Water, Earth, Fire, and Air [class]

[CaelCyndar1993]

While I'm at it, I thought I'd make another fun PrC.

Naturebenderhttp://www.runescape.com/img/kbase/items/runes/nrune.gif
Requirements:
Abilities: Wild Shape
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 8 ranks
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Natural Disaster

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Natural Disaster

3rd|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+3|Natural Disaster

4th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Natural Disaster

5th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
+4|Natural Disaster[/table]

Natural Disaster: Starting at 1st level and every level thereafter, a Naturebender's repetoire of skills allows him to cause events that normally only Mother Nature herself could create. When this ability is taken, a Naturebender may either learn a new disaster or gain the ability to use a currently owned disaster once more per day.

Heat Wave (Su): During a hot day (Above 85 degrees farenheit) a Naturebender may begin the long process of a forest fire. Once per day, he may use a full round action to collect solar energy in the palm of his hand. Once collected, he may place his palm on the ground using a move action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Once touched, the solar energy goes out in a 60ft burst underground. The solar energy is harmless to creatures, however when it touches a plant, the plant begins to burn at its roots, eventually being consumed by the flames. The flames are non-magical after being lit and an be doused like normal fire.

Blackout (Su): During a cloudy day, or during a storm, a Naturebender may collect static energy around him into his body using a full-round action once per day. After collecting the energy, the Naturebender is effectively a lightning rod, drawing away all lightning based attacks towards himself. For every 1d4 rounds a Naturebender is charged, there is a chance a lightning bolt will strike the Naturebender. When struck, the Naturebender will instead rerout the lightning into bolts from the palms of his hands, similar to the Chain Lightning spell. The bolts will spread out in 30ft arcs, damaging friend and foe alike. For every Naturebender level you posess, one person is struck (Decided by the DM) dealing 1d6 damage per Naturebender level. If everyone but the Naturebender is struck, or if there is no one for the lightning to strike, the lightning will rebound upon the Naturebender, dealing half damage as it normally would.

Tempest (Su): During a rainstorm, a Naturebender may form concentrated globes of water in his palm using a full-round action once per day. After forming the globes, a Naturebender has three options. One, he may shoot the water from his palms at a creature, dealing 1d8 damage per Naturebender level (Reflex Negates.) Two, he may wrap a creature in the water using a successful grapple attempt which presents the risk of drowning, or three, he may encase a creatures head in a hyper-compressed globe using a touch attack that provokes an attack of opportunity. The encased creature must make a Fortitude save each round (DC 15 + Naturebender level + rounds encased.) or have its head burst under the insane pressure. While doing any of these actions, a Naturebender must perform a concentration check each round (DC 10 + rounds water has been held,) or else the water will dissapate.

[Tussy the Druid]

I've got an ok firebending form. note, seeing as how i'm not good at homebrewing, at all, someone else might have to put into form form.

In the Crossroads of Destiny (Book 2 Earth Season Finale) Zuko threw a huge fireball at Aang, and i think it shattered some of those crystals or something. maybe make a moderate form or so that functions similar to the fireball spell? I dunno. My bad if this form is mentioned, i skimmed back over the firebending forms and didn't notice anything totally similar.

[Enlong]

Enlong:

Nice work on the Avatar rules. I will admit that I still don’t support the Avatar being a possible PC except in high-level epic campaigns (like, level 80 or so). His/her abilities just don’t seem tailored to being a PC, and he/she would always be the focus of campaigns, which I could see becoming a point of friction within the group of players. Plus, how many arguments about who gets to be the Avatar do you want to have? That said, my critique…

Spirit Link: You’ve done a pretty good job translating the Avatar’s spirit link into D&D terms. We haven’t even discussed planes (I’ve never actually played a plane-hopping campaign so I know little about them), but I think the ethereal plane is a good representation of the spirit world. My only comment is that the show explicitly states that Aang loses his bending abilities when in the spirit world. If that’s what you intended by specifying the Avatar retains all powers within his/her own body, I think you should clarify exactly what that means. Otherwise, nice work!

Avatar State: Definitely a tricky ability to stat. I think that, by and large, you’ve done a pretty good job. Just a couple things…
Many bending forms rely on class level for their power and range. What class level does the Avatar State grant (if any) for dealing with these forms? Does the Avatar count as a 20th level bender for using these forms? This needs to be clarified.
In game terms, how does an Avatar unlock his/her Chakras? Does it require special training? A series of rituals? An extended period of meditation? A Concentration or Wisdom check?
I think you need to clarify exactly what conditions cause an Avatar to go into the Avatar State. Can a player just declare that his/her character is going into the Avatar State? Is it a DM call? Is it automatic at a certain HP total?Nice work, in the main. I think you’ve done a pretty decent job distilling the Avatar State down to gaming terms, though it would definitely unbalance a party of PC’s. That’s expected, however.
I never thought it'd be a PC class anyway. The "DM takes control" is what happens if somone crazily did get avatar usage. As an NPC, the DM would have to use his judgement about how an Avatar without control of the State would act after "glowing it up"

Okay, Now that I remember about that no Bending in the Spirit World, I'll fix that. THe Avatar retains all abilities except for Bending Arts of any kind, because as a Spirit, he cannot directly affect anything Material, including elements.

Just to clarify, after being guided back into the Material Plane, an Avatar remains in spirit form, and is sent back to where his body was when he began meditating. If his body is there, the Avatar is shunted into his body, and wakes up. If not, he may look for it to be reanimated. He can fly at a rate of 120' per round as a spirit, but only while in the Material Plane. As a spirit, he is treated as Etheral, meaning most Material things cannot even see him, let alone interact with him. Entering the Spirit world (if I failed to mention) requires about 2 rounds of meditation. While in the Spirit World, his comatose body glows as if in the Avatar State.

Since the Avatar has all the knowledge and power of his past lives, then I'd say that he counts as a Bender of 20th level in each dicipline when in the avatar state.

The Chakras would require a series of rituals, like in The Guru, and some would require saves to unlock, most of them being Will saves, like overcoming his fear in the Earth Chakra or accepting his faults in the Water Chakra. You would need the aid of somone who has already unlocked his chakras, and after beginning the ritual, you cannot access the Avatar state again untill you have unlocked them all.

The first chakra is the Earth Chakra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muladhara), located at the base of the spine. It deals with Survival, and is blocked by Fear. The Avatar sees a vision of their greatest fear, and must make a DC 20 will save to overcome it.



The second chakra is the Water Chakra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swadhisthana), which deals with Pleasure, and is blocked by Guilt. The Avatar reflects on all his actions that he still blames himself for, and must make a DC 22 will save to accept it.



The third chakra is the Fire Chakra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manipura), which is located in the stomach, it deals with willpower, while it is blocked by Shame. The Avatar sees his failures and mistakes and must make a DC 20 will save (it is the willpower chakra) to move on and forget it.



The fourth chakra is the Air Chakra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anahata), located in the heart, this chakra deals with Love, and is blocked by Grief. The avatar is shown a vision of all the losses and events that cause him grief, like the loss of loved ones, and must make a DC 22 will save to understand the lesson taught by this chakra, that love does not dissappear once the people are gone, and that it flows all around us and becomes new love.


The fifth Chakra is the Sound Chakra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishuddha), and is located in the throat, it deals with Truth, and is blocked by the Lies people tell themselves. The Avatar is confronted with all the untruths that he has told himself, and must make a DC 22 will save to accept himself for what he truly is.




The sixth chakra is the Light Chakra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajna), located in the center of the forehead, which is responsible for Insight, and is blocked by Illusions. This chakra is part of a lesson that all things are connected, that nothing is seperate. This alone gives the Avatar power by opening new ways of thinking. This chakra requires a DC 18 will save to overcome.



The seventh chakra is theThought Chakra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahasrara), located located at the crown of the head, deals with Cosmic Energy, and is blocked by Earthly Attachment. The Avatar is snow walking on a path made by the Aurora, toward the power of the Avatar State. In the sky he sees the images of all the thing and people he feels attachment to. This is the hardest chakra to unlock, as it requires him to let go of all the things he loves. This chakra requires a DC 30 will save to unlock.



All Chakras can be attempted again, however, the Earth and Thought Chakras, if failed, the Avatar must spend 24 hours recovering and reflecting on the visions before he can continue. If somone has taught him how to induce these meditations, an Avatar can attempt them at any time, however, attempting them in battle provokes attacks of opprotunities. The entire chain of Chakras takes roughly 4 hours to complete, due to the amount of time spent meditating and learning, and each chakra meditation takes 4 rounds.



I'd say it's a DM's choice on when the Avatar is sufficiently roused to subonciously access the Avatar state. Weather it's suffecient mental trauma, insurmountable danger, etc, the DM can force the Avatar into the avatar state. It's not like a Barbarian Rage, it's a lot more uncontrollable (untill you unlock the chakras, of course). At a certain (low) health, say... 5 HP or lower, any avatar, reguardless of mastery, is sent into the Avatar state.

Oh, and my question about the PBP game still existing, and my request to join still stand.

Oh, and has anyone mentioned the fire-jet propultion thing Zuko did in the latest episode? Or Toph's land-skating thing?

[Siberys]

For my avatar PrC (which I made for an Eberron game, not an Avatar d20 game), I nerfed it a TON in relation to the show. Basically, I made it give a CL bonus, Extra invocations/forms, better blast damage, etc, so many times per day. In this case, it wouldn't represent THE Avatar, but rather a very focused bender.

Of course, I also gave them a class feature allowing them to learn forms of other elements, and some that improved their ability in certain elements. But like I said, it was builtfor a different setting, and not to be an exact representation

[averagejoe]

I don't think that we need a system for teaching other benders forms, and if we do develop one, I don't think it should be limited to Firebenders. Katara teaches Aang several Waterbending forms in The Waterbending Scroll, Paku teaches both Katara and Aang, Aang learns some basic Firebending forms from a Fire Nation outcast, and Toph teaches Aang Earthbending forms in Bitter Work. I think that normal leveling up is enough to represent this sort of instruction.

As to Firebender class features, what do you suggest? Firebending forms are almost entirely offensive, and the forms we have already represent most Firebending forms I can remember. Individual players can tweak the nuances of their characters' bending (appearance, somatic components, etc), but that doesn't need to be represented in a rule or class feature. If you have any ideas, even if you don't have any rules to go with them, post up. I'm sure we can work something out.

Mephibosheth

I agree with your statement about leveling. The thing about the show is it wasn't based on any sort of RP system, so it isn't going to follow any internal logic that would make an absolute rules system. On TV you do things (ieally) because it makes the story better. In RP systems you do things to give the whole thing some consistancy.

I actually have been giving some thought to some more least firebending forms, because there's only four as of now. It is difficult, because there really isn't a lot more to firebenders than shooting fire at stuff, but there's a little bit of room to explore. I've only been able to think of one, which hopefully is minor, as I'm not terrific at balancing such things. I basically just downgraded one of the major abilities you already made (more or less completely independantly, if you can believe that. Maybe I was thinking of it subconciously.) There are a few more I've been mulling over, but haven't reached a satisfying mechanical translation yet. I'll let you know.

Minor Burst: As a full round action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity a firebender may focus his fire blast in a tight, controlled burst. Using this ability affects all squares ajacent to the firebender with a burst of damage equivilant to his fire blast class ability, with reflex save for half damage DC 10 + 1/2 firebender level + wisdom modifier. [Make the save less?]

I looked at the chakra thing, and it might be good as a feat progression, where each feat has the previous chakra feat as a prerequisite. Yes, I know Aang learned them all in, like, ten minutes, but the avatar can already do many rediculous/broken things. As it is, a really dedicated (human) could get them all with a lifetime of study, which is more like how it is for anyone who isn't the avatar. If that's still too many feats then you could potentially combine some, using the five chakra beliefs as a basis. I didn't want to get too far into developing until I knew if anyone actually liked the idea.

[CaelCyndar1993]

Metalbender
Requirements:
Class Abilities: Greater Tremorsense
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Detect Impurities, Metalbending, Lesser Form

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Extract Metal, Moderate Form

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Pure Bending, Greater Form, Lesser Form

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Lesser Form, Moderate Form

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1| Lesser Form, Moderate Form, Greater Form|[/table]

Detect Impurities (Su): Using Tremorsense or Greater Tremorsense, a Metalbender may detect impurities within metal. The impurities show as bright white chunks through the bender's 'eyes'. A metalbender requires impurities to metalbend. Unless specifically stated by the DM, all manufactured metal as well as natural metal contains impurities.

Metalbending (Su): For the purposes of Earth and Metalbending forms, half of the Metalbender's level is stacked with his Earthbending level for Earthbending, while half of his Metalbender is stacked with half of his Earthbender levels for Metalbending.

Metalbending Forms: Starting at 1st level, a Metalbender learns to shape metal into how he sees fit. When he obtains a Lesser, Moderate, or Greater form, he chooses from the corresponding selection (See Below.) Unless otherwise stated, a bender can only use one bending form per round, even if his/her actions would allow the use of more than one.

Extract Metal (Su): When metal and earth are mixed, the Metalbending is unable to bend due to the differences in style. As such, starting at 2nd level, using a full-round action, a metal bender may extract up to 1 cubic ft. of earth from 5 cubit ft. of metal, or vice-versa.

Pure Bending (Su): Starting at 3rd level, a Metalbender is so in touch with his metallic side that he no longer requires impurities to metalbend. Any metal at all is bendable using forms or extract metal.

Metalbending Forms:

Lesser Forms:

Jagged Shards (Su): By splitting metal into small, sharp strips and launching them at his opponent using metalbending, a metalbender may create small, makeshift knives with this form. Whenever using this bending form, the user creates 1d4 knives. These knives have a bonus to their attack roll equal to the bender's Metalbending bonus. These knives deal 1d6 + 1 damage.

Chicken Wing (Su): By readying an action against an attack, a Metalbender may bend the iron in a creature's body to avoid damage. When using this form, a Metalbender must succeed on a Concentration Check (DC 15 + HD of other creature.) If he succeeds, he takes no damage, however if he fails by more than five, he suffers twice as much damage due to the open position his body is in.

I'll do the other forms some other time.

[averagejoe]

It seems like there should be more pre-reqs. I know that you need to be a seventh level earthbender, but there should be some other requirements. Also, why does the metalbender get the full attack progression?

The metalbending class feature is wierd. You say, "half of his Metalbender is stacked with half of his Earthbender levels for Metalbending," but why half his metabender levels? Shouldn't it be his metalbender levels? And why is this part even necessary? So far you haven't actually put anything that's level dependant. Unless that's what you mean by "the bender's Metalbending bonus" in the jagged shards description.

I'm no biology expert, but it seems like "chicken wing" would either do nothing or kill the person, as per the description you stated. Maybe the ability should allow the bender to turn aside metal weapons instead, or something like that.

The metalbender should have some sort of automatic metalbending ability, the equivilant of the different "blasts" of the other benders. As written a metalbender wouldn't actually be able to move metal, unless he happened to chooose the "jagged shards" ability and wanted to send knives flying everywhere. This ability shouldn't be a form, it should be something that all metalbenders can do.

[Carrion_Humanoid]

Enlong. . . That looks alot like Naruto right there. . . Are you sure you have the right topic?

Still waiting for the IC topic.

[Tussy the Druid]

yeah carrion, he has the right topic. Episode 19, Book 2, Earth. The Guru tells aang that to completely master the avatar state, he has to release the 7 chakras.

[Enlong]

Yes, Carrion, I'm sure. In fact, the Avatar thing is closer to the real-life idea of chakras then Naruto (wiki up Chakra). In Avatar, they're seven points where mental blocks can form, in Naruto, it's essensially a power level. Different things, same name. Chakra does not automatically mean Naruto.

[Callos_DeTerran]

I looked at the chakra thing, and it might be good as a feat progression, where each feat has the previous chakra feat as a prerequisite. Yes, I know Aang learned them all in, like, ten minutes, but the avatar can already do many rediculous/broken things. As it is, a really dedicated (human) could get them all with a lifetime of study, which is more like how it is for anyone who isn't the avatar. If that's still too many feats then you could potentially combine some, using the five chakra beliefs as a basis. I didn't want to get too far into developing until I knew if anyone actually liked the idea.

Having the diffrent Chakra's as feats sounds like a very good idea but then you have to wonder....what kind of abilities do you get for opening each Chakra?...besides feeling good about yourself.

Do these feats have any use for non-Avatar's?

If their dual use then do they have greater effect when the Avatar takes them? (Not counting he/she can "glow it up" at will.)

What additional prereq should they have, if any?


The only one I really have an answer for is the "Do these feats have any use for non-Avatar's?" and that should be yes. Iroh himself utilizes the Fire Chakra when he developed his Lightening Redirection technique.

[Renloth]

The Avatar can use the Chakras as a path to the avatar state.

Note that the Guru appears to have opened the chakras. Else it seems unlikely that one could know something that only the avatar experiences.

Also, it seems that the opening cycle we saw was a suggested order. It is not implied anywhere that they must be opened in the order shown. Even if it did though, it makes much more sense for the "elemental" chakras to be stand alone, and combine up to a whole that are the last three. In doing this, be sepperate four feats out that benefit he four classes we have. I see each of these feats as having specific benefits, as well as additional ones if they are a bender of the style the feat is elemental to.

As to the avatar, I think any such changes to the feats for the avatar should simply be noted on whatever template is eventally dicided upon.

For prerequisites, I would say some statistical things (Base Will save and the like, dependant on the Chakra) and an additional one: Either a long path (Opening the Chakra through some relevent means on ones own.) or a short one. (Requiring a teacher (as the guru) and a place of the Chakra (as seen in the episodes.) )

[averagejoe]

Alright, I took a little from the Avatar mythos and a little from the Hindu beliefs on which it was based. It is a very loose interpretation on my part, but I think it is a good mix between mechanical sensibilities and flavor. I'm somewhat looking at this in the context of earth and water (which deal with survival and pleasure) are the "baser" chakra, the ones which even the bugs and vermin can utilize, whereas the others deal with matters closer to "ture" enlightenment. Because of this I had the earth and water chakra deal more with perfection of the body (in the sense of removing need and desire) and the others except thought deal with one's mind. I had thought deal with both. Again, it is a very loose interpretation, but I think it works well.

Since this meditation process leads one to a certain state of enlightenment, I viewed most of the abilities are flavored as strengthening one's mind. I made the lower ones kinda weak, but I'm afraid some of the higher ones I made too strong. I'm not sure, though. I welcome any input.

Chakra Feats: The chakra feats represent a means by which an individual may control the energies within his own body. Each chakra is a pool where energy concentrates in one body, and each deals with a certain emotion or process. Opening the chakra allows energy to flow through more freely, benifitiing the person who accomplishes this gains extraordinary mental abilities. Though some gifted or otherwise spiritually advanced individuals may attain these states with ease, for most people it requires continual practice and meditation, focusing the mind so that it is sharp and absolute. Whatever the case, attaining such states along the path of enlightenment requres discipline, focus, and an extraordinary wisdom and clarity of thought. This practice is especially important for benders, who use these energies in a more extreme way than most people in their bending. Each chakra opening requires an individual to know certain truths. It should be noted that it is not enough to simply realize these truths and believe them, but one must truely know them, as one knows the sun and the moon.

Earth Chakra: The eath chakra, located at the base of the spine, deals with survival. To open it one must overcome one's own fear, realizing that the dangers of this world hold little danger to one who is truly enlightened. Prerequisites: wisdom 13 Benifit: +2 to saves vs. fear and +2 to survival checks.

Water Chakra: The water chakra is located at the navel, and it deals with pleasure. To open the chakra one must deal with one's own feelings of guilt, accepting the truth of the events without letting them burden one. Prerequisites: wisdom 13, earth chakra Benifit: +2 to saves vs charm/compulsion effects and +2 to fortitude saves.

Fire Chakra: Located in one's stomach, or solar plexus, the fire chakra deals with one's willpower, and opening it requires one to put aside feelings of shame. Prerequisites: wisdom 15 Benifit: +2 to concentrate checks and +2 bonus to will saves against any attempts to read their thoughts.

Air Chakra: Located in the heart and dealing with matters of love, one must overcome one's grief to open the air chakra, realizing that even if people pass on, love endures. Prerequisites: wisdom 15, fire chakra Benifit: +2 to will saves and anyone with this feat is immune to sadness, despair, cannot go into a rage, and cannot be otherwise affected by effects that manipulate their emotions.

Sound Chakra: The sound chakra is located in the throat, and it deals with matters of truth, especially one's personal truth. To open the chakra one must quit lying to oneself and accept one's true self. Prerequisites: wisdom 16, earth chakra, fire chakra, air chakra Benifites: +2 bonus to sense motive checks. Additionally, anyone with this feat can ignore the effects of the shaken condition.

Light Chakra: Insight is the domain of the light chakra. It is located in the forehead, and to open it one must see through the illusions of life, especially the illusion of separation. Benders especially benifit from this feat, because the realization that the four elements are not really seperate things brings strength and flexibility to one's bending forms unachievable without this realization. Prerequisities: wisdom 16, earth chakra, water chakra, fire chakra, air chakra, sound chakra Benifits: +2 to saves vs. bending techniques. Additionally, if the person taking this feat is capable of bending, one dice is added to the damage of any bending technique, and all the DC's of all the character's bending techniques are increased by 2.

Thought Chakra: The thought chakra is located at the crown of the head, and allows cosmic energy to empty the body. Opening this chakra is the highest achievement of these meditations, and is achieved by separating oneself from all earthly attachments. This allows cosmic energy to more freely enter the body, rejuvinating one's mind and body, and accessing innate hidden powers. Prerequisites: wisdom 18, earth chakra, water chakra, fire chakra, air chakra, sound chakra, light chakra, Benifits: +4 to saves against death, energy drain, and any source of ability drain or damage. Additionally, the effects of fatigue are reduced by one step and one only needs to eat and drink 1/3 as much.

Note that the ability given by the earth chakra feat isn't a play on words (survival, get it?), it's based off the idea of the ascetic lifestyle.

To answer some of Renloth's concerns, I didn't really want the elemental chakras to be completely stand alone, nor did I want them to necessarily benifit that type of bender, just because I didn't want to create the bending versions of "natural spell." (That is, I didn't want to create feats that all benders would necessarily take.) I also didn't want a specific "path" to be a prerequisite, just because that's the sort of thing that should be roleplayed more than anything else. Also, the effect these feats have on the avatar should be discussed specifically when talking about the avatar. This is soely for any players/normal guys.

[Carrion_Humanoid]

[poorly vieled attempt at bumping]
Yes, Carrion, I'm sure. In fact, the Avatar thing is closer to the real-life idea of chakras then Naruto (wiki up Chakra). In Avatar, they're seven points where mental blocks can form, in Naruto, it's essensially a power level. Different things, same name. Chakra does not automatically mean Naruto.

Sorry bout that man, I live next to a guy who LIVES naruto.

So everything looks good over here, so honestly, whens the game going to come up?

[/poorly vieled attempt at bumping]

[Ing]

If anyone wants a game tell me your character ideas, (I guess here is fine since we're doing aplay test and will have to tweak with mechanics on them anyway) and their ideas. I figure to make it about a lv 4 starter (my base for campaigns) and have it set before the Comet and 100 years war, possibly dealing wtih a certian tyrant conquering the Earth kindom (a certian short statured tyrant wink wink)

[CaelCyndar1993]

For all you Naruto fan boys out there: The things that the Guru refers to as the chakras is what Naruto refers to as the gates.

[katarl]

For all you Naruto fan boys out there: The things that the Guru refers to as the chakras is what Naruto refers to as the gates.

Thats a bit misleading, in avatar the benefits are purely spiritual, blocking emotions and such. In naruto, they block chakra and prevent physical overload (using more of the muscle at one time). Aang doesn't actually become more powerful by unblocking the chakras, he just can tap into the avatar state more easily, but rock lee and gai actually gain physical benefits, quite a few in fact, and access to the lotus techniques.

Their names are both totally different, even the number changes. Wotc has rules for chakra, in the form of the meditant feats and prc, and they're totally different too, but i trust those to be more accurate than either anime, since dnd fans are generally known to be more pedantic than otaku. Its a martial arts/mysticism kinda thing, i guess, and must be poorly understood to have so much difference between them.

Earthbending on tuesday :smallbiggrin: Trying to get around that no bending on a ship/in air thing. I'm thinking of having him carry a gourd on his back, just to add to my copyright infringement charges.

edit- Also, i find magic stone oil to be most useful in bypassing dr, since earthbenders have trouble in that area. Shrink Item is also practical. I love my earthbender, he has less stuff than a monk, yet he camps in a stone house every night. Makes defending against enemies ridiculously easy, but he has difficulties fighting anywhere but on the ground. Running aways never a problem either, with earth climb, and earthen wall.

[Ing]

Avatar is heavily influenced by real eastern thought and principle so I believe it's concepts of unblocking to allow spiritual flow are the most kosher

[Enlong]

Hey, Katarl, nice idea for a character. I might, if/when the game is made and I'm let in, make a waterbender. My question is how much a... say a Gaara-sized gourd full of water might weigh? See, I also want to get around the possible limitations an Earth or Water bender may face with not having enough of their element around, and I feel that a waterskin is not enough for an actual fight.

[averagejoe]

I was wondering, Ing, whether you think it would be a good idea to get one or two non-benders into your campaign, just to see how they would stack up with the benders. I wouldn't mind playing a monk, fighter, or whatever, even if it's a low or non-magic campaign. (Which I assume it would be, as you don't see many magic items in avatar. How do you plan to handle that, by the way?)

[Enlong]

I'd say a non-bending warrior can still finction fine in a world full of Benders (Sokka, anyone?)

[Carrion_Humanoid]

sokka dosen't function, he survives.

[averagejoe]

Well, I meant in terms of game mechanics. I mean, part of the whole point was to test out the classes.

[Katasi]

I had an interesting idea for a campaign using the benders. Basically the backstory would go that this campaign was like 2,000 years in the future of the Avatar world. Things have evolved greatly. You still have benders, but now you also have Magic and even Psionics. The story of how that happens goes like this.

People without bending training watched benders and learned powers which they controlled a similiar way, becoming warlocks. After years of this others watching the warlocks refined the powers into more versitale spells, becoming sorcerers. Training and study brought about wizards. Some wizards worked hard to refine the powers of their minds, becoming the first psions. Now bending, magic, and psionics all have their places in the world, though magic is the most common, with bending becoming less common in the past millenia. It is still a big part of the world though. Psionics would be fairly new, so also rarer than magic.

Also, while I'm on it, people who got closer to the spirit world learned to become spirit shamans, others got closer to physical nature, becoming druids. Clerics evolved from these two groups.

I might be starting a campaign of this soon, that is if I am giving permission by the creator to use them this way?

[X15lm204]

I'd like to play either a Northern Water Tribe warrior or a Firebender, depending on what the rest of the party chooses (I chose NWT in hopes of avoiding The Curse of Sokka, but I seem to get 1's, 2's, and 3's just as often, so I don't know how much good it will do). Can I get permission to use kanachi's Samurai class? Also, what system will you be using for ability scores?

[Callos_DeTerran]

I had an interesting idea for a campaign using the benders. Basically the backstory would go that this campaign was like 2,000 years in the future of the Avatar world. Things have evolved greatly. You still have benders, but now you also have Magic and even Psionics. The story of how that happens goes like this.

People without bending training watched benders and learned powers which they controlled a similiar way, becoming warlocks. After years of this others watching the warlocks refined the powers into more versitale spells, becoming sorcerers. Training and study brought about wizards. Some wizards worked hard to refine the powers of their minds, becoming the first psions. Now bending, magic, and psionics all have their places in the world, though magic is the most common, with bending becoming less common in the past millenia. It is still a big part of the world though. Psionics would be fairly new, so also rarer than magic.

Also, while I'm on it, people who got closer to the spirit world learned to become spirit shamans, others got closer to physical nature, becoming druids. Clerics evolved from these two groups.

I might be starting a campaign of this soon, that is if I am giving permission by the creator to use them this way?


I mean no disrespect but I feel I should be honest.


No. This is a bad bad bad idea. Bending isn't the result of magic. Bending isn't something you get because an ancestor got frisky with another species (Or if it is, they haven't told anyone.), but more importantly you've promptly removed all benefit of bending by introducing wizards and psions back into the mix. Lets remember that the Bending classes are still essentially diffrent kinds of warlock at the end of the day, and with wizards and psions running around no one will want to be out shined by the wizard or psion and just won't pick a bending class. Even though these bending classes are probably more powerful then a regular warlock.


But most importantly, the flavor of all the classes involved don't support that kind of idea. It would take some serious modification from the show and on the original idea you came up with to plausibly allow for an Avatar game with wizards and psions and not having it be Oriental Adventures with bending.

[averagejoe]

Bending isn't something you get because an ancestor got frisky with another species (Or if it is, they haven't told anyone.)

Makes you wonder what really went on in those tunnels with those badger moles...

[Katasi]

Makes you wonder what really went on in those tunnels with those badger moles...

eww, or with the sky bisons.

[Tussy the Druid]

I second that. Ew. And also, Katasi, i mean no disrespect, but i don't think it's a very good idea. Bending isn't magic, although Sokka once thought it to be. Plus, from what i gather, we're trying to create a world as similar to the avatar world as possible (with the obvious changes of bending two elements) I think adding wizards and psions would throw off the balance of what we're trying to create.

[Enlong]

Sokka Doesn't just function, he learns, he's the plan guy, the adapting fighter. He held his ground against Ty Lee who easily disabled a squadron of powerful Earthbenders.

Hey, Should we have a Ty-Lee like class? You know, one that can disable Bending, a phusical phighter with an edge over Benders?

[GryffonDurime]

A Ty-Lee class would be a start, but with bending out of the way a focus on some PrC's for the poor warriors of the Avatar world might be in order. Crazed Chi-Blocking Acrobats, Knife-Throwing Goths, and Baby-Seal-Clubbing-Eskimo-Knights; the Benders shouldn't get all the fun.

It might also be worth looking into an alternate for equipment, because the lack of enchanting in the Avatar world will be a big disadvantage for the warriors, even with magic-users being replaced by a much more low-key level of power from the 'benders.

[katarl]

Hey, Katarl, nice idea for a character. I might, if/when the game is made and I'm let in, make a waterbender. My question is how much a... say a Gaara-sized gourd full of water might weigh? See, I also want to get around the possible limitations an Earth or Water bender may face with not having enough of their element around, and I feel that a waterskin is not enough for an actual fight.

Well, the game came and went, level 3 earthbender with lesser earthen wall and earthen grasp. Went well, earthen wall wasn't that useful, except for creating a little cover when you wanted to hide, but earthen grasp was great against smaller foes. Earth blast was good, very useful, and it nearly always hit, so overall the class was an excellent blend of firepower and defense, though a bit limited in scope.

A container of water of waterskin size is 4lbs, mostly water, a gaara size one is probably 4x that, since medieval waterskins are quite big. It would be enough to use since you can just re-use it if it spills. Kataara manages that way, you see. Water doesn't block you using move a rock, so thats 100ft+10ft/level you can pull earth from, so you shouldn't have a problem with ammo.

[averagejoe]

A Ty-Lee class would be a start, but with bending out of the way a focus on some PrC's for the poor warriors of the Avatar world might be in order. Crazed Chi-Blocking Acrobats, Knife-Throwing Goths, and Baby-Seal-Clubbing-Eskimo-Knights; the Benders shouldn't get all the fun.

It really isn't necessary, though. The way I see it, Ty Lee is just a monk with maybe a specialized "takes one use of stunning fist" feat, Sokka is just a fighter who doesn't use armor, and crazy goth girl is a rouge with a ranged build and some specialized weaponry. All you'd really need to do is create feats and equipment to augment existing classes.

[CaelCyndar1993]

Disable Bending [General]
Kain suddenly felt himself unable to move the earth around him. He couldn't defend himself as the monk who had caused him to lose his ability battered him around with her staff.
Prerequisites: Dex 15+, Int 13+, Stunning Fist
Benefits: By using a standard action, you may apply enough force to a pressure point to render a bender useless. Grabbing a pressure point requires an attack roll that provokes an attack of opportunity against an opponent's AC with a -4 penalty due to trying to grab a smaller area. On a successful roll, you disable the pressure point. For every pressure point disabled, a bender's ability to use forms and abilities is treated as if he is one level lower. To actually disable the bending ability entirely, you must disable an amount of pressure points equal to the opponent's bending level. If the opponent has multiple bending classes, you must decide to which class the pressure point disables.
Special: You gain +2 on your attack roll made using this skill if you have 5 or more ranks in the tumble skill.
Non-Benders are immune to this feat.

[Ultimatum479]

...And that lasts how long?

[Callos_DeTerran]

Thats a good start to disable bending but I see a couple things wrong with it.

1. Like U said, it needs a duration.

2. The mechanic for disabling the bending itself. The first time you see a bender be disabled is after Season One when Ty Lee does it to Katara in like 4-6 hits (roughly) and by that point I hardly think that Katara is a mere 6th level bender. Not to mention it took much probably like a two full round actions to do, which would probably be impossible by your method. That would be two bending levels gone.

[CaelCyndar1993]

Thats a good start to disable bending but I see a couple things wrong with it.

1. Like U said, it needs a duration.

2. The mechanic for disabling the bending itself. The first time you see a bender be disabled is after Season One when Ty Lee does it to Katara in like 4-6 hits (roughly) and by that point I hardly think that Katara is a mere 6th level bender. Not to mention it took much probably like a two full round actions to do, which would probably be impossible by your method. That would be two bending levels gone.

Disable Bending [General]
Kain suddenly felt himself unable to move the earth around him. He couldn't defend himself as the monk who had caused him to lose his ability battered him around with her staff.
Prerequisites: Dex 15+, Int 13+, Stunning Fist
Benefits: By using a standard action, you may apply enough force to a pressure point to render a bender useless. Grabbing a pressure point requires an attack roll that provokes an attack of opportunity against an opponent's AC with a -4 penalty due to trying to grab a smaller area. On a successful roll, you disable the pressure point, and one extra pressure point for every 3 points your roll exceeds the opponents AC. For every pressure point disabled, a bender's ability to use forms and abilities is treated as if he is one level lower. To actually disable the bending ability entirely, you must disable an amount of pressure points equal to the opponent's bending level. If the opponent has multiple bending classes, you must decide to which class the pressure point disables. 1d4 pressure points return to normal for every hour since one has been disabled.
Special: You gain +2 on your attack roll made using this skill if you have 5 or more ranks in the tumble skill.
Non-Benders are immune to this feat.

Updated.

[Katasi]

Healing Disciple
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Forms Known

1st|
+0
|
+2
|
+0
|
+2
|
Healer's Touch, Lesser Healing Forms
|1

2nd|
+0
|
+3
|
+0
|
+3
|
Heal 2/day
|1

3rd|
+1
|
+3
|
+1
|
+3
|
Stabilize
|2

4th|
+2
|
+4
|
+1
|
+4
|
Heal 3/day,Moderate Healing Forms
|2

5th|
+3
|
+4
|
+1
|
+4
|
Transfer Life
|3

6th|
+4
|
+5
|
+2
|
+5
|
Heal 4/day
|3

7th|
+5
|
+5
|
+2
|
+5
|
Major Heal 2/day
|4

8th|
+6
|
+6
|
+2
|
+6
|
Heal 5/day, Greater Healing Forms
|4

9th|
+7
|
+6
|
+3
|
+6
|
Purify Body 1/day, Major Heal 3/day
|5

10th|
+8
|
+7
|
+3
|
+7
|
Purify Body 2/day, Heal 6/day
|5[/table]

Hit Die:D4
Alignment: Any (tending towards good and neutrality)
Class Skills:Concentration, Heal, Swim
Skill Points Per Level:2
Prerequisites:Water Bending, Heal-10, Concentration-10, Able to use Moderate Waterbending Forms
Special: Healing Disciple levels stack with waterbender levels to determine x/day for healing water forms. Healing Disciples my substitute Healing Water, Greater to be one of their Moderate Healing Forms if the do not already have it from waterbending.

Healers Touch- Whenever a Healing Disciple touches her hand to the chest of another person the Healer can immediatly tell and diseases that person has, as well as getting a general idea as to how close to death they are.

Heal x/day- Heals 1d8 HP

Stabilize- Sabilizes a person with 0 to -9 HP

Transfer Life- A Healer may transfer up to 5 HP per round to a person who she is touching. These HP are reduced from the Healer's own HP.

Major Heal x/day-Heals 1d12 HP

Purify Body- A healer may instantly heal one person, including themselves, to full HP, but only while that person is totally submerged in water, head included.

Lesser Healing Forms
Detect Poison- Functions as the spell of the same name

Purify Water- Purifies 1 gallon of water

Watery Health- Gives target +1 temporary HP/PRC level. This bonus lasts for as long as the Healer can concentrate [concentration check DC 15, target must be within 10 ft/PRC level]

Moderate Healing Forms
Healing Hand- Touched person is healed 1 HP per round.

Improved Watery Health- As Watery Health, except the target gains +2 temporary HP/PRC level, must be within 5 ft/PRC level, and DC check is 20.

Cure Wounds- Stops bleeding

Greater Healing Forms
Greater Watery Health- As Watery Health, except the target gains +3 temporary HP/PRC level, must be within 10 ft/PRC level, and the DC check is 25.

Freeze Blood- Causes one opponent's blood to freeze, dealing 1d20 damage, Fort save for 1/2 damage, DC 20+ Healer's PRC level.

Stop Blood Flow- Stops the blood flow within an opponent's body, causing instant death unless the opponent manages a Fortitude save of DC 25+1/2 Healer's PRC level

[Katasi]

It really isn't necessary, though. The way I see it, Ty Lee is just a monk with maybe a specialized "takes one use of stunning fist" feat, Sokka is just a fighter who doesn't use armor, and crazy goth girl is a rouge with a ranged build and some specialized weaponry. All you'd really need to do is create feats and equipment to augment existing classes.

I gotta disagree with you on that one. Her blocking bending/paralization ability might be SIMULAR to a monk's stunning fist, but everything else about her SCREAMS ninja. Just look at the way she snuck up on Katara during the battle in Omashu/New Ozai, or the jump she made from the back of that lizard when they where tracking the avatar and his friends with the tank.

[Katasi]

Mephistobeth, in case you still haven't seen it, the completed M.o.t.H. is on page 7.

New class I just thought of, though really it's a joke.

Lawbender http://www.runescape.com/img/kbase/items/runes/lrune.gif
Requirements:
Alignment: Non-Chaotic
Abilities: Int 15
Skills: Knowledge (History) 8 ranks, Knowledge (Local) 8 ranks, Diplomacy 8 ranks, Bluff 8 ranks
Special: Must own a law book
{table=head]Level|Base Attack
Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0
|
+0
|
+0
|
+2
|Take the Fifth

2nd|
+1
|
+0
|
+0
|
+3
|Wriggle

3rd|
+1
|
+1
|
+1
|
+3
|Spotlight

4th|
+2
|
+1
|
+1
|
+4
|Interpretation

5th|
+2
|
+1
|
+1
|
+4
|Immunity[/table]

Take the Fifth (Ex): Starting at 1st level, a Lawbender has a basic understanding of the law, namely, his right to remain silent, freedom of speech, and the fifth amendment. (Which so happens to exist in DnD land because I say so.) When an event arises that a lawbender would unknowingly reveal information to someone he would not normally tell, (Such as when under a charm spell.) he is allowed a will save with a bonus equal to his lawbender level against the other creatures Bluff roll. If the Lawbender succeeds, no magic short of diefic might can force him to reveal said information.

Wriggle (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a Lawbender begins to learn loopholes in the system. When he is pressured or accused, he may add his Intelligence modifier as well as his Lawbender level to a Diplomacy or Bluff roll made to escape from his persecution.

Spotlight (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, even more legal knowledge courses through a Lawbender. Whenever he defends an ally from a non-physical threat, he may begin reciting text from his lawbook in a long, relentless drawl. Such talking draws the attention away from his ally, allowing the ally to perform slight movements and other actions (Such as a non-somatic spell.) Any spot or listen checks made to notice the ally are made at a -5 penalty, however those checks gain a +5 against the Lawbender.

Interpretation (Ex): Starting at 4th level, the iron bars of Justice are twisted into a spiral around the Lawbender. Whenever the Lawbender is on trial, debating, or just plain proving someone wrong, he may interpret the law to his own needs. (At the DM's discretion.) The Lawbender may make a bluff, diplomacy, or intimidate check to describe his interpretation of the law with a bonus equal to twice his Intelligence modifier.

Immunity (Su): Starting at 5th level, a Lawbender's knowledge of the inner mechanics of legality are like a blueprint available to read at any time. As such, he is immune to any persecution short of assault, theft of any object worth more than 1 cp, murder, or other large crimes considered illegal nationally. Any local crimes (Such as not praying whenever near a temple.) are not applicable to the Lawbender.

Not sure if there is a class like this in DnD yet, but there sure is in real life. It's called law students. [though they really can't be called lawbenders, you need a second PrC for that, the Lawyers]

[averagejoe]

I gotta disagree with you on that one. Her blocking bending/paralization ability might be SIMULAR to a monk's stunning fist, but everything else about her SCREAMS ninja. Just look at the way she snuck up on Katara during the battle in Omashu/New Ozai, or the jump she made from the back of that lizard when they where tracking the avatar and his friends with the tank.

Jump, hide, and move silently are all class skills for the monk. Plus she has that whole "physical and spiritual perfection" thing going. Plus, she only fights unarmed. Ninjas like the stabity stab.

Either way it's a moot point, though. I wasn't trying to discuss what Ty Lee would be, only saying that her existence really doesn't warrent the creation of new classes.

[ChaosStorm]

I'm in love...

Uhh... I've been skimming the list (I want to go back and study it a bit more when i actually have time) and I agreed with Katasi's list of PrC and Base Classes, but I guess that's a good at this point.

The thing that's killing me is the Flying Bison without a swim speed. They're technically a combination of Manatee and Bison. I think when I get time I'm going to try and play creature maker... I love the animals in the Avatar world. And while the main characters don't deal with a lot of animal encounters that doesn't mean a game in the Avatar world wouldn't end up with the players running into a lot of them.

[Enlong]

Aw man, PBP game is over already? ANy plans on another one? Because I'd like to do this, and I don't think that my IRL group would be up for doing this.

[X15lm204]

I like Cael's Disable Bending feat. It may not be perfectly faithful to the show, but it works well and looks balanced (though a -4 penalty may be too much; how about no penalty if the target is unarmored, -2 light armor, -4 medium armor, -6 heavy armor). Also, while Ninjas are awesome and having her be one could only make her cooler, I agree that Ty Lee fits the Monk class much better than Ninja.

My take on the Spirit World:

The Spirit Fringe

Normal Gravity
Static (there is likely nothing to change anyway)
Mildly neutral-aligned
No Bending (normal spirit powers)The first step of any journey into the Spirit World, the Spirit Fringe is coexistant with the mortal world, but nearly completely empty of native life or objects. Like the Ethereal Plane of other worlds, anyone or anything in the Spirit Fringe is invisible, completely silent, and effectively incorporeal to creatures on the Material Plane. While Material objects seem solid to creatures in the Spirit Fringe, they cannot exert force on them, and they may make a DC 20 Wisdon check to pass though them as if incorporeal; any moving Material object that would strike the Fringe traveler, such as a person moving through their square, automaticly passes through. There is no difference in the sight, hearing or touch of Fringe travelers, they may not smell or taste Material sources, and can see other creatures on the Fringe normally. Those who reach the Spirit Fringe by seperating their spirit from their body (whether consiously or not) see their spirit form (and those of other spirit travelers) as a blueish, slightly luminescent image of themselves.
Note: The Ghost Sight, Ghost Step (ethereal), Ghost Strike, and Ghost Walk abilities of the Ninja class access the Spirit Fringe rather than the Ethereal Plane, but are otherwise unchanged.

The Spirit World
Highly Morphic
No Bending (normal spirit powers)
Normal TimeThe true home of all spirit creatures, the Spirit World is an alien place to mortal visitors, and is often described as a dreamlike place by those who return from it. It has its own history and politics, which mortals often find completely incomprehensible; to understand it fully would require lifetimes of study. It is coterminous to the Material Plane and the Spirit Fringe, and every locale on the Material Plane has a corresponding area in the Spirit World. The Spirit World is in a constant, if slow, state of change, though specific areas tend to reflect the history and nature of their Material counterpart at least somewhat. Creatures with the [Spirit] subtype are able to change the environment around them by focusing their will, but only the strongest of spirits can maintain these changes for long without constant concentration; mortals find the Spirit World just as easy to change as the Material Plane, though the plane itself actively fights their efforts just as it does those of spirits. Whether by the will of extremely powerful spirits or the changing of the plane itself, areas of the Spirit Plane may differ from the norm in physical, elemental, or alignment traits other than those listed above, which are constant. Mortal travelers coming from the Spirit Fringe find themselves in copies of their material bodies, and any injury that is inflicted on either body is reflected in the other.

Spirit Feats:

Spirit Sight
Your understanding of the Spirit World allows you to see creatures and object on the Spirit Fringe
Prerequisites: Wis 15+, Knowledge (Spirits) 12 ranks
Benefit: You are considered to be on both the Material Plane and the Spirit Fringe with respect to being able to perceive creatures and objects on either plane.

Spirit Walk
You can seperate your spirit from your body and travel the Spirit Fringe.
Prerequisites: Wis 17+, Spirit Sight, Knowledge (Spirits) and Concentration 15 ranks
Benefit: By making a DC 30 Concentration check (you may take 10 or20 if circumstances allow) as a full-round action,your spirit may leave your body behind and travel the Spirit Fringe. You must return to your body to return to the Material Plane; if it is moved you may make a DC 20 Wisdom check to determine what direction it is in. If either your physical or spiritual body is damaged, you must make a DC 20 Will save or automaticly return to your body and the Material Plane; you may intentionally fail this check.
Special: The Avatar receives this feat for free regardless of whether he or she meets the prerequisites.

Spirit Journey
You have such a strong connection to the spirits that you may travel to their home.
Prerequisites: Wis 19+, Spirit Sight, Spirit Walk, Knowledge (Spirits) and Concentration 18 ranks
Benefit: While on the Spirit Fringe, you may make a second DC 30 concentration check to pass fully into the Spirit World. Alternitively you may make a DC 40 Concentration check to pass directly from the Material Plane to the Spirit World. While in the Spirit World, damage taken by your material body no longer returns you to it, but it is reflected in your spirit body, and when you return to the Spirit Fringe (which requires another DC 30 Concentration check or the intervention of a powerful spirit) having taken damage, you are immediately returned to your body unless you succeed at a DC 30 Will save, which you may intentionally fail.
Special: The Avatar receives this feat for free regardless of whether he or she meets the prerequisites.


What do you think? Anyone up to statting out any spirit creatures?

[CaelCyndar1993]

Spirit Sight
Your understanding of the Spirit World allows you to see creatures and object on the Spirit Fringe
Prerequisites: Wis 15+, Knowledge (Spirits) 12 ranks
Benefit: While on either the Material Plane or the Spirit Fringe you are considered to be on both planes in respect to being able to perceive creatures and objects on either plane.

Made a small clarifying edit.

[Eighth_Seraph]

I like Cael's Disable Bending feat. It may not be perfectly faithful to the show, but it works well and looks balanced (though a -4 penalty may be too much; how about no penalty if the target is unarmored, -2 light armor, -4 medium armor, -6 heavy armor).
I disagree with this method, the whole system screams of touch attacks, maybe you make a full attack to disable one arm, and need a certain amount of hits to fully disable it, giving the bender a steep penalty to bending, and synergizing when both arms are out to make it nigh-impossible.

[GryffonDurime]

I disagree with this method, the whole system screams of touch attacks, maybe you make a full attack to disable one arm, and need a certain amount of hits to fully disable it, giving the bender a steep penalty to bending, and synergizing when both arms are out to make it nigh-impossible.

Katara moves her arms, though. She claims that it wasn't because he arms were disabled, but rather because the flow of Chi through her body had been disrupted.

[Katasi]

Katara moves her arms, though. She claims that it wasn't because he arms were disabled, but rather because the flow of Chi through her body had been disrupted.

this is correct, when used against benders Ty Lee's Kyusho jitsu only blocks the flow of chi through their bodies, taking out their bending. It's only when she uses this skill against non-benders that she paralizes them.

[Ceiling009]

So far, I love all the ideas and the classes, I've been wracking my brain off and on over the last few months as to how to make benders and thier respective prc's into dnd.... and I'm really grateful that you guys did that for me... though I do have questions and comments...
1) Personally, I think all benders should have the improved unarmed strike class ability (whatever the monk gets)... As most them seem to be basically monks that have mastered an element or so... or rather traded out monk abilities for these quasi-warlock abilities. Don't know if that would make them over-powered or not...
2) How would these classes fare against wizards and sorcerors? Is there a possibility to take these out from it's context world and put into a more generic DnD game? It would seem that if built correctly, benders are greatly more powerful than a few caster classes, but immensely weaker than a select few...I'd pretty much like to see if benders can compete with them in any respectable level.
3) An interesting aspect about the show is that it has open ideas on how powerful benders get... I personally like and think that the waterbenders are the most powerful set of benders... due to the fact that water is about 70% of the body... any control of that can lead to interesting things... Personally I think that there would be PrC's or even Epic classes like the "Puppetmaster" with the ability to control other people's bodies or something across a waterbender with a knack for thermokinetics being able to boil your blood or dessicate you... Another would be a waterbender able to mix chemicals to form potions to poisons... Eh, these are just some thoughts though...
4) lastly can I get premission to use these in a game I'm thinking of running?

[katarl]

Aw man, PBP game is over already? ANy plans on another one? Because I'd like to do this, and I don't think that my IRL group would be up for doing this.

Eh? This was ordinary dnd, played at my house, not online. Why would you think it was PBP?


I disagree with this method, the whole system screams of touch attacks, maybe you make a full attack to disable one arm, and need a certain amount of hits to fully disable it, giving the bender a steep penalty to bending, and synergizing when both arms are out to make it nigh-impossible.

I agree, she did take out the heavily armoured 'Terra Force' (great name). It seems she can disable both bending and normal movement, i assume bending's easier to disable.

[Enlong]

Eh? This was ordinary dnd, played at my house, not online. Why would you think it was PBP?



I agree, she did take out the heavily armoured 'Terra Force' (great name). It seems she can disable both bending and normal movement, i assume bending's easier to disable.

Sorry. My apologies. I thought when you said that the game had "come and gone" that we were both talking about the PBP game that was slowly being planned here, and that I still want to know the fate of.

[Ceiling009]

I'm thinking of running a game with these classes, but I have a few questions as to what to include into the game world... I know there can't be any mages or sorcerors or any those arcane spellcasters... but how about the divine spell casters? They seems just as... well out of place and a little better as an alternative to being a bender or any of the weapon and skill based classes... I figure there needs to be a healer class... and that's the waterbender... but they're so generalized in a sense, good healers in a pinch, but how about all the time? So I have some suggestions and critiques...

- allow the waterbender to have something like Healing Water, Lesser; which could act as either cure light wounds or cure minor wounds... as it's shown that healing, though not frequent is common enough in waterbenders that most (if not all) waterbender females learn it. Also most clerics and other possible healers get a worthwhile healing spell at level 2 or 4... So it would be helpful...


-Speaking of forms, there should be forms for the ice discs, and the javelin storm used in the fight between Katara and Paku...Tentantive numbers here...

Ice Chakrams: By taking a full round action, the Waterbender has created a short column of ice and proceeds to throw a number of razor sharp discs of ice at the target. Each round after the creation of the column of ice, the Waterbender is able to throw a disc of ice (1d3? half cold/half slashing) for every 2 levels waterbender (maximum 10? per round). The column of ice endures 1 round/2 levels waterbender. To hit, the Bender must succeed in a touch ranged attack, and the opponent has a reflex save for half the damage (Save: 10 + half waterbending levels + wis mod?) .

Ice Chakrams, Greater: As Ice Chakrams, but the discs do 1d6? (half cold/hald slashing)

Icelance: maybe as the spell icelance? or tone it down a bit...

Ice Javelin Rain (Greater form): The waterbender manipulates a large amount of water into the air and causes ice javelins to rain down unto the foe(s). Each javelin does 1d6 and half the damage to adjacent squares, the waterbender can rain down 1 javelin per every 2 levels of waterbender (maximum 10). To succeed hitting the foe(s) the Waterbender makes a ranged touch attack against the square which the foe is standing.

- The proposed PrC, Healing Disciple looks really promising, but I was wondering about how many times can they stabilize per day? or what not... Also, I was wondering if Heal x/day should really be a function of class levels much like the healing bending forms... as it seems this class is going to be the top notch healer in the party or for that matter in the game's contextual world...

- Also on the Healing disciple, wouldn't they have some more forms for damage dealing purposes, since knowing how to heal the body can lend itself to how to hurt the body fairly well... and also more forms to "cure" status ailements like confusion, much like how Katara helped Jet in the episode "Lake Lagoai".
-Damaging forms for the Healing disciple could be like... wow... I'm so lost for ideas...

And hello everyone, sorry for not doing it the first time I posted.

[Yuki Akuma]

...I'm trying to work out ideas for my Fire + Air PrC (I'm thinking of calling him the Adept of Smoke and Ash, 'cause it sounds cool), but I can't think of any class abilities.

Except using smoke to smother a victim, I have no idea what to do! Help...?

[CaelCyndar1993]

How about Superheated Ash?
It would act like all the standard 'blast' attacks, except it deals fire damage.

Or an ability I call conceive?
The user will bend the smoke into the sky. From there the smoke acts as a cloud nucleus, thus creating a lightning cloud that acts as if it were regular weather.

Think of it this way. Combine the Airbender's Wisdom and understanding with the Firebender's Desire to advance. You can come up with some pretty cool things if you know a bit about chemistry.

[averagejoe]

...I'm trying to work out ideas for my Fire + Air PrC (I'm thinking of calling him the Adept of Smoke and Ash, 'cause it sounds cool), but I can't think of any class abilities.

Except using smoke to smother a victim, I have no idea what to do! Help...?

You could modify Air Blast type effects so that they do fire damage in addition. A cloud of ash and sparks could continually damage people in an area, as well as risking suffocation. Cover the ground with ash, harming anyone who walks on it. It seems like this class would be good for those static area effects.

[Tussy the Druid]

Katara moves her arms, though. She claims that it wasn't because he arms were disabled, but rather because the flow of Chi through her body had been disrupted.

Although in the season finale Ty Lee paralyzed Toph as well as Sokka. I think. Would their be a choice if that feat was allowed? I skimmed over the editions, maybe it was mentioned.

[GryffonDurime]

Although in the season finale Ty Lee paralyzed Toph as well as Sokka. I think. Would their be a choice if that feat was allowed? I skimmed over the editions, maybe it was mentioned.

Seems like an advancement in skill: look at Katara during her first battle with Ty Lee, then look at her in Bah Sing Sae. Full paralysis probably came about as Ty Lee learned to apply more of her skills to combat...the first instance of her even paralyzing selective parts of a body was Sokka during the Chase, wasn't it? Or am I blanking on something?

[X15lm204]

Ty Lee's paralysis attacks are probably just the Freezing the Lifeblood feat from OA, since it does no direct damage, though I can't see her as meeting the Wis 17+ requirement (nothing against her, but she seems a little too spacey for that high a score). Unfortunately it seems to have been left out of realmshelps; otherwise I would post a link.

[averagejoe]

Should we create prerequisites for some of the bending froms? For example, shouldn't greater blades of fire have blades of fire as a prerequisite?

A couple new minor firebending forms.

Heat Blast: This form modifies the firebender's heat blast ability. As a move action, the firebender may release a blast of heat with the next fire blast he uses that round. If the firebender does not use fire blast in the same round, then this ability is wasted. If a target is damaged by this fire blast then they must make a fortitude save (10 + 1/2 firebender level + wis modifier) or become fatigued. The fatigue ends in one hour, or when they heal any damage, whichever comes first. A person may not become exhausted by this ability, and it can only affect any one person once per hour.

(This one was rather obvious, as it was in the first episode of season 2. As far as I know, no one's done it.)Fire Daggers: With this form a firebender can create a dagger made of fire in one or each hand as a move action. These are treated as daggers in all ways except the wielder only needs to make a touch attack, and they do one extra damage per die of fire blast the firebender has.

Lesser Break Stance: As a standard action, a firebender may unleash an attack that is identical to fire blast, except it deals only 2d6 damage, and when someone takes damage from this ability they must make a strength check (DC 10 + damage dealt + firebender's wisdom modifier) or be knocked back 5 feet.

[Ceiling009]

hmm, making prerequisites for forms would make sense... but it would take up slots in the number of forms known, unless the the better forms automatically replaces the obsolete form...I mean I can see the benefit for having let's say, Healing Water and Healing Water, Greater, as you could heal more through out the day, then you're at loss for a form slot...But how about things like Water wave? or Earthen shield, tremorsense, and Tornado? Having multiple of those seems kinda pointless as they basically do the samething, and don't have restrictions on how many times a day it can be done.

[X15lm204]

I agree with Ceiling009. Benders get too few forms to restrict their choices to ones that will soon be useless. If, on the other hand, we make them able to learn new forms from study, it would make perfect sense and not be nearly as restricting to require prerequisite forms.

[averagejoe]

I suppose the two of you are right. It's one of those things that makes a bit more sense flavor-wise than mechanics wise.

[Yuki Akuma]

We could make them take the "lesser" forms as prerequisites, then let them 'upgrade' them later and take another form in place of the one that got upgraded.

If we do that we could also say that anyone with a "greater" form can use its "lesser" forms in place of using the higher version.

[Ceiling009]

I think that works pretty well. So that the Greater forms are given for free in a sense, kinda like the Warlocks and thier upgrades for the Least, Lesser, Moderate, and Greater invocations, where certain levels you get to replace older invocations and gain newer invocations.

[Saeveo]

...I'm trying to work out ideas for my Fire + Air PrC (I'm thinking of calling him the Adept of Smoke and Ash, 'cause it sounds cool), but I can't think of any class abilities.

Except using smoke to smother a victim, I have no idea what to do! Help...?

A concealing smoke-screen of some sort, perhaps? Or, maybe, an aura of super-heated air that deals damage to all adjacent creatures, (Or perhaps just to those who attempt melee attacks?) useable for a number of rounds per day. (Or per encounter, whatever works.)

[Callos_DeTerran]

We could make them take the "lesser" forms as prerequisites, then let them 'upgrade' them later and take another form in place of the one that got upgraded.

If we do that we could also say that anyone with a "greater" form can use its "lesser" forms in place of using the higher version.

Its a good idea, one that'll make it worth while to master a certain form (Since it eventually becomes a three-in-one form) but not restricting the total number that people can get.

[Mephibosheth]

Bumpitty bump! I've been away for a while (I'm in India, and my internet access has been somewhat spotty), but I'm back now.

My question is: What needs to be done before we start our play-testing campaign. What questions need to be resolved? What content needs to be created? Ing, any thoughts?

Mephibosheth

[Yuki Akuma]

I still need to do the Fire+Air PrC... it's not vital, but I'm a perfectionist. Now if only I wasn't also lazy...

[averagejoe]

We definitely want to go over what is/isn't allowed in the campaign. As far as the creative level there isn't much besides maybe a final look at the various PrC's.

By the way, I forget, but did we decide that those eliete archer guys from The Blue Spirit (or, as I like to call it, the sucking on frogs episode) deserved a PrC of their own, or were just mean archer builds, or perhaps just a renamed existing PrC.

[Callos_DeTerran]

I think the archer guys from "The Blue Spirit" were just really well made archer guys. If there was a PrC I would saw something like Order of the Bow or one of those other ones, possibly elven, just without the racial requirment.

[Mephibosheth]

On the topic of nonbender classes, here are those I think should be availible, from Core, the Complete Series, and other sources:

Unrestricted: Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, Rogue, Scout, Swashbuckler, Knight, Warblade, Crusader, Marshall, Samurai (kanachi's version, link below)

Restricted:
Ranger (CW noncaster): Earth Kingdom
The Ranger is a spiritual warrior who uses his bending not as a weapon but as a source of strength.
Paladin (CW noncaster): Water Tribes
The Paladin is a master of the healing arts of waterbending and a righteous defender of her tribe. (maybe replace mount w/ better healing?)
Ninja: Air Nomads
The Ninja is a mysterious agent of the Air Temples who uses ancient mystical techniques to "fade into the wind." (need to rework fluff, maybe change some abilities)
Swordsage: Fire Nation
The Swordsage trains constantly to master his body in the same sense as a firebender controls fire, channelling the destructive power of that element into his sword. (not sold on this one, maybe make unrestricted and replace with reworked soulknife?)

Any other classes from the same sources were left out beacause I felt they were inappropriate for the setting, either because they used standard magic or because they stank to the high heavens (yes, I'm looking at you, CW Samurai).

When the PbP comes, I'm planning either a Fire Nation or Water Tribe character. I think the campaign should be before - optimally just before, during and after - Sozin's comet arrives, allowing characters of any nation to be in the party and preventing strife based on nation, at least until disaster strikes. Also, I second the suggestion that the Avatar should not be in the party, no matter the time period.

If someone has Oriental Adventures, it might help considerably, especially for monsters if a party somehow ends up on the Spirit Realm (my copy is currently in Germany).

Kanachi's Samurai:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10215

Since it looks like things are winding down, I thought it might be a good idea to turn our attention to exactly what classes are allowed in the Avatar world. By and large, I think the list above is pretty solid, though I am unfamiliar with the a few of the classes (notably, those from Tomb of Battle and the PHB2). I think that the final base class list should look something like this:

Air/Fire/Earth/Waterbender
Barbarian
Fighter
Rogue
Monk
Ranger (non-caster) - A major departure from the above list. I think that the Ranger class is vanilla enough to be available to all nations. I feel like Zuko has a few Ranger levels, as would members of the Water Tribe (Bato maybe). I don't see why we need to restrict it to the Earth Kingdom.
Paladin (non-caster) - I don't really know how I feel about this one. On the one hand, the healing focus lends itself to a Water Tribe restriction. On the other hand, the rest of the class doesn't really scream Water Tribe to me. Paladins just seem too aggressive to me. I'm on the fence about this one.
Scout
Swashbuckler
Marshall
Ninja - I think I support the restriction to Air Nomads on this one. Ninja just seems to fit. On the other hand, we don't really know what the Air Nomads are like outside of the monastic community. Again, I'm kinda on the fence.I think that, while I like the idea of nation-restricted classes, I don't know whether they fit or not. I can see both ways. I think I would err on the side of unrestricted access to classes, if only to give players more options. Also, I'm sure everyone noticed that I didn't include a few of the classes from the original list. I omitted them because I don't own the books and haven't looked at the classes. I think that this list is pretty good and provides enough options without departing too much from the world of the show.

Mephibosheth

[GryffonDurime]

Rangers have a place, I think...but maybe to make up for the loss of their spells, they could get Terrain Masteries for their favored locales, ala Horizon Walker? That could help to differentiate a Water Tribe Ranger from an Earth Kingdom Ranger.

[Rama_Lei]

The one thing that may be troubling here, is that in the show, the benders are limited only by imagination and there is lots of improvisation. People playing a bender will want to do lots of things that there aren't rules for, leaving DM's scrambling.

[Katasi]

Since it looks like things are winding down, I thought it might be a good idea to turn our attention to exactly what classes are allowed in the Avatar world. By and large, I think the list above is pretty solid, though I am unfamiliar with the a few of the classes (notably, those from Tomb of Battle and the PHB2). I think that the final base class list should look something like this:
Air/Fire/Earth/Waterbender
Barbarian
Fighter
Rogue
Monk
Ranger (non-caster) - A major departure from the above list. I think that the Ranger class is vanilla enough to be available to all nations. I feel like Zuko has a few Ranger levels, as would members of the Water Tribe (Bato maybe). I don't see why we need to restrict it to the Earth Kingdom.
Paladin (non-caster) - I don't really know how I feel about this one. On the one hand, the healing focus lends itself to a Water Tribe restriction. On the other hand, the rest of the class doesn't really scream Water Tribe to me. Paladins just seem too aggressive to me. I'm on the fence about this one.
Scout
Swashbuckler
Marshall
Ninja - I think I support the restriction to Air Nomads on this one. Ninja just seems to fit. On the other hand, we don't really know what the Air Nomads are like outside of the monastic community. Again, I'm kinda on the fence.I think that, while I like the idea of nation-restricted classes, I don't know whether they fit or not. I can see both ways. I think I would err on the side of unrestricted access to classes, if only to give players more options. Also, I'm sure everyone noticed that I didn't include a few of the classes from the original list. I omitted them because I don't own the books and haven't looked at the classes. I think that this list is pretty good and provides enough options without departing too much from the world of the show.

Mephibosheth

I can't see limiting most classes to one nation.

[averagejoe]

I don't really see us needing (or wanting) paladins. I like the terrain mastery idea for the ranger, though.

[CaelCyndar1993]

I think we need a few more things to help define the actual Avatar world.

We need:

To stat up the various creatures in Avatar. I mean, honestly, can you see a bender battling any of the current DnD monsters? Sure, some will work, but we need to give stats to things like Boar-Q-Pines, Buzzard Wasps, Canyon Crawlers, and things like that.

We also need, as stated before, a way to cover improvised bending. It will take some work but in some ways it will be like designing a trap. We just need to factor in the difficulty of the task. Alternatively, we could just make a set of scroll items designed specifically to bending, and the bender cannot do bending unless he/she learns it from his/her class or from scrolls.

What's a world without cities? We should also make some statistics and possibly maps of important places in Avatar. We can't make it exactly like the show, but from all the episodes, we can probably get it pretty close.

Finally, in my opinion, I've noticed that there are unique items in Avatar. We should take these and put them in DnD format.

[Eighth_Seraph]

I hate to interrupt, but I have some bad new for y'all peoples. I've just run an Airbender vs. Earthbender duel, and I just realized that Deflect Bending as well as its implications need clearing up. does a bender choose to deflect before or after knowing whether the opponent's attack roll hits or not? Also, the way it is worded, a bender can deflect an infinite amount of opposing blasts at not penalty on any attempt and not sacrifice any attacks for it. That needs clearing up.

Also dealing with the airbender, there's a few VERY powerful abilities that need looking over. Air blast at 20th level: I managed to miss the reflex save despite head-on defense (which is arguably broken) and got blasted 450 feet away, plus the 45 feet away I already was. That would be over a cliff in a campaign, way over a cliff. Also, the 10d6 damage Reap the Whirlwind is very dangerous, since it counts as a weapon that can be used as normal, three attacks at level 20. It also means no deflect bending for any earthbenders rendered helpless by greater air shield. These may or may not be situational advantages, but they're something to look into.

Also, Fire vs. Water planned for this Friday, and it intially seems that firebender damage is overpowered, since there's no chance for my poor waterbender to deflect any of their forms, aside from using octopus form. It would be a good idea to add in how firebending is affected by being underwater, and to add a tremorsense form for waterbenders, much like the earthbender forms.

Sorry if I'm being too up-front, I can't seem to pull off my usual drawn-out and tactful explanations tonight. Not a very relaxing time for me at the moment.

[Mephibosheth]

Thanks a lot for your comments, Eighth_Seraph. It's these sorts of problems that playtesting is intended to avert. Let's look at your issues one by one:

1. Deflect Bending:

My intention with deflect bending was that the bender would announce during their turn (either before or after making any attacks, it really doesn't matter) that they were forgoing a number of attacks (limited by BAB, obviously) during that turn (i.e. a bender whose BAB allows 3 attacks could make 1 attack and forgo 2 or forgo all 3 attacks, etc). For each attack the bender forgoes, he/she would have an opportunity to deflect a single bending attack (i.e. a bender who forgoes 2 attacks could make 2 Deflect Bending attempts), which would be adjudicated as the description stipulates. If I'm describing this correctly, that means that a bender can only attempt to deflect bending a number of times equal to the attacks his/her BAB allows. You're right that I didn't specify that unsuccessful attempts are used up, and that the attempt is determined before an actual attack is rolled. I should also clarify that a bender can only make one attempt to Deflect Bending per bending attack, and that the BAB for Deflect Bending attempts is identical to normal BAB (i.e. the first attempt in a turn is at highest BAB, and any subsequent attempts are at lower BAB).

For example, an Airbender squares off against an Earthbender. Both benders are 20th level, giving them each 3 attacks. Our Airbender is very defensively-minded, and elects to forgo all her attacks in order to make 3 Deflect Bending attempts. Our Earthbender on the other hand is very aggressive and chooses not to forgo any attacks, hurling 3 Earth Blasts at the Airbender. Before the Earthbender rolls an attack to determine if his first Earth Blast hits, the Earthbender and the Airbender make opposed attack rolls. The Airbender wins the opposed attack roll, and the Earth Blast is deflected by a tornado. Then, the Earthbender makes his second attack, and the same procedure holds true. This time, the Earthbender wins and he rolls his attack as normal, hitting the Airbender for 9d6 damage. The same procedure is used again for the Earthbender's third attack.

Does this make more sense? Does it clear up some of your problems? I really struggled with the wording of Deflect Bending, and I'm still not sure I'm happy with it. Any suggestions you have to make it clearer would be helpful.

2. High-Level Abilities

You're right that some of the higher-level abilities deal a lot of damage. I think the most flagrant example of this is a Firebender with the Blue Fire greater form. At 20th level, he/she would be able to make 4 attacks per round (using the Firestorm ability), each dealing 9d8 damage (a total of 36d8). I admit that this is a lot of damage, but I keep thinking of things like Disintegrate, Slay Living, Power Attacking for tons of damage, 4+ sneak attacks, and other things high level characters are capable of, it doesn't seem that flagrant. Also remember that they're all bending, and therefore subject to Deflect Bending. I'm more than willing to listen to suggestions to make them more balanced (if you think it's still necessary).

3. Air Shield

I think I'm going to clarify that Air Shield (and its Lesser and Greater versions) require a move action to maintain. Would this make the ability less unbalanced. If the helplessness you're referring to relates to Tornado, remember that it requires concentration to maintain, so an Airbender shouldn't be able to maintain Tornado and use other bending forms or attacks.

4. Firebenders v. Waterbenders

If anything, it should be easier for Waterbenders to deflect Firebender attacks due to the Firebender's penalty on Deflect Bending attacks. The element itself doesn't effect what can be deflected and what can't. Why do you say that Waterbenders don't stand a chance? I mean, the Firestorm ability would mean one attack sneaks by, but there's no reason why a Waterbender wouldn't be able to deflect any of the bending.

Hope this helps. If you still have issues, or I'm misunderstanding you, please clarify so we can work out these issues.

Mephibosheth

[Eighth_Seraph]

Also remember that they're all bending, and therefore subject to Deflect Bending
Oh? Deflect bending specifies that only blasts can be deflected, but that's good to know. My earthbender almost got sliced to small chunks by Reap the Whirlwind, but Earthen Armor really is incredibly useful at that high a level.


Hope this helps. If you still have issues, or I'm misunderstanding you, please clarify so we can work out these issues.

Mephibosheth

Nope, that about does it. I'm mostly worried about damage, since firebenders are infinitely more damage-based than waterbenders, who seem to be the best bender class to work backup whenever there's a large enough source of water nearby. Also, I think it's best that it be made clear how firebending works underwater, since I'm kind of hoping to use Greater Bend Plants to drown my opponent in the duel after using Blind-Fight combined with Fog Cloud and Greater Water Whip combined with Improved Trip to get him into the water at the center of the Oasis, where our duel is taking place. I also think that from the way Katara fought in the show, that Change Phase might also best be used as part of a Manipulate action.

[Ralasha]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned... but your benders seem to have an equal number of forms, high moderate and low, unless you sacrafice one of higher ability, but logically, forms should continue to be gained beyond the inital two... And as far as the far back comment that sand plants and lightning should be seperated... no, just like metal, they are just harder to do, and would be considered a Form with prerequisits. The reasoning being that they take time, and more effort, and the way to bend them while similar, would be at least slightly different from the base elements. *Edit: They would most likely if using a System similar to D&D Be meta-type feats perhaps requiring certain Forms.

*Edit: Adition: One other suggestion is that flight should not necessarily be limited to Glider Staffs, as the war fans could also allow flight if the airbender was good enough.

As for other things, Armor of Ice, and Shelters should be makeble by benders... Aang makes a small hut out of ice, and Bending is done with precision and grace, the earth bending mailmen for instance, could probably build a stone house if they put in the effort. Next: Your system does not Eliminate the possibility of a PC learning all four... since you could just take all four with 5 levels in each at a time One after the other. Air 5, Water 5 (can't gain Air levels), Earth 5 (Can't gain Water/Air levels), Fire 5 (Can't gain water air or earth levels)

[Eighth_Seraph]

...sand plants?

On a note completely unrelated to the character minimum, could one of our resident technique-designers give me a hand with the Vagrant? The thread may have died, but I'm not giving up on that class, 'cause it's just that hard core. It's in the thread Chaotic Monks.

[Ralasha]

sand, plants, lightning, and metal >_> Did your brain misfire? I may not have pnctuated properly, but i thought that perhaps people would have the mental capabilities to understand my intended meaning... perhaps i was wrong.

[averagejoe]

Next: Your system does not Eliminate the possibility of a PC learning all four... since you could just take all four with 5 levels in each at a time One after the other. Air 5, Water 5 (can't gain Air levels), Earth 5 (Can't gain Water/Air levels), Fire 5 (Can't gain water air or earth levels)

If you hadn't noticed, we have PrC's just for that purpose. I think the consensus is that it isn't allowable in the avatar universe (or at least severely frowned upon), but it may be desireable to do so elsewhere.

Plus, I just don't see anyone doing that. I mean, they could go ahead, but they would kind of suck.

[Ralasha]

Well, the thing is, According to the series the "Vine" Benders manipulated the water in the plants, thus not directly manipulating the plants... Purified Metal is still a form of Earth, just not naturally made, and lightning according to Iroh is the purest form of Fire Bending, but still Firebending... Sand is also still Earth, just as clouds are still water. they would probably be High Forms with Prerequisits... and no, they wouldnt really suck... (Earth Bender: "hey nice fullplate!" *bends and crushes you in it*) Water Bender:"Darn... a jungle..." *tangles you, and bends the trees to beat you down* (Firebender: "the generator stopped..." *uses lightning to generate electricity*/ "Oh, water armor..." *electricutes you* "Oh, look your in a puddle..." etc.

[averagejoe]

Ummm... that's not what I was responding to. I think that taking five levels of each bender would suck. You'd do an insignificant amount of damage and have acess to weak forms.

[Ralasha]

Oh... that, yes, i know, just figured i would state the fact that it obviously isn't Only the Avatar that can take all four.

[averagejoe]

And I'm saying that we pretty much decided that the world of avatar would have that additional restriction.

We've also pretty much gone over sand, metal, lightning, and everything. Sand can be bent just like earth can, although there is a sandbender PrC, metal (and I believe plants) both use PrC's, lightning is an advanced form.

[Ralasha]

As i said originally i was not sure if that had been mentioned... since after reading the first 5 pages (which was quite a bit of material), I skipped. But making lightning an Advanced form and not Metal, since there are only 2 people each capable of it, Toff (Metal), and The Princess (Lightning) It becomes slightly unbalanced.

Also, given that sandbending and Vine(Plant) Bending would only come in handy in specific situations, it doesn't make very much sense to make those PrC's.

[averagejoe]

Iroh could do lighting. And, presumably, so can the firelord. Zuko potentially could, if he could get ahold of that, "emotional problems" thing. I actually thought metalbending should be an advanced form, but I got overruled, so I'm not the best one to defend the reasoning behind that.

I'm not sure what you mean by unbalanced.

The sandbender PrC was based off of the tribe of sandbenders who lived in the desert, as featured in the episode The Desert, and the episode after that. Same with plantbending, it was a technique developed by swamp-dwelling waterbenders. I mean, in some senses that's why they are PrC's, because it's a much more narrow type of bending.

[Ralasha]

Actualy, all Iroh could do was Redirect the Lightning. Not Create it. The fire Lord is not proven to be able to.

The Ability to bend Lightning is Akin to the Ability to bend Metal. Having to Sacrafice Levels in your primary class to bend metal when a firebender can just learn to bend lightning is unbalanced because it shows Favor. Another Thing is that Redirecting Lightning is as Iroh says "Very Dificult and Extremely Dangerous" So it would probably be a High Form. As it is Based on Water Bending. Next The Benefits of Each class should be Quite Different. And if i was a Water bender, i wouldn't use an Ice skii to cross water, just make an Ice Bridge, But on the Side of the Dai Li I agree it would be a Presige Class. Tremor Sense is Unique to Tof as far as can be reasoned, thus May be Unique to Blind Earth Bending Masters, or may be a Level 1 only feat for Earth Benders. Like Flight for Air Benders, Healing for Water Benders, and The Ability to take peices of other Elemental Bending Styles for purposes not intended for Firebenders like Redirecting Lightning. *edit*Since it is based on Water Bending.

[averagejoe]

Iroh can create lightning. We saw he could when he tried to teach Zuko to. "Bitter Work," I believe the episode was called. It was the same episode where Aang first learnt earthbending. And redirect lighting is a high form.

Tremorsense isn't what Toph has. We decided that she has Tremorsense On Crack, and it's something unique to her.

Lightning bending doesn't really show favor, and even if it does, that's not what unbalanced means. Anyways, it's been demonstrated that lightning bending is learnable, but as far as we can tell, Toph is the only person ever capable of bending metal.

[Ralasha]

I don't even know where to start... Tof is one of if not THE strongest Earth Bender besides Aang... And she took quite a While to learn to Bend Metal herself. But it is as i said, different from normal Earth Bending, like Lightning Bending is more Akin to Air, if you watch the Styles, you would notice. However it is possible that Tof's "Unique tremorsense, and Blindness (which give her a better insight to earthbending) Are the reasons she is capable of Bending Metal, But if everything else is a PrC Then so too should be Lightning. Not to mention that the movements of Metal Bending seem more fluidic like Water Bending, yet more Agressive like Fire.

[averagejoe]

.....

There's no real reason to think bending lightning is more like bending air, or that metalbending is like water/firebending.

[Ralasha]

Really? Try watching the details of the movements. Rather than just watchign what happens. And -if- you manage to figure out which Martial arts they use, you'll notice that Metal Bending, and Lightning Bending are almost Completely diferent from Earth, and Fire. I'll give you a starter. Fire Bending is Northern Shaolin, Water is Tai Chi.

But Lightning is NOT Northern Shaolin, it is completely Different.

And yes, their Fighting Styles are REAL Martial Arts.

However if you find it to be too difficult for you to figure out, I will tell you ALL of the primary four Martial Arts.

[averagejoe]

Um, okay, but all Toph did to metalbend was hit the metal really hard. It looked pretty much like earthbending.

[Ralasha]

It isn't, it is a Martial Art Style. She used a Specific Move, to get out of the Box, and a different one, to take down the door.

So before you make assumptions based on the idea that Lightning and Metal are not "Equivilant" Perhaps you should make an effort to notice the Facts. Further More, if Lightning is Different, But Metal Bending is not, Then i suggest that LOGICALY Lightning would be a PrC while Metal was something at like 18-20th level.

Especially if it is BASED on D&D's System, In which Very few NPC's ever reach such Levels.

It would actualy go quite a ways into Explaining Why Iroh, can Bend Lightning, and Tof can bend Metal.

However All things Considered, they would probably all be Meta Feats. You do not Bend Vines Because you live in a swamp, you bend vines because you learn how... with experience. You do not instantly master Two Weapon Fighting, You LEARN HOW WITH EXPERIENCE.

[averagejoe]

It isn't a martial arts style. It's a fictional technique for manipulating metal that's derived from martial arts styles. And she used techniques almost identical to her earthbending techniques.

I have to be honest, I don't even know what you mean by lightning and metal being "different" or "not." Different from what? I'm not even sure what you mean by equivilant. It just sounds like you're trying to give the different bending forms a symmetry they don't have.

[Ralasha]

Since you are incapable of this level of mental reasoning, allow me to Clearify.

Air - Ba Gua
Fire - Northern Shaolin Long Fist
Earth - Hung Gar
Water - Tai Chi
Toph - Chu Gar (metal) {Southern Praying Mantis}
Azula - Northern Praying Mantis (Lightning)

However, Sand, is bent like Earth if you watch their movements, while Vine is the same as basic Water Bending. While Metal, and Lightning are nothing like their basic counterparts.

Now That is how Metal and Lightning are Similar, they are Sister Styles. I Clearified since you probably wouldn't be able to figure it out without me doing so. And provided Metal and Lightning.

[averagejoe]

I'll grant that lightning uses different styles, but there's no significant difference between metalbending and normal earthbending. It's just how Toph always bends. But even so, so what? When people are learning different techniques, they learn different movements, yes, but the important part is always the mental component. They rarely have trouble with the actual forms, they always need to overcome mental blocks.

To clarify: the sandbender PrC was created as a nod toward a distinctly different culture. It was decided that sandbending was basically equivilant to earthbending, simply because Toph, a non-desert dweller who despised sand, could bend sand nonetheless. Similarly, it was decided that sandbending required something new because Kitara never seems to be able to bend plants, that technique was unique to a region. It was the internal logic of the world that decided these things.

I assure you, I'm capable of mental feats the likes of which you've never seen. I knew already that the bending forms are based on martial arts, and knowing the names tells me nothing worthwhile. And I'm still not convinced that metal and lightning are similar. You seem to merely be basing it off of arbitrary distinctions, and there's nothing really to support the claim, other than that metal and lightning are wholly different from their counterparts. Which isn't even really true for metal.

I'm not quite sure what "And provided Metal and Lightning," means. If you're going to insult my intelligence, at least be, well, intelligent about it.

[Ralasha]

How to Put this into simpler terms... I understand the sand and plants. No Metal is not basic Earth Bending, just as Lightning is not Basic Fire Bending. There are merely Requirements to meet each. And the fact that each subtype are different styles and forms, means that they are all equivilent in what should be Required.

And you can not say you are capable of Mental feats i have never seen. For all you know, I may be equivilant if in a different direction. I may even know Hawking. Thus you can not say that with any degree of certainty, it is just Arrogance. Not to say i am not likewise Arrogant, but at least I recognize that flaw. Though perhaps this conversation should be taken elsewhere.

[Ralasha]

Absolutely it should, since the show has repeatedly said, especially in Book I, that each Avatar has a spirit guide appropriate to their element. We've already seen Appa and Roku's dragon...I wonder what Kyoshi's spirit guide was...

Kyoshi's Guide was a Panda. >_>

[averagejoe]

I didn't say that metalbending was basic earthbending, I said there was no appreciable difference in the styles Toph displayed when doing either. I've been attempting to tell you our reasoning behind these choices, as you haven't read the entire post, but we're unlikely to change what we've already done. I actually do agree, you will find, that metalbending should in a similar tyr as lightningbending, but the choice has been made and I'll stand by it out of respect for the group. You are, as always, free to disagree, but don't insult my intelligence simply because your inability to write a coherent argument confuses me, don't become hostile just because I disagree with you, and your reasoning is still wrong. There is no reason to believe that metal and lighting bending should be on par with one another at all. Lightningbending is unique to firebending in that it is a pure, emotionless form of bending. Earthbending comes from the realization of the inherent similarities between metal and earth. Not the same thing at all.

[Ralasha]

As you wish, Excuse my insults, and, my Arguments are incoherent because I havent slept for a couple days. Nor really had anything to Eat...

The main reasoning though, upon which I base my argument of Lightning vs Metal is In order to Bend Metal if it is a PrC it requires the sacrafice of other benifits of normal Earth Bending at higher levels... While Lightning does not. I'll just wait until others see what I have said, and go by the concensus.

[Ceiling009]

Personally, I think that Plant bending, Metal Bending, and Lightning Bending are all higher forms of thier respective element. Basically, the more experienced a bender gets, the more intune they are with thier element and the more creative they can get as how they use thier element. I don't quite understand what you two are arguing about either... (Ralasha and Averagejoe), but I'll put in my two cents...
I'd really rather prefer that metal bending be a higher form of earth bending, as it is really just a realization that metal is nothing but purified earth, or at best, that metal still has traces of earth no matter what you do... just like plant bending is sort of high level water bending, as if a water bender realizes that plants and really, all organisms, are a good chunk of water, and that water can be controlled, you can move them. I'd like Metal bending as forms added as Greater forms to earth benders... I agree that Lightning bending is a higher and more pure form of fire, and it's in as higher forms, which I like. Yet, you can still make prestige classes for any of those types easily, because you can do so much even within that type of restriction. A plant bender could be a prestige class, as instead of branching out into all forms of water, they focus mainly on plants and how to bend them, thus forgoing any other forms which would be available to a higher level waterbenders. Same with metal benders, they lose some flexibility, but gain more specific uses... especially with metal doors... and then the lightning bender, which would sacrifice let's say number of dice for larger dice and access to higher level forms to achieve cold fire quicker and used more often. A water, earth, fire, and air bender should be jack of all trades in thier respective element, basically able to do well what a more specified bender, like a metal bender (as an earth bender), could do. Yet, a more specified bender should lose out on some on the basic class feature in return for more proficiencies in thier chosen specificity.

[Ralasha]

Personally, I think that Plant bending, Metal Bending, and Lightning Bending are all higher forms of thier respective element. Basically, the more experienced a bender gets, the more intune they are with thier element and the more creative they can get as how they use thier element. I don't quite understand what you two are arguing about either... (Ralasha and Averagejoe), but I'll put in my two cents...
I'd really rather prefer that metal bending be a higher form of earth bending, as it is really just a realization that metal is nothing but purified earth, or at best, that metal still has traces of earth no matter what you do... just like plant bending is sort of high level water bending, as if a water bender realizes that plants and really, all organisms, are a good chunk of water, and that water can be controlled, you can move them. I'd like Metal bending as forms added as Greater forms to earth benders... I agree that Lightning bending is a higher and more pure form of fire, and it's in as higher forms, which I like. Yet, you can still make prestige classes for any of those types easily, because you can do so much even within that type of restriction. A plant bender could be a prestige class, as instead of branching out into all forms of water, they focus mainly on plants and how to bend them, thus forgoing any other forms which would be available to a higher level waterbenders. Same with metal benders, they lose some flexibility, but gain more specific uses... especially with metal doors... and then the lightning bender, which would sacrifice let's say number of dice for larger dice and access to higher level forms to achieve cold fire quicker and used more often. A water, earth, fire, and air bender should be jack of all trades in thier respective element, basically able to do well what a more specified bender, like a metal bender (as an earth bender), could do. Yet, a more specified bender should lose out on some on the basic class feature in return for more proficiencies in thier chosen specificity.

EXACTLY What i am saying, If one requires a Prestige class, they should ALL Require Prestige Classes. If one does not, None Should. Or You could choose to go with majority. If most do, All should, if most do not, None Should. That way it is Balanced, though i think the healing properties of Water Bending mosy likely like Lightning and Metal.

[Eighth_Seraph]

I vehemently disagree with you, Ralasha. Remember, the rules serve the game, not the other way around. Here, flavor should come first, and the rules be made to serve them, though that is not always the case. If any recall, the hermit with the golem of plants appeared to put a great deal of emphasis on that particular aspect of his bending, and I don't believe that he was ever shown using standard waterbending. Others in the swamp, however, used waterbending with very similar applications to Katara, and she worked effectively alongside them. Thus I believe that a plantbender or vinebender or some hopefully less cliché name be given to the PrC this aspect of waterbending deserves.

However, Iroh and the princess are both extremely proficient firebenders who use standard applications of their bending quite often, yet they use lightningbending not as the primary emphasis on their fighting style, but as a powerful weapon derived from it. Thus I feel that lightningbending is quite well placed as an advanced form for firebenders.

As for Sandbenders, this could go either way. Honestly, I feel that this would go best as a series of techniques that would improve the way sand can be used for earthbenders, each with the Dust Cloud or some new basic sand-oriented form as a pre-req. That, or there can be an earthbender PrC or even a base class focused specifically on the manipulation of sand. At the very least, the sandbenders used very specific skills to actually propel their boats by use of sand with sails, which I don't believe an earthbender could do without specific training. Also, as Joe mentioned, there is culture to take into account. The sandbenders appear to be a very seperate group of people who developed their style of bending based around, like everyone else, what was around them. Thus, a class within itself.

This is not a question of favor. This is a question of how things work best with the information that is given us. If the producers of Avatar want to sue us all for not making a lightningbender prestige class, I'll take full blame and responsibility, fair enough?

[averagejoe]

As for Sandbenders, this could go either way. Honestly, I feel that this would go best as a series of techniques that would improve the way sand can be used for earthbenders, each with the Dust Cloud or some new basic sand-oriented form as a pre-req. That, or there can be an earthbender PrC or even a base class focused specifically on the manipulation of sand. At the very least, the sandbenders used very specific skills to actually propel their boats by use of sand with sails, which I don't believe an earthbender could do without specific training. Also, as Joe mentioned, there is culture to take into account. The sandbenders appear to be a very seperate group of people who developed their style of bending based around, like everyone else, what was around them. Thus, a class within itself.

That's pretty much what I did with the sandbender PrC that's somewhere around here. I made them very powerful when there's a lot of sand, but not so much anywhere else.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Average and Eighth have it right on this one. Lighting bending, as a consensus, was voted to merely be an extremely powerful form of firebending, hence the higher form. Metalbending however is, unfortunately, not seen much on the show. For all we know it is merely a higher form of earthbending, but until someone else does it, and frequently, its best left as a prestiege class with high prequisites so that not every earthbender out there graduates to metalbending once they get to like 18th level. It would remove the importance of the ability if every strong earthbender can do it. Heck, it might just be a Toph only thing because only she sees the impurities in metal and discovered it was merely a purified form of earth. Similiar to how the hick in the swamp could bend vines. You can't really tell if anyone else can even do that, because he's the only one who has done it. And don't say he's a more powerful waterbender then Kitara because she all but schooled him when those two and Aang fought.

He might only be able to do it because of his "enlightened" state of mind, that all things were connected. So while Kitara may be stronger, she doesn't have the same "enlightenment" that the hick has, hence vinebending prestiege class. It's something special, not just a powerful waterbender.

[Ceiling009]

To me it does seem that most of these ideas are really guidelines, and thus the preferences for either an ability being a prestige or just higher forms are really up to a creative DM...

[BCOVertigo]

Mephibosheth you are my hero....I've been looking for this for so long and have now been delivered.
:' )

Edit: After my initial spasm of joy I actually read the thread and would like to extend my praise to all of the people who've worked on this project.

[Ralasha]

Ok, I'll just continue to dissagree silently, though honestly your logic does make sense, but it would depend on the way you look at it in the end. This does not mean I agree.

[mikoto]

My thought was that fire was charisma based and lightning was wisdom based. Whichever is higher is used. Statistically the same as each other

[Ralasha]

good thought, though lightning and Fire are Interchangeble, and you can't know lightning without Fire.

[Tussy the Druid]

I agree with Seraph, on the whole "some are forms, some are classes." Naturally, if someone sort of revelation comes in the upcoming season, changes can always be made.

[Ralasha]

True enough.

[Darkkwalker]

Why not just make them all feats with really high prerequisetes?
Just an idea.

[averagejoe]

Why not just make spells feats with really high prerequisites?

[Eighth_Seraph]

I think that's quite enough bickering for now. Anyway, I have a review for Firebender vs. Waterbender.

Firebender = Unstoppable Offense
Waterbender = Impressive Versatility

It was a close match and there were no magic items allowed, so I'd say that the two classes are very well balanced -- against each other. I lost by ONE attack. Just needed to get one more crack with the Octopus Form and there goes the last 27 health on the firebender. Anyway, good job on here. I'm actually pretty favorable towards a bender campaign at the moment.

[averagejoe]

I was thinking about the PbP recently, specifically about the magic items issue. Not having magic items nerfs the fighters, but in the avatar world the fighters are supposed to be strictly worse than the benders. Just a thought.

To be fair, I still wouldn't mind playing a fighty-guy.

[GryffonDurime]

I was thinking about the PbP recently, specifically about the magic items issue. Not having magic items nerfs the fighters, but in the avatar world the fighters are supposed to be strictly worse than the benders. Just a thought.

To be fair, I still wouldn't mind playing a fighty-guy.

Just because you don't have magic doesn't mean that all magical items need to go...you simply change their flavor. In a normal world, a Masterwork sword represents the ultimate achievement of mundane craftsmanship, but it doesn't have to. You can still have a +5 weapon or armor in such a world, you just change the meaning of the +5 from magic to superior craftsmanship.

But with regard to wondrous items and the like? Yeah, there's very little in the way of methods to make those mundane...

Edit: Well, if you really want to stretch the imagination, I can see the same "It's just really nifty mundane stuff" explanation applied to some magical items/types of bonuses, mostly stuff like equipment that increases skills...boots made for jumping, gloves made for climbing, special glasses made for Spot checks. Nothing too big, but still there can be lower-key nonmagical "magic" items for a nonmagical world.

[YPU]

Ok, I have been lurking and reading up and down the topic a bit. And I thought that sharing some ideas might be useful.
First of all, before the lightning got called lighting, I thought of it as plasma. Now my science on this topic is rather blurred, but I think plasma can very well create lightning. If you think about it that way, lightning would be created by super focused fire bending.
Metal bending, seems somewhat of a psychological effect, toph’s tremorsense allows her to realize, and more, know that metal is part of earth. A common earth bender who puts his hand on metal doesn’t feel earth and thus cant bend it, but if you feel and know it is there it is possible to do.
Lightning, perhaps there should be a feat you need to take before you are able to use the forms. Both forms, feats and PrC can combine, you need a feat to use the forms and can also take a PrC to focus more on it, everybody happy, and possibly more versatile.
Lightning in my opinion is more common than metal bending, the lightning was a shock but not very big, metal has always been mentioned as earth benders anathema, thus came much more as a shock.
PbP would be a good idea to test things some more, I have no problem doing one in which the rules change now and then, count me in.

[Mephibosheth]

Since people are clamoring for more monsters, I present...

Canyon Crawler

Huge Magical Beast
HD: 20d10+120 (230 HP)
Speed: 60 ft (12 squares), Climb 30 ft
Init: +11
AC: 20 (-2 size, +7 Dex, +5 natural armor); touch 15, flat-footed 13
BAB: +20; Grp +42
Attack: Bite +31 (2d8+10)
Full Attack: 1 Bite +31 (2d8+10) and 2 Claws +26 (1d8+10)
Space: 15 ft; Reach: 10 ft
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Swallow Whole, Toss, Diving Charge
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, Low Light Vision, Scent
Saves: Fort +18, Ref 19, Will +7
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 25, Con 23, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 6,
Skills: Climb +20, Hide +17, Jump +34, Listen +3, Move Silently +17, Spot +3, Survival +14 (see below)
Feats: Weapon Focus (bite), Improved Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (claw), Skill Focus (Survival), Improved Grapple (B), Alertness, Track
Environment: temperate hills, plains, and deserts
Organization: solitary, patrol (2-4), swarm (4+)
Challenge Rating: 15
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 23-30 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Canyon Crawlers are vicious hunters, using their finely-tuned sense of smell to locate any food source in their territory and using their impressive speed, climbing ability, and strength to consume anything they can fit into their mouths.
Improved Grab – To use this ability, a Canyon Crawler must hit a creature of any size with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can attempt to swallow the opponent in the following round.
Swallow Whole – A Canyon Crawler can try to swallow a Medium or smaller creature by making a successful grapple check. A swallowed creature takes 2d8+8 points of bludgeoning damage and 8 points of acid damage per round from the Canyon Crawler’s stomach.
Toss - If a Canyon Crawler has successfully initiated a grapple, he/she may attempt to Toss the grappled creature with an opposed grapple check (a standard action). If the Canyon Crawler loses this grapple check, the Toss attempt fails and the Canyon Crawler drops the creature (who lands prone adjacent to the Canyon Crawler in a square of the Canyon Crawler’s choice). If the Canyon Crawler wins this grapple check, the opponent is tossed 10 ft + 5 additional feat for every 5 by which the Canyon Crawler won the grapple check. The opponent lands prone, moving the Toss distance in a straight line chosen by the Canyon Crawler.
Diving Charge – A Canyon Crawler can jump in the air while making a charge, increasing the power of its attack at the expense of accuracy. During a charge, the Canyon Crawler makes a Jump check and adds 3 points of damage for every 10 feet of height the Canyon Crawler achieves using this Jump check. However, the Canyon Crawler also takes a -1 penalty to attack rolls for every 20 feet of height it achieves.
Skills – A Canyon Crawler has a +10 racial bonus on Climb checks and Survival checks. This racial bonus to Survival checks increase to +15 when trying to track by scent. A Canyon Crawler also has a +8 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks.

Comments? Concerns? Want to tell me I'm an idiot? Any abilities I forgot or abilities you think are inappropriate? Let me know how to make it better.

Mephibosheth

[YPU]

You could perhaps drop toss and diving charge, its not they cant do it. But they don’t do it that much better than any other create like them and those other creatures don’t have the ability either.

Ok, I’m plowing trough the bender-base-classes and taking some time now, first of all earth bender, looks pretty cool, although I have some things to note.
First of all, I cant find the range of catapult, I’m probably an idiot for not finding it.
Second of all, move a rock should not be able to move persons trough the air, across earth it can but not across air. To illustrate it cant be: in the serpents pas toph is trapped on an island, if she could have levitated herself on a rock I am sure she would have done it. The same counts for other creatures. It is possible to move somebody in this way, but only when the rock moves still touches the ground or another solid source of rock.

Also, when referring to a spell note what book and what page the spell cant be found. I am sure not everyone knows that earthen grasp is complete arcane.

I am missing this:
Earthen spike: your earth blast doesn’t travel trough the air but instead trough the ground. Your earthen blast negates any cover bonus. You can only use this ability when the target is standing on or next to a source of earth you can touch with your hands or feet.
I don’t know whether this should be a form or feat.

[Yuki Akuma]

You could perhaps drop toss and diving charge, its not they cant do it. But they don’t do it that much better than any other create like them and those other creatures don’t have the ability either.

Ok, I’m plowing trough the bender-base-classes and taking some time now, first of all earth bender, looks pretty cool, although I have some things to note.
First of all, I cant find the range of catapult, I’m probably an idiot for not finding it.
Second of all, move a rock should not be able to move persons trough the air, across earth it can but not across air. To illustrate it cant be: in the serpents pas toph is trapped on an island, if she could have levitated herself on a rock I am sure she would have done it. The same counts for other creatures. It is possible to move somebody in this way, but only when the rock moves still touches the ground or another solid source of rock.

Toph doesn't levitate herself on rocks for the simple reason that if she did she wouldn't be able to see where she's going.

Earthbenders can levitate rocks. You see an earthbender do it in the opening sequence of every episode. Why can't a person stand on a levitating rock?

[YPU]

True, but she wasn’t able to see on the ice either, I am sure that when given the choice between earth and ice she would choose earth any day.
It would basically grant an earth bender a flying speed, I haven’t seen any evidence of that, and it just feels very wrong.

[GryffonDurime]

Toph doesn't levitate herself on rocks for the simple reason that if she did she wouldn't be able to see where she's going.

Earthbenders can levitate rocks. You see an earthbender do it in the opening sequence of every episode. Why can't a person stand on a levitating rock?

Well, it is kind of a gray area. We've seen people levitated on rocks--Haru and his father tossed several people overboard by levitating them with coals over water. But just from the idea, I'd say that the Earthbender moving the rocks can't be on them...it might be a cultural thing, or it might just be that it makes their stances too difficult to perform. Whatever the reason, Earthbenders DON'T do it, at least with themselves as both propulsion and propelled. If they could, wouldn't we have seen them do it in instances where they could have had an aerial advantage?

Thinking about it more, it is probably harder to bend earth that's further away, rather than just at your feet.

[Yuki Akuma]

Thinking about it more, it is probably harder to bend earth that's further away, rather than just at your feet.

Well, to earthbend you need to be in contact with the ground; this is why earthbenders never wear shoes.

If you're floating around on your little rock, all you can really bend is your little rock...

Perhaps we could just say that if an earthbender isn't in contact with the ground (such as levitating on a rock in the air), they can't earthbend (except levitate their little rock in the air...)? It would fit the flavour and would stop earthbenders stealing the airbenders' 'attack from above!' thing.

[YPU]

Ah, here’s an idea. When you bend a material you change its position in reference to you. But when you are atop the object you cant change its position in this way because you would move with it. Its like trying to pull yourself up by your own hair.
So you can transport somebody on it, but not yourself. Since the speed is quite low, and your purpose quite clear once the ground starts lifting any creature is capable of moving out of the way. Presuming it can move and is aware of the ground lifting.

And the metal bending form, feat, whatever. Everything Toph does with metal could be done by a very strong person, right. After all she just throws and breaks it, nothing as fancy as other bending like having it float. So perhaps the metal bending skill should grant a strength bonus only working when you try to manipulate metal. Perhaps a strength bonus of earth bender lever + wisdom modifier?
EDIT: and another thing, iroh clearly uses ‘breath of the dragon’ for longer than 1 round, perhaps ad this in: breath of the dragon can be performed for longer then 1 round, if you want to try and continue to use it after the first use make a concentration check at the beginning of your next turn, the dc is 10 + 5 for every turn you try this. Wetter or not you succeed it counts as using a attack action. You can only maintain fire breath for a number of round equal to your constitution modifier. After you fail the consecration check or end it yourself you can not use breath of the dragon for a number of rounds equal to 1d4 plus the number of round you have tried to use it.
Ok, that is to long and needs to be redone a bit. But the form seems a little underpowered for a greater form, this might balance it.

[GryffonDurime]

Well, to earthbend you need to be in contact with the ground; this is why earthbenders never wear shoes.


Not quite. Think back. Haru and the other Earthbenders were manipulating the coal, but they were on a boat out at sea. They weren't even touching the coal at the end; they were bending it at a distance. Granted, you could explain this by saying something about Cooperative bending. But even still, they don't always have to be in contact with the earth.

[YPU]

Not quite. Think back. Haru and the other Earthbenders were manipulating the coal, but they were on a boat out at sea. They weren't even touching the coal at the end; they were bending it at a distance. Granted, you could explain this by saying something about Cooperative bending. But even still, they don't always have to be in contact with the earth.
Hm, I am sure you can bend earth you do not touch. If you would take some time I am sure you can find a lot of proof for this. The bare feet thing, it just feels better. Like water bending is a bit stronger when the moon is out. It might feel a bit better to the bender. But doesn’t offer any game bonuses.
When it comes to classes, what classes would be available in a avatar campaign?
Here’s my opinion, if I am doubling something already discuses, sorry couldn’t find it.
Barbarian: fits perfectly. No changes needed.
Bard: nope, that really doesn’t fit, you can take perform but there really isn’t any magic in it.
Cleric: definitely not. But perhaps a prestige class that offers bonuses because of a very strong believe.
Druid: not, but perhaps a spirit shaman class?
Fighter: sure, any campaign has them.
Monk: make it martial artist, I am sure they don’t need to be lawful, in an avatar campaign this is the main martial class.
Paladin: no no no.
Ranger: yes, but the spells need to be adopted. I don’t like the complete warrior variant. So, perhaps a set of prehensile bending skills learned from living rough? Just a bit of the bender variants of the ranger spells, a few nice utilitarian skills.
Rogue: jup, sure about that.
Sorcerer: no
Wizard: no

If everybody agrees on the ranger thing I will try and make some rules for it.
Yup, another thing I came up with. Ad to the heal forms: this form can be taken multiple times, every time you take it you can use this form three additional times per day

[Holocron Coder]

I seem to have stumbled upon this all much too late to really give an opinion over anything :). It is well worked out, although not quite to my liking, personally. Many good details, but many I disagree on also.

Thus, instead, I will try to contribute in this form, although I may be late on that.

My initial thought was for a high form for water. Remember during the season 1 finale, the column of water that Master Pakku used to bring himself up off the ground and attack several tanks and soldiers? I'm not sure of the exact mechanics of the deal, but it seems that it would be
a) bringing the character off the ground X number of feet
b) held in place by a concentration check
c) gave a bonus to attacking with large water bending moves (aka water waves, but not water wips)

That is all I have at the moment, but I'll definitely come up with other things :) hopefully not too late into production.

[Ceiling009]

Actually, I decided to run an Avatar DnD game at my college, and I allowed almost all classes, but the casting classes... I basically used the complete warrior version of the ranger, re-wrote the druid class to have no spells, but some bending, an re-wrote the bard class with some things from the d20 modern take on charisma based classes. I sort of generalized things more, but still kept the flavor of the show... So far they're level 3...
Edit:
Also, since none of my players have really used deflect bending...
here are some of my questions...
Which BAB do you use for deflect?
I assume it's a ranged attack?
And at first level... A bender would almost never attack first, right? (when it comes to fighting another bender...)
Also I was thinking, along with a friend of mine, that to solve this, the player can choose which BAB they can attack with or deflect with...

[Darkkwalker]

I'm not sure whether this has been brought up or not but I think deflect bending should function like fighting defensively or like parry feats.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Well, in the duels I used to playtest these classes, I used Deflect Bending quite a bit, but that's because our duelists were level 20. I found that the classes' partial BAB meant that sacrificing a blast, especially for fire and earthbenders, is a big deal, since there's only three or four attacks in a full attack.

One change that I would like to make but would be absolutely horrendous to stat up would be to completely overhaul the form system to make it more like epic casting. In short, make rules and guidelines for range, the control limits on each element, area effect and all that other good stuff. By doing so, the classes become less centered around the character's build or blast damage (which can still be used to control damage from forms), and more on the player's creativity. In the avatar world, especially near the end of the Book of Earth, it becomes apparent that forms were not limited in any way, as Katara and Zuko each create tentacles of fire and water, respectively, which each must have been twenty feet long at least. Toph takes two boulders and uses them as roller skates and Aang did most everything imaginable. That seems better modeled by a 'make your own forms' method, with examples and exceptions like Octopus Form specifically statted up. Anyone willing to undertake such a serious venture?

[averagejoe]

@^ maybe if I wasn't in school.

's a good idea, just logistically tricky.

[Ceiling009]

So far, in my game... I sort of treated everything bending that wasn't concerned with combat somewhat like prestidigiation with thier respective element and made them do concentration checks. My only other complaint would be that since forms are somewhat like spells to a wizard, it is feasible to learn all the known forms for your respective discipline, so I would like to overhaul the forms to more like manuevers and stances like in the ToB... and it would be nice to create a template of sorts to make up new manuevers especially at the higher levels, which aren't necessarily epic to introduce more creativity... since high level benders do start to understand that thier imagination plays a large role for a lot of bending forms.

[YPU]

Indeed, when you are the best there is (like the hero’s start to be at the end of book two) there is no one to teach you so you have to make up your own forms.

[Stick_Ninja]

Im just back on the boards from an extended absence and also i have recently gotten hooked on avatar. I have looked through the classes and want to say well done to everyone who has contributed, especially Mephibosheth.

I really love the material and i look forward to using it sometime.:smallsmile:

[Enlong]

Is there still going to be a PbP game to test the effectiveness of these classes?

[Eighth_Seraph]

There already have been, I believe, atleast two. Wasn't part of either one, but I'm sure there's always an unemployed DM with a new theme burning a hole in his pocket.

Anyway, does anyone have any possible prototypical way for a more customization on forms?

[averagejoe]

Well, one could just use evocative description. In the above mentioned example of the Zuko/Kitara fight, they could just be using fire blast and water blast, as well as the blocking forms, just having it look different.

[Thantos]

I have been reading all of this for a couple days now, I try to be complete in my understading. And although the classes are great, and the same goes fro the show, what about non-human benders, that is can there be Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and/or Halfings? If there is are the bending classes racial strick such as only dwarves are Earth benders? I guess it comes down to is bending Genetic or taught. In other words an earth bender's son can only be an earth bender or if given the proper teaching could he learn fire bending. Of course he wouldn't be able to do both, just one or the other.

[Ralasha]

Not necessary just one, but no-one besides the Avatars have ever tried to learn more than one, however, it seems quite obvious only the Avatar can master all four. He just has to train in them and they add to his current bending forms. But others probably could learn to bend 2 forms. It would just be very difficult, and the farther you got into one form, the harder it would be to learn another. But thats just my thought on it, and it would be seperate classes. As aposed to the Avatar.

[Thantos]

Yeah, that seem kind of right but I just ment can a son born to earth benders become fire benders, that is just a fire bender. Excluding the Avatar, does the type you bend have to do with your parents?

Oh yeah and what about non-human humaniod benders? That is if elves lived in the avatar world could they become benders two? If so would they all be water benders or just one type of bender or could you have earth, fire, water and air elven benders

[Stick_Ninja]

It seems to me that bending abilities are similar to dragonmarks from eberron in that only certain houses can bend certain elements, but i dont think race matters...

[Thantos]

Well that works for me. Does anyone have an idea as to how demigraphics would work in the avatar world with fantasy races living in it?


:roach: Evil Buggie thingie!:roach:

[Thantos]

Where is everyone? Yikes Long time between posts.

Sorry but I kinda get impacation sometimes.

[averagejoe]

No worries. For the avatar universe, only humans are really appropriate, although I suppose one could brew up different stats for the different nations. Outside of that, I really don't see why other races couldn't be benders. One could rule that certain races have more of an affinity to certain elements, as a sort of fluff, but restricting classes by race has been out of style since second edition.

[Eighth_Seraph]

However you want, depending on the world. Earth works best for Dwarves, Humans with Fire or Water (Offensive nature and ability to change), Gnomes with Air (the element of freedom), Elves with Air or Water (Freedom and bond with nature), Orcs and their lineage with Earth or Fire.

Honestly, I would just make that if one was born and/or raised in the area where the bending is practiced and is taught, then the character gains the appropriate bond to the element and gains the ability to be taught the respective bending discipline.


Alright, y'know what? I am totally ready to start the long, drawn-out project that making customizable forms will be. I'll start with water. My idea is this: Each bending discipline has various basic ways in which the element can be used, which would translate to something akin to Epic Spellcasting's seeds. I would call these 'forms' but for the sake of avoiding confusion, let's call them Seeds. Every bender has an amount of control over her respective element, controlled by class level and Wisdom, which allows expanded use of these Seeds. Here's a quick-and-dirty example.


Waterbending Seed: Tentacle

This seed creates a tentacle of water up to five feet long/6 class levels (minimum five feet). Each tentacle can execute a single slam attack per turn that deals 1d8 damage with a strength score equal to the bender's Wisdom score and uses the bender's base attack bonus. Each tentacle can also make a trip attempt against any opponent it can reach, counting as a large creature when doing so. A waterbender using this form can choose to forgo an attack from each tentacle in in order to attempt to negate an attack of any type on the Waterbender. The tentacle makes an opposed attack roll and negates the attack if it exceeds the opponent’s attack roll. Maintaining these tentacles throughout the turn in order to do this requires that the Waterbender concentrate each turn, and thus can take no physical actions, but may take purely mental ones. A Waterbender may make one tentacle/8 class levels as a standard action, and one tentacle/4 class levels as a full-round action.



Whattaya think? Too complicated? Good, bad, ugly? If anyone else actually likes this idea, it may be a good time to make another thread for it.

[averagejoe]

Not too complex. The only thing is I know nothing about epic spellcasting, and thus I don't know what seeds are. All I know about epic levels is monks can get to so they can throw back artilary fire.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Heh. I've never gone epic before either, but I checked out the SRD. What I'm thinking is that there's a few basic seeds all benders start out knowing, then they can choose from more as they level up. There could be some relating to shards of ice, spikes of ice, controlled use of water vapor. So does this seem like a good idea to you guys then?

[averagejoe]

Yes, it does. Potentially.

[Thantos]

So would that replace the curent "forms" all ready on the classes.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Yeah, that's the idea. Making 'em with this format was pretty easy for the element of water, but fire and air will both be far more difficult, since the way we have fire now is all about different ways to apply Fire Blast damage to multiple opponents or in area effects. Either way, I've got another pair of water forms all made, so we can all get a good idea of what I'm proposing; if you still like the idea, we can start a new thread with the revised bending classes.


Basic Waterbending Form: Ice Shards

Using this form, a waterbender creates a number of small, dagger-like slivers of ice equal to her class level (maximum 10) which she then throws at any opponent within a 60-foot cone, splitting the attacks between multiple opponents within the cone as desired. Each shard deals 1d4 damage, half of which is cold damage and half of which is piercing, with a reflex save for half damage. Alternatively, a waterbender may choose to use these shards as actual daggers in melee combat, in which case they deal 1d4 piercing as well as 1d4 cold damage upon successful attacks.

Moderate Waterbending Form: Healing

With the use of this form, a waterbender unleashes water's latent ability to heal that which it touches. This form heals 1d8 damage/5 class levels +1/class level (maximum 20) to any creature the waterbender can touch. A waterbender may use this form a number of times per day equal to half her class level (rounded down).

[Ceiling009]

I like the forms/seeds, they really do allow the variety and flexibility the benders have in the show... but in tentacle seed... I would probably make it more like 1ft per class level, and the number you can make, imo, should be be 1 tentacle per 4 levels as a standard action, and 1 tentacle per 2 class levels as a full round.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Alright, looks like we're going to need another thread then, if we're going to stat and balance all of these. Will do so now, and as soon as I have Mephibosheth's permission I'll go ahead and copy/paste the bending classes into the new thread as well.

[Mephibosheth]

I will admit complete unfamiliarity with the epic spellcasting rules and with TOB in all forms. I'd have to see an explanation of how it would work and how things would play out. I'm not opposed to looking into the idea, but I don't think that we should abandon the warlock-base unless absolutely necessary, if only because it's simpler for people without access to TOB to use and allows for almost as much customization, especially if you allow homemade forms or have a large enough list.

Mephibosheth

[Eighth_Seraph]

I've never gone epic, seen a Tome of Battle or laid eyes upon the Warlock class, so I'm really just working on the SRD's description of epic spells at the moment, too. In any case, I see no reason not to keep the basis on each element's blast. Indeed, the only thing that would be changed at all would be the forms themselves. Either way, I'm not going to make changes to your homebrew on the forums without your permission, so it's really your choice if this gets off the ground or not.

[Ceiling009]

Interestingly enough, I really like the warlockesque versions of the benders, because it sort of restricts the PC into idea of what they want to do with bender, and plan out thier progression a little more. Also with Prestige classes, all the ones I wrote for my ongoing Avatar game have a lot to do with a philosophy based on what forms they know, as in it's the basis for the direction of the class. Yet, the ToB sort of makes more mechanics sense, since, forms are sort of like spells in a way, since the reality of martial arts and thier techniques are a lot like that. I'd like to see how both ways go, but I'm currently happy enough with the warlockesque system.

[Thantos]

I agree with Ceiling009 in that I like the preset forms. However I think that there should be guid lines to making new forms. That would allow the simplisity of the curent one yet allow for more custom combonations to happen.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Seems I'm overruled, then. No idea how to limit the making of new forms to specific guidelines, since there's far too large a range of possibilities with the elements to account for everything. For example, I just finished up a Two-on-Two duel (Air+Fire vs. Water+Earth) earlier this afternoon, and the amount of on-the-spot rule making was really astounding. Creative uses of Play with Fire abounded, with my personal favorite being the movement of a Wall of Fire through the air holes in a five-foot square box made by use of Earthen Shield. That or the Greater Tornado combined with play with fire and a full-round concentration to make a tornado that deals Fire Blast damage, or would have if a five-foot thick sheet of ice hadn't been in the way. Not that they could see it through the Dust Cloud, of course.

What seems to be the bottom line is that bending the elements is a matter of creativity within rule barriers, and there's no way to account for everything. Just make sure you DM is a good one before using bending classes in a campaign.

(EDIT) w00t!!!1one. B4rb4r14n 1n da Pl4ygr0und FTW

[Mephibosheth]

Are you ready for my easy solution to this dilemma? I suggest that we...






Do both! There's no reason not to have variant rules in the Avatar d20 sourcebook. For people who like the progression and simplicity of the Warlock-like structure, they can use the original versions. For people who want more detail and originality, they can use the seed-based version. That way, there's something for everyone.

Mephibosheth

[Rejakor]

In relation to the lifting up rocks with people on them thing, and flying, I tend to go with the "you can't lift yourself by grabbing your own belt" side of the argument. However, you can most certainly lift up the rocks underneath someone and lift the rock around with someone on it. "The Boulder" does this to "The Big Fat Hippo" in episode 6, earth book.

[YPU]

So, I have a bunch of people who would like to try out avatar D20 sometime. And are experienced with d20, more or les. Any thing you guys would like tested? And even more, any suggestions for some fun adventures?
So, as my players asked, are there ability modifiers for the different people of the avatar world?
First of earth kingdom should be +2 con -2 dex, that’s probably quite obvious.
Air should have a dex bonus perhaps +2 dex -2 con, they are quick but perhaps a bit frail?
Water. Should not have a modifier. They are the adaptable and don’t focus on any ability.
Fire, a strength bonus seems appropriate to the fire kingdom mindset, but they don’t look that much stronger than others.

[Khaeldin]

Hi guys. I recently saw this thread when I was searching for random avatar stuff on the web. First thing all of you ought to know is that Wikipedia has a major page for all of the bending styles including substyles, shown abilities, and theoretical abilities. Secondly, I'd want to say that, though I do like your ideas for cross-element PrC's, I think that, instead of trying to find things made of the two elements being crossed, find a battle tactic that utilizes both elements. Example: The fast, unrelentless aggression of fire with the crushing power of earth equals lots of charging. A bender uses the "catapult" form to launch himself at the enemy at high speeds, then encases his fist in fire and delivers a punch for major damage, with the downside that, if he misses, he may hit something slightly less forgiving than his foe. Perhaps a water/air bender creates ice projectiles, throws them, then propels them with a blast of air to give them almost bullet-like speed. I am also looking into more martial versions of the benders and will post my first "waterbender warrior" asap. The final purpose of this post is to beg and pleade to all DM's out there who may still have a spot open in an avatar campaign that I may join. Good day, gents.

[Ceiling009]

I'm running a game, and one of the most interesting tactics i've seen in the game is for a firebender with blades of fire being launched by the earthbender with catapult, then the airbender speeding up the firebender with an airblast... this does quite a lot of damage at the expense of firebender... who in my game is a bit crazy. At some point I sort of want to post some of my prestige classes for the Avatar game, mostly because, while they don't sometimes fit the flavor of the show, they sort of work with the entire idea of the campaign.

[YPU]

Hm, concerning the fire breath, I still think it should be possible to use it for multiple rounds after each other. I mean, iroh actually walks around while using it.

[Khaeldin]

Well, just great the tables from my original document didn't transfer right. Well they are still readable just not pretty. If they raise questions just ask.

This is my attempt at creating a “warrior” waterbender. I basically made a variant of the soulknife class and gave it a “Kratos” them (the kick ass dude from God of War). Be warned! It has not been tested in anyway; this is a ROUGH DRAFT! I enjoy constructive criticism but please judge the concept, not the numbers. Numbers can be easily tweaked. I will also warn you that it might not completely fit with show’s representation of the water tribe. I’m one of those guys who thinks that “unless they tell you that you can’t do it, you can”. So I took a few liberties from the show while I was creating this. So, without further ado: The ICEBLADE!!!


THE ICEBLADE:
The Iceblades represent the water tribes’ more “tribal” side, so to speak. They specialize in training with a pair of frozen wrist blades attached to their hands which they use almost exclusively in combat. However, the nature of these weapons, especially when they are attached to waterwhips, allows for hundreds of combat options, which plays to the water motif of flexibility in combat. That, however is where the similarity between the iceblades and traditional waterbenders ends. Where traditional waterbenders try to discipline themselves in order to take emotion out of combat, iceblades embrace the “battle drama”. They do not fly into reckless rages like barbarians do, but, rather, utilize their emotion to motivate themselves. This causes them to be impetuous in battle. The war cry of the iceblades of the southern water tribe is last sound many unfortunate firebenders have heard.
Hit die: d10

PREREQUISITES:
BAB: +5
Class Ability: Change Phase, Forge Ice Weapon(light) form.
Feats: Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Defense

PARTY ROLE: The Iceblade fills the role of the beast of the group. First in line to fight and last to leave, his ability to attack and perform a number of special abilities from range usually puts him right in the middle of it, in order to put as many enemies as possible with the range of his deadly blades. Sacrificing the powerful defensive abilities of waterbenders for deadly offensive ones, the Ice blade is the balance to the waterbender’s defensive style.

CLASS SKILLS: Climb, Craft, Profession, Jump, Balance, Tumble, Intimidate, Swim
SKILL POINTS/LEVEL: 2 + Int mod

WEAPON/ARMOR PROFICIENCY: Iceblades gain proficiency with medium armor and their ice blades of course.




THE ICEBLADE
Lvl BaB Fort Ref Will Special
1 1 2 2 0 Ice Blades(1d6), Slow Fall 30 ft.
2 2 3 3 1 Ice Blades(Disarm/Trip)
3 3 3 3 1 Climbing, Lesser Harpoon
4 4 4 4 1 Ice Blades(1d8), Evasion
5 5 4 4 2 Slow Fall 50ft, Harpoon, Ice Blade Affinity
6 6 5 5 2 Quick Reform
7 7 5 5 2 Ice Blades(2d4), Greater Harpoon
8 8 6 6 3 Swinging
9 9 6 6 3 Slow Fall 70ft, Whirlwind Attack
10 10 7 7 3 Ice Blades(1d10), Ice Blade Mastery, Vapor Execution



ICEBLADES (Su): This is the ability that the Iceblade is structured to, as the name suggests. As a full round action, an Iceblade can use her manipulate ability along with change shape to create two twin katar-like blades that are frozen to her wrists and wielded as if they were a double weapon. An Iceblade is automatically proficient with her ice blades. As the Iceblade gains experience, she learns to attach these blades to waterwhips and lash out with them from a distance. If they are shattered, they can be reformed any number of times provided there is a sufficient amount of water within 100ft + 10ft. per Iceblade lvl + Waterbender lvl + Wis modifier.

ICE BLADE LEVEL AND DAMAGE
Lvl Damage
1-3 1d6
4-6 1d8
7-9 2d4
10 1d10









As the Iceblade grows in power, she learns many ways to use her ice blades to manipulate the battlefield:

DISARM/TRIP (Ex): At 2nd level, by melting her ice blades into waterwhips, an Iceblade can make disarm and trip attempts with her ice blades as if they were a weapon designed for that purpose. Also, she gains a +2 bonus to the opposed attack roll to disarm an opponent and a +2 bonus to the strength check to trip an opponent. However, an Iceblade may not drop her ice blades to avoid being tripped in the attempt. And if she is disarmed in her attempt, her ice blades are shattered.

LESSER HARPOON (Su): At 3rd level, an Iceblade’s blades are no longer frozen to her wrists, but are attached to waterwhips which are then frozen to her wrists. She can now make ranged attacks with her ice blades. She still only threatens an area in a 5ft radius around her. The blades do not have a range increment but cannot reach past 30ft.

HARPOON (Su): At 5th level, the Iceblades skill with using her blades as ranged weapons increases. The max range of her ice blades increases to 40ft. She can now also attempt to disarm or trip her opponents with them from range.

ICE BLADE AFFINITY (Su): At 5th level, the Iceblade begins to let her blades become part of her. She can, by molding the phase and shape of her blades, perform simple mundane tasks (such as picking up items, opening doors, etc.) within the range her blades’ reach. Complex or skillful tasks such as picking locks are excluded.

QUICK REFORM (Su): At 6th level, it only takes a standard action for an Iceblade to reform her blades.

GREATER HARPOON (Su): At 7th level, the Iceblade has mastered ranged combat with her blades. The max range of her blades is now 50ft. and she gains the special ability to “harpoon” her foe, and then reel it in close to her. As a full round action, she can attack her foe with a ranged attack and attempt to “impale” her foe. If she hits with this attack she does weapon damage normally, and she can then use her waterwhip to hurl the opponent (which can only weigh 25lbs. per Iceblade lvl + waterbender lvl with a 375 pound max) in a chosen direction. This works like the Violent Thrust technique of the Telekinesis spell, except SR and Will saves are not allowed. If she chooses, an Iceblade may haul the victim toward her, which immediately places the victim on a square of the Iceblades choice that is adjacent to her. She can then immediately attack the victim with her other ice blade, and the target will be treated as flat-footed.

ICE BLADE MASTERY (Su): At 10th level, the Iceblades blades have become extensions of her physical body. She can now, by molding the state and shape of her blades, perform any mundane action within the range of her blades. This includes skillful and complex actions such as picking locks, disabling traps and such.

VAPOR EXECUTION: This is a technique that has long been thought merely a myth. Once per day, as a full round action, the Iceblade can vaporize her blades and force them into the lungs of her target. If the target lacks lungs, the stomach can be substituted but this technique cannot be performed on beings lacking a mouth. Also, if the target makes a will save (DC = ½ * (Iceblade lvl + waterbender lvl) + wis mod), it succeeds in denying the vapors entry to its body. However, once the vaporized blades have entered the target’s body, it is a simple standard action for the Iceblade to resolidify them and subsequently rip them out, tearing out nearly all of the targets vital organs and killing it instantly. In the event that a target has a mouth but it has no vitals (undead, a few constructs, etc.) it is instead dealt 7d6 slashing damage. The Iceblade may hold her blades vaporized in the target for up to one week. During this time she cannot use her blades again until she either releases her control of the vapor (a free action) or rips the blades out. Also, she cannot reform a separate pair of blades while this is in effect.


SLOW FALL (Ex): As per the monk ability, except that in order to perform this maneuver an Iceblade must have her ice blades formed. If she uses her blades to slow her fall by more than half the max height which can be negated, her ice blades shatter from the stress and must be reformed.

CLIMBING (Su): At 3rd level, an Iceblade gains the ability to melt her ice blades, and then refreeze them into the cracks of vertical surfaces, thus allowing her to function as per the spider climb spell. She can maintain this effect for a number of rounds equal to her class level + her Wis modifier and can spread this length over a number of uses.

EVASION (Ex): As per the rogue ability.

SWINGING (Ex): At 8th level, an Iceblade can use her ice blades as grappling hooks to assist in jump, climb, and balance checks. Whenever a check for one of these skills is called, the Iceblade can forego the use of one or both of her ice blades in order to gain a +5 or +7 competence bonus to that one check. At the beginning of the next round, she regains the use of any ice blades used this way.


WHIRLWIND ATTACK (Ex): At 9th level, an Iceblade gains the benefites of the Whirlwind Attack feat even if she does not meet the prerequisites.



Now, as you have noticed, this is no creation out of the blue. It is based heavily off of a number of themes. 1.) KRATOS!! I have been trying to convert Kratos’ abilities to dnd for some time but never could find a class that used blades attached to chains lashed to someone’s wrist. 2.) The Soulknife. Anyone with the psionics handbook will notice that many of the Iceblades abilities are almost identical to some soulknife abilities. While I do not have psionics handbook (not having that sucked when I was making this class. Believe me there), I knew OF the soulknife and decided make a variant of him for this class. If any of you out there has the handbook and wishes to change anything about this class let me know.
Hopefully I will be able to get martial classes for the other elements out soon, but I don’t know. The thing I want to be sure of is that the abilities of these classes cannot be emulated by benders of other elements. A fire bender could, in theory, make fire wrist blades, but making “fire whips” and lashing them to his wrist wouldn’t work because the whips would burn his hand off. Not only that, if a firebender wants to engage an enemy from range, he wouldn’t bother with complex blades and lashes, he would just start shooting bunches of fire balls: It’s more efficient to recreate fire from his own body heat than to attempt to sustain and mold a lash of fire.



NEW FORMS

These are some new forms I thought of while making the iceblade. Note that one of them is a requirement for becoming an iceblade. I don’t know if I’m repeating someone else’s ideas or not (I’m assuming now that if they aren’t in the form lists at the beginning of the forum they haven’t been suggested), but if I do, just let me know.


LESSER FORMS:

-Craft Ice Weapon (light): This form allows a waterbender to fashion a light slashing or piercing weapon out of ice. There must be enough water within bending range to do so. The amount of water needed is equal to the weapons weight (1lbs. of water to make a 1lbs. weapon). The feats weapon focus and finesse will apply to all weapons made by the waterbender.

-Lesser Healing Water: As Cure Light Wounds

-Ice Slick: As per the spell, Grease, except that, instead of a coating of grease, the ground becomes coated with ice, and this form cannot be used to make a ladder or what not slick.

-Downwind Charge: When the airbender charges, he creates a heavy wind behind him, granting his charge attack more speed and power. When charging, the airbender can move an additional 10ft toward his opponent. If he makes a charge attack and hits, the attack does an additional 4 damage.

MODERATE FORMS:

-Craft Ice Weapon (one-handed): Functions as Craft Ice Weapon (light) except that the waterbender can now craft any one-handed slashing or piercing weapon or a light bludgeoning weapon.

-Encase: The waterbender creates an ice prison around the target, shutting them out from the outside world. The target takes his or her turn normally, but must break through the ice prison before he or she has line of sight to anything outside the prison. The prison has a hardness and hp relative to bender level (I don’t know how to crunch the numbers here but a character of the same level should take an average of 3 rounds or so to break free). Also, anyone from outside the prison has to break through it in order to interact with anyone inside. If the encased target is another waterbender, he or she may make an opposed concentration check with the caster to change the ice to water or vapor. In this case the caster receives a +5 circumstance bonus to the check because he or she already has control of the water.

-Death from Above: With this form, an airbender can use his or her glider to fly over the target, then falls to the ground with a devastating kick. (This is just a concept I have no idea how to make this one work)

[Ceiling009]

Polar Warrior
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a219/Ceiling90/pwchart.jpg
Alignment: Any
Hit die: d8
Class Skills: Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (History), Listen, Profession, Spot, Survival, Swim, Use Rope
Skill Points at Each Additional Level – 4 + Int Modifier
Prerequisites: Waterbending, Use Rope 8 ranks, Concentration 8 ranks, Able to use Lesser Waterbending Forms, and must know the Water Whip and Slice forms; also able to use the Change Phase, Manipulate, and Ski abilities.
Special: Polar Warrior and Waterbender levels stack for the purpose of determining effectiveness of many of the Waterbending/Ice Forms and range of Water blast and Change Phase and Manipulate.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency – A Polar Warrior gains no new weapons and armor proficiencies.

La’s Blessing - A Polar Warrior must conserve water constantly as to be never unarmed, thus any the maintenance DC of water used in any of their forms are reduced by 5.

Sudden Strike – Complete Adventurer; +1d6 at level 1 and another additional d6 every two levels afterwards.

Third Hand – A Polar Warrior is so skilled with their Water Whip, that they can use as an extension of their hand, able to pick up and manipulate objects from 15 ft away. Using this ability is a standard action, they must “attack” said object. To deposit an item that is lashed, is considered a move action, but manipulating i.e. striking, is a standard action.

Prominence of Water – A Polar Warrior can draw water from almost anywhere, thus taking a standard action, and making a Concentration check of 10 + 1 per 10 ft past their Manipulate range, to draw water from sources further away than their normal Manipulate range. The Water also moves at 40 ft per round as long as the Polar Warrior is concentrating.

Quick Change – Polar Warrior, as a swift action change their Water Whip into any other weapon like form they know.

Blast Substitution – A Polar Warrior, as a swift action substitute one of their Water blasts into a range Form.

Dual Blast – Once per round, a Polar Warrior may use both hands to effectively make a Water blast that is twice as large as their normal Water blast, thus dealing twice the damage.

Ice Forms
Beginning at 1st level, Polar Warriors learn to manipulate water to ice in a variety of ways. As shown on the above table, a Polar Warrior learns his/her first form at 1st level and learns new forms as he/she increases in level. Unless otherwise stated, using an Ice form is a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. A Polar Warrior is considered to have a caster level equal to his/her Polar Warrior level for the purpose of adjudicating forms that duplicate spell effects. All bending forms (including Water Blast, Deflect Bending, and Manipulate) have somatic components. Unless otherwise stated, a bender can only use one bending form per round, even if his/her actions would allow the use of more than one.

Lesser


Water Whip – As Lesser Water Whip, except that it deals 1d8 damage instead of the standard whip damage and grants a +4 bonus to disarm attempts and attempts to disrupt bending instead of the usual +2 bonus. The Waterbender is also able to apply their strength modifier to the damage dealt with the Water Whip. Water used in this form can be maintained with a successful DC 20 concentration check. Weapon Form

La’s Fang – Like the spell Ice Knife, with the range of half the Polar Warrior’s Water blast range. Ranged Form

Ice Blade - The Polar Warrior creates a Blade of Ice, the Blade has the same stats as a Jian (Elven Thinblade) (allowing precision based damage), and they are considered proficient with the Ice Blade. The Ice Blade last 1 minute per level of Polar Warrior. Water used in this form can be maintained with a successful DC 20 concentration check. Weapon Form

Icy Slice – As Lesser Slice, except that it also freezes the object, cause it to be very brittle, thus removing its hardness.

Moderate

La’s Bite – Like the spell Ice Dagger, with the range of half the Polar Warrior’s Water blast range. It also only does 1d4 (maximum 10d4) per level of Polar Warrior. Ranged Form

Water Whip, Greater – As Water Whip, except that it deals 1d10 damage instead of 1d8 and grants a +6 bonus to disarm attempts and attempts to disrupt bending. On any successful hit with the Water Whip, the Waterbender can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or an attack of opportunity. If the trip attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the Waterbender. Water used in this form can be maintained with a successful DC 25 concentration check. Weapon Form
Ice Javelin – A Polar Warrior can make javelins of ice that launch themselves at the target; one javelin per two levels of Polar Warrior. The Polar Warrior must roll a normal ranged attack (thus precision based damage) to hit with the javelins; also he also has the option of making only one javelin which will last 1 minute per level of Polar Warrior, all the javelins have the same stats as a normal javelin. Water used in this form can be maintained with a successful DC 25 concentration check. Weapon Form

Frozen Soil – A Polar Warrior can forgo doing any damage with their water blast but instead freeze their opponent in place. The subject of the blast must make a Fort save or be frozen in place and be considered flat-footed. If the subject makes the Fort save, the subject must make a Dex check to move out of the frozen square or suffer a -2 to AC.

Greater

La’s Wrath – As the spell Ice Flowers, except that it targets three separate 5 ft squares. Each square is dealt 5d6 damage, can be stacked on the same square. Each square has reflex save (10 + half the level of Polar Warrior + Wis mod) for half damage.

Touch of La – The Polar Warrior must make a touch melee attack to deliver 1d6 per two levels of Polar Warrior (Max 5d6) of cold damage to their target. The target then must make a Fort Save or suffer 1 point strength damage per die of cold damage.

Ice Lance – As the Spell Ice Lance, except that it deals 1d6 per every level of Polar Warrior (Max 10d6); Ranged Form

Ice Spiral – All foes within 15ft of the Polar Warrior must make a reflex save equal to the Polar Warrior’s Attack Roll to take half damage or take the Polar Warrior’s full Water blast damage and make a fort save. If they fail the fort save, they are knocked prone and flat-footed.


This is my take on a more fighty version of the waterbender, well it's a prestige class anyway.

[purepolarpanzer]

Ok. I'm a big fan of the show and have FINALLY read the whole post.
-Need a fireball ability for firebenders. Big ole fireball. Possibly something you make by charging your fireblasts instead of releasing them individually, then apply a blast template. Boom- instead of 4 fireballs, one big one. Make it a full round charge ability with a cool down time (can't do it eveyr round, to exhausting) and I think it is pretty balanced.

-As far as the levitation ability, I say we need to make a Major Form that allows you to do some form of levitation. Airbenders would probably get it quicker, maybe as a Moderate, due to the fact that they are all about wind propulsion. Pakku (? I think his name is. master waterbender that taught KAtara and Ang at North pole. Just don't want to look it up now) levitated himself on a pillar of water, as per the water spout ability. However, I see no reason that Earth and Fire wouldn't have similar abilities, but at a higher form (both are more likely to self injure than air or water, therefore, more skill needed). Also, less like flying or levitating and more like a jump pack. Earth would be able to bullrush/overrun enemies on a moving slide of earth, and fire would be able to make a sustained "jetpack" blast that could carry them to hard to reach areas and burn those underneath them. For both, however, I think you could only maintain as per the water spout ability (concentration checks and maxed at rounds=level). I mean, if Bumi can lift others and slide things all over the place, why not himself? If the Fire rush can Speed you, why not speed through the air? The water spout ability pretty much kills the lift by your own belt/hair theory, but that's just my opinion.

Also, I have thought that maybe instead of leaving all this material scattered across the boards, someone could collect it into a downloadable pdf. or something similar, since it took me just short of three days to read all this.

Also, GOOD JOB EVERYONE! This is a huge accomplishment. And I really think everything is balanced well Mephibosheth, without looking at all the PrC's because they are everwhere. Someone should start assembling a d20 sourcebook.

EDIT-I was thinking...should earthbenders get brutal throw as a bonus feat, or with a different name. For those of you who don't know it, it uses strength instead of dex. for ranged attacks. Earthbending has much less to do with dexterity aiming then awesomely fast rockthrowing abilities. Whenever an earthbender sets one flying, he doesn't whip his arms around or do intricate martial arts (yes I know they are all martial arts, but you get the idea) like another bender. He pushes, puches, or kicks it at the enemy, usually with a grunt of exertion. Earth is the most solid element, and not one that is simply directed like an arrow, an airblast, or arcan magic. It is basically thrown. Brutishly. Strength is also listed as an important earhtbender stat. Also, maybe the stone fist spell ala Complete Arcane. Basically using your bending and a lesser form of the Stone Armor to clobber someone. Very earthbender-ish. Just a thought.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Y'know what? These would all be great on the new thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35428) I've started for a form variant, which is still receiving modifications for the classes. The ones here are pretty much done, I'd say, and I'm due to upgrade the earthbender in a few hours, once I get home from Tae Kwon Do class. Just a thought.

[Ceiling009]

I actually have most of the classes and the ideas sitting around in a folder, that can be easily zipped up... I feel sort of bad, cause within I was running a few PrC's I made exclusively for the campaign this thread inspired and sort of outlined over all. I also basically wrote some newish feats, but I didn't include the Chakra ideas present somewhere in the thread... But if you want to see my take on a lot ideas here, you're welcome to pm me and i'll send you the link.

[Hoorex]

I've applied for an avatar game, but it's slightly annoying to have to search this thread for all the information. Has their been a place with all the links to updated info?

[EvilWalks]

I would just like to make a case for Dual Bending (essentialy, Two Weapon Fighting for Bending).

In the show, we see it only a few times, but we do see it. For instance, Aang using an Air Grab with both hands to grab the fallen warfans at the same time in "The Kyoshi Island Warriors". I'm pretty sure I've seen Zuko use dual fire blasts before too.

So...without further ado:

TWIN BENDING STYLE (Idea 1)
Prerequisites: Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Defense, Airbender or Firebender

The Bender can use any non-concentration bending power twice, using both hands. For instance, a Fire Bender may fire out two Fireblasts at once, or an Airbender may use the Airgrab power to pick up two nearby objects with ease.

This style is however, hard to use accurately and any attack, ranged touch, or melee touch rolls, the Bender incures penalties as if the Bending was a light weapon. This does not allow the wielder to use different forms at once (example: an Air Grab and an Air Blast).

Do to the heavily focused and manipulative forms of Earth and Water bending, this style can only be used with Air and Fire Benders. Airbenders often use this style in conjuction with a weapon, such as a staff or a pair of Warfans, to help as a focus for Bending attacks and defenses.

[Tussy the Druid]

Mistake made early, didn't read see that last paragraph. Anyway, I think it's a good idea.

[kanderson624]

YEAH! I am happy :smallsmile: :smallamused: :smallbiggrin: :smallwink: :smallfurious: :smallfrown: :smallredface:

[kanderson624]

:thog: hurray

[Fizban]

As Hoorax said, It's kind of annoying to have to search the whole thread for stuff. I'm not playing it in a game, but I'd like to see a new list of all updated stuff too, if someone's put it on a site or made a thread with it all organized.

[Eleven]

I would like this too, because my stupid computer wont let me see the second page, so i dont know anything about the firebender.

[Lizard Lord]

I didn't really see this on the table page, and sadly I can do not have the time to look through all these pages, so sorry if this has been mentioned already.

Anyways, I do beleive that airbenders gain an Airbison at a certain point. I think I remember an episode with a flash back where many other airbenders where to receive an air-bison companion, not just Aang.

As a side note I totally wish there was an official Avatar RPG. The sad part is that I am quite certain the people who made Avatar are not interested in RPGs.

[YPU]

This is right, but it is not part of the class abilities. Do note there are many ways to gain a animal companion if its not a class ability for you. Else, would we need to press al the firebenders into the fire nation army? Since al fire benders seem to be or have been part of it at one point. You could later purchase a sky bison and train it with handle animal.

[drawingfreak]

I think I might actually be trying to set up an Avatar game this summer now. Rock.

[YPU]

wow, the treat is back on the first page for a time. Ok I suppose the moment the new avatar season comes out this treat will be blustering again then. I will wait till then.

[Ceiling009]

I was contemplating converting a lot of these into ToB like maneuvers and consolidating all the bender types into one base class....

[Darkbane]

Is anyone paying any attention to this thread anymore? If so, I've got some ideas. If not...well, I could have stopped my post a few sentences ago.

[drawingfreak]

Nope, go ahead. Totally worth the time.

[Darkbane]

Okay, I'm still kind of working on it, but I was thinking of some kind of "anti-bender" prestige class. It's not canon, but we've kind of departed from that. The prestige class would start with a countering ability (like counterspelling) specific to the element, and I was thinking also, though this would be kind of hard to work out, of some kind of reversed forms: healing water works as inflict instead of cure, etc. I'll work on it some more and post it.

[Mephibosheth]

Hmm interesting. There's a countering ability built into all the bending classes, and there was talk of a Tai Lee-style anti-bender martial artist class but I can't remember whether that ever materialized. Even though it isn't part of the show, it can't hurt to post it and see. These classes could be used outside of the show's world.

Incidentally, I still check this thread occasionally and hold out hopes for someone to start another Avatar: the Last Airbender playtesting PbP.

Mephibosheth

[drawingfreak]

Incidentally, I still check this thread occasionally and hold out hopes for someone to start another Avatar: the Last Airbender playtesting PbP.
While I would LOVE to do so, this forum goes through RPs far too fast for my taste so far. Especially so with me currently laptop-less. I can at least promise I will try to get an RL version going sometime this summer. I'm a huge Avatard.

[Darkbane]

Hmm interesting. There's a countering ability built into all the bending classes, and there was talk of a Tai Lee-style anti-bender martial artist class but I can't remember whether that ever materialized.

The counter ability counters only the elemental blasts, though--I was thinking of some kind of all-purpose counter. Hmm, maybe an area-of-effect thing, like any benders of the anti-bender's element within a certain area have to make a concentration check to bend. I'm still fiddling with it, but hopefully it'll be up soon.

The inspiration for this actually came from a non-Avatar source: 2nd editions Quasi-Elemental Planes. The Para-Elemental planes are the areas where two elemental planes border on each other--that's covered by Yuki_Akuma's and CaelCyndar's classes. The Quasi-Elemental Planes are the areas between the Negative or Positive Energy Planes and the Elemental Planes. The positive quasi-elements are less interesting in this context, but the negative ones (Vacuum, Ash, Salt, and Dust) helped inspire some of the abilities and flavor, though I've fiddled with the names.

[drawingfreak]

Hmm. If I am understanding you correctly...are you trying to make a Scar from Full Metal Alchemist type class, destorying that which is created by bending/alchemy?

[Darkbane]

I don't know Full Metal Alchemist, but the idea sounds kind of similar.

Anyway, here's the first Anti-Bender: The Drought Adept. I'm stealing liberally from Yuki's name suggestions; if anyone has any possible names , I'll be happy to listen to them. I also don't have any idea for the Anti-Firebender's element. For the other's I've got Drought, Void or Vacuum, and Dust.

I don't know the code for tables, but...

The Drought Adept

The Drought Adept is a waterbender who has rejected the live-giving properties of that element. Drought Adepts are very dangerous individuals, since their goal is not only destruction of life, but of one of the four elements on which life depends.

Hit Die: D6

Class Skills: Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Swim, Use Rope

Skill points per level: 4+Int modifier

To qualify to become a drought adept, a character must meet the following requirements:
Skills: Concentration 10 ranks, Swim 10 ranks
Abilities: Manipulate
Forms: Must have access to Moderate Water Forms
Alignment: Any non-good
Special: The character must deny all access to water for one week. This includes not drinking anything. The character may use magical means to survive this time, but must survive in order to qualify for the class.

Level BAB F R W Abilities
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Counter Waterbending, Deny Water
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Lesser Drought Form
3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Dehydrating Blast
4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Lesser Drought Form
5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Drain Vigor
6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Moderate Drought Form
7 +5 +5 +2 +5 Fatiguing Blast
8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Greater Drought Form
9 +6 +6 +3 +6 Exhausting Blast
10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Dessicate

All saves have a DC equal to 10+the character's Drought Adept level+Wis modifier. Drought Adept Levels stack with Waterbender levels for purposes of Water Blast and Dehydrating Blast damage, and for any level-dependent variables of waterbending forms.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Drought Adepts gain no proficiency with any weapons or armor.

Counter Waterbending: Waterbenders within a spread with a radius of 5ft/2 DA levels (minimum 5 ft) must make a Concentration check each round in order to use any of their supernatural class abilities. The DC of this Concentration check is equal to 10+the character's Drought Adept level+Wis modifier. The waterbender must repeat this save each round; a successful check does not preclude checks in following rounds.

Deny Water: The Drought Adept no longer requires water. He or she does not need to drink, and may freely use waterbending forms even without access to water. These forms are made from a dehydrating void; they deal damage by draining water from the target. Thus, all damage from waterless forms is nonlethal, and cannot be healed until the victim has drunk at least a pint of water. Plant creatures and creatures composed entirely of fluid (such as water elementals) are especially suceptible to these effects, taking lethal damage, and an extra 2d6 damage. These modifications may be applied to any damage-dealing form, and to healing forms. Healing forms suject to this modification deal damage instead of healing it.

Drought Forms: At each noted level, the Drought Adept may choose a damaging form from the Waterbending form list. This form is always subject to the modifications above; the Drought Adept may not use water for these forms.

Dehydrating Blast: The Drought Adept can change his or her Water Blasts into Dehydrating Blasts. These blasts are made from a water-draining void; they deal damage by draining water from the target. Thus, all damage from Dehydrating Blasts is nonlethal, and cannot be healed until the victim has drunk at least a pint of water. Plant creatures and creatures composed entirely of fluid (such as water elementals) are especially suceptible to Dehydrating Blasts, taking lethal damage, and an extra 2d6 damage. In addition, such creatures take a -4 penalty to any saves necessary, such as those forced by later additions to this ability.

Drain Vigor: Usable 3/day. As a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, the Drought Adept may drain vitality and health from a target within 10 ft./Drought Adept level. The target takes 1d6 damage/Drought Adept level, with a Fortitude save for half damage. The Drought Adept then receives half the damage dealt as temporary hit points. Temporary hit points bestowed by this ability last for one hour, and do not stack with multiple uses of the ability.

Fatiguing Blast: The Drought Adept's Dehydrating Blast causes any creature damaged by it to make a Fortitude save. If the creature fails this save, it becomes fatigued for one minute or until all the damage dealt by the Dehydrating Blast is healed. A waterbender who fails the Fortitude save must also make a Will save at the same DC. If the waterbender fails the Will save, he or she takes a penalty of -1 to bender level for the purposes of Water Blast and waterbending forms for one round. No matter how many Dehydrating Blasts hit a creature in one round, that creature need only make one save against fatigue per round. The bending penalty may be incurred multiple times each round, and it is cumulative with itself.

Exhausting Blast: The Drought Adept's Dehydrating Blast becomes even more powerful. If the target fails the Fortitude save against fatigue, he or she must make an additional Fortitude save or become exhausted instead. If the target is a waterbender, the waterbending penalties still apply if he or she fails a Will save following the first Fortitude save. Failing this second fortitude forces a second Will save. If this save is failed, the waterbender is unable to use any supernatural class abilities for one round. The second Fortitude save and the second Will save need only be made once per round, no matter how many Dehydrating Blasts strike the target.

Desiccate: If one of the Drought Adept's Dehydrating Blast damages a living creature, and that creature fails its save against exhaustion, that creature takes one point of Constitution damage that lasts until the damage from the Dehydrating Blast is healed, whether naturally or magically. Though no save is allowed, this damage may only be incurred once per round.

Wow, that was long. Balance, suggestions, what have you--feedback appreciated. This is my first prestige class homebrew. Fun! The others will be up as soon as I finish them and find some way to make them not as long.

[Ceiling009]

Ever look at the ummm, sand book from WOTC? There is a dessicator class in that book...

[Darkbane]

No, I haven't looked at Sandstorm. I also realized I forgot to post skill and weapon proficiencies for the Drought Adept. I've fixed that now. The Void Disciple (Anti-Airbender) will be up as soon as I figure out a good 5th-level ability.

Also, we mention Airbender staves every now and then--anybody want to homebrew such a weapon?

[Draken]

It's just a fancy quarterstaff with some mechanics that doens't really affect it's combat effectiveness.

[lumberofdabeast]

Got bored. Made this. Probably horribly imbalanced, and the name sucks, but eh, I had fun.




Steel Shifters
Steel shifters are Earthbenders who have not only mastered bending metal, but begun taken it to the next level, becoming metal. Though they must abandon their former path, those few who are capable of becoming steel shifters often consider it to be worth the price.

Requirements
To become a steel shifter, a character must meet all of the following criteria:
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Martial Lore 8 ranks
Bending: Any two moderate Earthbending forms

Class Skills: The following are class skills of the steel shifter: Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Listen, Martial Lore, Search, Spot
Skill points per level: 2 + Int modifier

Steel Shifter (Hit Die: d8)
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special

1st|+1|+2|+0|+0|Manipulate metal

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+0|Lesser steelbending form

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+1|Iron body

4th|+4|+4|+1|+1|Lesser steelbending form

5th|+5|+4|+1|+1|Absorb metal

6th|+6|+5|+2|+2|Moderate steelbending form

7th|+7|+5|+2|+2|Steel body

8th|+8|+6|+2|+2|Moderate steelbending form

9th|+9|+6|+3|+3|One with metal

10th|+10|+7|+3|+3|Greater steelbending form[/table]

Manipulate Metal (Su): Starting at first level, a steel shifter can sense the impurities within metal, and twist and reshape it as he desires. As a standard action, he can reshape up to two cubic feet of metal per class level per round. Possible uses include making improvised weapons, creating holes, and fusing armor shut or chain links together. However, the process does not generate enough force to cause any damage to flesh apart from superficial scratching. Starting at fourth level, a steel shifter can manipulate even the purest of metals in this manner. This ability counts as a round's use of bending.

Iron Body (Ex): Starting at third level, a steel shifter begins to take on characteristics of the metals he shapes. He gains DR 10/adamantine and gets a +2 circumstance bonus on rolls to avoid being knocked prone.

Absorb Metal (Su): Starting at fifth level, a steel shifter gains the ability to use his manipulate metal ability to absorb metal into and onto his body, allowing him to carry his own supply of metal for bending. He can only absorb one pound of metal per round this way, and if he has more than 50 pounds absorbed, his DR increases by 50%, and he gets a +5 natural armor bonus to AC, but he loses ten feet from his movement speed.

Steel Body (Ex): Starting at seventh level, a steel shifter begins to bond to the metal he has absorbed. His DR increases to 15/adamantine, he gets a +5 natural armor bonus to AC, and the circumstance bonus to avoid being knocked prone increases to +8. However, he loses ten feet from his movement speed.

One with Metal (Ex): Starting at ninth level, a steel shifter completes his ascension, and truly becomes one with metal. Physically, deposits of metal begin to collect on the surface of his skin, and his bones and hair become coated in a thin layer of metal. His type becomes Living Construct (Eberron Campaign Setting), but he retains his subtypes. His DR increases to 20/adamantine, his natural armor bonus to AC increases to +10, and he can no longer be knocked prone. Finally, he no longer needs to be able to move in order to bend metal.




I'll think of some steelbending forms a little later. My brain is beginning to hurt.

[CervantesTheDefenestrator]

Allright, I know that this has no basis in the Avatar show. I thought of this when I remembered that ninjas believed in five elements, Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Void, which was said to be both all elements and none. I tried to make a prestige class which embraces the fifth element. I don't know how I did, please make all criticism constructive, if you can't think of a way to improve it, please don't respond. If you think it is too overpowered, before you suggest taking away features, think of ways to pose more restictions on it. Also, the class requirements are really easy to make, I'm not that good at thinking up prestige class requirements. Please help me with that, but don't make them too steep, this is supposed to be a class that anyone is able to take.
Here it is:

The Voidbender
“It is not the spoon that bends, it is yourself”

Voidbending is a mystery. Some claim that practitioners of it are merely normal benders using some sort of trick. Some think they are crazy loons with weird ideas. In truth, voidbenders consider their discipline the highest and most perfect form of bending, greater than even the Avatar's. Their philosophy is based on the concept of the Void, the mysterious and little known fifth element, said to be all the elements and none at the same time. Voidbenders deny the existence of the elements, they believe in only the Void, All and Nothing. So they seek to make themselves into nothing, and at the same time, everything. Since they are a part of everything, then by mastering themselves, they can master the world. Some have jokingly called this “self-bending”, which is actually not a bad description. Some people mistakingly think that th Voidbenders believe that nothing is really real, but an illusion. Nothing could be further from the truth. Voidbenders believe that things exist, but that we are bound by our perceptions of them. Benders believe that the world is divided into parts, Voidbenders know that since all is one, one can learn to bend anything, not just the so-called elements.

Requirements: To become a Voidbender, a character must fulfill the following criteria:
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks
Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike
Alignment: Any Lawful
Special: Must have some sort of ability that grants a bonus on Will saves. Class abilities and feats count, but not racial abilities. The bonus doesn't have to apply to all Will saves, things like Still Mind or Resist Nature's Lure work just fine.
Must go through training with a Voidbender that has at least three levels in the class. Must embrace the following philosophies.
Denial of Self: In order to become everything, you must first become nothing. The Voidbender must give up everything. He starts by giving up his name and giving away all property. Giving up ones name simply means that the Voidbender does not identify himself with any title. He still answers to his old name, but also answers to any name a person chooses to give him. He does not seclude himself from the world though. He still may have friends and use objects and tools. He just cannot own things, and assumes no position in society. You cannot become nothing if you are attached to worldly things. For guidelines to this, see the Vow of Poverty feat.
Denial of Violence: The Voidbenders believe that since all is one, hurting others is like hurting yourself. However, that does not mean they refuse to fight. If hurting others is like hurting yourself, than allowing others to hurt others is like hurting yourself. The Voidbender may not attack unless attacked, unless he is in a situation where more people would be hurt unless he acts first. The Voidbender must always seek to deal non-lethal damage and use other methods to disable a foe. This is not absolute, a Voidbender may kill if no other possible option exists, but does so with great reluctance. Many are surprised at the measures a Voidbender will go to to avoid killing, and even more surprised that they almost always work. Surprisingly to those who know of this philosophy, Voidbenders are not vegetarians. They will gladly kill both animals and plants in order to eat, but they hate and despise waste.

Class Skills and Skill Points per Level: As monk
Saves and Base Attack Bonus: As monk











Voidbender
Level Ability
1st Forsake Bending, Monk Abilities,
Defensive Metered Foot
2nd 1st Gentle Style
3rd Deflect Bending, Deny Sleep
4th Offensive Metered Foot
5th 2nd Gentle Style
6th Deny Food and Drink
7th Eyes to the Void, Bend Space
8th 3rd Gentle Style
9th Greater Metered Foot, Deny Breath
10th Reflect Bending
11th Deny Wounds
12th Bend Gravity
13th Greater Bend Space
14th Superior Metered Foot
15th All is Nothing, Nothing is All


The following are the Voidbender class features:
Monk Abilities: Voidbender levels stack with monk levels to determine Flurry of Blows, Unarmored Speed, and AC bonus. If the Voidbender does not possess any monk levels, then he applies his Wisdom modifier to his AC as a monk does, but does not gain level bonuses. Voidbender levels also stack with monk levels to determine unarmed damage, with the following exception. He only gains the increased damage die when dealing non-lethal damage, or against an opponent who is immune to non-lethal damage. Non-monks treat their Voidbender levels as monk levels to determine non-lethal unarmed damage.
Forsake Bending: Voidbending is an exclusive discipline. It is difficult to master, but even more difficult if the mind is bogged down with preconceptions of how the world works. If the Voidbender has any levels in a bending class, then he must forsake his bending abilities. He still has the abilities, he just does not use them. If the Voidbender uses any bending abilities, then he temporarily loses all Voidbender class features, except for feats granted, until he completes a week of meditation and training.
Defensive Metered Foot: A Voidbender learns to anticipate enemy attacks, seeing patterns in attacks and style. He gains the Defensive Metered Foot feat at 1st level, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.
Gentle Style: A Voidbender learns special techniques for disabling an enemy and rendering them unable to fight. At 2nd, 5th, and 8th level, the Voidbender gains one of the following as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites: Improved Trip, Improved Disarm, or Improved Grapple. If he already possesses one of these feats, he may take a bonus feat, as long as he meets the prerequisites.
Deflect Bending: At 3rd level, the Voidbender learns about the nature of bending, and it's weaknesses. He can use the power of the Void to nullify bending attacks against him. During his turn, a Voidbender can choose to forgo any number of attacks in order to attempt to deflect any blasts targeted within 30 feet + 5 ft/3 levels of the Voidbender. As an immediate action, the Voidbender can attempt deflect an enemy Bender’s blast with an opposed attack roll. A Voidbender can deflect bending a maximum number of times equal to the number of attacks he is granted by BAB. If the Voidbender makes any attacks, he forgoes that opportunity to deflect bending. If the Voidbender’s attack roll is less than his/her opponent’s, the blast is unaffected by the deflection attempt. If the Voidbender’s attack roll equals or exceeds his opponent’s, the blast is negated, swallowed up by nothing. Also, the Voidbender may deflect bending even if he did not give up attacks the previous turn. If he only deflected one blast that turn, he loses a move action on the next turn. If he deflects more than one, to a maximum of the number of attacks he may make, including extra attacks such as Flurry of Blows, but not two-weapon fighting, then he loses a full-round action on the next turn, but may still make swift and free actions.
Deny Sleep: The Voidbender gradually becomes closer to the Void, and it sustains him. At 3rd level, he no longer needs sleep. He also becomes immune to sleep effects.
Offensive Metered Foot: At 4th level, the Voidbender gains Offensive Metered Foot as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.
Deny Food and Drink: At 6th level, the Voidbender is further sustained by the Void. He does not need to eat or drink. He also becomes immune to ingested poison.
Eyes to the Void: The void is everything and nothing, and so the Voidbender learns to sense it. At 7th level, he gains Blindsight 30'. In addition he gains all-around vision within that radius, and is immune to flanking.
Bend Space: Space and distance are part of the Void. The Voidbender knows this, and can bend it as easily as one can bend water or air. Also at 7th level, the Voidbender can take a standard action to make an unarmed melee attack against any target within his Blindsight radius.
Greater Metered Foot: At 9th level, the Voidbender learns to expand his use of his Metered Foot feats. He may apply the benefits of both feats to two creatures each. In this case, the bonuses are shared between the two opponents. For example, Kao the Voidbender is threatened by two opponents. He chooses both of them as his targets for his Metered Foot feats. He makes two attacks against the first one, they both hit, and so he gains a +2 on attack rolls against both of them. He attacks the second one, whom he knows has a higher AC. He hits the first time, and so the bonus rises to +3. Unfortunately, he misses the second time, and the bonus drops back to +0 against both of them. In addition, the maximum bonus cap rises to +7
Reflect Bending: At 10th level, whenever a Voidbender rolls at least five points higher than an opponent when he uses Deflect Bending, then he may reflect it back at any target within range. He takes a -2 penalty on the attack roll, if any. The attack causes non-lethal damage. He can only use this once per round.
Deny Wounds: At 11th level, the Voidbender is able to deny a weapon's ability to harm him. He gains damage reduction 5/- whenever he is not flat-footed. In addition, once per day he may negate any damage dealt to him from a single weapon attack he is aware of. He must use this before damage is rolled, but after he knows if the attack hits or not and if it is a critical. He skips his next turn except for swift and free actions after using this ability.
Bend Gravity: At 12th level, the Voidbender may, as a free or immediate action, choose which direction gravity applies for him.
Greater Bend Space: At 13th level, the Voidbender may, as a move action, teleport to any space within his Eyes to the Void range.
Superior Metered Foot: At 14th level, the Voidbender may choose any number of targets within reach to apply his Metered Foot feats to. In addition, the maximum bonus cap rises to +10
All is Nothing, Nothing is All: At 15th level, the Voidbender has mastered the Void. The radius fro his Eyes to the Void ability rises to 60'. In addition, he may apply the following class abilities to any creature within that range, as if he were in their space: Deflect Bending, Reflect Bending, Bend Gravity, and Greater Bend Space. For example, he may, as a move action, teleport any creature within that range to any other point within that range. He may also deflect and reflect bending directed at any creature within that range, and well as change the way gravity applies for them. Targets of his Bend Gravity and Greater Bend Space ability may attempt Will saves DC 20+ the Voidbender's Wisdom modifier to resist these affects. Once they save against them, they may not be affected by them for another hour.

Restrictions: The Voidbender faces several restrictions. If he takes another class level, he must train for a year before he can take another level of this class. If he deals lethal damage in any situation that does not call for it, or allows the killing of helpless opponents, he loses all class abilities, except for bonus feats, and no longer gains experience points until he completes a month of training and meditation. The Voidbender cannot gain the benefits of both this class and the Vow of Poverty feat.

The following are descriptions of the Metered Foot feats. (heh heh, foot feats.)

Defensive Metered Foot
Prerequisite: Concentration 6 ranks, Improved Unarmed Strike.
Benefit: As a free action, choose an opponent. You gain a +1 cumulative dodge bonus to your Armor Class against the chosen opponent every time that opponent consecutively misses you in combat, to a maximum bonus of +5. As soon as the chosen target scores a successful hit against you all bonuses from this feat are lost. Your bonus resets to +1 the next time the chosen opponent misses you. The bonus to AC is determined by the previous attack, regardless of whether it occurred within the round, or in the preceding round, of combat. You may only use this feat against one opponent at a time.

Offensive Metered Foot
Prerequisite: Concentration 6 ranks, Improved Unarmed Strike.
Benefit: As a free action, choose an opponent. When making unarmed strikes against the chosen opponent you gain a +1 cumulative insight bonus on attack rolls for each successful consecutive hit beyond the first, to a maximum bonus of +5. As soon as any of your attacks miss the chosen opponent al bonuses from this feat are lost. Your bonus resets to +1 the next time you successfully strike the chosen opponent. The bonus to hit is determined by the previous attack, regardless of whether it occurred within the round, or in the preceding round, of combat. You may only use this feat against one opponent at a time.

[Mephibosheth]

Just so everyone knows, I've started an Avatar: The Last Airbender campaign to playtest our content and have a bit of fun. Check it out! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48313)

Mephibosheth

[drawingfreak]

I'm trying to get an RL one together. Unfortunately, not enough gamers I know in the area are into Avatar as well. Still hoping.

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

This is an interesting project... unfortunately, I can't manage to go through it post by post. Has anyone assembled all this material into a pdf file and, if so, where can I download it?

[Moofaa]

I'm trying to gather some resources to help me flesh out the world. I started a game with some freinds already, but im rushing like a madman to put it all together.

So heres some links to some useful stuff

List of creatures:
http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-avatar-the-last-airbender-creatures
Anyone that makes a compendium with stats gets a cookie.

All sorts of stuff:
http://www.avatarspiritmedia.net/worldofavatar.php
Good walkthrough of important cities/sites from the movie, a timeline, and more

Also I found (so far) the Ninja from the Complete Adventure 3.5e to be a fair enough non-bending class. I might give them a few new abilities for higher levels, the playes im running just started and we havent gotten that far yet.

Any other resources out there for classes that make sense in Avatar? A samurai-type class that doesnt involve magic would be good, but I havent found one I like yet.

[Cade Shadow]

I'm sorry if this has been mentioned before, but a good feat to bring in might be a bending equivalent of the smiting spell feat from PHBII. that would explain Zuko firebending through his swords at certain points. (That fight with jet comes to mind).

Blade Bending
You can route your bending ability through your weapons, doing more damage than either one alone.
Prerequisites: firebender level 1 or Airbender level 1
Benefit: You can send either your air blasts or fire blasts through your weapon. The next time you attack an opponent with that weapon you take a -2 penalty to the attack roll, but deal both damages on a successful hit. On a critical, move the multiplied damage down one step (x3 to x2, x2 to x1 1/2).
A Bladebended spell disables your ability to send an air or fire blast for one turn.

Edit: We also need a feat or a PrC for Ty Lee's chi stuff.

[drawingfreak]

That would be more of a skill...maybe Knowledge: Chi Spots...than a feat.

[Callos_DeTerran]

What she does is at the very least a feat...maybe one of those weird small level (Like 3 or 5) PrCs you see around. ...'Sides, theres no skill "Knowledge: Chi Spots"....not that I know off.

Also...what is still being done in this? >.> Just curious.

[drawingfreak]

I hate how the Knowledge skill is so vague. I use it very open ended. For example, one of my characters LOVED his booze. Ergo, I gave him ranks in Knowledge: Alcohol. Still a vague category, but better than nothing.

I see the categories listed already as examples of the more popular areas of interest rather than "this is all there is. No more, no less."

[CervantesTheDefenestrator]

A feat and a prestige class.

Stone Strike
Prerequisites:Balance 4 ranks, any Stone Dragon stance and maneuver, Earth Blast
Benefit:When in a Stone Dragon stance, you may use your Earth Blast to deliver Stone Dragon strikes up to 4th level, but only within a range of 30ft. You must wait one round per maneuver level between uses of this feat.



Mountain Disciple (Prestige Class)
Prerequisites:
BAB:+3.
Skills:Balance 6 ranks. Concentration 8 ranks.
Feats:Stone Strike.
Maneuvers:Any two Stone Dragon, one of which must be a stance, and one of which must be 2nd level or higher.
Special:Able to use Lesser Earthbending forms.

HD:d8
Skills:As Earhbender, plus Balance and Martial Lore
Skill Points:4
BAB:Moderate
Saves:Good Fort and Will

Level Special Man. Known Man. Readied Stances Known Earthbending
1 Rock Climb 0 0 0 +1
Fist of the Earth
2 - 1 0 0 +1
3 - 0 1 0 -
4 Stone Fortress 1 0 0 +1
5 - 0 0 1 +1
6 - 1 0 0 -
7 Mountain Leverage 0 0 0 +1
8 - 1 1 0 +1
9 - 0 0 1 -
10 Mountain Soul 1 0 0 +1

Maneuvers and Stances: Stone Dragon only.
Rock Climb: The mountain disciple adds his initiator level to his Earthbender level for the purposes of his climb speed.
Fist of the Earth: The mountain disciple may use his Earth Blast as a melee weapon. Treat as Unarmed Strike for the purposes of qualifying for feats.
Stone Fortress:When in a Stone Dragon stance, the mountain disciple may take a move action to create a special rock platform under his feet. This grants him a +1 to his earthbending level. It last only as long as he maintains a Stone Dragon stance. He moves at half speed while this is in effect. However, any effect, including certain Stone Dragon stances, that only work when he doesn't move, can apply and do not end as long as he maintains this effect. He may still use his climb ability, but at half his land speed or half his climb speed, whichever is less.
Mountain Leverage:As long as he is in a Stone Dragon stance, he gains +4 on Trip, Overrun, and Bullrush checks. In addition, whenever he threatens a critical with an unarmed strike or Earthblast, he may make a free Trip, Overrun, or Bullrush attempt on the opponent as a free action, which does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the Trip, Overrun or Bullrush succeeds, he gains a +2 onus to confirm the critical.
Mountain Soul:Once per day for one minute, the mountain disciple may take a swift action to call upon the indomitable spirit of the mountain. He may have two Stone Dragon stances active at a time, and his Earthblast has a critical of X3. He becomes immovable, any effect that tries to move him fails automatically as long as he is concious. However, he suffers a -2 penalty on Reflex Saves vs. area effects, and cannot take advantage of Evasion or similar effects. The ground around him in a 20ft radius shakes and quakes. He becomes immune to Earthquake or similar effects. The ground is treated as difficult terrain, and anyone who ends their turn on it must make a Reflex save DC 19+ the mountains soul's Wisdom modifier, or a Balance check at the same DC, but with a -5 penalty, or fall prone.

[ErrantX]

Well, having powered on through this thread today, and being new to these boards... I have to say, "Wow!" All of you who have done this amazing body of thought have come up with something very, very good.

Having been inspired to look for a d20 Avatar game due to the new season starting, I stumbled across here and I thought of one thing I don't believe was mentioned, but people were looking for solutions for. As Bending is a very free-form and improvised martial art, the warlock-style bending that was written was a great fit. My only addition was that for the free form ability (Air Grab, Manipulate, etc) there was one thing left unsaid. For out of the box thinkings on how to do bending, a simple house rule of "I want to do this action here? Okay, I roll my bending level against a difficult, adding my Wisdom modifier and hope that my DM allows it based on how much material I can move (if water or earth) or my ranges (for air and fire) and how complicated it is." Zuko's massive fireball in the end of season 2 could be simply an improv bend coupled with his blast to make said fireball. I think rolling his bender level plus his Wisdom modifier at say, a DC of 25 or 30 (depending on how powerful it was) would be fitting. Think of it like rolling a Forces effect in Mage: the Ascension.

Thoughts?

-X

[Rogue 7]

I'm trying to gather some resources to help me flesh out the world. I started a game with some freinds already, but im rushing like a madman to put it all together.

So heres some links to some useful stuff

List of creatures:
http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-avatar-the-last-airbender-creatures
Anyone that makes a compendium with stats gets a cookie.

All sorts of stuff:
http://www.avatarspiritmedia.net/worldofavatar.php
Good walkthrough of important cities/sites from the movie, a timeline, and more

Also I found (so far) the Ninja from the Complete Adventure 3.5e to be a fair enough non-bending class. I might give them a few new abilities for higher levels, the playes im running just started and we havent gotten that far yet.

Any other resources out there for classes that make sense in Avatar? A samurai-type class that doesnt involve magic would be good, but I havent found one I like yet.

I'd say just stick with the base classes in the PHB- eliminate Wizards, Clerics, Druids, and Sorcerers, possibly eliminate Paladin and Ranger spells (maybe giving them something else to compensate- an improved animal companion for the Ranger, I'm not sure what for paladins. I'd keep bards as is, but I'm new to D&D so I'm not sure how that would work. I'd allow some basic melee classes, but the focus of the world's supposed to be the benders, so I wouldn't allow for spellcasters.

As for the actual game, you can draw on a few Asian elements for creatures, or even combine mundane animals like they do in the Avatar world. I'd personally not set it in the current-day Avatar story arc- here's a rough idea. There's an earthbending expert who is delving into secrets that he should not, and his actions could have serious repercussions (I'm thinking massive earthquakes). Unfortunately, he's got a loyal core of earthbending and firebending followers- Call them the Cult of the Volcano. A team has been assembled to try and stop him, and your group is one element, the one element that ends up saving the world.

[Eighth_Seraph]

For out of the box thinkings on how to do bending, a simple house rule of "I want to do this action here? Okay, I roll my bending level against a difficult, adding my Wisdom modifier and hope that my DM allows it based on how much material I can move (if water or earth) or my ranges (for air and fire) and how complicated it is."
I'm pretty sure that this would fall under thread-necromancy for posting on a long-gone thread, but it really should have been expected. If you want to contribute to an Avatar-based system, then I'm currently working on an alternative to Mephibosheth's system (check my signature) which sacrifices the simplicity of the warlock-style bending in exchange for considerable freedom in the creation of forms. Earth, water, and firebenders are done, with the airbender underway as we speak.
[/advertisement]

[ErrantX]

I'm pretty sure that this would fall under thread-necromancy for posting on a long-gone thread, but it really should have been expected.

Well, it could be worse. I've seen the expired equine mammal get wailed on after far more time than two months. That being said, I will definitely check your stuff out. I liked your first attempt too, by the by. Any idea when you're going to finish your Airbender?

-X

[Eighth_Seraph]

Quite frankly, no. I've suddenly become extremely busy and will have serious difficulty finishing the poor airbender by the end of the week, as planned. It'll get done as it gets done.

[ErrantX]

Quite frankly, no. I've suddenly become extremely busy and will have serious difficulty finishing the poor airbender by the end of the week, as planned. It'll get done as it gets done.

Well, life comes first. I know how that is all too well. I look forward to seeing it when it gets done. Have a good one man!

-X

[Katasi]

Been awhile since I posted on here. I've been thinking though and decided to make a list, it might not help out all that much, but it might give some ideas to other people. I'll give the level and class(es) of major characters as I think they should be, at the introduction of the character, and at the beginning of each book, as well as at the point that the story is at as of tonight new episode.

Book 1
Katara- Waterbender 10
Sokka- Fighter 5
Aang- Airbender 20
Zuko- Firebender 18
Iroh- Firebender 25

Book 2
Katara- Waterbender 20
Sokka- Fighter 8
Aang- Airbender 20/Firebender 1/Waterbender 5
Zuko- Firebender 22
Iroh- Firebender 25

Toph- Earthbender 15
Azula- Firebender 24
Mai- Rogue 21
Ti Lee- Rogue 12/Monk 9

Book 3
Katara- Waterbender 26
Sokka- Fighter 12
Aang- Airbender 20/Waterbender 20/Firebender 1/Earthbender 15
Zuko-Firebender 25
Iroh- Firebender 25
Toph- Earthbender 25/Metalbender 1
Azula- Firebender 25
Mai- Rogue 22
Ti Lee- Rogue 12/Monk 10

Combustion Man- Firebender 24/Fighter 4

Updates for current
Aang- Airbender 20/Waterbender 20/Firebender 1/Earthbender 20
Toph- Earthbender 25/Metalbender 2
Sokka- Fighter 18

__________________________________________________ ______________
Also, I have a suggestion for the Avatar himself.

Avatar
This is an inherited template that is added to one Humanoid upon the death of the former holder of this template.

The creature's base speed and size stay the same.

The creature is considered to be part spirit. For all things that cause effects based on type the Avatar is considered either Humanoid or Outsider, depending on whether the attack came from the Material World or the Spirit World, and is able to transfer between the two given the right circumstances [possibly at will, with a concentration check if fully realize (20+ levels in all bending classes)?]

The base creature gains experience at 4x normal rate and takes no XP penalties for multiclassing, but the xp requirements are double for levels in the Avatar's opposed bending class.

[Darkbane]

...I don't think Sokka's that pathetic in comparison to everybody else. Those levels seem to suffer from severe inflation.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Guys, I think it's about time that we let this thread rest for a while. Unless there's some critiquing or suggestions still left to be done on any of the homebrew within this thread, there's no need to post here; the entirety of the project has been moved to the thread linked to in my signature. I'm not sure if Mephibosheth officially considers his classes here done, but anything not pertaining to them would be put to better use on the more recent thread.