Elemental Union

The harmony of the inner planes coming together in one vessel formed the Prime Material Plane, the jewel of the multiverse. For countless ages, Druids have sought to learn from this natural balance and have attained incredible wisdom and power from it. When this balance was threatened, its champions would rise up and destroy them with all the ferocity of the natural world.

This power need not always stem from Divine magic, however. Some warriors throughout history have attempted to master the balance of forces within themselves and channel nature through martial forms, becoming a living conduit for the wisdom of the world.

To learn the Elemental Union Discipline, a practitioner must have at least one Neutral component to their alignment. The Elemental Union signature weapons are the club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. Its key skills are Knowledge (The Planes) and Knowledge (Nature).

Level 1
Step of Air - Teleport 15 feet as a move action.
Flowing Current (Counter) - Gain a bonus after dodging an attack.
Enduring and Unchanging (Stance) - Gain DR 2/Adamantine.
Destructive Flames (Boost) - Deal fire damage on a hit. Take fire damage on a miss.

Level 2
Frigid Gust (Strike) - Freeze an opponent in their tracks.
Field of Magma - Create an area of intense heat on the ground.

Level 3
Body of Smoke (Stance) - Gain concealment and ignore difficult terrain.
Body of Ooze (Stance) - Become resistant to precision damage and flanking.

Level 4
Earthglide (Strike) - Deal damage to enemies whose square you move through.
Redirection of Power (Counter) - Redirect spells cast at you.

Level 5
Resurgence (Stance) - Heal whenever an opponent misses you.
Erosion (Stance) - Damage opponent when they miss you.

Level 6
White Wind - Heal an ally within range.
Merciful Tides (Strike) - Deal additional non-lethal damage.
Rain of Miasma (Boost) - Inflict poisonous wounds.
Hateful Flow (Boost) - Go into a destructive rage

Level 7
Vacuous Presence (Stance) - Keep nearby opponents from breathing.
Desiccating Strike (Strike) - Sap the moisture from an opponent
Wildform (Stance) - Gain the properties of a plant (a mobile and vicious plant).
Eruption of Light (Boost) - Blind those around you.

Level 8
Circle of Life (Stance) - Create an unbreakable flow of energy within yourself.
Lightning (Strike) - Shoot lightning at an opponent.

Level 9
Disassemble and Reassemble Matter And Life - Unmake your enemies and remake your allies.


Level 1
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Destructive Flames
Elemental Union (Boost) [Fire]
Level: Swordsage 1
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Until end of turn

Fire in its purest form is wild and chaotic, destroying all around it if left unchecked. To harness this force is to learn an important lesson about control, restraint, and the risk we all take to fulfill our ambitions.

For the rest of your turn, any melee attacks that successfully hit their target deal an additional 2d6 fire damage plus 1 for each of your initiator levels. For every attack that misses, you take fire damage equal to your initiator level.

Enduring and Unchanging
Elemental Union (Stance) [Earth]
Level: Swordsage 1
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Earth is a timeless element; rigid and stubborn. To become one with earth is to weather all opposition and continue onward even when all hope has been lost.

While in this stance, you have damage reduction 2/adamantine. This damage reduction stacks with all damage reduction x/adamantine granted by the Stone Dragon discipline.

Flowing Current
Elemental Union (Counter) [Water]
Level: Swordsage 1
Action: Immediate
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Water is an ever-shifting power, a dichotomy of the peaceful spring and the roaring riptide. To know water is to know when to stand in inaction and when to plow forward with unbridled wrath.

You can activate this maneuver when an opponent misses you with a melee attack. You gain a +4 bonus on your next attack roll against them in the next round.

Step of Air
Elemental Union [Air] [Teleportation]
Level: Swordsage 1
Action: Move
Range: 15 feet
Target: You

Air is freedom, not just from physical bonds, but also stress, sadness, and attachment to the material. It is a force of creativity and movement, and its mastery carries with it limitless options.

You put your front foot forward and appear in an unoccupied square that you have line of sight and line of effect to as if there had been no distance at all between the two points.

Level 2
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Frigid Gust
Elemental Union (Strike) [Water] [Air]
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Water subtype and one maneuver with the Fire subtype
Action: Standard
Range: 60 feet
Target: One Creature

Water is adaptation and Air is freedom. With this maneuver, you use water to adapt the power of air to restrict your opponent’s own freedom of movement.

Your target takes 1d6 cold damage plus 1 for each of your initiator levels. In addition, they must succeed on a fortitude saving throw (12 + your wisdom modifier) or be immobilized. All of their movement speeds are reduced to 0 for 1 round and cannot be raised above 0 during that round.

Field of Magma
Elemental Union [Fire] [Earth]
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Fire subtype and one maneuver with the Earth subtype
Action: Standard
Range: Personal
Area: A 25ftx25ft square centered on you

When the destructive force of fire is mixed with the unassailable endurance of earth, the result is an immobile area of agonizing heat that serves as a deterrent to those who would do its master harm.

While you are within the effected area, it crackles with blistering heat, dealing 2d6 fire damage to anyone (friend or foe) who enters it or begins their turn while inside of it. You are not effected by this damage. This area persists for as long as you stay inside of it plus 5 rounds. Re-entering the area resets the duration.

Level 3
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Body of Smoke
Elemental Union (Stance) [Air] [Fire]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Air subtype and one maneuver with the Fire subtype
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

A combination of Air and Fire limits the other’s aspects while forming a whole new idea. Smoke isn’t as free as the air, only capable of moving upward, nor is it as rampantly powerful as fire, scarring those around it only if they inhale it, but it obscures vision- a quality useful to those who choose to master its use.

While in this stance, you gain 20% concealment against all ranged attacks and ignore difficult terrain. In addition, you can breathe in non-magical smoke as if it were air.

Body of Ooze
Elemental Union (Stance) [Earth] [Water]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Earth subtype and one maneuver with the Water subtype
Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Ooze is a fusion of the implacable durability of earth and the adaptation and redistribution of an opponent’s energy that water provides. It is a durability formed of mutability.

While in this stance, you gain a 50% chance to ignore extra damage dealt by critical hits and sneak attacks. In addition, opponents gain no attack roll bonus for flanking you. If some effect of theirs would increase the attack bonus for flanking, then the bonus is instead lowered by 2. An ability that provides other benefits for flanking is not effected.

Level 4
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Earthglide
Elemental Union (Strike) [Earth] [Air]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Earth subtype and one maneuver with the Air subtype
Action: Full-Round
Range: Special
Target: Special
Saving Throws: Reflex (Special)

Air and Earth are opposed forces, and thus very difficult to combine effectively. However, when done so properly, the effects are devastating. Much like an Earthquake, no one realizes just how deadly Earth is until it starts moving. Air can give it this locomotion.

As part of this maneuver, you move a distance along the ground equal to twice your speed. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, ignores difficult terrain, and can take you through other creatures’ spaces. When you move through another creature’s space, they take 6d6 bludgeoning damage. They can either make a free attack against you or roll a reflex saving throw (DC 14 + your wisdom modifier) for half damage. Afterwards, regardless of their option, they are shunted 1 square away in a direction of the victim’s choice.

A single creature cannot be hit more than once in a single round with this maneuver.

Redirection of Power
Elemental Union (Counter) [Fire] [Water]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Fire subtype and one maneuver with the Water subtype
Action: Immediate
Range: Personal
Target: Special

Fire and Water are opposed forces, much like Air and Earth. Water specializes in the redistribution of energy, though it has its limitations. Fire, pure, unrestrained power, can remove these limitations. This union of opposition means certain death to those who are untrained in its ways, and even to a master it is dangerous to use.

When a spell that requires an attack roll is targeted at you (such as Scorching Ray or Shocking Grasp), you may draw its power into your body and refocus it- directing it at another eligible target in range. The presence of foreign magic in your body, combined with the unstable nature of a fire-water union is dangerous, however. You must make a Fortitude save equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the caster’s modifier in their casting ability score. Failure means that you are automatically effected by the spell (and fail any Reflex saves associated with it, though any Fortitude or Will saves associated with it are rolled as normal) and take 2 points of Constitution Burn. Success allows you to make your own attack roll with the spell and choose its target as if you were casting it. If the spell would normally require a saving throw, its DC is based off the original caster (not you).

Level 5
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Resurgence
Elemental Union (Stance) [Healing]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: Two Elemental Union maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Positive Energy is a complex element, more so even than the basic four. It is both physical health, and mental optimism. One must be careful when attempting to master such a power, as its influences are sometimes mistaken for “Good” or “Perfection”, yet it is simply one side of the cycle of life; without the other, imbalances occur and cause undue suffering for all.

While in this stance, if an opponent’s attack roll fails to hit your armor class, you are healed 1d8+5 hit points. If, for some reason, you are harmed by positive energy (perhaps a spell that turns you Undead temporarily), then this instead deals damage to you.

Erosion
Elemental Union (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: Two Elemental Union maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Negative Energy often gains the connotation opposite to Positive Energy- of being Evil or Unnatural. In reality, it is just as natural as Positive Energy, despite the fact that it is often misused by Necromancers to create Undead with. Mastery of Negative Energy is difficult, for one must accept the truth behind it- Death, Mortality, Age, Pain, and Entropy are all natural things that one must not fear nor attempt to alter. They are not evil nor should they be looked down upon, nor should they be glorified and misused.

While in this stance, if an opponent’s attack roll fails to hit your armor class, they immediately take 1d8+5 damage. This damage is Negative Energy and will heal Undead or those who are otherwise healed by Negative Energy (such as by the Tomb-Tainted Soul feat).

Level 6
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White Wind
Elemental Union (Strike) [Air] [Healing]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Air subtype and one other Elemental Union maneuver
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: 60 feet
Target: One Creature

Positive Energy, channeled through Air, is the breath of life that fuels all living things. It keeps our hearts pumping and gives our muscles the strength to push us forward.

The target is healed 3d6+10 hit points and cured of 1d4 points of ability damage done to one of its ability scores (this does not effect ability drain). In addition, it removes the fatigued condition from the target or upgrades the exhausted condition to fatigued.

Merciful Tides
Elemental Union (Strike) [Water]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Water subtype and one other Elemental Union maneuver
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

Water is a redirection of energy, but when tempered by Positive Energy, it redirects one’s own energies. Our natural propensities to fight, to survive, and to kill are curbed, bringing forth mercy and temperance.

Make a basic melee attack as part of this maneuver with a +2 bonus on the attack roll. If the attack succeeds, it deals an additional 10d6 damage. All damage dealt by the attack is non-lethal.

Rain of Miasma
Elemental Union (Boost) [Earth]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Earth subtype and one other Elemental Union maneuver
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Until End of Turn

The living body is a union of all 6 elemental forces in one vessel. By using Negative Energy and mastery over Earth, one can erode the Earth element in a person’s being, causing their physical fortitude to wither.
Until the end of the turn, any melee attacks you make also deal 2 Constitution damage to the target they hit. This is considered a poison effect, though no physical poison is present.

Hateful Flow
Elemental Union (Boost) [Fire]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Fire subtype and one other Elemental Union maneuver
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 5 rounds

Fire is ambition, initiative, confidence, hate, anger, and bloodlust. A master of it can use Negative Energy to remove the more positive of these traits within him for a short amount of time. While in such a state he is driven not by accomplishment or personal goals, but by a singular primal urge to kill (much the opposite of a union of Water and Positive Energy).

During this time, all attacks you make deal an additional 3d6 points of damage. In addition, you take a -4 penalty on all attack rolls, and a +2 bonus on all Will saving throws.

Level 7
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Vacuous Presence
Elemental Union (Stance) [Air]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: Three Elemental Union maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Within the Material Plane there exists vast areas of open space incapable of sustaining life. This void between the various worlds is an inversion of Air brought about by Negative Energy. Harnessing this power is unpleasant to say the least, though being the target of it is undoubtedly worse.

Upon entering this stance, the user can no longer breathe normally. If they require breathing, they must hold their breath (a character can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to twice their Constitution score).

Creatures adjacent to the user cannot cast spells with verbal components and if they stay adjacent to the user for two continuous rounds they fall unconscious and begin drowning. This has no effect on creatures who do not need to breathe or whose size makes it impossible for you to prevent them from taking in air (a human’s stance wouldn’t suck the air out of a giant’s lungs, for instance, since his respiratory system is too high up above the human).

Desiccating Strike
Elemental Union (Strike) [Water]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: Three Elemental Union maneuvers
Initiation Action: Strike
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

Using a mastery over Water, it is possible to directly attack the moisture within another creature using entropy wrought of Negative Energy. Severe dehydration follows.

As part of this maneuver, make a melee attack. This attack deals an additional 8d6 non-lethal damage and the opponent must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 17 + your wisdom modifier) or become Exhausted until they can imbibe enough water to make up the difference. If the target was already fatigued and fails their saving throw, they become exhausted and take an additional 2d6 non-lethal damage. If the target was already exhausted and fails their saving throw, they take 1d4 points of ability damage to both Strength and Dexterity.

Wildform
Elemental Union (Stance) [Earth]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: Three Elemental Union maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Where Positive Energy mixes with Earth, vegetation springs forth and nourishes the landscape. If more Positive Energy is introduced, creatures such as Treants come into being. The form of such creatures is the pinnacle of a Positive Earth union.

Your type changes to Plant. You gain low-light vision and immunity to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning, critical hits, and sneak attacks.

Eruption of Light
Elemental Union (Boost) [Fire] [Light]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: Three Elemental Union maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift
Area: 50 foot burst centered on you
Target: Creatures in burst

Positive Energy is partially hope and clarity. The radiance of a fire, dispelling the darkness of night or the gloom of a dungeon is a perfect example of its effect in the world. Although, taken to extremes, even light can be a powerful weapon.

All creatures in the area must make a Reflex save (DC 17 + your wisdom modifier) or be blinded for 1 minute. If they succeed, they are still dazzled for the same amount of time. In addition, all [Darkness] effects of 6th level or lower in the area are automatically dispelled. [Darkness] effects of 7th level or higher are allowed a caster level check against (10 + your initiator level) to avoid being dispelled.

Level 8
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Circle of Life
Elemental Union (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: Three Elemental Union maneuvers
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Positive and Negative Energy are the hardest elements to control, and bringing them together is a monumental feat. Together, they form an unbreakable cycle of ebb and flow that can continuously return a lost life force to its worldly vessel.

Whenever an attack would reduce you to 0 hit points or less, you may make a Fortitude save equal to the amount of negative hit points you would have if you took the damage. Success means that you instead go to (or remain at) 1 hit point. After three such saving throws, the cycle can no longer be maintained in your limited form. You may still, however, reinitiate the stance on your turn as normal, reforming the cycle.

Lightning
Elemental Union (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: Three Elemental Union maneuvers
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: 120 feet
Target: One Creature

Positive and Negative Energy are the hardest elements to control, and using them to form Lightning is even more difficult, if only because creating it involves breaking the Positive and Negative flow around you to form an imbalance that seems contrary to the spirit of the discipline as a whole (before bringing it back together to create the Lightning). In truth, the manipulation of balance and imbalance is a slippery slope that can corrupt even those whose intentions seem pure. Knowing when to use this incredible power is a sign of true wisdom and mastery of the elements.

The target takes 15d6 electricity damage and is permanently deafened. Only a Regeneration spell or greater can restore the lost hearing.

Level 9
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Disassemble and Reassemble Matter and Life
Elemental Union
Level: Swordsage 9
Prerequisite: One maneuver with the Fire subtype, one maneuver with the Earth subtype, one maneuver with the Water subtype, one maneuver with the Air subtype, and one 8th level Elemental Union maneuver
Initiation Action: Full-Round Action
Range: 50 feet
Target: One Creature
Saving Throw: Special

Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Positive Energy, and Negative Energy- the building blocks of the Material Plane. These forces are the domain of the Gods and are not to be trifled with. With proper knowledge and skill, a master of the Elemental Union Discipline can bend them to his will and attain unparalleled power.

If the user activates this maneuver with the intent to Disassemble Matter and Life, he focuses on a single creature and unmakes their physical form. First, he must detach their animating force (Positive Energy for living things, Negative Energy for undead, Arcane or Divine Magic for constructs), which allows a Will saving throw (DC 19 + your wisdom modifier) to prevent. Next, he must disassemble the elements that compose their form (if he fails at this, their animating force simply reattaches itself) which allows a Fortitude saving throw to prevent (DC 19 + your wisdom modifier). If he succeeds at this, their body ceases to exist (though their soul, if they have one, is allowed to move on to the afterlife).

If the user activates this maneuver with the intent to Assemble Matter and Life, he focuses on the remains of a creature that has been dead no longer than 1 round. If their body is mutilated, disintegrated, burnt to ashes, or undead he must spend 1 round reassembling their basic components. If he is interrupted after this but before the next step, then the body is whole, but the maneuver fails and the creature does not come back to life. After the body is whole (or if the body was whole in the first place) he must reattach their animating force by concentrating for a round. If he is interrupted during this period, the maneuver is ruined. If he is not interrupted, the creature comes back to life with 1 hit point.

If this maneuver is used on a destroyed undead, they come back as they were when they were alive. This maneuver cannot draw out a Lich’s soul if it doesn’t want to come. If a Lich’s soul is reattached to its (now living) body, its body immediately becomes undead and begins decomposing as if it had just performed the ritual to become a Lich.