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Message: <blockquote data-quote="nix4" data-source="post: 1880530" data-attributes="member: 26073">ElementalismI've been running a custom made Elementalist Class for some time now with a DM thats very good at making classes and prestiege classes.  I'll share what we have worked out as best as I can here and perhaps post my word doc that I use for the class.  I feel that its a almost perfect representation of how I see elementalists with a few problems Ill point out later.  The problem and reason why I wanted a better elementalist class was every depiction of an elementalist in the existing books focused on a specialist.  You choose your element and then go from there.  I felt that true elementalism isn't a focus as it is an understanding of all the powers and their interactions.  Thus the life long journey is to understand the under pinnings of the Prime.Did this! and its a great idea and translates from the clerics ability quite well.We had some trouble with this, as this thread is also having.  Basically, I wanted a pet to act as a tank/protector as an elemental is best suited.  Familiars are not designed for combat yet they have the characteristics I wanted.  So what we did was: * Caster can bind to an elemental familiar just as a Greater Familiar spell/feat would allow at 7th lvl and you can choose what element you want (earth elemental familar etc).  * Its HD are equal to the caster level of the elementalist.  * A new familiar can be re-summoned in 1 hr after the first pet has been released ( thus allowing you to change elements if needed).  This works well in-game as the elemental is tough enough to act as a guardian and help in combat but isnt so over powering as to make melee-types upset (it has very few feats and does only mediocre damage).  But the earth elemental with its great AC and strength have proven useful in many situations.  Essentially this is the Improved Familiar (greater familiar ) feat/spell.   I augmented this with improved summoning feat to boost my familiar even more. we didnt offer choice we just dolled it out in order of power.This is an interesting ability I have yet to really use.  Its got heaps of role playing use however.We didnt do this, though its an interesting abilityWhy do this when you already have rebuke?This ability wasnt granted till you reach 10th lvl, and only then you gained some characteristics not full characteristics.  Until you reached 20th.Yes, every few levels this was applied.  Makes sense and is very useful.However, one question that has come up is how this applies to para-elemental energy.  Now this is an argument that can go on forever, but sure you can have resistance to Earth and Water...so what happens when you get hit by mud? or some other para-elemental energy? Do you have resistance of 20? or 10? or 5 (since you dont specifically have the para-elemental resistance??).We replaced this whole thing with Advanced Learning ability which is allows the character to pick a spell that isnt a elemental spell (such as mage armor!).This seems to just replicate Spell Penetration Feat?Good idea, think I might steal this. Allowing people to focus more on certain elements if they choose too.So in practice my elementalist is basically a sorcerer caster who uses INT and CHA for his spell casting ability.  Having a severly limited spell selection I can draw upon those spells like a sorcerer.  I get Advanced Learning that allows me to get that odd wizard spell to give me some utility functions.  I primarily use my Elemental familiar in combat and I use my spells to boost the pet.HERE IS SOMETHING TO NOTE: my class also includes some CLERIC spells!  Now the rantionale behind this is that elementalism is Earth/Air/Fire/Water but ALSO positive/negative energy!!! So, that allows the character to tap into some limited and defined clerical spells.  THIS has been very helpful.  Often I find myself playing cleric more than wizard due to the limited spells I have (even more so at low lvls) so being able to heal and buff party members not only makes sense (drawing up on the positive or negative material planes) but also is a great help to my familiar (who I can buff or heal) and teammates.Biggest drawback is the limited spell selection (as it should be IMHO) and the lack of fighting ability (being a wizard makes you weak).  Its a good concept and there arent very many Classes that have familiars that can fight in combat and this should be and could be one of them.Below is the draft version of the elementalist I play:<img src="http://www.kencook.com/temp/image5.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><img src="http://www.kencook.com/temp/image6.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><img src="http://www.kencook.com/temp/image7.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><img src="http://www.kencook.com/temp/image8.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></blockquote>

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