The Lacer - An Avatar: The Last Airbender-inspired bending class

[McToomin]

Hey everybody! You may or may not remember me from way back when, I was working on an Avatar: The Last Airbender project.

The project has gone through a lot of iterations of the last 5 (yes 5!) years, but for once it finally feels like the end is in sight. I've changed the system to 5e and have been hard at work to come up with something that really feels unique. Without getting into a long rant about my design philosophy, I'll just say that while I've encountered other Avatar homebrew out there, most of it didn't (to me) feel like Avatar. Most of the homebrews I've seen (not including the completely separate system which was created in part on this forum), especially for 5e, use spells and spell slots. They give cantrips, and separate the four elements into the class archetypes.

For the most part, these were all things I was trying to avoid. Using spells and spell slots doesn't feel like Avatar to me. Neither does separating the actual elements into the class archetypes. This would make all benders of the same element be nearly identical, at least in combat, which from the show is patently untrue. There's a big different between, say, Korra and Katara, or Zuko and Azula.

These are things I've tried to preserve with my class. The names have been changed to protect the copyrighted.

These aren't finalized, but what I'd really love is if people could give me feedback on balance specifically, especially in regards to other 5e classes and options. I've erred on the side of caution, it'd be much easier to buff the class than it would be to begin removing power. So far I've got a pretty set list of waterlacing forms, with other elements to follow.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to check this out!

The Lacer (http://www.naturalcrit.com/homebrew/print/4yZY_MUu2l)

The Lacer PDF (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzhFGMh1zxGHNC1GOXBELU1kSFE/view?usp=sharing)

Waterlacing Forms (http://www.naturalcrit.com/homebrew/print/VJvz7Jh2x)

Waterlacing Forms PDF (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzhFGMh1zxGHci1XUV9ZazBjWjQ/view?usp=sharing)

The project is now complete! This is quite an old topic which got bumped recently, but the entire Incarnate book has been available for a few months on the DMs Guild, and overall I've gotten tons of great feedback on it. It's pay what you want, so feel free to just grab it and check it out!

Incarnate: The Last of the Lacers (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/191837/Incarnate-The-Last-of-the-Lacers?)

[khadgar567]

Hey everybody! You may or may not remember me from way back when, I was working on an Avatar: The Last Airbender project.

The project has gone through a lot of iterations of the last 5 (yes 5!) years, but for once it finally feels like the end is in sight. I've changed the system to 5e and have been hard at work to come up with something that really feels unique. Without getting into a long rant about my design philosophy, I'll just say that while I've encountered other Avatar homebrew out there, most of it didn't (to me) feel like Avatar. Most of the homebrews I've seen (not including the completely separate system which was created in part on this forum), especially for 5e, use spells and spell slots. They give cantrips, and separate the four elements into the class archetypes.

For the most part, these were all things I was trying to avoid. Using spells and spell slots doesn't feel like Avatar to me. Neither does separating the actual elements into the class archetypes. This would make all benders of the same element be nearly identical, at least in combat, which from the show is patently untrue. There's a big different between, say, Korra and Katara, or Zuko and Azula.

These are things I've tried to preserve with my class. The names have been changed to protect the copyrighted.

These aren't finalized, but what I'd really love is if people could give me feedback on balance specifically, especially in regards to other 5e classes and options. I've erred on the side of caution, it'd be much easier to buff the class than it would be to begin removing power. So far I've got a pretty set list of waterlacing forms, with other elements to follow.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to check this out!

The Lacer (http://www.naturalcrit.com/homebrew/print/4yZY_MUu2l)

Waterlacing Forms (http://www.naturalcrit.com/homebrew/print/VJvz7Jh2x)

Looks real good both on fluff and execution style

[Amechra]

There are parts of the document that are nearly illegible due to your chosen background.

That's all I'm going to say.

[Xerlith]

There are parts of the document that are nearly illegible due to your chosen background.

That's all I'm going to say.


Your browser's problem. For me, in Chrome it displays perfectly.

@OP - you may want to export it to PDF, though. If one person has this problem, more will.

[Niro]

Being a massive Avatar fan, I love this and look forward to/if you decide to do the other element lacings (is it called that?) and hopefully with some of the secondary specializations like lava, lightning and the like.

Oh and please make this into a pdf :smallbiggrin:

[McToomin]

I'd actually meant to include the PDF versions but forgot. There are a few graphical glitches which I can't really suss out myself since I'm using someone else's program to make it, but the information should be readable at least.

The Lacer PDF (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzhFGMh1zxGHNC1GOXBELU1kSFE/view?usp=sharing)

Waterlacing Forms PDF (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzhFGMh1zxGHci1XUV9ZazBjWjQ/view?usp=sharing)

It is called lacing, as I plan to release a full version, and so I'll need to avoid infringing any copyrights.

I'm glad you enjoy it, and I will definitely be doing forms for the other elements! In the meantime, I'll probably post some of my other work I've been doing on here (Ki Blocker, Kyoshi Warrior, and so on) so I can get feedback on that.

Thanks again for the kind words!

[Niro]

kyoshi warrior & Ki blocker.. Awww yiss

Will we be getting "magical" equipment? Like tattoos that amplify firelacing? Like a certain man and woman we all saw and thought "..what are they doing Why are they just starrHOLY MAGIKARP. THEY ARE USING THEIR MIND TO BLAST STUFF!!!"?

Although I am all for a new set of avatar rules to play around with:smallbiggrin:

[McToomin]

The tattoos won't be magical, but I absolutely plan to include that along other things (bloodbending, lightning, metal) as prestige classes! I have the ki blocker, knife thrower, and Kyoshi warrior in a decent place, I'll probably put those up tomorrow.

Any input about the balance of the class? Do you think it aligns with other 5e classes? While I want everything I'm making to have that unique Avatar feel, but I also still want someone to be able to play a lacer in a normal 5e game and fit in with the other characters.

[Niro]

well.. I know like nothing of 5e except for some lore here and there. My group is more of a 3x kinda group so we are more used to high numbers.

But I think the numbers are solid. Not too hardhitting and not too soft. You have different ways to enter battle with either buffing your AC or just jumping in a hitting everyone with ex. the waterwhip and then jetting out and so on and on.

But since I intend to use this in 3x/PF I was wondering.. can you use like meta-magic feats on the abilities? Or are we "stuck" with the enhanced version as the max? Or can we pay additional ki points to get the enhanced versions bonus yet again?

Edit: No magical tattoos? Aww man :(

[McToomin]

Actually ironically enough I began this project almost 6 years ago at this point, and it was a 3.5 system. Then it moved to Pathfinder, briefly had a stint in Pathfinder e6, before finally coming to rest in 5e.

Add for porting it back to 3.5 from here, that should be possible, although some things will definitely need to be changed. I was working on giving them metamagic at one point, although I later removed it. In a 3.P game where PCs are generally more powerful, and considering metamagic there are feats instead of class features, I think it would be fine.

The enhanced effects of forms are generally written to be about 2 levels higher than the base form. For ones that deal damage, it should be pretty easy to parse out how you could spend additional ki points to boost them higher.

As for combustion and tattoos, that's nothing stopping you from flavoring then that way if that's where you want to go with it. If love to know people are using my stuff, no matter how it's changed. For me personally though, I don't see the tattoos themselves as being magical.

[JBPuffin]

I can't speak for balance at the moment, but I can say that this class has an unusual amount of choices compared to other 5e classes - and I love it :smallbiggrin:. It does quite a good job of making each bender different while keeping them using the same mechanics. I'd ask that you set up the elements in such a way that, if a 4-man group builds only Lacers, it cover all the necessary elements. Good luck, McToomin!

[bovinelightfoot]

Just foubd this pretty much spot on what i was looking for. Only question you made any headway with the fire and earth abilities?

[McToomin]

I was lucky to see your question! I haven't actually been to this forum in a while, but was interested in getting feedback on my work as I've been writing again.

To answer your question, yes the entire Incarnate supplement has been completed!

It's available on the DMs Guild as Pay What You Want (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/191837/Incarnate-The-Last-of-the-Lacers?), so feel free to just download it for free and check it out!

[bovinelightfoot]

I was lucky to see your question! I haven't actually been to this forum in a while, but was interested in getting feedback on my work as I've been writing again.

To answer your question, yes the entire Incarnate supplement has been completed!

It's available on the DMs Guild as Pay What You Want (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/191837/Incarnate-The-Last-of-the-Lacers?), so feel free to just download it for free and check it out!

Really enjoyed this. Would love to see some more of your work if you have any

[McToomin]

I appreciate your interest in my work! I definitely put a lot of time and effort to ensure that the things I make are balanced with all other 5e content but that fill a unique niche.

I currently have two other classes available on the DMs Guild in complete form (unless I hear feedback that there is something about them that should be changed).

The Tarocchi (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/194065/Tarocchi-Class?sb=1) is a spellcasting class that uses a deck of cards for its power, and requires you to play with a deck of cards as well.

The Wayfarer (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/192294/The-Waterlacer?sb=1) is similar to pathfinder's summoner class in that you have a completely customizable animal companion that you can build to be exactly what you want. I found that the trick here in making it balanced compared to pathfinder was to remove abilities that directly gave your companion more actual combat power, but instead simply provided options.

I'm also currently workshopping the animus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?526135-The-Animus-a-spell-less-shapechanging-class!-Ver-0-2-PEACH), a shapeshifting class. I definitely need feedback on this one, so I'd love to hear any thoughts you have about it.

[Swaoeaeieu]

Adapting avatar to dnd is a really cool idea! And i would have asked my dm to play a eartbender until i saw water being te only element present.

It looks amazing and i hope this project isnt on hold. I would love to give it a spin if i am ever in need of a new character.

[McToomin]

Adapting avatar to dnd is a really cool idea! And i would have asked my dm to play a eartbender until i saw water being te only element present.

It looks amazing and i hope this project isnt on hold. I would love to give it a spin if i am ever in need of a new character.

Oh no, I mentioned earlier that the project is completely finished, barring any minor updates or balance tweaks that are needed.

It's available on the DMs Guild as Pay What You Want (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/191837/Incarnate-The-Last-of-the-Lacers?), so feel free to just download it for free and check it out!

This was actually an old thread that got bumped, but I'll update the original post with the link.

[Swaoeaeieu]

Whoops! My bad. Thanks for the great work and letting me know!

[thePr0fesser]

I know this is an old thread but this a phenomenal project, great flavor and everything. Me and my group are actually wanting to do campaign pretty much only using these options and what not. Our campaign idea is that the players need to find the Avatar after they were lost. Each being one type of bender.

Thank you very doing all this work! It is really good; thank you

[DeadpanSal]

I'm sorry if this is a bit of a necro move, but I want to say how amazing this is. I found it after someone on tumblr asked me if I knew any 5E builds based on my comic. And I said, "check Giant In The Playground. I always go there for homebrew." And I found the patreon version of this first before finding this thread with a link to the full dmsguild version. Really happy to recommend it. Must tell everyone. Great work, I can't wait to look at the full book!

[Fire Tarrasque]

You aren't the one necroing, so it should be okay.
It appears that a lot of threads get low-key necroed and no punishments are enacted.
But I just wanna comment that I had a friend who was working on Avatar classes. Will note this down.