Is there a way to make a Fire Bender with 3.5/PF?

[Saambell]

I'm looking for ways to have a martial artist who either boosts their punches with fire or can chuck fire. Lightning is an added bonus.
My first thought was Sword Sage with Desert discipline and using Unarmed. Not sure of which maneuvers to use though.
Are there any prestige classes that would combo with Monk/Wizard(or Sorcerer) that would achieve the same effect?

My DM is pretty forgiving with Homebrew as long as its not overly broken. Heck, he's letting Warblades into Pathfinder games.

[Extra Anchovies]

Occult Adventures is coming out in August, and it will contain the Kineticist, which literally is an element-bender.

[AmberVael]

There are actually a number of homebrew bending systems out there that could let you play a straight up firebender. One of the most easily accessible is here, (https://sites.google.com/site/avatard20/) but personally I prefer this version (http://www.scribd.com/doc/36548716/Avatar-the-Last-d20-Supplement-MAIN-SOURCE) which is pretty similar, but I feel is a bit more well done. In addition, I think it offers a couple more options for Firebenders?

[PsyBomb]

Is 3PP allowed? Spheres of Power and Psionics both offer solutions here.

[AvatarVecna]

A fire-themed Sorcerer 20 can do the trick, as long as you don't mind fighting with Kung Faux.

Alternatively, this is pretty much exactly what the Enlightened Fist class is made for: whether you're pairing monk with Wizard, Sorcerer, Wu Jen, or War Mage, there's feats that let you switch your AC bonus to be fueled by your casting stat; combine awesome fighting moves with spellcasting, and you'll be one hot bender.

You could also go Unarmed Swordsage and some caster going into Jade Phoenix Mage, but I haven't tinkered with that PrC enough to know how well that would work out, so YMMV.

That's all I can think of. The first one definitely works for both 3.5 and PF, but the other methods can't be reached in that specific way (since they use 3.5 PrCs). Still, I'm sure that there's plenty of stuff in PF for bending the elements, both in 1st and 3rd party materials.

[Vhaidara]

Well, there are a few options
Kineticist, from the upcoming Occult Adventures, would get you fire. And I think at higher levels you can actually pick up the lightning, even though it's from another element
Swordsage with the Desert Wind focus (included for completion, this is both terrible and already noticed by you)
Mystic (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AtQz8XFrmiBFJxjcatyiodJjo3FebF-WzFOh3XfEDtQ/edit), from Dreamscarred Press, which, combined with its Aurora Soul archetype is basically a port of the unarmed swordsage. Most of your maneuvers will come from Elemental Flux (https://docs.google.com/document/d/14BiQj1sEeeEH0Nbyiyf-o0Kg4N5uDM5XwwqeWOJ21dI/edit), and if you take the feat Elements as One, you can switch between Fire and Air (Lightning) as a free action.
Soulknife (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/soulknife) with the Deadly Fist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/soulknife/archetypes/dreamscarred-press/deadly-fist) and War Soul (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/soulknife/archetypes/dreamscarred-press/war-soul-soulknife-archetype) archetypes. You can use a trait (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EPARqt5jpie03MIXStgFrNK_si6g218bjT4TFbcizPY/edit) (top of the page) or a Martial Tradition (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vX5QKzsOgPVoXqSuKdu_INbPz5x7OAL_qbH2aia14xk/edit) (Cagebreaker Brotherhood) to give War Soul access to Elemental Flux

[Aleolus]

Its not firebending, but there are two feats in tge PhBII that turn your monk into Ryu from Street Fighter. Fiery Fist and Ki Blast. Fiery Fist you burn a daily Stunning Fist to envelop your fists in flame, and Ki Blast (requires Fiery Fist) you burn two stunning fists to create an orb of ki energy that you can throw as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 60 feet. Run around using that and shouting HADOKEN

[AvatarVecna]

Its not firebending, but there are two feats in tge PhBII that turn your monk into Ryu from Street Fighter. Fiery Fist and Ki Blast. Fiery Fist you burn a daily Stunning Fist to envelop your fists in flame, and Ki Blast (requires Fiery Fist) you burn two stunning fists to create an orb of ki energy that you can throw as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 60 feet. Run around using that and shouting HADOKEN

That feat's alright, but having to spend a feat (even a monk bonus feat) on it seems wasteful; I personally prefer the Enlightened Fist ability that functions very similarly, since it allows other energy types.

[Brova]

For all your "killing things with fire" needs, the Fire Mage (http://www.tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?p=40226#40226).

[Ivellius]

For another option that was intended to be almost exactly this, there's the Pyrokineticist (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/pyrokineticist.htm) prestige class from the Expanded Psionics Handbook.

[Hiro Quester]

Gauntlets of Heartfelt Blows add your charisma bonus in fire damage to all melee attacks, including touch attacks. So presumably a monk's punches, too. 12000 gp.

You have to have a decent CHA bonus for these to work well. But even if you don't, they add minimum 1 point even if your CHA is 0, and they make your fists glow with fire. So you'd have the visuals, at least.

Edit: there's also the Druid 1st level spell Produce Flame, that adds 1d6+1/level flame, touch attack or thrown. Monk and Druid have some good synergy.

[mabriss lethe]

I'm seconding Pyrokineticist. It's simple and rather effective. It's also fairly easy to qualify for.

[Jarmen4u]

One that I'm kind of surprised isn't mentioned (but also not really) is the Desert Wind discipline Swordsage from Tome of Battle. Lots of fire-based attacks, dodges, charges, AoE, all that good stuff. Main problem with it is the prevalence of fire resistance, but if you're looking for a fire-based fighter, that should definitely be looked into. Also, I'm pretty sure PF has an equivalent discipline in their Path of War.

[Sacrieur]

One that I'm kind of surprised isn't mentioned (but also not really) is the Desert Wind discipline Swordsage from Tome of Battle. Lots of fire-based attacks, dodges, charges, AoE, all that good stuff. Main problem with it is the prevalence of fire resistance, but if you're looking for a fire-based fighter, that should definitely be looked into. Also, I'm pretty sure PF has an equivalent discipline in their Path of War.

Yeah the OP mentioned Desert Wind Unarmed SS. Frankly I don't think he's going to do better.

PoW:E has Elemental Flux, but this is an Arcane discipline with some elemental elements, among which is fire. There is no Desert Wind equivalent in Pathfinder.

[Jarmen4u]

Yeah the OP mentioned Desert Wind Unarmed SS. Frankly I don't think he's going to do better.

Not sure how I missed that. Apparently I skimmed the OP but actually read everything else. :smallfrown:

[Vhaidara]

Not sure how I missed that. Apparently I skimmed the OP but actually read everything else. :smallfrown:

Not really. I mentioned it too.

Also, stack mentioned Spheres of Power (which sadly isn't on the PFSRD yet, due to GenCon release). The classes from there that would be of interest would be Elementalist and Symbiat, along with the Destruction Sphere.

[Threadnaught]

Unarmed Swordsage with Desert Wind and Setting Sun Maneuvers.

Play as Druid, convince DM to let you swap your Wild Shape for Monk Unarmed Damage progression, focus on Fire Spells and get a Dragon Companion.

Arcane Swordsage, with Fire "Maneuvers".



I dare you to choose the last one.

[Telonius]

A lot of good suggestions here! A Warlock (refluffed - Dragons instead of Fey, maybe?) or a Dragonfire Adept might be able to pull off something that looks like the Firebender moves.

[Xerlith]

Eh, a Swordsage 12/Pyrokineticist 8 sports 8th level maneuvers delivered with Touch attacks with his Fire Lash.

Power-attack things and pray they're not fire resistant. Lightning not included.

For Pathfinder, Keledrath said it best. Path Of War Expanded gives you all the benders in one package.

[Chronos]

What's wrong with swordsage? Yeah, Desert Wind is the least-useful discipline, but that's mostly just because fire is often not useful, and that's something you're going to run into with any firebender concept. Besides which, nothing says you have to only take Desert Wind maneuvers: Zuko did plenty of non-fire just plain martial stuff, especially when he was acting as the Blue Spirit.

[nedz]

Unarmed Swordsage with 2 levels of Bard.

Use the Divine version to focus on Wis rather than Cha — though it's unimportant if you are only taking 2 levels so just have 12 Cha

Take Dragonfire Inspiration and learn Inspirational Boost.

This will add 2d6 of Fire damage to all your attacks, and everyone else's in the party too.

[mabriss lethe]

Eh, a Swordsage 12/Pyrokineticist 8 sports 8th level maneuvers delivered with Touch attacks with his Fire Lash.

Power-attack things and pray they're not fire resistant. Lightning not included.

For Pathfinder, Keledrath said it best. Path Of War Expanded gives you all the benders in one package.

Disclaimer: I'm going on memory here, because I'm at work. As far as I know, it's questionable as to whether or not the fire lash works with many maneuvers, since it isn't exactly a weapon. It's an ability that grants a ranged touch attack that can be modified by feats that can be used in conjunction with a whip. (I think there are some maneuvers, mostly stances and boosts, that still work, but a lot of strikes have wording that conflicts with the wording of Fire Lash. I'm AFB, so you'll have to look it up to be sure. ) You'll want to hash it out with your DM in advance.

[Threadnaught]

What's wrong with swordsage? Yeah, Desert Wind is the least-useful discipline, but that's mostly just because fire is often not useful, and that's something you're going to run into with any firebender concept.


My first thought was Sword Sage with Desert discipline and using Unarmed. Not sure of which maneuvers to use though.

I think this is self explanatory Chronos.


Personally, I'd go for the ones that involve movement and especially Tumble, the Tumble ones could be fluffed as the Dancing Dragon Bending.