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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class The Aquamancer (PEACH)



Quellian-dyrae
2014-12-08, 12:33 AM
Aquamancer

He didn't know, couldn't pinpoint where or when the balance of the battle shifted, any more than one could point to the moment when a mighty mountain had been ground down to a sandy beach by the sea. Water was the weakest element offensively. It was not the force one would tap for an alpha strike. It would not bring down a foe with speed. But for a drawn-out battle, a prolonged duel against a foe whose defenses could withstand any single attack? There was nothing stronger.

Water erodes.

Adventures: Aquamancers are natural protectors and healers. Many adventure to defend their homes, their friends, or their ideals. Of course, aquamancers have a strong affinity for the sea, and many are inclined to travel it, their powers very welcome aboard ships. Some aquatic creatures use aquamancy to allow them to explore the land.

Characteristics: Aquamancers command the element of water, a healing and purifying force that can gradually wear down foes. In battle, they more fill the role of a warrior than an arcanist in some ways, providing consistent, reliable damage, protection, debuffs, and battlefield control, rather than limited-use but more powerful effects. Repeated use of their abilities causes stacking effects, and they have powerful defensive options as well. This makes them especially well-suited to battles of attrition, particularly against small numbers of opponents.

Alignments: Aquamancers can be any alignment. Due to their potent defensive and healing powers, they have a notable inclination towards Good, but neutral and even evil aquamancers are quite possible (and their powers can be quite terrifying in unscrupulous hands). Patience and adaptability are both watchwords of an aquamancer, so they tend towards neutrality ethically, although it's a small tendency at most.

Religion: Naturally, deities of water or the sea attract a majority of aquamancers. Broader deities of nature, the elements, or magic are not uncommon either. Gods of healing and protection also attract their share.

Background: The aquamancer class can fit a variety of possible backgrounds. Some aquamancers may learn their magic as a trained skill, others be gifted it by divine powers, and still others have an innate capacity for commanding the power of water. Those who learn the art intentionally often have some personal reason for it (such as a job as a sailor), but more than a few of those simply look to aquamancy as a non-divine means of learning the healing arts. It's also worth noting that not all aquamancers have to come from a watery locale - many do, but their services are, if anything, even more valuable in, say, an arid desert.

Races: Aquatic races have a natural affinity for aquamancy, and water genasi in particular can master the art easily. That aside, aquamancy is not particularly more or less common among various races, although a race's overall affinity for magic will affects its proportion of aquamancers.

Other Classes: Aquamancers tend to earn respect from warriors, even those who are more averse to magic in general, as their more patient and defensive focus synergizes nicely with a warrior's skills. Classes that favor overwhelming assault, such as barbarians and rogues, find aquamancers less valuable, since they'd prefer the enemy to be defeated by the time an aquamancer is ready to really start contributing, although their protective powers are still of value. Traditional spellcasters, especially more combat-oriented ones, tend to look down on aquamancers. Their powers are considered the weakest element for combat, and the limited number of spells a typical mage has available means that they are not fans of the aquamancer's patient, steady combat style.

Role: In a typical party, Aquamancers will generally fill a primarily supportive role. Using their Flow to ablate attacks and their Invokes primarily to augment, heal, and control the battlefield. While an aquamancer's offensive output takes a lot of time to build up, they have very powerful defensive options that let them mitigate a lot of harm early in a fight, allowing a more alpha-strike oriented party to dish out their damage with less fear of a return assault. Aquamancers can also be effective at gradually wearing down particularly hard targets.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Aquamancers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Aquamancers can come into their power from many paths, so Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma can be valuable, depending on how the Aquamancer uses its magic. Constitution is an important secondary ability, improving the Aquamancer's durability and defensive powers (which is critical given the attrition tactics members of the class favor) and allowing it to use more of its power more regularly.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Starting Age: As druid.
Starting Gold: As druid.

Class Skills
The Aquamancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are...
Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Arcana, Religion, Geography, Nature, Planes) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

AQUAMANCER
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2Key Ability, Invoke Water, Hydric Armor, Sea Legs

2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3Command Water, Rising Tide

3rd
+1
+3
+1
+3Bathe, Flow

4th
+2
+4
+1
+4Deepfriend

5th
+2
+4
+1
+4Improved Hydric Armor

6th
+3
+5
+2
+5Child of the Sea

7th
+3
+5
+2
+5Rapid Invoke (Swift)

8th
+4
+6
+2
+6Improved Deepfriend

9th
+4
+6
+3
+6Greater Hydric Armor

10th
+5
+7
+3
+7Water Form

11th
+5
+7
+3
+7Improved Bathe

12th
+6
+8
+4
+8Greater Command Water

13th
+6
+8
+4
+8Superior Hydric Armor

14th
+7
+9
+4
+9Coast to Coast

15th
+7
+9
+5
+9Rapid Invoke (Move)

16th
+8
+10
+5
+10Tidal Surge

17th
+8
+10
+5
+10Ultimate Hydric Armor

18th
+9
+11
+6
+11Water Gate

19th
+9
+11
+6
+11Greater Bathe

20th
+10
+12
+6
+12Seascape

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Aquamancer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Aquamancers are proficient with simple weapons and one martial or exotic weapon with an aquatic or nautical theme (such as a trident, cutlass, net, harpoon, etc). They are not proficient with armor.

Key Ability (Ex): Choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. This is your Key Ability for powers from this class. All save DCs for your abilities from this class are 10 + 1/2 your class level + your Key Ability Modifier (KAM for short).

Invoke Water (Su): You are able to conjure up water and channel it at your direction. At the most basic, you can conjure up to one gallon of water as a standard action, up to a number of gallons per hour equal to your Key Ability modifier plus your class level. You may conjure the water in open space or within a container. The water is permanent, clean, and behaves as normal water.

You can also learn a number of tactical uses for invoking water, called Invokes. You know a number of Invokes equal to your class level plus two. Each time you gain a class level, if you wish, you may swap one of your current Invokes for a different one. Initially, you can purchase each Invoke once. At each class level divisible by six (6th, 12th, 18th...), you may purchase your Invokes one additional time if you wish (so a 12th level aquamancer could purchase the same Invoke up to three times). The Invokes are categorized into several groups that share similar rules or the same action type.

You may use Invokes functionally at will. This isn't to say an aquamancer has limitless energy, but it has a good amount and recovers it fairly quickly. However, you can't simply constantly use Invokes for a prolonged period, such as to keep your party topped off with Supportive Counters. You are always assumed to go into an encounter with no Counters applied, although if you are aware of an encounter that is about to occur (for example, you are staging an ambush or hear an enemy approaching), you can certainly use your abilities before combat begins.

Many Invokes have lasting, stacking effects on their targets. These are tracked with various Counters. You may only place a Counter on a target who currently has fewer Counters on it than your Constitution modifier plus one-third your class level (this is a single limit for all types of aquamancer Counters). All Counters share one duration, equal to your Constitution modifier. Upon placing a new Counter, the duration resets to this total, unless it is currently higher. If the target already has too many Counters for you to add another, you may replace an existing Counter with the new one. If you did not place the original Counter, this requires a level check, DC 11 + the class level of the Aquamancer who placed the original Counter. Replacing a Counter does not reset the duration. Counters are placed after the initial effect, and all Counters you place immediately end if you are killed or knocked unconscious. A given target cannot receive the same Counter more than once per round, even if it is subject to the same Invoke multiple times that round.

Offensive Invokes directly harm or hinder the target. Using an Offensive Invoke is a standard action and affects one target per purchase of the Invoke at Medium range. Each Invoke has its own damage die, and deals that damage plus your Key Ability Modifier. A saving throw is allowed to negate the effect. Targets that fail their saves also receive a Counter depending on the Invoke.

Corrode: You blast the target with corrosive water. 1d4+KAM Acid Damage, Reflex Negates. Acid Counter: Each round at the start of the target's turn, it takes acid damage equal to your Key Ability modifier for each Acid Counter it possesses.

Dessicate: You drain water from the target and use it to heal someone else. Dessicate works on living targets only, and deals double damage to creatures with the Plant or Ooze type or [Water] or [Aquatic] subtypes. KAM Untyped Damage, Fortitude Negates, second target of choice receives equal healing. Any modification to the damage or the healing equally modifies the other. Dessication Counter: Each Dessication Counter on the target lowers its Constitution by 2. A target whose Constitution is penalized to 0 dies.

Erode: You blast the target with a jet of focused water that can eventually eat through even the strongest defenses. 1d8+KAM Physical Damage (subject to DR), Reflex Negates. Erosion Counter: For each Erosion Counter a target possesses, it adds the aquamancer's KAM to the damage it receives from Erode Invokes and takes a -1 penalty on saves against Erode Invokes.

Freeze: You blast the target with arctic water that instantly freezes. 1d6+KAM Cold Damage, Fortitude Negates. Ice Counter: Each Ice Counter on the target imposes a -5' penalty to speed, and a -1 penalty on its attack rolls, AC, Fortitude saves, and Reflex saves.

Scald: You blast the enemy with scalding hot steam or boiling water. 1d6+KAM Fire Damage, Reflex Negates. Burn Counter: Each time the target takes damage, the damage is increased by two per Burn Counter upon it.

Supportive Invokes augment, heal, restore, or otherwise assist your allies. Using a Supportive Invoke is a swift action and affects one target per purchase of the Invoke at Close range. A character can resist a Supportive Invoke with a Will save, but they are considered (Harmless). Supportive Invokes provide an initial benefit and also a Counter depending on the Invoke.

Bask: You bask the target in warm steam that fills the target with energy and vigor. The target receives temporary hit points equal to 1d6 plus your KAM. These do not stack with any other temporary hit points. Bask Counter: The target is invigorated, receiving a +1 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls per Bask Counter upon it.

Chill: You create a shield of ice to protect the target. The target gets a shield bonus to AC equal to half your KAM for one round. Chill Counter: The target's armor bonus to AC increases by 1 and it gains DR 1/- per Chill Counter upon it.

Cleanse: You direct cleansing waters that wipe away afflictions. Choose one spell or condition upon the target that has a duration; that duration is reduced by a number of rounds equal to half your KAM. Cleanse Counter: The target gets a +1 sacred or profane bonus on saving throws per Cleanse Counter upon it.

Heal: Water is the element of life, and you can invoke waters to heal your allies. The target heals an amount of nonlethal damage equal to 1d6 plus your KAM. If the target is currently below half its maximum hit points, you heal lethal damage as well. Healing Counter: Each time the target recovers hit points or gains temporary hit points, the number is increased by half your KAM per Healing Counter upon it, to a maximum increase of 50% per Healing Counter.

Tactical Invokes create localized zones of weather. Using a Tactical Invoke is a move action, and it creates a zone with a radius of 5' per two points of your KAM, rounded up, centered anywhere in Long range. You may use the Invoke on the same zone additional times in successive rounds, increasing the radius by 5' each time, to a maximum radius of 5' per class level or per point of your KAM, whichever is higher. The zones created by Tactical Invokes last until you dismiss them (a move action), but you may only have one instance of a given Invoke active at a time per purchase of that Invoke.

Each zone has certain effects that it applies within the area. Additionally, if you spend a move action in conjunction with a use of an Offensive or Supportive Invoke, you may target the Invoke upon a Tactical Invoke within range. If you do so, the initial effect of the Invoke applies to everyone within the zone. Counters do not; however, the zone itself receives the relevant Counter, and everyone within the zone is subject to any Counters upon the zone. These do not count against a creature's Counter limit, but each zone is subject to a normal limit of Counters as if it were a creature. Those who leave the zone immediately lose all effects of Counters upon the zone, and those who enter a zone with Counters are immediately subject to those Counters. Counters upon a zone apply to those within without a saving throw.

Fog: You create fog that emanates from a point in space. The fog provides Concealment against adjacent characters, and Total Concealment against characters separated by more than five feet of fog. The humidity of the fog also grants those within a bonus on saves against Cold damage and cold-based effects, and imposes a penalty on saves against Fire damage and heat-based effects, equal to half your KAM.

Pool: You conjure a free-standing pool of water centered on a point in space. The water is 5' deep. Small or smaller creatures can only pass through the water by swimming. Medium creatures can wade through the water at 1/4 speed. Large creatures treat it as difficult terrain. Huge and larger creatures ignore it. Unlike other Tactical Invokes, you can't increase the radius of a Pool; however, you can increase the depth by 5' each time; each doubling of depth also increases the size category affected by one. If you wish, you can create currents that make the DC to swim in the water range as high as 10 + your class level. A Pool does not augment any abilities that are improved by being used in or near a volume of water (such as allowing you to Bathe multiple people or improve Invokes with Command Water), since the Pool comes from the same source.

Rain: You conjure a deluge of rain centered on a point in space. The rain imposes a -2 penalty on Listen, Search, and Spot checks, and a -1 penalty on saves vs. Cold damage and cold-based effects, per two points of your KAM on all within. It provides an equal bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks, and to saves against Fire damage and heat-based effects. The rain extinguishes normal fires in one round per size category of the fire starting at Small. Finally, when you channel an Offensive or Supportive Invoke into a Rain Invoke, Offensive Invokes only affect enemies in the rain, and Supportive Invokes only affect allies.

Slick: You conjure a slick of ice or slippery puddle centered on a point in space. Anyone attempting to move within the slick must make a Balance check (DC 10 + your class level + your Key Ability modifier). Those who fail by five or more points fall; those who fail cannot move that round; those who succeed move at half speed; those who succeed by five or more points move at full speed. Anyone who takes damage while on the ice slick must also make the Balance check or fall.

Snow: You conjure a storm of snow or sleet centered on a point in space. For each two points of your KAM, the snow imposes a -2 penalty on Balance, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, and Tumble checks of those within, imposes a 5% miss chance on attacks made through it, and reduces the speed of those within by 5'. A DC 15+KAM Strength check or DC 15 + class level + KAM Balance check halves the speed reduction.

Specialty Invokes do not fit any of the above categories. They have specialized effects.

Conjure: You call forth water elemental allies to do your bidding. Using Conjure is a full-round action. You gain a Summon Counter. For each Summon Counter you possess, you summon a Small water elemental, which appears in Close range. If you have purchased this Invoke multiple times, you summon an elemental one size larger per additional purchase. If an elemental is reduced to 0 hit points, it vanishes and the Counter it represents immediately expire.

Current: You direct a rush of water that pushes targets around, affecting up to one target in Medium range per purchase of this Invoke (you may affect the same target multiple times). Using Current is a move action. You move the target up to five feet per point of your KAM. A target may make a Reflex save to negate the forced movement, but if it attempts and fails the save it also falls prone. If the target is immersed in water, you can move it twice as far and on a failed save it takes a penalty on Swim checks equal to your KAM for one round.

Ice: You conjure structures ice at a point in space in Medium range. Conjuring ice is a move action. You can have up to one instance of Ice active at a time per purchase of this Invoke. At first level, you can create a single structure no more than 5' in any dimension. For each additional class level, you can increase the length, width, or height of the structure by 5'. You may change these parameters with each new use of Ice. A single 5' cube of ice has Hardness equal to twice your Constitution modifier, and hit points equal to your Key Ability modifier times your class level, and a Strength DC to burst of 10 + your Constitution modifier + your KAM. The barriers must be solidly supported; you can't drop them on a target. You also cannot conjure the ice into an occupied space. You may attempt to trap an enemy by completely enclosing it in ice, but it gets a Reflex save; if it succeeds, it can use its next turn's move action to attempt to move out of the area. Ice barriers and obstacles are immune to cold but take 150% damage from fire, and otherwise receive damage as objects. These conjurations last indefinitely until you dismiss them (a move action).

Wash: You conjure purifying waters that wash away magical energies on up to one target per purchase of the Invoke in Close range. Using Wash is a standard action. Choose one spell or similar effect (such as a psionic power) upon the target. That spell has its duration reduced by a number of rounds equal to half your KAM. The target also gains one Wash Counter. Any time you affect the target with Wash, you may choose to remove any or all Wash Counters upon it. If you do, you dispel a single spell upon it with a spell level no higher than the number of Wash Counters removed, provided the spell can be removed by Dispel Magic (Greater Dispel Magic from level 11 on). An unwilling target can resist the effects of Wash with a Will save.

Hydric Armor (Su): You surround yourself in your native element for protection. You may form your Hydric Armor as a full round action and dismiss it as a free action, and it lasts until you dismiss it. When you form your Hydric Armor, you may choose whether it is formed of water, ice, or steam.

Armor formed of ice provides an Armor bonus to AC equal to your Constitution modifier. Armor formed of water provides a Deflection bonus to AC equal to your Constitution modifier. Armor formed of steam provides a Dodge bonus to AC equal to your Constitution modifier (but this bonus is added to your Dexterity modifier before accounting for maximum Dexterity from armor).

While using Hydric Armor, you also gain Fire and Cold Resistance 5. However, any time you take fire damage that overcomes this resistance, the armor shifts one step hotter (ice to water, water to steam). Any time you take cold damage that overcomes the resistance, the armor shifts one step colder.

At 5th level, the AC bonus for your Hydric Armor improves by one point, the resistance improves to 10, and you gain a benefit based on its current state:
Ice: DR/magic equal to your AC bonus from the Hydric Armor, and the extra AC from levels is doubled.
Water: Fast Healing equal to your Constitution modifier, as long as you are below half hit points.
Steam: 20% Miss Chance.

At 9th level, the AC bonus improves by another point, the resistance improves to 15, and the benefit improves:
Ice: Becomes DR/adamantine.
Water: If you are above half hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice your Fast Healing, which refresh each round.
Steam: Miss Chance becomes 30%.

At 13th level, the AC bonus improves by another point, the resistance improves to 20, and the benefit improves further:
Ice: Becomes DR/adamantine and magic.
Water: Your Fast Healing applies regardless of your hit point total as long as you aren't dead, and you get the temporary hit points while at full hit points rather than while above half.
Steam: Miss Chance becomes 40%.

At 17th level, the AC bonus improves by another point, the resistance improves to 30, and the benefit improves further:
Ice: Becomes DR/-.
Water: Your Fast Healing becomes Regeneration, overcome by fire or cold damage. This doesn't apply if you are immune to nonlethal damage. Fire or cold damage that is prevented by resistance or immunity still don't hurt you directly, but does aggravate existing injury, converting up to that amount of existing nonlethal damage to lethal (so if you take 20 fire damage, even though your resistance prevents it all, up to 20 points of your current nonlethal damage becomes lethal).
Steam: Miss Chance becomes 50%.

Sea Legs (Ex): As an Aquamancer, you are naturally comfortable in and around water. Choose either Swim or Profession (Sailor); you automatically receive maximum ranks in the chosen skill for your Aquamancer levels and may take 10 on the chosen skill even if rushed or threatened. Additionally, you swim at half speed rather than one quarter speed and you multiply your Constitution score by your class level for purposes of determining how long you can hold your breath.

Command Water (Su): Starting at second level, you are able to move water telekinetically. While you concentrate (a standard action each round), you can move a volume of water that could fill a cube a number of feet on a side equal to twice your class level. You may Command Water at Long range. Note that you may affect solid, liquid, or gaseous water in this way, allowing you to move things like snow, ice, clouds and fogs (including those created by magic). You can move the water up to 10' per round per point of your Key Ability modifier. Objects or creatures floating or swimming in the water can be moved with it, or you can increase or decrease the DC for Swim or Profession (Sailor) checks made in water you are controlling by up to your class level.

You may also change the material state of water. This is permanent, though the water can change state later by normal physical means. You can change the state of up to a gallon of water per two class levels per round of concentration.

You can use this ability to improve the effectiveness of your aquamancy Invokes by directing existing water (this must be natural water, not water created by magic). As long as there is a body of water at least large enough to immerse a person (such as a well or bathtub) within your Command Water range, your Constitution modifier and your Key Ability Modifier for purposes of the Invoke are treated as two higher. Starting at sixth level, if the body of water is large enough to immerse several people (such as a stream, pond, or pool), you treat any Invokes you know as if you had purchased them a minimum of twice. At twelfth level, if you are within range of a particularly large natural body of water (such as a river or lake), you treat any Invokes you know as if you had purchased them a minimum of three times. At eighteenth level, if you are within range of an ocean, you treat any Invokes you know as if you had purchased them a minimum of four times.

You may also channel your aquamancy Invokes into existing water, following the same rules of channeling them into a Tactical Invoke. You can affect a sphere of water up to 5' in radius per point of your Key Ability Modifier in this way.

Finally, you can attempt to physically control water elementals or other creatures composed of water (yes a large portion of most animals is technically water, no that doesn't count). You must concentrate to do so, and the targets may attempt to resist each round with a Will save or a Strength check that is modified by size. You can control up to one Small creature per level at a time, with each size category larger counting as twice as many creatures. A creature that resists three times cannot be controlled again in this manner for 24 hours. Once you have control, treat the targets as Dominated, but you can only compel physical actions.

Starting at 12th level, the volume of water (or number of water creatures) that you can command is multiplied by your Key Ability Modifier, and you can channel aquamancy Invokes into existing rain, clouds, fogs, snow, and so on, even those created by magic.

Rising Tide (Su): At second level, once per round when you successfully use an Offensive Invoke to place a Counter on an opponent, you may also gain a Tide Counter. If you have Tide Counters, then any time you place a Counter on a character (not a Tactical Invoke zone) who currently does not have any Counters, you may place an additional number of Counters of that type equal to half your current Tide Counters.

Bathe (Su): Starting at third level, you can bathe your allies in healing water. Each hour, you may Bathe targets for a number of rounds equal to your class level plus your Constitution score. It takes five rounds of concentration to begin Bathing a target, and thereafter you must concentrate for as long as the bath continues. You must remain within Close range of the target. Bathed targets receive Fast Healing equal to your KAM for the duration. Bathing a target instantly removes all Counters upon it.

Generally, you can only Bathe one character at a time. However, if there is a pool of water available, you may simultaneously Bathe as many characters as can immerse themselves within it.

Bathing leaves the targets completely clean, and delays the progress of any poisons for the duration of the bath. Additionally, each ten rounds of Bathing a target receives allows that target to make a saving throw against a lasting condition that allows saves to remove, such as poison, disease, negative levels, or so on. Alternately, the target can remove one point of ability damage. These saves never result in a worsening of the condition, they only count towards its removal.

Starting at 11th level, you may Bathe the dead. This has no effect until a target has been Bathed for a number of rounds equal to twice the rounds it has been dead for. At this time, the target begins recovering hit points as normal. If it is restored to positive hit points, it returns to life, and both you and the target receive one point of Constitution Burn per three rounds the Bath lasted (if this would leave either of you at Constitution 0, the attempt simply fails). Additionally, Bathing can now remove Ability Drain in the same manner as Ability Damage.

Starting at 19th level, healing the dead with Bathe requires only one round per hour since the target died (although any interruption to the Bath resets the count), and you now reset your rounds of Bathe every fifteen minutes.

Flow (Su): Water lacks the raw power of the other elements; an aquamancer wins its battles not through overwhelming attack, but through inexorable patience. True, given enough time, they can erode away even the strongest defenses and wear down the mightiest foes - but doing so requires surviving that long. Thus, aquamancers learn to take the healing, purifying power of water and turn it to a formidable defense, balancing protection, evasion, and recovery such that while it may not be as strong at any one as another elementalist, it combines them all for a broad and potent defense.

This well of protective magic is called Flow. Starting at third level, you gain Flow equal to your class level times your (KAM + Constitution modifier). As a non-action, during another character's turn, you may spend Flow to protect allies in Close range. Flow is spent in response to attacks, and directly weakens the attack itself (meaning that a single expenditure of Flow will protect every target subject to a single area attack). Flow can have any of the following effects. You are not limited in how much Flow you can spend at once, and you may spend Flow to have multiple effects. You spend Flow after resolving the attack but before results are applied.

Each round, you recover Flow equal to your Constitution modifier. In any round that you take a total defense action, you add your KAM to the recovery, and double the effect of any Flow spent until the start of your next turn.

Reduce the damage done (costs 1 Flow per point of damage prevented).
Convert damage to nonlethal damage (costs 1 Flow to convert damage equal to your Constitution modifier; can't be done if target is immune to nonlethal damage).
Reduce the attack's attack roll by 1 (costs 5 Flow).
Reduce the attack's save DC by 1 (costs 10 Flow).
Prevent one point of ability damage inflicted by the attack (costs 10 Flow).

Deepfriend (Su): Starting at 4th level, you gain a natural affinity with creatures of the sea. You learn the Aquan language if you didn't already know it, and can communicate with all [Water] or [Aquatic] creatures, whether they possess a language or not. Once per day per point of your Key Ability Modifier, you can attempt to Charm such creatures (as per Charm Monster), give them a Suggestion, or Summon them (as per a Summon Nature's Ally spell of a level equal to half your class level rounded up). A Will save negates the Charm or Suggestion.

At 8th level, you can instead affect such creatures as with Mass Charm Monster, Mass Suggestion, or Dominate Monster, all of which allow Will saves to negate. In addition, you may spend a daily use of this ability to share your Child of the Sea ability with a touched creature for 24 hours.

Child of the Sea (Su): You are as comfortable beneath the sea as on land - if not moreso. Starting at sixth level, you gain a Swim speed of 10' per class level, can breathe water as easily as air, and your movement and attacks are unrestricted by being underwater (as if from Freedom of Movement). You have also adapted to navigating underwater and receive Darkvision 60', Scent, and Blindsense 10' - and the ranges of all three of these senses are multiplied by your class level while you are actually underwater and by half your class level when in heavy rain, fog, and other forms of aerated water. Finally, you suffer no ill effects from the pressure of deep water and take half damage from other effects that deal damage by crushing or pressure (such as grapples, constriction, being buried, and so on).

An aquatic Aquamancer can also use its powers to survive on land (surrounding itself with water so it can breathe, for example).

Rapid Invoke (Su): Starting at 7th level, you can use Offensive Invokes as a swift action as well as a standard action. At 15th level, you can use Offensive Invokes and Supportive Invokes as a move action as well as a swift action.

Water Form (Su): At 10th level, you can take on a form of elemental water for up to one minute per class level per day. While doing so, your type changes to Elemental, and you receive all attendant benefits. You become immune to nonmagical weapons. You must take the same form as your Hydric Armor is currently in.

When in Ice Form, your DR from Hydric Armor is doubled, you become immune to cold, and your land speed doubles as you can easily slide across the ground. When in Water Form, all healing you receive is doubled, you take half damage from fire and cold before your resistance, and you gain the benefits of the Amorphous Form spell. When in Steam Form, you gain the benefits of the Gaseous Form spell, become immune to fire, and can fly at twice your land speed.

Coast to Coast (Su): Starting at 14th level, once per day per two points of your KAM modifier, you can teleport yourself and up to one creature per two class levels through a body of water. All individuals to be transported must be at least halfway immersed in the water, and must be within Close range of you. The teleportation is a standard action, and you may teleport to anywhere else within the body of water (all travelers must wind up within Close range of you). Unwilling targets get a Will save to avoid the transport.

If the location you are teleporting to is within line of sight, you do not use up a daily use and the transport is only a move action.

Tidal Surge (Ex): Given sufficient raw power behind it, even aquamancy can output a surprising amount of power quickly. Starting at 16th level, once per day as a free action, you can set your current number of Tide Counters equal to your Constitution modifier.

Water Gate (Su): Starting at 18th level, once per day, you can duplicate the effects of a Gate spell, but only targeting the Elemental Plane of Water. You may also Greater Plane Shift between the Elemental Plane of Water and the Material Plane three times each per day. When returning to the Material Plane, you must arrive in a body of water.

Seascape (Su): Once per day, a 20th level aquamancer can spend a full-round action to bring a piece of the Elemental Plane of Water to them. A sphere of freestanding water up to 15' in radius per class level manifests, centered on the aquamancer. The water is filled with aquatic creatures and water elementals who serve you loyally, as if from three distinct castings of Summon Nature's Ally IX. The Seascape lasts for one hour.

Aquamancer Feats

Drown

Your water invocations threaten to suffocate your target.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer Level 9+.

Benefit: When you would normally place a Counter on a target from an Offensive Invoke, you may instead place two Drown Counters. Each round at the start of its turn, the target acts as if it has been holding its breath for one round per two Drown Counters upon it. Drown Counters have no effect on targets that do not need to breathe or that can breathe water.

Elemental Versatility

Whenever you conjure water elementals, you can conjure ice or steam elementals instead.

Prerequisites: Conjure Invoke.

Benefit: When you conjure elementals, you may conjure ice elementals (which use earth elemental stats, but have the Cold Subtype, lose Earth Glide and Earth Mastery, gain Water Mastery and a 30' Swim speed, gain Drench, and deal extra cold damage with each attack equal to their base slam damage die) or steam elementals (which use air elemental stats, but have the Fire Subtype, lose Whirlwind and Air Mastery, gain Water Mastery and a 30' Swim speed, have a 20% miss chance, and deal extra fire damage with each attack equal to their base slam damage die).

Extra Invokes

You know more ways to Invoke Water.

Prerequisites: Invoke Water.

Benefit: You gain two additional Invokes.

Special: You can take this feat multiple times, gaining two new Invokes each time.

High Tide

Your powers can grow beyond normal bounds.

Prerequisites: Invoke Water.

Benefit: The maximum number of Counters a target can have before you can't place more Counters on it changes from your Constitution modifier + one-third your aquamancer level to your Constitution modifier plus half your aquamancer level, rounded up. However, you can't place more than your usual maximum number of the same type of Counter on a target.

Splash

Your water magic can splash upon nearby targets.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer Level 6+.

Benefit: When you use an Offensive or Supportive Invoke, you may spend a move action in addition to the normal action cost. If you do, the effect splashes to all adjacent creatures. A character cannot be affected by the same Invoke multiple times simultaneously (for example, if you purchased the Invoke twice and hit two adjacent targets with it, they would each only be affected once, and anyone adjacent to either or both of them would also be affected once).

Splash, Improved

You can selectively control who gets splashed by your water attacks.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer Level 9+, Splash.

Benefit: When you splash targets with an Invoke, you may selectively choose who in the area is affected, rather than affecting everyone in the area.

Alternate Class Features

Hydric Knight - 1st (Alters class chassis, proficiencies, and Key Ability): Increase BAB to full. Increase HD to a d10. Learn a number of Invokes equal to 1 + 1 per even-numbered class level, rather than 2 + 1 per class level. Replace one Invoke every odd level rather than every level. The Hydric Knight gains proficiency with simple and martial weapons, one exotic weapon with an aquatic or nautical theme, light, medium, and heavy armor, and shields (except tower shields). A Hydric Knight may choose Strength as its Key Ability, if desired.

Hydric Weapon - 3rd (Replaces Bathe): Starting at 3rd level, the aquamancer can create weapons formed of ice, compressed jets of water, or condensed planes of boiling water in the same action as it would take to draw a weapon. It may create any weapon it is proficient with, and these are treated as masterwork weapons. Since these weapons are crafted of water, it can control them with its magic, allowing the knight to substitute its Key Ability Modifier for its Strength or Dexterity modifier on attack and weapon damage rolls while wielding a Hydric weapon.

Ice and boiling weapons ignore half of the target's DR, are subject to half of the target's cold or fire resistance, deal half damage against cold or fire immune opponents, and deal 25% more damage against cold or fire vulnerable opponents.

Fire and cold damage can change your weapon state in the same way as they change your Hydric Armor.

Hydric Strike - 7th (Replaces Rapid Invoke [Swift]): Starting at 7th level, once per round when you make one or more attacks, you can declare a single attack as a Hydric Strike. The target of the strike receives the effect of one Offensive Invoke that you know. No save is allowed, but a failed attack roll wastes the attempt.

Improved Hydric Weapon - 11th (Replaces Improved Bathe): At 11th level, your Hydric Weapons improve. They gain an enhancement bonus equal to one-fourth your class level. Additionally, ice weapons gain the Icy Burst property, boiling weapons gain the Flaming Burst property, and water weapons gain the Collision property. You must have taken the Hydric Weapon alternate class feature to take this alternate class feature.

Improved Hydric Strike - 15th (Replaces Rapid Invoke [Move]): Starting at 15th level, every time you successfully attack an enemy, it receives the effect of one Offensive Invoke that you know (remember, a given target cannot receive the same Counter more than once per round). No save is allowed against the Invoke. You must have taken the Hydric Strike alternate class feature to take this alternate class feature.

Greater Hydric Weapon - 19th (Replaces Greater Bathe): At 19th level, your Hydric weapons improve again. Every time you hit with an ice weapon, you place an Ice Counter on the target and a Chill Counter on an ally in your reach. Every time you hit with a boiling weapon, you place a Scald Counter on the target and a Soothe Counter on an ally in your reach. Every time you hit with a water weapon, you place an Erosion Counter on the target and a Healing Counter on an ally in your reach. Remember that a given target can only receive a given Counter once per round. You must have taken the Hydric Weapon and Improved Hydric Weapon alternate class features to take this alternate class feature.

New Magic Items

Aquamancer's Scepter: Generally decorated with shells and coral and topped with a pearl, emerald, or sapphire, this scepter provides an enhancement bonus from +1 to +5 to an aquamancer's KAM for purposes of Invokes, increasing their effectiveness and save DC. This doesn't affect any other class features or the Key Ability itself, and does stack with enhancement bonuses to the Key Ability itself. The scepter is wielded as a weapon, and if used to attack physically, functions as a masterwork club. If you have the Hydric Weapon alternate class feature, the weapon can be projected from the scepter and use the scepter's enhancement bonus in place of its own (if any). Price: 2,000 gold (+1 bonus), 8,000 gold (+2 bonus), 18,000 gold (+3 bonus), 32,000 gold (+4 bonus), 50,000 gold (+5 bonus).

Anchor of Aquatic Invocation: This barnacle-encrusted anchor can be used as a regular anchor on a ship, or placed on land, generally as a decoration in a building. The anchor must remain aboard a ship or in a fixed location on land for three days before its powers start functioning. If transferred to another ship or moved to another location on land, its powers cease for another three days. Aquamancers who wish to benefit from the anchor must spend at least one day (which may overlap with its own charge-up time) aboard the ship or within the location to attune to it.

When placed on land, the powers of the anchor fill an entire building, cave complex, grove, or similar distinct location where it is kept. Any attuned aquamancers can place Invokes in that location that don't count against their limit of Invokes placed at once. For example, an aquamancer could fill its home or base with Pool, Fog, Rain, and other Tactical Invokes without limit and without counting against its access to those Invokes in the field. Such aquamancers can also channel Offensive and Supportive Counters into such Tactical Invokes with an indefinite duration, although the limit of number of Counters on any given Tactical Invoke still applies.

When placed on a ship, the powers of the anchor fill the water within 100' of the ship. Attuned aquamancers who channel their Invokes into the water around the ship affect this entire area, and Offensive and Supportive Counters can be channeled into the water with an indefinite duration (although the normal limit on Counters still applies).

There is also a greater version of the Anchor, which makes any Invokes improved by the Anchor fully selective. Price: 15,000 gold (normal) or 40,000 gold (greater).

Tidal Weapon: A weapon with the Tidal enchantment adds its Enhancement bonus to an aquamancer's KAM for purposes of Invokes while wielded. In addition, when using an Offensive Invoke, any enchantments on the weapon that cause some additional effect to the target on a hit and don't rely on the attack roll (such as Flaming, Collision, or Wounding, but not Speed, the crit-based portion of various Burst abilities, or Vorpal) also apply to a target that fails its save. A given Invoke can only benefit from one Tidal weapon at a time. Price: +2 bonus.

Magery
2014-12-08, 06:16 AM
This class is really well-constructed - you can tell you've put a lot of effort into it (especially considering the amount of content, and, if you'll excuse the pun, the depth of the class).

I'd be interested in playing it in a campaign (or, at least, trying something like Aquamancer 5/Dragonfire Adept 15, to get Constitution to effectively everything, or perhaps even better, Hydric Knight 5/Dragonfire Adept 15 - of course, it gets terrifying if you were to gestalt it with Dragonfire Adept).

And I can imagine it would be hilarious to play an Aquamancer 20 with Water armour, an item of permanent Favour of the Martyr, a Ring of Fire Immunity, and a Ring of Cold Immunity. Regeneration, but you're immune to non-lethal damage, as well as the only two things that can overcome that Regeneration. I think that fits the theme of the character, don't you? :smalltongue:

I do have a few questions and niggles, though.

1) Water is the far the superior element to choose when it comes to both Hydric Armour and, in the case of the Hydric Knight, their Hydric Weapon - is that deliberate?

2) Is it intentional that Coast to Coast, and the Rain, Snow and Wash Specialty Invokes, all use your Charisma modifier rather than your Key Ability Modifier like the rest of the classes' abilities?

3) Is Seascape supposed to have a duration? (At the moment, it doesn't appear to)

4) All the offensive invocations have saves that, if made, negate the entire effect. That doesn't really match up with all the other offensive elemental abilities in D&D (as you'd know, they're pretty much all save for half unless you have Evasion or Mettle), and it also means that an Aquamancer, while obviously a support class, can't really use any of its offensive Invokes with any degree of effectiveness. Have you considered modifying that somewhat?

Quellian-dyrae
2014-12-08, 02:17 PM
This class is really well-constructed - you can tell you've put a lot of effort into it (especially considering the amount of content, and, if you'll excuse the pun, the depth of the class).

Thanks!


And I can imagine it would be hilarious to play an Aquamancer 20 with Water armour, an item of permanent Favour of the Martyr, a Ring of Fire Immunity, and a Ring of Cold Immunity. Regeneration, but you're immune to non-lethal damage, as well as the only two things that can overcome that Regeneration. I think that fits the theme of the character, don't you? :smalltongue:

Ah. Right. One of the most annoying exploits in D&D. Ranks somewhat above becoming immune to Daze and using Celerity, but still just slightly below the fact that you can, technically, Wish for more Wishes :smallannoyed:. I'll go back and add in one of my usual "stop that" clauses. Good catch.


1) Water is the far the superior element to choose when it comes to both Hydric Armour and, in the case of the Hydric Knight, their Hydric Weapon - is that deliberate?

Not sure I agree. Don't get me wrong, in a vacuum, yes, Fast Healing and eventual Regeneration beat DR and Miss Chance by having value beyond the immediate combat, and is probably more useful against a broader range of attack forms (i.e. spells). However, point for point in battle that does involve melee threats (which most probably will), water will prevent/remove less damage than either. Overlap with other abilities should also be considered. An aquamancer with the Heal Invoke can already heal people up to half hit points for free out of combat, and one with the Soothe Invoke can already grant temporary hit points, so water doesn't really exceed the aquamancer's native utility until 13th level, it just means they have to spend less time worrying about their own hit points. Even when they get outright Fast Healing or Regeneration, Flow already lets them remove damage, make damage nonlethal, or make attacks miss - but again, DR will prevent more damage than Fast Healing in general, and converting damage to nonlethal is the cheapest use for Flow, so looked at more through the lens of "how much Flow does this let me save for spending on my allies rather than myself", the others come out better.

Now, this doesn't mean the water abilities are useless. Pound for pound, yes, they're probably the strongest of them. But they're also the ones that can be most readily covered by the aquamancer's other abilities, so I think it kinda balances out.

Weapon-wise...yeah, Collision beats Flaming Burst and Icy Burst, but not by enough to really be worrisome.


2) Is it intentional that Coast to Coast, and the Rain, Snow and Wash Specialty Invokes, all use your Charisma modifier rather than your Key Ability Modifier like the rest of the classes' abilities?

Nope, proofreading error. Will fix.


3) Is Seascape supposed to have a duration? (At the moment, it doesn't appear to)

Yep, stupidity error :smallamused:. Will fix.


4) All the offensive invocations have saves that, if made, negate the entire effect. That doesn't really match up with all the other offensive elemental abilities in D&D (as you'd know, they're pretty much all save for half unless you have Evasion or Mettle), and it also means that an Aquamancer, while obviously a support class, can't really use any of its offensive Invokes with any degree of effectiveness. Have you considered modifying that somewhat?

The difference between Invokes and most other save-based attacks is that Invokes are at will. They're meant to function a lot more like weapon attacks than spells. I could have made them a touch attack, but those are a bit too reliable, especially at higher levels/for Hydric Knights, and/or would have introduced more MAD by increasing the need for Dexterity. Since they can target two different saves, it should be quite doable to be landing their Invokes reasonably reliably against most opponents, barring those with just all-around great saves. I do think I'll add a magic item that can enhance Invokes though, that'll help make sure they keep pace with magic weapons at higher levels.

IreliVent
2014-12-13, 10:37 PM
The Elemental Versatility feat references steam and ice elementals but neither of those technically exist. Ice paraelementals exist, but I'm fairly sure steam quasielementals were never updated to 3.5.

Quellian-dyrae
2014-12-13, 10:48 PM
...Dang, I must've accidentally deleted the Benefit of the feat somewhere along the lines. Whoops! Fixed. Thanks!

JBPuffin
2014-12-14, 07:01 AM
This is really neat, Quellian. One question: would you consider making an epic level progression, just for kicks?

Quellian-dyrae
2014-12-14, 03:38 PM
Thanks!

An epic progression would be fairly bare-bones, since most of the abilities that get new versions at higher levels get fixed improvements rather than scaling on a pattern. Probably just a bonus epic feat at levels 22 and every three thereafter. And Hydric Armor getting like, +1 AC and +10 to its resistances every five levels.

Abilities that scale with level would continue to do so. They'd get a new Invoke each level, and be able to learn their Invokes an additional time every six levels, so there's a continued progression there. Max Counters per target would also continue to increase every three levels. Bathe, Flow, Command Water volume, etc would all continue to progress, so they actually have fairly decent scaling through the epic levels.

Now, some epic feats might be interesting for them. Maybe like...

Epic Aquamancy [Epic]

You are more skilled at using the strongest powers of Aquamancy

Prerequisites: Aquamancer level 21+.

Benefits: Any aquamancer abilities usable only once per day (Seascape, Water Gate, Tidal Surge, etc) are now usable two additional times per day each.

Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.

Epic Water Invocation [Epic]

Just because an aquamancer prefers to wear its foes down doesn't mean you can't do it quickly.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer level 21+.

Benefits: Saving throws against your Offensive Invokes now only prevent Counters from being applied. The base damage is automatic.

Further, any time you use an Offensive, Supportive, or Tactical Invoke using its default action type, it applies twice to the affected targets or area. If a save is allowed, the target must pass both saves or suffer the full effect of both applications. These applications do apply consecutively, so the second one gains the benefit of any Counters placed by the first one.

Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time you do, you can apply the effects of the relevant Invokes one additional time to affected targets. The minimum level prerequisite increases by six each time you take the feat.

Epic Storm [Epic]

You can channel Invokes into your Tactical Invokes more quickly.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer level 21+.

Benefits: Channeling an Invoke into a Tactical Invoke no longer carries a move action surcharge.

Epic Deepfriend [Epic]

You are known as a friend to all the creatures of the sea.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer level 21+.

Benefits: You may use your Deepfriend abilities at will. Additionally, unless there is a specific, personal reason for them not to, any creature that could be affected by Deepfriend has a starting attitude towards you of Helpful, and a starting attitude to those you claim as friends and allies of Friendly.

Epic Bathe [Epic]

Your healing powers are no longer limited.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer level 21+.

Benefits: You are no longer limited in the number of rounds per hour that you can use the Bathe ability.

Epic Flow [Epic]

Epic foes can deal tremendous damage. You can stop them cold.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer level 21+.

Benefits: Your Flow is doubled. The rate at which you recover Flow is tripled.

Special: You can take this feat multiple times, increasing the minimum level required by six each time. Each additional purchases further doubles Flow and triples recovery (remember, two doublings is a tripling, two triplings would be X5, etc).

One With the Sea [Epic]

You are just as comfortable in a form of water as your natural form. Maybe moreso.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer level 24+.

Benefits: The time that you can spend in Water Form is no longer limited.

Epic Hydric Armor [Epic]

You can layer yourself in protective water in two different states of matter.

Prerequisites: Aquamancer level 24+.

Benefits: You can now use Hydric Armor in Water form simultaneously with either Ice or Steam. If affected by the opposing damage type to the non-Water state (cold if using Steam armor, fire if using Ice armor) both states shift one step, basically inverting your current selection. You receive the full AC bonus for both states, and the special abilities of each. Your resistances do not change.

Special: If you have the Hydric Weapon ability, this feat likewise applies to it.

At Aquamancer level 30+, you can take this feat an additional time. If you do, you benefit from all three forms of armor at once, and become immune to fire and cold damage (although they can, as always, be used to overcome your Regeneration by converting existing nonlethal damage to lethal).