Avatar: The Last Airbender - Bending styles as classes?

[Jürgen Hubert]

Now that the show has finished...

How would you write up the four bending styles of Avatar: The Last Airbender as D&D 4E classes? And what kinds of roles would they fulfill?

 

[Nivenus]

Well, if I recall one of the core rulebooks (was it the Player's Guide? I'd have to check) mentioned that the upcoming elemental classes will have a feel very much like those in Avatar (they used the title of the show specifically). However, since those won't be out for another two years at least (Player's Guide II doesn't have elemental classes) you'd probably be better off trying to make a homebrew variant of the wu jen.

 

[Phesic]

Under the 4E system, this is REALLY easy.

Basically, just look at the powers presented in all the character classes, pick and choose the ones that feel "right" for what you are trying to accomplish.

The biggest problem is you'll have to limit yourself to warlock, wizard, or cleric powers that don't have [w] damage. Otherwise you'll have to use 1d4 for fists [maybe all the "bending" classes can include escalating damage to fist by tier. I'd do:
T1: 1d6
T2: 1d8
T3: 2d6

Feel free to change damage type in order to achieve a flavor match.
For instance:

Cleric 9th daily exploit "Blade Barrier"
Change the ongoing damage to cold. Describe it as fast moving swirls of razor sharp ice and rename it "Ice Barrier". Perfect for a water bender.




Or you can adapt powers that require weapons with just a few changes:

The 3rd level Rogue Encounter Exploit "Tricksters Blade" has a VERY air bender quality to it. Change the Requirement to "Unarmed" and make it Range of 2 (for that fighting at a distance feel) and rename it something like "Confusing Breeze"

I'd start with assigning each "bending" class a ROLE. off the top of my head.

Waterbender = Leader or Controller (I'd make 2 paths)
Earthbender = Defender or Controller (again, 2 paths)
Airbender = Striker
Firebender = Striker


I'd keep those roles in mind as you choose powers.

Just a few thoughts.

 

[rob626]

I support this idea. Sounds like a bunch of fun!

Don't forget that although the focus of the Avatar was on the bending there were a ton of non-bending character types out there.

I would love to see this put together.

 

[Hawke]

I couldn't help but think that about the show even before 4E was announced. When the details emerged I kept thinking about how easy it would be to do.

If I had to role them:

Water - Controller
Air - Mobile Defender?
Fire - Striker
Earth - Defender

Air is the toughest cause we only see one air bender. I can see that as having tons of push and fly and shift powers. The role is tough for it. I'd give all the benders a wizard cantrip like bending power allowing them to control that element in small ways, perhaps resistance to that type of damage.

Neat Paragon Paths:

Air - ?
Water - Bloodbender
Fire - Lightning Bender
Earth - Metalbender

Oh yeah! And a White Lotus Epic Destiny? Perhaps even an Avatar destiny

I also can see great uses for non-bending classes as well. Suki, Sokka, Ty Lee, Mai, Piandao are great examples.

 

[JohnBiles]

I'd say Suki and Sokka and Mai are all effectively rangers, Ty Lee is a Rogue, and I don't recognize the name Piando. (And Iroh is a Firebender/Warlord multiclass.)

Hmm...

I'm thinking Earthbenders are the defenders, Waterbenders the leaders (healing), Airbenders the strikers (mobility), and Firebenders the controllers (setting up zones of fire, etc.). Though you can make a good case for Earthbenders as controllers too.

 

[Dragonhelm]

On the one hand, I can see a certain symmetry to the roles each being associated with one of the bending styles.

On the other hand, I could see arguments for some bending styles fitting multiple roles. For example, waterbenders could be either leaders (healers), strikers (icicle missile attacks), controllers (tidal waves), and so on.

Avatar has two primary power sources - martial and elemental. You have to account not only for the cool benders, but also for characters such as Sokka, Mai, Ty Lee, Suki, and so on. Plus, some of the benders have cool fighting skills as well, such as Zuko.

For elemental characters, I can see the following:

Airbender - Striker (quick, makes individual attacks typically)
Earthbender - Defender (Unmovable as boulders)
Firebender - Controller (Can attack many enemies at once)
Waterbender - Leader (Includes some healing powers as a buff, but can hold their own)

For martial:

Fighter - Defender (i.e. Sokka, Jet)
Monk - Striker (i.e. Ty Lee)
Rogue (Assassin?) - Striker (i.e. Mai)
Warlord - Leader (???)
??? - Controller

Anyway, those are some random thoughts. I think Avatar would work nicely with 4e, perhaps better so than in 3e. Whatever the case, I hope somebody puts this together.

 

[Minigiant]

1) Sokka is a warlord multi with fighter. Meat and Sarcasm guy is a Tactical Warlord.

2) Bending is heavily one 2 roles.: striker and controller. There were no leader style benders since waterbending healing was slow and you can't buff others with bending. The elements are one slider with Fire 90% striker and Air about 5% striker (hardest to hurt people with Airbending). Water is mostly controller except for striker ice powers. Earth would be half defender half striker.

The easy/lazy way to it is allow the character tochoose certain powers form each class.

Airbender:
Every thunder power (Int for attack)
Rogue utilities
Fighter push powers (Dex for attack)
???

Waterbender-
Every cold power (Wis for attack)
Rogue ranged powers (Wis for attack, cold damage only)
Ranger archery powers (shortbow cold damage only)
Healing word (out of battle only)

Earthbender
Eldritch blast (Wis Force damage)
Every force power (Wis)
Cleric STR attack powers (yourself as the only target for buffs and heals, force damage only)
Fighter utilities and class features

Firbender-
Eldritch blast (Cha fire damage)
Every fire power (Cha for attack)
Wizard's lightning powers (Cha for attack)
Ranger's TWF power (unarmed and fire damage only) and utilities

3) Few leaders are shown in the show. There's no combat healing and you can't buff other people with bending outside of "force fields". But Sokka is a warlord.

 

[Hawke]

Actually maybe we're going about this the wrong way... If we want to setup a game based on characters that have very heavy bending focus (i.e. 4/5 of your players will be elemental) maybe setup some multiclass system where bending characters can chose a martial class & then may replace powers as they go along with elemental powers based on what they're doing. That way you have your Rogue Waterbender, your Warlord waterbender, etc. Depending on the power choices they could supplement their martial role or chose more controlesque

 

[Phesic]

Actually maybe we're going about this the wrong way... If we want to setup a game based on characters that have very heavy bending focus (i.e. 4/5 of your players will be elemental) maybe setup some multiclass system where bending characters can chose a martial class & then may replace powers as they go along with elemental powers based on what they're doing. That way you have your Rogue Waterbender, your Warlord waterbender, etc. Depending on the power choices they could supplement their martial role or chose more controlesque

I kinda like the thought. Character creation would go something like this.

Choose a base class. ALL this class would provide for you is the class features and skill sets. If your not a bender, continue with power selection.

If you are a bender, refer to new power selections based on the type of bender.

You'll have to scour the different powers offered. For the most part, they are fairly balanced between classes so they are pretty interchangeable. I would try and preserve the Attack line of any power (Str vs AC, Cha vs REF, etc) but changing damage type or source shouldn't be a game breaker. Just remember, the only bender I remember using a weapon while bending was Aang (his staff), Everyone else used their element as a weapon.

And most (but not all) bending powers will have to have some range to them, since rarely did one come into play that wasn't at range.