Lightning/Shock Affinity? DM needs ideas for Player

[Elans_Cohort]

I am starting a campaign, and one of my characters wants to be half-elemental for some shock (Lightning) related abilities.
Something about his character's great-great-great-grandfather being a stormgiant.
I don't want him to be a half-elemental, but not wanting to crush the idea entirely, I've been looking for other methods of giving him some affinity to lightning spells.
I've looked through the Bloodlines, and the stormgiant one doesn't give it (it gives immunity, and later on gives a couple SU abilities)...
I've looked through Heritage feats and not seen something that jumps out as this area of specialty.
I thought about the Genasi, but can't find a 3.5 write-up for the Storm sub-type for them...

For the world they are in (Kingdom technically) anything that looks remotely elemental, would have been killed in infancy...so preferably something that doesn't look too non-human, so I can do some of the RP plots I want to get into.

The only option I have left, is giving him options for feats he could take that would mimic what he wants, Elemental Spellcasting to give a +1 to lightning spells, etc.

But is there anything I'm over-looking?
Any help would be appreciated, as always.
Thanks

[Snowbluff]

Duskblade -> Shocking Grasp channeling.
Magic of Incarnum Lightning Gauntlets.
Shock Lizard familiar.
:smallsmile:

[jaybird]

Take a look at the Elemental Bloodline for the Pathfinder Sorcerer. +1 damage/dice on all spells of the same element and a 1d6+whatever ray for 3+Cha times a day are the main points of it. Stormborn is also decent.

[Silva Stormrage]

"Cough" Shameless self promotion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236939)"cough"

The above is good if the player doesn't have a specific class in mind. Otherwise there is the option of playing a druid. They have plenty of storm/thunder based abilities. Trade out the animal companion for an elemental and let him take a storm elemental (MM3) instead of a standard elemental. It shouldn't unbalance the class since the elemental companion is weaker than a regular animal companion.

Spell Thematics also lets him make his other spells lightning ish and give +1 caster level to certain spells.

Psionics are also very good blasters and can focus on lightning if they want (Privileged energy from CP can make them deal +2 damage per dice on energy attacks)

[Elans_Cohort]

Well, when he was asking me this he wanted to go Wizard/Fighter and then Spellsword the following level (as I didn't want them to start out at prestige classes).
So, while I was thinking of several CLASS things he could do, I haven't mentioned them to him yet, cause he already has a class progression in mind.

[Elans_Cohort]

We are looking at Draconic Heritage feats now...
Instead of being descended from a Storm-giant, he has now asked about Bahamut...
Races of the Dragon has an option for Draconic Heritage(Platinum) for that purpose...so may wave the Dragonborn requirement...Or see if he wants to take it.

[Crake]

Well, when he was asking me this he wanted to go Wizard/Fighter and then Spellsword the following level (as I didn't want them to start out at prestige classes).
So, while I was thinking of several CLASS things he could do, I haven't mentioned them to him yet, cause he already has a class progression in mind.

if he wanted to go fighter/wizard/spellsword, the earlier suggestion of duskblade might be a good fit?

[Elans_Cohort]

if he wanted to go fighter/wizard/spellsword, the earlier suggestion of duskblade might be a good fit?

I was looking at that, Thanks guys/ladies :)

[Snowbluff]

I was looking at that, Thanks guys/ladies :)

Don't forget the Lighting Gaunlets. A DB with that build will be using single strikes, and the Gauntlet Soulmeld can add lightning damage to that hit. It would cost a few feats without a dip, but Azurin get free essentia.

[Vaz]

Bard 1/Storm Domain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm) Electricity Evoker (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#evokerVariants) 5 (Energy Affinity and Energy Substitution)/Stormsinger 10/Stormcaster 4

You lose 2 caster levels, but gain +4 Caster Levels from Stormcaster and Stormsinger (if she's in a storm), all Electricity Spells count as +1 Higher than they are, 1/day Free Energy Substitution on the fly (so should you take a Prepared Cone of Cold, just on the off chance you face a fire creature, but realise that it would be the perfect spell against a horde of mooks, you can switch it to Electricity, and you'll get the added benefit from the caster level).

Ask your DM if you can get a T'ien Lung (from OA) as a Dragon Cohort (really pushing it here, but OA Dragons don't have the typical spellcasting as a Dragon, so they're not as powerful as they seem compared to normal Dragons, so it should be easier. They have Control Weather 8/day, which you shouldn't need to use that much, but allows you to always be within that area.

Find a way to give it the Tempest Breath Feat and ask if you can get a Use Activated Custom Item of Breath Weapon Substitution (SpC) to turn the cone of fire into a cone of electricity.

Failing that, there's always the Cobalt Dragons in one of the later Dragon Mags (354, or something?); it has a cone of Magnetically charged electricity, Bull rushing and electrocuting its targets.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Use Maenad (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicRaces.htm#maenads) but switch the natural Energy Ray to Electric instead of Sonic, get the Major Storm Giant Bloodline (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/bloodlines.htm), and take a single level of the Electrokineticist variant (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625e) of the Pyrokineticist (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/pyrokineticist.htm) class.

Bloodline levels only cost you 1,000 xp if taken before your second class level, since they don't increase your character level. At 1st level once you have 1,000 xp, you gain a level; if that's a bloodline level, you're still a 1st level character and need only 1,000 more xp to gain another level. Bloodline levels increase your caster level, max skill ranks, and effective class level for level-dependent effects. He could easily go [class] 1/ Bloodline 3/ [class] 1/ Electrokineticist 1/ whatever. Being only 3,000 xp behind the party is the same as buying off a +1 LA, and being counted as lower level he'll catch back up quite fast.

An Elecrokineticist or Pyrokineticist can use their energy lash with any feats that could be applied to a standard whip, which includes Power Attack. Since it makes touch attacks he can power attack for his full BAB and still easily hit. Power Attack, Strength, Sneak Attack, etc. always add more damage of the same type as the weapon's base damage, which in this case would be electric damage. He should definitely get point-blank shot and precise shot since it still makes ranged attacks, but every attack will benefit from Point-Blank Shot. He can even Rapid Shot with it for an extra attack! Note that a high strength doesn't benefit the energy lash, and with a Major Storm Giant Bloodline he'll get Power Attack as a bonus feat without needing the prerequisite, so he can completely dump strength. The character would basically attack like Razor from DotA.

I'd probably go this Ranger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#ranger) 1/ Bloodline 3/ Ardent 1/ Electrokineticist 1/ Ardent 3/ Slayer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm) 9/ Psionic Abjurant Champion or Paragnostic Apostle or more Ardent 5. Get the Energy mantle first, use the Substitute Powers (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a) option for Ardent, and pick up Practiced Manifester. Note you can apply your own effects in the most beneficial order, so add Practiced Manifester first to put your manifester level equal to your character level (which doesn't count bloodline levels), then your Bloodline levels add another +3 manifester level on top of that. Ardents get to use their manifester level instead of their effective class level when determining the highest level powers they can learn, so he should actually be able to pick higher level powers than a character of his level would normally get.

Edit: If you're not very familiar with psionics, just remember that you can never spend more than your manifester level in powerpoints on a single power.

[Equinox]

The earlier suggestion of Duskblade is good, but don't forget that on level 9 they transform from "Shocking Grasp - the class" into "Vampiric Touch - the class". That might be different to reconcile with elemental flavor w/o major houseruling.

[atomicwaffle]

Shining Blade of Hieroneous?

[Snowbluff]

Shining Blade of Hieroneous?

Pft... HHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! :smalltongue: