Level Up (A5E) Brainstorming: Elemental Bending (AtlA-Style)

[VenerableBede]

After looking over one of my long-term projects, @xiphumor pointed out that something I'm working on makes an excellent chassis for an AtlA-style elemental bender. Well, obviously I have to take advantage of that...

So, if you were to see an AtlA-style bender as an archetype or as its own class, what sort of abilities would you really hope get represented? Obviously punching people with the elements... probably grappling with earth or water... Flight with air... Figure out how to work out the specialty bending, like metal, lava, etc.

Feel free to be as specific or as vague as you desire!

 

[W'rkncacnter]

the air ball is the one thing i vividly remember from AtlA. that'd be fun.

 

[VenerableBede]

The thing Aang rides all the time?

 

[Steampunkette]

It would work great as a Martial Combat Tradition.

Then you could slap it on an Adept to be Aangish, but also have Fighters use it or Berserkers to show different types of character using the same basic mechanics but in different scenarios and roles.

 

[xiphumor]

Having the advantage of knowing what @VenerableBede is working on, here are my thoughts:

1. There should absolutely be elemental combat traditions for anyone to learn. @Steampunkette, I'm trusting that your article in the next GPG will give us the framework necessary to make that possible. I especially want this because I think certain classes are better at representing certain elements. (Specifically, Fire Herald, Earth Berserker, Water Savant, and Air Adept would be my preference. They exist in seed form in my current campaign using the tools currently available to me, but I haven't worked them out in their entirety yet.)

2. I think the real potential for VB's project is the ability to augment existing combat traditions. Underline the Mountain in Adamant Mountain, and the Zephyr in Biting Zephyr. Let Tempered Iron be tempered with Fire. This is more or less how it works in ATLA anyway.

 

[VenerableBede]

My issue with combat traditions is that Exertion runs out, and it's a real bummer when your firebender can't throw fire anymore after 2–4 attacks.

 

[Pedantic]

My issue with combat traditions is that Exertion runs out, and it's a real bummer when your firebender can't throw fire anymore after 2–4 attacks.

Some deja vu here, but there's a mechanic on a Chamomile class I'd steal again here. His Elementalist class is all 4 element centric, but has a basic "Blast" mechanic with 4 elemental variants that could be easily adapted. With X equal to proficiency you can at will do either:

• Xd8 ray of frost with a slow, for water
• Xd10 single target lightning bolt
• Xd6 15-ft cone with a save instead of an attack for fire
• Xd8 melee stone attack with a save vs. trip

Then you get +1d6 elemental damage to all weapon attacks by default, and over time you get up to 9 charges of "spell" like blast attacks, that start applying more modifiers as you level up (i.e. air has triple damage and stun on those lightning bolts, and once you learn both, both apply when you spend a charge).

If you want a more single element focused bender class, you could perhaps do something like that basic blast as appropriate to your element as a default ability you can do all the time, and then use exertion to power other things?

 

[xiphumor]

I think the ability to either branch into multiple elements or hyperfocus on one element would be quite desirable.

 

[xiphumor]

Another thing that would be excellent would be utility options for each of the elements.

 

[RangerWickett]

I'd actually look at the Savant trick mechanics. Using a bonus action to prepare a trick would be equivalent to gathering raw material for bending. You'd know a certain number of bending techniques and would master more at higher level.

I'd probably also have some mechanic to let you spend an action to prepare a technique you haven't mastered. Like, you manipulate the elements, but it requires more effort and focus since you haven't trained enough to do it at a moment's notice.

Honestly, the flourish & aegis system was inspired from trying to capture the feel of Avatar characters pulling up shields of elements at the last moment to deflect an attack or drive back and attacking foe.

Hell, I know what I'm working on this afternoon.