D&D 5E Aang the Last Air Bender (character design)

[TaranTheWanderer]

I have a player that wants to build Aang and I'd like to get some advice/ideas from people to make a balanced and fun PC.

Basically, he wants to be able to cast all/most of the elemental spells, be a bit fighty (monk?) and probably some limited healing (water magic). There is also the issue of the 'Avatar State'.

I'd be interested in seeing various builds, either homebrew powers, classes; or archetype for an established class or character builds using the classes from the books.

• He's not interested in elemental monk
• I tried to tell him to reskin a sorcerer but he's not really interested but maybe there's a sorcerer archetype I'm not aware of? Would a monk/sorcerer fit the bill?
• For the avatar state, I thought some kind of Spellcasting version of Barbarian Rage would be cool but have no idea what that would look like or how to build it.

This is a thought experiment so any input is welcome!

Thanks in advance

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

bump

 

[practicalm]

There are some characters that D&D isn't going to work with. Especially if the player isn't going to take the one class that does what he wants. Or you can go find the reworked elemental monk.

You'd need to go with Fate or something like Buffy the Vampire Slayer that had characters with different levels of power.
Or build it all in GURPS Avatar: Last Airbender - Steve Jackson Games Forums

 

[Gadget]

Well if he's not interested in the class/sub-class combination that was specifically modeled after The Last Airbender... You might be up a creek.

Not that I blame him, as the Way of Four Elements Monk is kind of sub-par. You really are going to have to go with a massive amount of re-flavoring here. There are the 6th level spells Investiture of <Wind, Stone, Fire, Ice>. But they are 6th level spells and not that great for sixth level spells at that. A re-flavored Tensor's Transformation might help, but once again, sixth level spell.

In short, D&D is not that great at doing "chosen one with unique powers that make them super powerful" from level 1 on unless you're really willing to work with it and massage the system. Bending in general takes a bit of work to get even a passing resemblance to Avatar to begin with, so best of luck.

 

[MarkB]

Here's an offbeat option: Druid, choosing to specialise in spells that create or manipulate the elements.

Take the Circle of the Stars subclass from Unearthed Arcana, and reflavour Starry Form to be a manifestation of the Avatar State.

 

[aco175]

I had something like this in 4e with an eladrin thief combined with a few mage levels. It was more of a DM-NPC so I was able to just add encounter powers that fit along with daily powers. I remember he had some staff powers to go along with the 1/encounter teleporting. Not sure how to port over to 5e.

You could build a class with a sorcerer or warlock chassis. a few spells that recharge after a rest along with a few other powers. There could be an early magic item with something to fit as well.