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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Elementalist - New Base Class - PEACH



Calen
2017-12-18, 08:31 PM
Hello everyone, originally I had wanted to make a series of subclasses for the wizard that were tied more closely with the traditional elements instead of the usual schools of magic. As I worked on it it evolved to a new class with a new spell casting mechanic. Let me know what you think.



Elementalist
Wind blowing in the wind, a drow strides across the field, lightning crackles at his fingertips and thunder rumbles over the horizon. Everyone but him is driven before the gale that he conjures.
A dwarf walks through the water, breathing easily. He moves with easy grace, plucking treasure from the depths that others could never reach.
Skin as tough as earth, an elf charges a line of archers, impervious to the arrows they launch. Eyes ablaze, the goliath stares down a horde of kobolds, daring them to risk immolation at her hands. When one advances she lifts her hands and becomes the fire.
Elementalists are as diverse as the very elements they command. Blessed by power and at the same time constrained to use only a portion of what wizards command freely, elementalists must learn to balance supreme power and threatening weakness.

Focused Mages
Most mages focus on the traditional schools of magic, Abjuration, Conjuration, or others. However some approach magic with a different philosophy, rather than focus on the way that they are plucking at the strings of magic they focus on plucking certain types of magic to the exclusion of all else. A dedicated elementalist can unleash an earthquake, or conjure boulders, but barely manage to produce a simple flame.
Whereas wizards have to memorize a selection of the vast array of knowledge that they have studied everyday elementalists are in tune with their chosen element. By utilizing their connection with the primordial they can unleash an aspect of it that they want, limited only by their control and practice.

Studious Sorcerery
Other elementalists arrive by a different route. Blessed at birth, or maybe changed fundamentally by a life event, these individuals peer into the elemental around them on a constant basis. Most of these sorcerers employ this power as an unfiltered conduit, blasting their power forth as a unrestrained torrent. Elementalists employ a more restrained route, seeking to understand their power. Letting it through as they wish, subtly manipulating the flow to shape it as they wish.

Creating an Elementalist
What is your elementalists story? Have the eschewed the traditional wizard schools to focus on the unorthodox? Or have they chosen to restrain their burgeoning sorcerous power with a restraint that baffles their wilder kin? Is this a new revelation to you? Or have you finally decided to make a change in your life? The world at large may view you as strange, an outcast of the wizards and more refined than the sorcerers. Or maybe you have encountered others that persuaded you to this life choice.

Quick Build
You can make an elementalist quickly by following these suggestions. Make Intelligence your highest stat, followed by Constitution. Choose the Geomancer / Terramentalist subclass and the sage background.

Class Features
As an elementalist you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Elementalist level
Hit Points at First Level: 6 plus Constitution Modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution Modifier per elementalist level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Dagger, Quarterstaff, Club, Spear, Dart, Sling, Crossbow (light)
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Intelligence and one other based on subclass.
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Investigation, Religion, Nature, Insight
Multiclass Requirements: 13 Intelligence
Equipment
You start with the following equipment in addition to any equipment granted by your background.



(a) light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
(a) component pouch or (b) arcane focus
(a) a dungeoneers pack or (b) an explorers pack
2 daggers


Spellcasting
As an elementalist you have a knowledge of magic that is expanding as you learn more.
Spells Known
When you choose a subclass you dedicate yourself to a particular element. Each element has their own spell list detailed elsewhere, in addition there are spells that all elementalists know. As you gain elementalist levels you learn additional spells from those lists.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your elementalist spells since you must precisely manipulate the elemental aether to achieve the desired results. You also use your Intelligence modifier when you set the DC of your spells that require saving throws.
Mana Points
Elementalist have a resource called mana points. As they level they will acquire more mana points. When casting a spell from your spell list as an elementalist you expend a number of mana points equal to the spell’s level. If you cast a spell that is not from your spell list you must expend two mana points for each level of the spell, cantrips not on your spell list require one mana point. You regain all your spell points when you complete a long rest.



Elementalist Level
Mana Points


1
2


2
3


3
6


4
7


5
9


6
10


7
11


8
12


9
14


10
15


11
17


12
18


13
19


14
20


15
21


16
22


17
23


18
24


19
25


20
26




The points are structured so that there is one point per level of spell and amount of spells that a wizard gets at the same level, with the exception that the last nine levels get a small bonus as the wizard gets more low level spell slot recovery. The one contrast is that a elementalist can cast 2 level 9 spells in a day, with the cost that they will be severely limited for the rest of the day.

Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your elementalist spells.

Elemental Archetype
When you create your character choose what element you will dedicate yourself to mastering. Hydromancer / Aquamentalist, Areomancer / Auramentalist, Pyromancer / Ignamentalist, Geomancer /Terramentalist.


I am not terribly happy with either of the names for the subclasses, barring any good suggestions I will probably name them with the -mentalist suffix.

Elemental Familiar
Beginning at second level your familiar, if you summon one, changes its type to elemental. It takes on some attributes of your dedicated element. It may be a hawk with plumage of fire or a weasel that looks like it is sculpted from clay. If it is within 100 feet of you it can translate the Elemental language for you and translate your words into Elemental. Additionally if you are under the effect of a spell that grants resistance to a damage type your familiar also has that resistance.

Ability Score Improvement
At fourth level and again at 7th, 12th, 15th and 19th level you may increase one of your attributes by 2 or two of your attributes by 1. As usual you cannot increase a score above 20.

Destroy Resistance
Starting at 5th level you can overpower the resistances of your foes. When you cast a spell from your dedicated element list and that spell’s damage is resisted you may use your bonus action to force the target to make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to your spell save DC. On a failure you ignore the targets resistance to that damage type for 1 minute. You must complete a long or short rest to use this feature again.

Elemental Inheritance
Beginning at 8th level, when you cast the spell Summon Minor Elemental your familiar gains an Attack Action while the spell is active. This Attack is the same as any basic attack (an attack that does not require re-charging or have another use limit) of the elemental that you summoned.

Improved Elemental Inheritance
Beginning at 10th level, when you cast the spell Summon Elemental your familiar gains an Attack Action while the spell is active. This Attack is the same as the basic attack (an attack that does not require re-charging or have another use limit) of the elemental that you summoned.

Primordial Aura
Starting at 11th level you gain the ability to project an aura of magic to protect your allies. When you cast the spell Primordial Ward you project an aura in a radius of 15 feet that grants the same resistance as the Primordial Ward. If you trigger the spell immunity the aura collapses immediately. If you do not activate the immunity you regain 3 mana points when the spell ends.

Improved Destroy Resistance
Beginning at 13th level you may use your Destroy Resistance feature twice between rests. At 18th level this increases to three times between rests.

Greater Primordial Aura
Starting at 17th level your Primordial Aura feature has a range of 30 feet and when you trigger the immunity feature all allies in the aura's radius gain the immunity until the end of your next turn.

Subclass
Areomancer/Auramentalist
Those that dedicate themselves to the element of wind mix the unpredictability of the storms with the freedom and mobility of the wind. As they embrace the element of wind they start to exhibit changes, choose one of the characteristics below or create your own.


Your hair or clothing will flutter in a breeze that no one else can feel.
When you crack your knuckles it sounds like distant thunder.
You always seem to have a static charge on you.
Trying to think of more?


When you choose this subclass at first level you gain proficiency in Dexterity saving throws.

Swift of Movement
Starting at third level your Dash and Disengage actions may be taken concurrently.

Freedom of Movement
Starting at sixth level you may use your reaction to succeed on a saving throw to prevent being grappled or knocked prone.

Echoes in the Wind
At ninth level when you use your action to cast a cantrip you can use your bonus action to have your familiar cast a cantrip that you know for free.

Wandering Winds
Starting at fourteenth level you can use an action to rearrange the the area around you. All creatures within a 100 foot range of you can be moved by you up to 50 feet within range. Creatures that do not wish to be moved by you make a strength saving throw with a DC equal to your spell save DC. On a success they are only moved 25 feet. You must complete a long rest to use this feature again.

Elemental Avatar
At twentieth level you are able to become the embodiment of wind. As an action assume the elemental form. This form last for 1 minute and you gain the effects listed. You must complete a long rest before using this feature again.

Avatar of the Wind


You gain a fly speed of 60 feet.
As a bonus action you can cause all ranged attacks that move within 30 feet of you to suffer Disadvantage or Advantage (all attacks are treated the same) until the start of your next turn.
When you cast a spell dealing lightning damage your familiar deals 10 thunder damage to all creatures within 5 feet.


Hydromancer / Aquamentalist
Water elementalists are the most versatile of the practitioners. They use ice to injure, mist to confound and water to harass. As they grow in power they take on some of the changes of water. Choose a trait below or make your own.


Your breath mists all the time, like most creatures do on a cold day.
You always seem to be thirsty.
It often appears like you are crying.
You sweat much more than you used to.


When you choose this subclass at first level you gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws.

Ease of Movement
Starting at third level you have a swimming speed and climbing speed equal to your movement speed. In addition you do not suffer any penalties while squeezing.

Shifting States
Starting at sixt level you may concentrate on changing your bodies form. Using an action you may adopt one of these three states. You must maintain concentration to keep this effect, however you have advantage on all concentration checks made to do so.

Ice - Your body crystallizes and becomes larger. Creatures that attempt to grapple you or make a melee attack against you take 5 cold damage. When you are pushed or pulled reduce the movement by 5 feet. You have resistance to slashing and piercing damage but are vulnerable to bludgeoning damage.
Water - Your body becomes more flexible. You can breathe underwater. Your swim speed increases by 10 feet and your reach and jumping distance increases by 5 feet. You are vulnerable to poison and acid damage.
Mist - Your body becomes vaporous and vaguely transparent. You gain a fly speed of 10 feet. If you have a fly speed from another source your speed increases by 10 feet. If you are subjected to forced movement you are moved an extra 5 feet. You cannot be grappled and are vulnerable to fire damage.

You may use an action to change from one state to another or no action to revert to your normal state. Your state reverts to normal if you are knocked unconscious.

Wellspring of Renewal
Starting at ninth level your body regenerates itself more quickly. At the start of each of your turns you gain 5 temporary hp. In addition when taking a short rest and spending hit dice to heal you may add 2 to the value of the dice rolled, up to the maximum value of the dice.

Split the Stream
Starting at fourteenth level when targeting a single creature with a spell you can choose to split the effect of the spell among two creatures within 10 feet of each other. Each creature takes half the damage but is affected by the rest of the spell as normal.

Elemental Avatar
At twentieth level you are able to become the embodiment of water. As an action assume the elemental form of your choice. This form last for 1 minute and you gain the effects listed. You must complete a long rest before using this feature again.
Avatar of Mist


You gain a fly speed of 60 feet.
As a bonus action you can fill a 90 foot radius around you with fog, making the area lightly obscured. This fog can be dispersed by a moderate wind or dissipates at the start of your next turn.
You can see any creature that is within the fog.

Avatar of Water


You gain a swim speed of 60 feet.
You can breathe underwater.
As a bonus action you can cause it to rain within a 60 foot radius around you, dousing small fires and granting advantage to saving throws against fire damage.
Friendly creatures in your rains area have resistance to poison and acid damage.

Avatar of Ice


You are immune to cold damage.
Your AC increases to 18.
As a bonus action you can cause an area in a 30 foot radius around you to swirl with snow causing 10 cold damage to all enemies within range.


Geomancer / Terramentalist
Earth elementalists pull power from the very ground they tread on. They emphasize toughness and resistance to all that can can thrown at them. They are some of the quickest to exhibit change in their bodies as a result of their elemental focus. Choose a trait below or make your own.


Your skin takes on the appearance of rock or earth.
When people look at your eyes closely it appears that you have a gem instead of an iris.
Your hair starts to solidify, acting as if sculpted not grown.
You prefer being barefoot.


When you choose this subclass at first level you gain proficiency in Strength saving throws.

Shielding Earth
Starting at third level, when you are attacked by a ranged or area effect you may use your reaction to conjure a shield of earth in front of you. You have +2 AC and Dexterity saving throws against the attack and then the shield shatters.

Earthen Fury
Starting at sixth level your earth spells become more destructive. When you knock a target prone with one of your spells they take 1d6 damage or 1d6 extra damage.

Improved Shielding Earth
Starting at ninth level you may use your reaction to conjure a shield of earth around any ally hit with a ranged or area effect within 60 feet of you that you can see. This ally gains +2 AC and Dexterity saving throws against the attack and then the shield shatters.

Earthen Might
Starting at 14th level when you cast a spell to gain a resistance you gain another resistance that the spell can cast for free.

Elemental Avatar
At twentieth level you are able to become the embodiment of earth. As an action assume the elemental form of your choice. This form last for 1 minute and you gain the effects listed. You must complete a long rest before using this feature again.

Avatar of Mud


You gain 50 temporary hitpoints
You can change your size as a bonus action. You may choose any size between Tiny and Huge.
As an action you can make a grapple or shove attack against up to three creatures. Creatures that you shove are pushed 5 feet and knocked prone and take 1d6 damage. Creatures that you grapple are also deafened and blinded. Use Intelligence for this attack.

Avatar of Stone


You have resistance to all damage.
You may not be moved against your will.
As a bonus action you can conjure a 5 ft. pillar of earth that grants ¾ cover to small or medium creatures that stand behind it.
As a bonus action you can cause a pillar to explode, dealing 1d10 piercing damage to any creatures within 5 feet.


Pyromancer / Ignamentalist
Those elementalists that follow the path of fire have the potential to be the deadliest of spellcasters, both to themselves and their enemies. Most dedicated firecasters can be recognized by the changes that their bodies exhibit over time. Choose a trait below or make your own.


Your eyes glow with their own faint light.
When you bleed the blood will smoke.
There is always the smell of ash when you are near.
You prefer all your food to be steaming hot.

When you choose this subclass at first level you gain proficiency in Charisma saving throws.

Flickering Movement
Starting at third level all opportunity attacks against you have disadvantage.

Devastating Reaction
Starting at sixth level when you use Absorb Elements to gain resistance to Fire or Cold damage you may use any spell that you know that deals fire damage instead of a melee attack to deal the bonus damage. This damage is fire damage regardless of whether you blocked fire or cold damage.

Consuming Flames
Starting at sixth level, whenever you hit a target with a spell that deals fire damage and you roll maximum damage on one of the damage dice you may take five fire damage and roll the dice again, adding the dice to the damage total. You may do this for each damage dice that you roll maximum damage on. The damage you take may not be reduced in any way.

Brilliant Flames
Starting at ninth level add your Intelligence modifier to damage that you deal with your dedicated spells.
Feed the Flames
Starting at fourteenth level you can expand the size of your area spells. When you cast a spell that targets an area you may increase the size of the area by 50% provided that you are in the area affected by the spell.

Elemental Avatar
At twentieth level you are able to become the embodiment of fire. As an action assume your elemental form. This form last for 1 minute and you gain the effects listed. You must complete a long rest before using this feature again.
Avatar of Flame


You are immune to fire damage.
At the start of each of your turns you deal 5 plus your Intelligence modifier fire damage to every hostile creature or flammable object within 30 feet of you.


I used the PHB and the EE books to compile this list. A limitation of the class is the lack of spells for all elements across all levels. For example there are no level 7 or 9 Earth spells. These are many other home-brew spells sources that are available and I did not integrate any into this list. It would be up to a DM to expand these lists with the additional spells that they would allow.




Conjure Elemental
Conjure Minor Elemental
Find Familair
Elemental Weapon
Absorb Elements
Elemental Bane
Primordial Ward





Gust
Shocking Grasp
Thunderclap
Feather Fall
Catapult
Thunderous Smite
Thunderwave
Skywrite
Blur
Gust of Wind
Levitate
Misty Step
Silence
Warding Wind
Dust Devil
Shatter
Fly
Gaseous Form
Wind Wall
Call Lightning
Lightning Bolt
Lightning Arrow
Storm Sphere
Control Winds
Wind Walk
Investiture of Wind
Chain Lightning
Wirlwind
Control Weather
Storm of Vengeance





Shape Water
Ray of Frost
Frostbite
Create or Destroy Water
Fog Cloud
Armor of Agythys
Ice Knife
Snillocs Snowball Swarm
Water Breathing
Water Walk
Wall of Water
Tidal Wave
Sleet Storm
Control Water
Watery Sphere
Ice Storm
Maelstrom
Cone of Cold
Investiture of Ice
Otiluke's Freezing Sphere
Wall of Ice
Tsunami
Abi-Dalzims Horrid Wilting





Fire Bolt
Produce Flame
Create Bonfire
Control Flames
Burning Hands
Searing Smite
Continual Flame
Pyrotechnics
Flame Blade
Flaming Sphere
Heat Metal
Scorching Ray
Agnazzars Scorcher
Fireball
Melfs Minute Meteors
Fire Shield
Wall of Fire
Flame Strike
Immolation
Investiture of Flame
Delayed Blast Fireball
Fire Sotrm
Incendiary Cloud
Meteor Swarm





Shillelagh
Mold Earth
Magic Stone
Earth Tremor
Pass Without Trace
Spider Cimb
Earthbind
Maximillians Earthen Grasp
Meld into Stone
Wall of Sand
Erupting Earth
Stone Shape
Stoneskin
Wall of Stone
Transmute Rock
Find the Path
Flesh to Stone
Move Earth
Investiture of Stone
Bones of the Earth
Disintergrate
Earthquake

Blackbando
2017-12-19, 12:17 AM
It's currently too late where I am to look over this entire class, and I may give a full, in-depth look-through later, but I'd just like to point out the "new spellcasting mechanic" isn't exactly new. The DMG has Spell Points, which function in a very, very similar way (and also don't allow 2 9th level spells in one day.)

Calen
2017-12-19, 03:29 PM
It's currently too late where I am to look over this entire class, and I may give a full, in-depth look-through later, but I'd just like to point out the "new spellcasting mechanic" isn't exactly new. The DMG has Spell Points, which function in a very, very similar way (and also don't allow 2 9th level spells in one day.)

So it does...I should have said "different". Conceptually Mana points grant the flexibility of Spell points instead of spell slots without tracking an absurd number of Spell points or being broken in the end game like spell points are. like allowing 10 level 9 spells at 20th level...