Elemental Affinity

[Zeta Kai]

This was an idea that I was kicking around for use in a new campaign setting. It would be a high-magic setting where the Material Plane was fractured by excessive planar bleeding from the Elemental Planes. As a result, many places in the Material Plane have gained traits of the inner planes, sometimes quite destructively. Also, this has the side effect of causing some people to develop Elemental Affinities. These can be taken by any PC who wants to use them; they are not required to (I’m assuming that creatures with Affinities are still new, mysterious & somewhat rare).

Innate Elemental Affinity
Based on a character’s alignment, they have an inherent bond to a particular element. These elements correspond to the elemental planes. The only requirement for an Affinity is an appropriate alignment; Affinities must be taken when the character reaches 1HD, however. Affinities can only be changed if the character’s alignment changes to one that is not affiliated with their current Affinity. The character must then make a successful Will save (DC = 15 + their class level) in order to choose an Affinity that matches their new alignment; failure indicates that the character has lost the use of Affinities forever.

Positive Energy Affinity

• Alignments = Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good
• 1HD: Heal skill +2
• 5HD: Fast Healing 2
• 10HD: Heal skill +5
• 15HD: Fast Healing 4
• 20HD: Regeneration 6

Negative Energy Affinity

• Alignments = Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil, Chaotic Evil
• 1HD: Chilling Strike (+1d3 cold damage to melee, once per round)
• 5HD: Energy Drain (1 level)
• 10HD: Freezing Strike (+2d4 cold damage to melee, twice per round)
• 15HD: Cryo Strike (+3d6 cold damage to melee, at will)
• 20HD: Energy Drain (2 levels)

Earth Affinity

• Alignments = Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil
• 1HD: Damage Reduction 1
• 5HD: [Earth] subtype; burrow speed = ½ walk speed
• 10HD: Damage Reduction 3
• 15HD: burrow speed = walk speed
• 20HD: Damage Reduction 5; Burrow = walk speed through stone

Air Affinity

• Alignments = Lawful Neutral, Chaotic Neutral, True Neutral, Neutral Good, Neutral Evil
• 1HD: Resistance Sonic 3
• 5HD: Resistance Sonic 10
• 10HD: fly speed = walk speed ×1.5 (poor maneuverability)
• 15HD: Sonic Immunity, Sonic Boom (+2d6 sonic damage to melee & Bull Rush, once per round)
• 20HD: [Air] subtype; fly speed = walk speed ×3 (perfect maneuverability)

Fire Affinity

• Alignments = Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Evil
• 1HD: Resistance Fire 3
• 5HD: Flaming Burst (+1d6 fire damage to melee, once per round)
• 10HD: Resistance Fire 10
• 15HD: Pyro Burst (+3d6 fire damage to melee, at will)
• 20HD: [Fire] subtype; Fire Immunity; Cold Vulnerability

Water Affinity

• Alignments = Lawful Neutral, Chaotic Neutral, True Neutral, Neutral Good, Neutral Evil
• 1HD: swim speed = walk speed
• 5HD: [Water] subtype; Underwater Breathing
• 10HD: Resistance Cold 10; swim speed = walk speed ×2
• 15HD: Water Blast (+2d4 force damage to melee & Bull Rush, once per round)
• 20HD: Cold Immunity; swim speed = walk speed ×3

Thoughts? Ideas? Feedback? All are welcome. I usually have my rules more fleshed out before I post them, but this just occured to me, & I had to see what other people thought before I unleashed it on a group of players. PEACH.

[Zeta Kai]

{table]LG: Positive, Earth|NG: Positive, Air, Water|CG: Positive, Fire
LN: Earth, Air, Water|N: Air, Water|CN: Fire, Air, Water
LE: Negative, Earth|NE: Negative, Air, Water|CE: Negative, Fire[/table]

[ThePhantom]

It seems okay, but what about the elemental planes between the main four?

[J-H]

Air & Water don't seem to be nearly as effective in combat as Positive or Negative. Energy Drain & Regen are pretty high-powered.

[Primal Fury]

I really like this... In fact I may have to steal it from you
only kidding of course, but i've always fancied the idea of gaining control of an element that would get stronger as i leveled up. but what does "Heal +X" mean on the positive element exactly? that all types of healing that you do are increased by that amo... yea thats it. nevermind

And I think all of them are pretty balanced J-H, being able to fly that fast with perfect manverability can solve a lot of problems, and Regen and Energy Drain are fine, considering you get them at 20th level, though water could use a little buffing.

[Zeta Kai]

There, how about this? I edited the above entries to buff both Water & Air slightly. Now they each have a damage bonus to melee attacks once they reach 15HD, & I increased their travel speeds. I also clarified some things; sorry, Primal, but the "Heal +X" just means bonuses to Heal skill checks.

What do you think now?

[Aleron]

This I like. Interesting idea ZK.