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Bearowl
2017-04-28, 11:45 PM
Elementalist
The elf soars through the air, hair flung everywhere, as she flies towards the storm giant, preparing to show the giant just who the superior one is.
A dwarf raises his hand, summoning a stone hound to his side. The Earth gives many bounties to those who ask. With a wicked grin, the dwarf and stone hound race towards the dragon, knowing earth will prevail.
Elementalists are those who are exceptionally close to the elements. They have formed a bond with an element, Air, Earth, Fire, or Water, and are able to use their bonded element as an extension of their self, truly connecting with their favored element.

Creating an Elementalist
When creating an elementalist character, think about where your character comes from. Are they from lands of barren earth, or flowing rivers? Talk with your DM about an appropriate origin for your elementalist.
What has lead you to take up the adventuring life? Were you drawn to explore the elements of the world? Was your land struck by a disaster, sending your out as a refugee?

Quick Build
You can make an elementalist quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in charisma, followed by constitution. Second, choose the outlander background.

As an elementalist, you gain the following class features:

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per elementalist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per elementalist level after 1st

Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons, choice of two melee weapons, all ranged weapons
Tools: Herbalist kit
Saving Throws: Charisma, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, and Survival

Equipment
You start with the following Equipment, in addition to the Equipment granted by your background:
(a) a short sword or (b) any simple or melee weapon
(a) a heavy crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a longbow and 20 arrows
An explorer’s pack and an ornamental dagger

Elemental Bond
At 1st level, you choose an elemental spirit to bond with. Choose air, earth, fire, or water. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

Elemental Form
You have bonded yourself with an element. On your turn you may use a bonus action to enter an elemental form. Energy from your chosen element infuses your body and radiates from you. While in your Elemental form:
• You have advantage on nature checks.
• When you make a melee or ranged weapon attack you may use your charisma modifier instead of strength or dexterity for the attack and damage rolls. While doing so, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll. This bonus increases as you level.
• Damage caused by your weapon attack is considered the type of damage based on your chosen elemental. Air (thunder), Earth (force), Fire, or Water (cold)

Your elemental form lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious. You can also end your elemental form on your turn as a Bonus Action.

Once you have entered your elemental form the maximum number of times for your elementalist level, you must finish a long rest before you can enter your elemental form again. You may enter your elemental form 2 times at 1st level, 3 at 3rd, 4 at 6th, 5 at 12th, and 6 at 17th, unlimited at 20th.

Unarmored Defense
You are made tough by the elements. While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10+ your dexterity modifier + your charisma modifier. You can use a Shield and still gain this benefit.

Elemental Sense
At 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when the elements are being manipulated and are able to brace for impact. You have advantage on saving throws against damage from attacks that use your chosen element.

Elemental Attack
Starting at 2nd level, you may infuse your attacks with elemental energy. Before making your first Attack on Your Turn, you can decide to infuse your attack with your chosen elemental energy. Doing so doubles the number of damage dice rolled on all attacks for the turn. At the end of your turn you gain one level of exhaustion.

Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two Ability Scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can Attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.

Elemental Sight
Starting at 5th level, your connection with the elements has given you a primordial sight. You have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. You see dim light as bright light, and darkness as dim light.

Elemental Instinct
By 7th level, your instincts are linked tightly to the elements. Once per turn, when you deal elemental damage you may choose to reroll any of the damage dice. You must use the new roll.

Elemental Critical
Beginning at 9th level, when you are the subject of a critical hit you may use your reaction to make an a counter attack. If the critical hit was a melee hit, make a melee attack. If it was ranged, make a ranged attack.

Charm the Elements
At 11th level, your connection to the Elements gives you dominion over nature. Channeling the primordial energy inside, you may use your action to charm an elemental that can see you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw with disadvantage. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you for 1 minute or until it takes damage. While it is charmed by you, it is friendly to you and other creatures you designate.

The DC = 8+ your proficiency bonus, + your charisma modifier.

Elemental Shroud
When you reach 13th level, a shroud of elements exude from you. While in your elemental form, creatures of your choice within 15 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against damage from attacks that use your chosen element.

Elemental Fury
Beginning at 15th level, your connection to your element is so ingrained that elementals shrink away from you. When you are the target of an attack, elementals must make a wisdom saving throw. On a fail, the elements rise up in retribution and the elemental deals attack damage on itself.

The DC = 8+ your proficiency bonus, + your charisma modifier.

Conjure Elemental
When you reach level 17, you are able to use your action to cast Conjure Elemental. You may do this once per short rest.

Elemental Reach
Beginning at 18th level, your connection to the elements allows you to stretch and change your form. Melee attacks you make have a +5 feet to reach. Ranged attacks increase a range of 30 feet.

Primordial Champion
At 20th level, you embody the power of the elements. While in your elemental form you may add your proficiency bonus to all damage dealt by your attacks.


Air Bond
For some elementalists, air is more than just something to breathe – it is an extension of the body. Elementalists who bond to air seek to enhance their physical self and become better. Damaged caused by air is considered thunder damage.

Infused with Air
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can fully embrace the element of air and infuse it into your body. While in your elemental form you may use your bonus action to gain advantage on your first melee or ranged weapon attack on each of your turns after this one. When your elemental form ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion.

Healthy Lungs
Beginning at 6th level, you can hold your breath for an hour without needing to breathe.

Sky’s The Limit
At 10th level, you have bonded with the element of air completely. Gravity has no hold on you. You gain a flying speed of 45 feet.

Air in the Veins
Starting at 14th level, your hit point maximum increases by 28. Each time you level up increase the total by an additional 2.


Earth Bond
For some elementalists, the earth is more than just the surface beneath your feet. Earth is the strongest element, and connecting to earth gives strength. Elementalists who bond to earth seek to find grounding, both physically and emotionally. All damage caused by earth is considered force damage.

Thick as Stone
Starting when you choose this bond at 3rd level, you can cast stone skin targeting self without any of the material components. You have advantage on maintaining concentration for this spell. You can cast it a number of times equal to your charisma modifier (minimum of once) per long rest.

Connected to the ground
Beginning at 6th level, while at least one foot is on the ground you have a tremorsense out to 30 feet.

The Earth Cries Out
Starting at 10th level, you can spend one hour performing a ritual to summon a stone hound. You may use your bonus action to direct the hound to attack, and the hound acts on your initiative. The hound has the following statistics:

Size Medium
Type Elemental
Alignment Neutral
AC 15 (Natural Armor)
HP 52
Speed 40ft
STR 15
DEX 11
CON 16
INT 6
WIS 11
CHA 7
Senses tremorsense 30 Ft.
Passive Perception 10
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Petrified, Poisoned
Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, And Slashing From Nonmagical Weapons That Aren't Adamantine

Traits:
-False Appearance: While the stone hound remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate statue.

Multiattack: The stone hound makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Damage: 1d6 + 2 piercing
Claws: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Damage: 1d6 + 2 slashing

Earth Glide
Starting at 14th level, you have a strong connection to the earth. You have permanent Stone Skin. In addition, you can use your Thick as Stone feature to cast stone skin on a willing creature.


Fire Bond
For some elementalists, fire is the passion that burns in the veins. Just as the forest fire cleanses the earth, so does the fire elementalist. Elementalists who bond to fire seek to use the power of fire to overcome enemies of the earth.

Fire Resistance
Starting when you choose this bond at 3rd level, you become used to the sensation of being burned. You now have resistance to fire damage.

Cleansing Fire
Beginning at 6th level, you can use fire to cleanse away impurities. You gain the ability to cast lesser restoration without spell components. You may cast it a number of times equal to your charisma modifier (minimum of once) per long rest.

Savage Burn
Starting at 10th level, your fire burns hottest. Attacks made while in your elemental form ignore fire resistance, and treat fire immunity as resistance.

Fire Reborn
Starting at 14th level, when you reach 0 hit points without going below your hit point maximum, you can instead choose to be reborn as a phoenix. This form lasts for one hour. When the hour is up, or you drop to 0 hit points, you lose your phoenix shape and have 1 hit point. The fire phoenix has the statistics of a fire elemental, but is in the shape of a phoenix. You may use this feature once per long rest.


Water Bond
For some elementalists, water is more than just something you drink – it is more important than the water in your veins. Elementalists who bond to water seek to enhance use connect through others by using the healing power of water. All damage caused by water is considered cold damage.

Healing Water
Starting when you choose this elemental bond at 3rd level, you have mastered the healing properties of water. As an action, you can infuse water with healing powers and pour it on a creature within 5 feet. The water acts as Cure Wounds. You can do this a number of times equal to your charisma modifier (minimum of once) per long rest.

Water Step
Beginning at 6th level, you gain the ability to walk on water as if it were land.

Healing Rain
Starting at 10th level you can use your bonus action to summon a storm cloud above you and your allies. Healing water rains down. Creatures you choose within a 15 foot radius of you gain the effects of healing word. You can do this three times per long rest.

Watery Form

Starting at 14th level, when you take physical damage you may use your reaction to temporarily enter a watery form and take half damage. You may use this ability once per short rest.

Bearowl
2017-04-30, 10:14 PM
Updated the post with my most recent edit. Would really appreciate some feedback!

JNAProductions
2017-04-30, 10:19 PM
It's a Charisma Barbarian...

Not sure what to say. Well, I'll say this-it seems really derivative. You basically just reskinned the Barbarian.

Composer99
2017-04-30, 10:24 PM
Just looking at some of the base class features for now. Might look at subclass features soon.



Level Proficiency Bonus Features Elemental Forms Elemental Damage
1st +2 Elemental Form, Unarmored Defense 2 +2
2nd +2 Elemental Attack 2 +2
3rd +2 Elemental Bond Feature 3 +2
4th +2 Ability score Improvement 3 +2
5th +3 Extra Attack, Quick Movement 3 +2
6th +3 Elemental Bond Feature 4 +2
7th +3 Elemental Instinct 4 +2
8th +3 Ability score Improvement 4 +2
9th +4 Elemental Critical 4 +7
10th +4 Elemental Bond Feature 4 +7
11th +4 Everlasting Elements 4 +7
12th +4 Ability score Improvement 5 +7
13th +5 Elemental Critical 5 +7
14th +5 Elemental Bond Feature 5 +7
15th +5 Elemental Fury 5 +7
16th +5 Ability score Improvement 5 +4
17th +6 Elemental Critical 6 +4
18th +6 Elemental Might 6 +4
19th +6 Ability score Improvement 6 +4
20th +6 Primordial Champion 6 +4


I can infer from context what number is meant to match up with what column, but it ain't pretty. Might I recommend using some table templates (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?521278-Preset-Class-Tables-for-5e-Homebrew) and cleaning this up?



Elemental Form
You have bonded yourself with an element. Choose Air, Earth, Fire, or Water. The type chosen must be the same as your level three archetype. On your turn you may use a bonus action to enter an elemental form. Energy from your chosen element infuses your body and radiates from you. While in your Elemental form:
• You have advantage on nature checks and nature saving throws.
• When you make a melee or ranged weapon attack you may use your charismamodifier instead of strength or dexterity. While doing so, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll. This bonus increases as you level.
• Damage caused by your weapon attack is considered magical, and damage type is based on your chosen elemental. Air (thunder), Earth (force), Fire, or Water (cold)

Your elemental form lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious. You can also end your elemental form on your turn as a Bonus Action.

Once you have entered your elemental form the maximum number of times for your elementalist level, you must finish a long rest before you can enter your elemental form again. You may enter your elemental form 2 times at 1st level, 3 at 3rd, 4 at 6th, 5 at 12th, and 6 at 17th.

[...]

Elemental Bond
At 3rd level, you choose an elemental spirit to bond with. Choose air, earth, fire, or water. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.


Telling a player "look to your 3rd-level feature" when they're making choices at 1st level might make sense from a "meta" standpoint (i.e. when thinking of builds over multiple levels), but no rules are written explicitly directing players to do same, because, writing bluntly, it's just weird.

Instead, I would suggest either changing the archetype feature so that it comes at 1st level (in that sense, your elemental form becomes your first archetype feature, with the other features to follow at 3rd level, 6th level, and so on), or rewording the Elemental Bond feature such that your choice of bonded spirit must match your chosen elemental form.

This gets rid of the bizarre "look ahead" requirement.

As for the Elemental Form itself:

What is a "nature saving throw"?
You should specify that you substitute Charisma for Strength or Dexterity for both attack and damage rolls; as worded the rule implies, but does not quite specifically state, that you only substitute Charisma for the attack roll. (If you meant to imply you use Charisma only for attack rolls, I would suggest being a little more explicit.)
Making your attacks count as magical and changing their type to an elemental damage type seems too powerful at 1st level - by way of comparison, the magic weapon spell is 2nd level, so the earliest a full caster gets it is at 3rd level, and monks' ki-empowered strikes comes online at 6th level.




Unarmored Defense
You are made tough by the elements. While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 13 + your charisma modifier. You can use a Shield and still gain this benefit.

Most unarmoured defence (Canadian spelling) features give you an additional ability score above Dexterity. Why is this one giving you +3 AC for free?



Elemental Sense
At 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when the elements are being manipulated. You have advantage on saving throws against damage from your chosen elemental type.

The fluff in the first sentence and the crunch in the second sentence don't match. The way the first sentence is being set up, it almost seems like you're going to have benefits to ability checks related to the elements, much like a ranger's Natural Explorer feature or something.

Assuming you keep the saving throw part of the feature, I would suggest rewording the second sentence slightly. You don't make saving throws against elemental-type damage per se, you make saving throws against effects that cause them - for instance, you make a saving throw against a fireball spell cast by a wizard, and not the fire damage the spell causes.



Elemental Attack
Starting at 2nd level, you may infuse your attacks with elemental energy. Before making your first Attack on Your Turn, you can decide to infuse your attack with your chosen elemental energy. Doing so doubles the number of damage dies rolled on all attacks for the turn. At the end of your turn you gain one level of exhaustion.

So a sort of reckless attack-like feature.



Quick Movement
Starting at 5th level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren't wearing Heavy Armor.

Meh. Getting to be a little too much like the barbarian.



Elemental Critical
Beginning at 9th level, you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit when the damage involved elemental damage.
This increases to two additional dice at 13th level and three additional dice at 17th level.

Everlasting Elements
Starting at 11th level, your rage can keep you fighting despite grievous wounds. If you drop to 0 hit points while in your elemental form, and don't die outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If you succeed, elemental power infuses you and you drop to 1 hit point instead.

Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When you finish a short or Long Rest, the DC resets to 10.

Elemental Fury
Beginning at 15th level, your connection to your element is so engrained that it ends early only if you fall Unconscious or if you choose to end it.

Elemental Might
Beginning at 18th level, if your total for an charisma check is less than your charisma score, you can use that score in place of the total.

Primordial Champion
At 20th level, you embody the power of the elements. Your charisma and constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24.[/QUOTE]

All of these are, in effect, word for word rehashes of barbarian features. I understand that the barbarian chassis is the basis for this class... but still, it's not particularly interesting.

Bearowl
2017-04-30, 10:29 PM
I totally get the points that it's too similar to barbarian. I do need to rework that. I think, though, the subclasses really do make that distinction. I'm tried to make it unique. I guess Air's first ability is barbarian, but the rest should be all unique.

I'll def be taking the main class back to the workshop to give it some more flair.

Bearowl
2017-05-01, 12:02 AM
Composer99, thanks for the specific feedback. I just spent the last couple of hours revising the class - now the last few features of the base class are not just copied from the Barbarian.

I'd love a second look! Thanks!

Mortis_Elrod
2017-05-04, 03:51 PM
So i have like nothing to do and this caught my eye. I'll give this a go.




Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons, choice of two melee weapons, all ranged weapons
Tools: Herbalist kit
Saving Throws: Charisma, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, and Survival


Lets start here. So like was said i see you're getting this straight from the barb, thats fine and i see you want the class focused on Charisma, (honestly I might do wisdom but CHA is my fave so I'm ok with this), but i have a few questions. Is Medium Armor neccessary ? I think you can grab a decent AC with teh unarmored defense you have so I don't see any particular reason besides magic items to have medium armor. Light armor is good enough, lose the medium. It'll seperate you from the Barb more. Also Switch persuasion out for something else. Intimidate is better thematically i think (your personality already bonds or dominates the elements.) Persuasion just looks really weird here. choice of two martial weapons, ranged martial weapons. Just try to be consistent with PHB wording (no matter how incoherent it can be).
...moving on.



Elemental Bond
At 1st level, you choose an elemental spirit to bond with. Choose air, earth, fire, or water. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

Elemental Form
You have bonded yourself with an element. On your turn you may use a bonus action to enter an elemental form. Energy from your chosen element infuses your body and radiates from you. While in your Elemental form:
• You have advantage on nature checks.
• When you make a melee or ranged weapon attack you may use your charisma modifier instead of strength or dexterity for the attack and damage rolls. While doing so, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll. This bonus increases as you level.
• Damage caused by your weapon attack is considered the type of damage based on your chosen elemental. Air (thunder), Earth (force), Fire, or Water (cold)

So here you choose your element. Now for the purposes of some of your other class features you need to clarify (somewhere here or in the other features' descriptions) that elemental damage is 'your chosen elements damage that your elemental form does' or 'your bonus elemental damage type' or something like that. Its a bit confusing if other damage types proc certain things. Should say "The bonus damage caused by your weapon attack...etc" trust me clarification is needed. I first read this and thought that you imbued your weapon to a different damage type altogether. On to the next one.



Unarmored Defense
You are made tough by the elements. While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10+ your dexterity modifier + your charisma modifier. You can use a Shield and still gain this benefit.

This is great and cool and...So here's the issue. Its less about the ability and more so about design philosophy. In a game with no multiclassing, this would be fine. In a game with....problem. I'd Keep as is because any DM allowing homebrew AND multiclassing with said homebrew either can handle the shanannagans that this would bring, or deserves them.



Elemental Sense
At 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when the elements are being manipulated and are able to brace for impact. You have advantage on saving throws against damage from attacks that use your chosen element.

Was said before but this needs rewording. Probably something like. "You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other effects that would damage you with your chosen element's damage type." or something or just straight up resistance to your chosen element's damage type.



Elemental Attack
Starting at 2nd level, you may infuse your attacks with elemental energy. Before making your first Attack on Your Turn, you can decide to infuse your attack with your chosen elemental energy. Doing so doubles the number of damage dice rolled on all attacks for the turn. At the end of your turn you gain one level of exhaustion.

I don't know about you but i would never use this. Exhaustion is already one of the reasons why people don't like the Frenzied barbarian, and putting it on something like a reckless attack but not is not good. Find a different take than exhaustion. Maybe .....just disadvantage on something. don't do levels of exhaustion.



Elemental Instinct
By 7th level, your instincts are linked tightly to the elements. Once per turn, when you deal elemental damage you may choose to reroll any of the damage dice. You must use the new roll.

Ok so unless we are talking about your chosen element here (which i thought was just bonus damage no roll) you need to redefine what elemental damage is, and list that out.



Elemental Shroud
When you reach 13th level, a shroud of elements exude from you. While in your elemental form, creatures of your choice within 15 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against damage from attacks that use your chosen element.

Again with wording but you get the point.



Infused with Air
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can fully embrace the element of air and infuse it into your body. While in your elemental form you may use your bonus action to gain advantage on your first melee or ranged weapon attack on each of your turns after this one. When your elemental form ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion.

Exhaustion again.



Sky’s The Limit
At 10th level, you have bonded with the element of air completely. Gravity has no hold on you. You gain a flying speed of 45 feet.

45 fly no concentration at will is a bit much. I would do 35-30. Or just 'your walking speed'. Also most classes don't get at will flight till level 14. Maybe switch the locations of this and Air in the Veins level wise.



Air in the Veins
Starting at 14th level, your hit point maximum increases by 28. Each time you level up increase the total by an additional 2.

Reword this to be limited by your class level (just looking out for that idiot DM who loves allowing homebrew MCing), oh and not 28. you say 'by double your levels in this class'




The Earth Cries Out
Starting at 10th level, you can spend one hour performing a ritual to summon a stone hound. You may use your bonus action to direct the hound to attack, and the hound acts on your initiative. The hound has the following statistics:

So this is great, but you need to include a clause like 'how many of these can you summon/have at once. What happens if they die?' and stuff like that. look at the find steed and find familiar spells to figure it out, or Pact of the Chain.



Earth Glide
Starting at 14th level, you have a strong connection to the earth. You have permanent Stone Skin. In addition, you can use your Thick as Stone feature to cast stone skin on a willing creature.

This is a great feature. I like it alot. WHERE IS EARTH GLIDE THO? You thought of it but went with this instead. I'd like burrow speed and breathe in the dirt. Actual Earth glide ability would be better.




Fire Reborn
Starting at 14th level, when you reach 0 hit points without going below your hit point maximum, you can instead choose to be reborn as a phoenix. This form lasts for one hour. When the hour is up, or you drop to 0 hit points, you lose your phoenix shape and have 1 hit point. The fire phoenix has the statistics of a fire elemental, but is in the shape of a phoenix. You may use this feature once per long rest.

Should mention which fire elemental exactly. Medium? Large? XXXL?



Healing Water
Starting when you choose this elemental bond at 3rd level, you have mastered the healing properties of water. As an action, you can infuse water with healing powers and pour it on a creature within 5 feet. The water acts as Cure Wounds. You can do this a number of times equal to your charisma modifier (minimum of once) per long rest.

So this is pretty cool. It's a bit weird that you can start with more cure wounds than a life cleric but i think its fine. Mention that you use your charisma as your spellcasting ability.


So all in all i really like the concept, and its not a bad class. The Water and Fire subclasses feel weaker, and i see that water focuses on healing which is fine just which they get something offensive.