I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the Nickelodeon show Avatar: the Last Airbender, but it's a show my wife and I are big fans of and we're trying to convert the elemental bending styles into classes for 3.5 D&D. We're basing the elemental attacks, HD, BA progression, and skill points on the Warlock class. Each bender class gets an attack with their respective element similar to the Warlock's Eldritch Blast. Benders can gain abilities similar to warlock invocations to modify their elemental blasts.
Here's a brief description of each bender and what flavor we're going for. Any suggestions on how to implement some of these things is appreciated, just remember that we've got access to most of the 3.5 splats and core books, but little material from other publishers or systems. Here's the basics.
Waterbenders:
The waterbenders in the show tend to gain healing abilities, though nowhere near what a cleric is capable of. Instead, the healing mechanic would be based on the warlock's "fiendish resilience" ability. Once per day, a waterbender can trigger a fast healing effect in a given target (meaning that any one person can only receive healing from a waterbender once per day). The target would heal a certain amount per round based on his/her HD or level. The duration would be based on the level of the waterbender. If a waterbender so chooses, he or she may instead gain further abilities to shape or add effects to their elemental blast. A waterbender can cause piercing or slashing damage when creating ice effects.
-Prestige Class idea: Bloodbender. In the show, a few waterbenders eventually learn to manipulate the water in living creatures, plants, and so on. This would essentially allow a powerful water/bloodbender to cause enemies to attack their own allies and such.
Firebenders:
Firebenders are the most aggressive benders and we're thinking would have bigger HD, a better BA progression, or gain some Fighter bonus feats as they level up. Fire is the least able to create other effects beyond direct damage, so we felt they deserved to have some other significant ability. We also considered having the damage of their elemental blast increase faster.
-Prestige class idea: Lightningbender. A rare few firebenders learn how to channel lightning from their fingertips. Unlike fire or other elements, lightning cannot be shaped into anything besides a straight line/blast (like a lightning bolt spell).
Earthbenders:
The most defensively oriented of the benders, we thought it would be appropriate to give them the AC bonus from the monk class, as well as allow them to learn more shapes for their blasts that create armor or shield effects. Earthbenders are the only ones whose blasts deal bludgeoning/piercing/slashing damage, depending on the effect desired. Also, we were thinking that perhaps earthbenders would get a bonus to resist bull rush and trip attempts, much like dwarves or four legged creatures.
-Prestige class idea: Metalbender. Only one character in the show ever learns to manipulate metal of any sort, but we figured it would be a cool power to add. Metal is basically pure earth, but is more difficult to work with, so metalbenders aren't able to affect as much metal as earth.
Airbenders:
Airbenders are all about mobility and evasion. We're thinking it'd be good to basically give them many of the monk abilities from the base class, since many of the monk abilities relate to movement and such. Airbenders are also able to fly via gliders or similar type devices. As they gain levels they'd increase their flight speed and maneuverability. Perhaps granting a skirmish bonus or the AC bonus (similar to the Scout class) would be appropriate.
-Prestige class idea: We don't have a real name yet, but the class would eventually learn to fly without any glider or device and end up being able to fly at will. It's tougher to figure out an Airbender prestige class because there's only one in the show who gets more than a few minutes of screen time, so there's a little less insight into potential other abilities.
Here's a brief description of each bender and what flavor we're going for. Any suggestions on how to implement some of these things is appreciated, just remember that we've got access to most of the 3.5 splats and core books, but little material from other publishers or systems. Here's the basics.
Waterbenders:
The waterbenders in the show tend to gain healing abilities, though nowhere near what a cleric is capable of. Instead, the healing mechanic would be based on the warlock's "fiendish resilience" ability. Once per day, a waterbender can trigger a fast healing effect in a given target (meaning that any one person can only receive healing from a waterbender once per day). The target would heal a certain amount per round based on his/her HD or level. The duration would be based on the level of the waterbender. If a waterbender so chooses, he or she may instead gain further abilities to shape or add effects to their elemental blast. A waterbender can cause piercing or slashing damage when creating ice effects.
-Prestige Class idea: Bloodbender. In the show, a few waterbenders eventually learn to manipulate the water in living creatures, plants, and so on. This would essentially allow a powerful water/bloodbender to cause enemies to attack their own allies and such.
Firebenders:
Firebenders are the most aggressive benders and we're thinking would have bigger HD, a better BA progression, or gain some Fighter bonus feats as they level up. Fire is the least able to create other effects beyond direct damage, so we felt they deserved to have some other significant ability. We also considered having the damage of their elemental blast increase faster.
-Prestige class idea: Lightningbender. A rare few firebenders learn how to channel lightning from their fingertips. Unlike fire or other elements, lightning cannot be shaped into anything besides a straight line/blast (like a lightning bolt spell).
Earthbenders:
The most defensively oriented of the benders, we thought it would be appropriate to give them the AC bonus from the monk class, as well as allow them to learn more shapes for their blasts that create armor or shield effects. Earthbenders are the only ones whose blasts deal bludgeoning/piercing/slashing damage, depending on the effect desired. Also, we were thinking that perhaps earthbenders would get a bonus to resist bull rush and trip attempts, much like dwarves or four legged creatures.
-Prestige class idea: Metalbender. Only one character in the show ever learns to manipulate metal of any sort, but we figured it would be a cool power to add. Metal is basically pure earth, but is more difficult to work with, so metalbenders aren't able to affect as much metal as earth.
Airbenders:
Airbenders are all about mobility and evasion. We're thinking it'd be good to basically give them many of the monk abilities from the base class, since many of the monk abilities relate to movement and such. Airbenders are also able to fly via gliders or similar type devices. As they gain levels they'd increase their flight speed and maneuverability. Perhaps granting a skirmish bonus or the AC bonus (similar to the Scout class) would be appropriate.
-Prestige class idea: We don't have a real name yet, but the class would eventually learn to fly without any glider or device and end up being able to fly at will. It's tougher to figure out an Airbender prestige class because there's only one in the show who gets more than a few minutes of screen time, so there's a little less insight into potential other abilities.
