attacks from all directions."
Wind Wall again, possibly some of the defensive force spells, then there are some druid spells that do this. Mephit draws a blank.

"Air bullets: A technique used by Aang. He causes two or more marbles to spin in a circle between his hands. It could be used to shoot small objects, like marbles, at very high speeds, similar to bullets, but Aang uses the move to impress rather than to attack."
Cantrips can do this. Mephit can't.

"Air blast: A more offensive move involving a direct pulse or jet of almost solid wind from the hands or feet."
Rays. Can you say rays? I can say rays. How many rays does magic have? So many rays. How many rays does your mephit have? Zero rays.

"Air punch/kick: Another more offensive move than is typical of airbending discipline, air punches or air kicks are small, compressed formations of air that can be fired off the fists or feet of an airbender."
Refluffed/energy subbed Produce Fire, perhaps. Definitely not mephit material.

"Air swipe: The air swipe is a dual defensive and offensive technique in which an airbender conjures a crescent-shaped construct of solidified air capable of deflecting colossal projectiles, such as the catapulted flaming rocks often used by the Fire Navy ships, and sending them off-course."
There's a reserve feat that does basically this.

"Air suction: A technique used to bring people or things toward the airbender."
Telekinesis, or one of the Bigby spells can do this. Mephit can't.

"Breath of wind: Very similar to the standard air jet, but created from the mouth and lungs."
Breath weapon, perhaps? But not dust and grit. The air we see blown about by Aang is always pure.

"Enhanced speed: Airbenders enhance their movement in battle; they can run swiftly by decreasing air resistance around them and even sprint across or run up vertical surfaces by generating a wind current behind themselves to propel them forward. "
Expeditious Retreat or Haste does this nicely. You might argue that mephits can just fly, but airbenders don't fly, they just glide.

Anyway, there's a ton more of these, and all of them can be replicated by spells, while your mephit looks on and tearbends. In the six wasted levels you threw away to be an ugly wind thing, let's instead pick up Wizard.

Cantrips: Mage Hand, Open/Close
1st level spells: Jump, Updraft, Feather Fall, Expeditious Retreat
2nd level spells: Wind Wall, Gust of Wind, Binding Winds, Stolen Breath, Levitate
3rd level spells: Downdraft, Capricious Zephyr, Haste

Feats: Spell Thematics (In case you feel like turning some other spells into airbending moves) and Wind-Guided Arrows.

In the same six levels, this build has far more airbending in it than the mephit, and you can still be a halfling.

[Invader]

Let's. The 1-pound, 4-foot Air Mephit, which is apparently a typical airbender somehow.


Aang has never used anything that could be described as a "cone of dust and grit".


I am reasonably confident that Aang used this more than once per day.


Aang has never done this. The closest thing we see to him doing this is in the episode about the water scroll, where he manipulates fog, but he has never once gone "hey I'm going to throw a bunch of vapor around me and that way people will have a harder time hitting me, though not a very hard time because it's only a 20% miss chance".

So you blow 6 levels in return for nothing. Great job.

The wiki page on Airbending (avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Airbending) describes the following techniques:

"Air manipulation: By using circular, evasive movements, airbenders build up massive momentum; this build up of energy is released as massive power. It also allows for wind-based counter-attacks that knock opponents off-balance, mimicking the sudden directional shifts of air currents. Attacks vary from simple gusts of wind to miniature tornadoes and cyclones, maintaining the circular theme."
Gust of Wind is pretty clearly insufficient to replicate this, as it merely checks Medium creatures, whereas we often see airbenders knocking about larger things with ease. Plenty of spells exist that push people around.

"Air shield: ...an airbender can still deflect as needed by throwing up gusts of air close to their bodies as a shield."
This is quite obviously Wind Wall. Your mephit has nothing like this.

"Air barrier: This is a more powerful defensive technique where the entire body is surrounded by a dome of air that deflects attacks from all directions."
Wind Wall again, possibly some of the defensive force spells, then there are some druid spells that do this. Mephit draws a blank.

"Air bullets: A technique used by Aang. He causes two or more marbles to spin in a circle between his hands. It could be used to shoot small objects, like marbles, at very high speeds, similar to bullets, but Aang uses the move to impress rather than to attack."
Cantrips can do this. Mephit can't.

"Air blast: A more offensive move involving a direct pulse or jet of almost solid wind from the hands or feet."
Rays. Can you say rays? I can say rays. How many rays does magic have? So many rays. How many rays does your mephit have? Zero rays.

"Air punch/kick: Another more offensive move than is typical of airbending discipline, air punches or air kicks are small, compressed formations of air that can be fired off the fists or feet of an airbender."
Refluffed/energy subbed Produce Fire, perhaps. Definitely not mephit material.

"Air swipe: The air swipe is a dual defensive and offensive technique in which an airbender conjures a crescent-shaped construct of solidified air capable of deflecting colossal projectiles, such as the catapulted flaming rocks often used by the Fire Navy ships, and sending them off-course."
There's a reserve feat that does basically this.

"Air suction: A technique used to bring people or things toward the airbender."
Telekinesis, or one of the Bigby spells can do this. Mephit can't.

"Breath of wind: Very similar to the standard air jet, but created from the mouth and lungs."
Breath weapon, perhaps? But not dust and grit. The air we see blown about by Aang is always pure.

"Enhanced speed: Airbenders enhance their movement in battle; they can run swiftly by decreasing air resistance around them and even sprint across or run up vertical surfaces by generating a wind current behind themselves to propel them forward. "
Expeditious Retreat or Haste does this nicely. You might argue that mephits can just fly, but airbenders don't fly, they just glide.

Anyway, there's a ton more of these, and all of them can be replicated by spells, while your mephit looks on and tearbends. In the six wasted levels you threw away to be an ugly wind thing, let's instead pick up Wizard.

Cantrips: Mage Hand, Open/Close
1st level spells: Jump, Updraft, Feather Fall, Expeditious Retreat
2nd level spells: Wind Wall, Gust of Wind, Binding Winds, Stolen Breath, Levitate
3rd level spells: Downdraft, Capricious Zephyr, Haste

Feats: Spell Thematics (In case you feel like turning some other spells into airbending moves) and Wind-Guided Arrows.

In the same six levels, this build has far more airbending in it than the mephit, and you can still be a halfling.

I never said a mephit was a typical air bender I said you could play one for fluff and I listed the reasons which fit perfectly. Ive seen the entire series and he has absolutely used powers similar to what I mentioned. For whatever reason you have such an attitude about I'm not sure but arguing over a matter of opinions is fruitless so I won't be continuing.

[Flickerdart]

"Being a monster and having a couple powers that sort of maybe replicate some of the vast arsenal of an airbender limited times per day, if you squint really hard" is not fitting perfectly.

[Invader]

"Being a monster and having a couple powers that sort of maybe replicate some of the vast arsenal of an airbender limited times per day, if you squint really hard" is not fitting perfectly.

Again I never said it fit perfectly I said lent itself to fluff. I honestly don't understand 1. why you keep putting words in my mouth and 2. your rather rude attacks on what is obviously just an opinion.

[Flickerdart]

Again I never said it fit perfectly I said lent itself to fluff. I honestly don't understand 1. why you keep putting words in my mouth and 2. your rather rude attacks on what is obviously just an opinion.


I never said a mephit was a typical air bender I said you could play one for fluff and I listed the reasons which fit perfectly.


the reasons which fit perfectly.


perfectly.

Putting which words in your mouth now?

[Invader]

"Let's. The 1-pound, 4-foot Air Mephit, which is apparently a typical airbender somehow."

Did I ever say it was a typical airbender? No

"I listed the reasons which fit perfectly". I never said the race fit perfectly just the reasons I gave which I also said were my opinion.

Seriously dude what's your problem or do you try to pick fights with everyone for no reason?

[averagejoe]

The Mod They Call Me: Hey, let's all settle down a bit, yeah?