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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    sandmote's Avatar

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    Default Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    I've seen a lot of Paragon Paths themed around storms and around ice or cold, but not much to do with (liquid) water. Sea Tyrant's Oracle seems to have the most, and that's just the fluff and the daily attack power. The same pattern seems to follow for the powers.

    Anything notewothy I've missed?


    Okay, I'll edit in a running list of options listed on this thread:

    Subclasses
    • Water Elementalist Sorcerer (HotEC)
    • Eternal Tide Monk (HotEC)

    Prestige Classes
    The Rain Bringer has been listed, and cited to a book I don't have (DSCSB). Otherwise:

    • Sea Tyrant's Oracle (P-AP)
    • Elemental Savant (HotEC)
    • Astral Savant (P-DP)
    • Sword Coast Corsair (FRPG)

    Feats
    • The Thaliessen Blood feat (Dr Mag 401, half-elf only)
    • Born of the Elements (HotEC)
    • Child of the Sea (HotEC)
    • Seastrider (HotEC)

    Other Options
    • The Watershaper theme (HotEC)
    • Mariner theme (Dr Mag 412)
    Last edited by sandmote; 2021-12-07 at 06:05 PM.

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    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    It is mostly just fluff. But Watershaper theme and Thaliessan Blood feat are ways to add swim speed/breathe underwater to a PC.

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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    Quote Originally Posted by MwaO View Post
    It is mostly just fluff. But Watershaper theme and Thaliessan Blood feat are ways to add swim speed/breathe underwater to a PC.
    Before I get to my thoughts thank you for the help.

    Okay; Thaliessen Blood is added to my list. Why does the fluff mention elves and half elves if the feat is half elves only?

    I forgot about HotEC when checking my material for this stuff. Monks get some water powers there, and there's some stuff that can combine with storm/ice effects across other books to work for sorcerers and wizards. Annoyed I forgot, and somewhat impressed it still doesn't give a prestige class focusing on water.

    I suppose the silver lining is that I can write homebrew material with minimal overlap.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    RogueGuy

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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    The Dark Sun Campaign Setting book has the Rainbringer. That's the only paragon path I could find that specifically focuses on water.

    There are some more that are vaguely water-related.
    • Elemental Savant, from Heroes of the Elemental Chaos, has water options.
    • Divine Power has the Astral Savant, which has powers that draw on the Astral Sea.
    • There's also the Sword Coast Corsair in the Forgotten Realm's Player's Guide. More of a pirate than a mage of elemental water, I'm afraid.

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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    It's also not too hard to refluff a lot of existing 4e mechanics. I played a Barbarian|Warden who was, to simplify a much more complicated relationship, possessed by a water elemental. So Form of Mountain's Thunder became Form of the Crashing Wave, while Guardian's Pounce became Geyser Strike (as she would jet across the battlefield leaving a geyser trail). Thundering Howl caused a wave to crash down following her sword.

    Likewise, you can turn other powers into more water themed versions without touching the mechanics. A Wizard's Thunderwave might become Tidal Wave, a crash of water into of sound. Thunder damage still fits since big waves can be pretty damn loud, or you could grab a Frost Staff and switch it over to Cold, which is usually the damage type associated with water. Another PC I have is an Assassin with a Greatspear, and he has things like turning it into water to stab at a distance (Inescapable Blade, +2 reach and ignores cover) and growing barnacles where he strikes his foe's feet (Grave Spike, ongoing that knocks them prone)
    I follow a general rule: better to ask and be told no than not to ask at all.

    Shadeblight by KennyPyro

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    Quote Originally Posted by sandmote View Post
    Before I get to my thoughts thank you for the help.

    Okay; Thaliessen Blood is added to my list. Why does the fluff mention elves and half elves if the feat is half elves only?

    Because sea elves don't naturally have the ability to stay out of water very long in most editions, whereas the half-elf children do.

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    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    Reminder that one of the Elementalist builds is in fact water. Class gets boring to play after a while, though the level 17 Elemental Escalation in particular gets an interesting twist if you build it right- lets you play a strong off controller at higher levels.
    Last edited by masteraleph; 2021-11-22 at 12:49 PM.

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    Ogre in the Playground
     
    sandmote's Avatar

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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    Quote Originally Posted by Twelvetrees View Post
    The Dark Sun Campaign Setting book has the Rainbringer. That's the only paragon path I could find that specifically focuses on water.
    Thanks; I'll see about finding the book.

    Quote Originally Posted by Twelvetrees View Post
    [*]There's also the Sword Coast Corsair in the Forgotten Realm's Player's Guide. More of a pirate than a mage of elemental water, I'm afraid.[/LIST]
    This is probably the only option I see for a martial class too, so I guess it should count. On a re-read, Astral Savent probably has about as much as Sea Tyrant's Oracle though, so thanks for listing it.

    Quote Originally Posted by MwaO View Post
    Because sea elves don't naturally have the ability to stay out of water very long in most editions, whereas the half-elf children do.
    I mean, sure, but the preceding section even talks about how most of the elves living there merely have some sea elf ancestry:
    Quote Originally Posted by DRM 401, 1st page listed as "5"
    a large number of half-elves and elves of the Emerald Blade Barony count sea elves of Thaliessal among their ancestors.
    I admit its a personal thing, but I still find it odd.

    Quote Originally Posted by Keledrath View Post
    It's also not too hard to refluff a lot of existing 4e mechanics.
    I enjoy refluffing to fit a particular concept, don't worry.

    Quote Originally Posted by masteraleph View Post
    Reminder that one of the Elementalist builds is in fact water. Class gets boring to play after a while, though the level 17 Elemental Escalation in particular gets an interesting twist if you build it right- lets you play a strong off controller at higher levels.
    I'll edit in a list to my first post.

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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    Heroes of the Elemental Chaos has the feat "Born of the Elements", which is prerequisite to four paths of elemental feat chains. The watery one is "Child of the Sea", which gives a swim speed equal to walking speed, and you get the aquatic keyword. "Seastrider" requires 21st level and allows shifting through enemy spaces. It also lets you walk on water, but sink once the move ends.

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    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    Quote Originally Posted by sandmote View Post
    This is probably the only option I see for a martial class too, so I guess it should count.
    Also the Mariner theme.

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    Ogre in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    Quote Originally Posted by Wildstag View Post
    Heroes of the Elemental Chaos has the feat "Born of the Elements"
    Feat chain added in.

    Quote Originally Posted by Beoric View Post
    Also the Mariner theme.
    What material is that from?

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    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: Options for Water/Ocean Themed Builds?

    Quote Originally Posted by sandmote View Post
    What material is that from?
    The Mariner character theme is from Dragon 412.

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