Avatar: The Last Airbender - Bending styles as classes?

[shinobi_guyver]

While I do feel that classes would be easier, with Paragon Paths for the more advanced techniques, the templates I did above was a "quick-fix." I have not seen the entire series for Avatar, just a few episodes here and there and the Sozin's Comet finale. What I am basing all my work off of is what I remember from what I've seen, what I can find on the internet (wikipedia, fansites, etc.), and my personal feelings about what could/would work best and remain balanced when used with the other character options provided in current manuals.

As in the example from my first post, I'm working on a modification of the Warlock class to create a bender class. Key Abilites, Trained Skill lists, Defense Bonuses, Hit Points, etc. will vary depending on the element you choose.

Creating Powers from scratch will probably give me some trouble, but I can easily do custom feats for each element.

When I have a better base, I'll post what I've done to that point.

 

[Eldric IV]

I have been working on Avatar 4e for a little while now alongside Legend of the Five Rings 4e.

In L5R, we built the characters with the standard 4e rules and changed the power names and flavor text. Try to tell me that a dwarf fighter is not a perfect Hida Bushi.

For Avatar, however, I wanted to go one better. Instead of just renaming existing powers and filling in gaps with new powers, I wanted to adapt the system a bit.

My idea was to make 4e benders work a bit like 3e sorcerers/warmages. Assuming the least deviation from basic 4e, a 1st level bender has 1 encounter slot that he can spend on any of his known encounter powers and 1 daily slot that he can use on any of this known daily powers. How many powers he knows has not been decided. It could be he knows as many as he can "cast" or it could be he knows more. Regardless, this increases the bender's flexibility to choose the right power for the situation and I feel that more closely emulates the show as they adapted to the environment much more often than adapting the environment to them.

I also have all benders as a single class. Why? Because a large portion of powers are generic and overlap.

Which benders have the ability to push an enemy away?

Which benders have a short, ranged attack?

Which benders can immobilize an enemy?

Which benders can knock an enemy prone?

Differentiation comes through element-specific powers (waterbender healing being a prime example) and element-specific extras, much as being a brutal scoundrel or feylock makes certain powers more effective.


Work has not progressed as far on Avatar as on L5R because I have had much difficulty in finding a regular 4e game. Without experience in the system, I am at a bit of a loss in balancing and placing powers at the appropriate level (just assuming base 4e; making benders spontaneous casters would require a bit more experience and understanding).

 

[shinobi_guyver]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried modifying the elemental Prestige Classes shown in Dragon #314?

They look to be a good base to start from.

 

[shinobi_guyver]

Anyone?

:\

 

[D. Armand Paltenan]

Has anyone created a 3.0 or 3.5 edition bender class? if so can i get a copy to look at?

 

[fissionessence]

Has anyone created a 3.0 or 3.5 edition bender class? if so can i get a copy to look at?

You could use this. It's a 3.5 class I made called the brightsoul, designed to be used with the race also included: the flamekin (as seen in Magic: the Gathering's Lorwyn setting). I could easily see this class being used as a firebender.

I created this shortly before 4E was released, so I don't know how balanced it is, and I never really got any feedback or play testing done, but you could take a look at it.

~

EDIT: Oh, also, it requires access to Tome of Battle: Book of the Nine Swords. Well, it doesn't require it, but a lot of the melee 'bending' type stuff would be drawn from the fiery techniques of the swordsage.

 

[ceiling90]

Someone mentioned that idea that it should be a Multi-class, and I readily agree, that it would be great for the benders... I'm not sure exactly how much of a multi-class it should be, maybe along the lines of Spell Scarred? Also, for 3.5 versions of Avatar Classes, my favorite has always been in the Giants in the Playground forums... Though it would be a lot easier to make seperate classes.

Note: I've tried to make a pact warlock like verison of the classes, and it sort of broke down when it came to how to choose powers, especially the more iconic utilities and dailies...

Now I'm of the opinion that it should be 4 seperate classes, with a lot of overlap. I don't like it as much, but it's definitely more workable.

 

[TheShedim]

I would create two bender classes. One ranged one melee, role can be preference.
And within each class have a bending type of each of the elements. So have 5 at wills, one generic, and one for each of the elements. And each element can provide general benefits.

 

[Hawke]

If you had to split up 4 roles and 4 elements (with two power sources per role) how would you do it? Could it be done with some form of symmetry?

 

[Magiblack]

Bumping because I just got into the show and would love to do this. Has anyone made any progress?