Energy Oppositions

[Fieari]

I've been searching all my documents for a list of opposed energy descriptors. I'm using Khaalis's Sorceror Varient, and my player wants to use a Draconic Sorcerer, Black. Meaning he can't use any spell of the opposite of Acid, and gets -2 against said energy too. What is it? And where is this information found?

 

[Spatula]

Where is this sorcerer variant from? That's probably where you'll find your answer. There are 5 energy types in D&D (acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic) and only two of them (cold & fire) strike me as being opposed.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Where is this sorcerer variant from? That's probably where you'll find your answer. There are 5 energy types in D&D (acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic) and only two of them (cold & fire) strike me as being opposed.

According to 3.0 Tome and Blood in the Elemental Savant text, Acid represents "Earth" and is opposed by Electricity representing "Air" as well.

 

[Fieari]

Sorceror Varient Thread: Here
Download PDF: Here

I find this Sorceror to be more balanced with the other classes, and provides a darn good reason for one to desire staying in the class for 20 levels instead of finding a PrC. Beyond that, it's gushing with flavor... instead of just having more spells per day and spontaneous casting, it gains a magical aura (actually a downside, since it makes you stand out to those who can see magic) and a few spell-like abilities and arcane sight and eschew materials and spell weaving and all kinds of really fun stuff. I've been playing a lvl5 one for a while now, and he hasn't overshone the group at all, and neither has the group outshone him. I continue to expect good things.

But no, the PDF in question does not specify the opposition to acid or lightning, but rather assumes you know it already. On the upside, the acid/lightning opposition makes plenty of sense to me, and we'll be using that. And fortunately, I don't know of any dragons who have sonic breath anyway so it won't be a problem. Thanks!

 

[Cheiromancer]

I have trouble believing that the standard sorcerer is so underpowered. This new one has d6 hd instead of d4, 4 skill points per level instead of 2, an extra spell known at each spell level (albeit from a list of related spells), and special abilities (generally at least equivalent to a feat) every 3 levels, compared to a wizard's bonus feat every 5 levels... Ah well, perhaps my intuition deceives me. Sounds like your group is having a good time with your alt-sorc, and that's the important thing.

Regarding energy opposites: I agree that acid is the opposite of electricity, but I get there by a different route:

In my own system, each element is associated with two energies. Cold is associated with water, of course, and most acids are liquid; fire is obviously fire, and electricity, in the form of lightning, is similar to fire, but manifested in air. Lightning and thunder are neighbors, so electricity is close to sonic. Sonic is air when it vibrates, and force is air when it remains immobile. The arc from water to fire I call the "energy rainbow," which excludes earth energies.

The two energies of water cancel the two energies of fire, and since fire/cold are opposites, that means that electricity/acid are opposites. I make the two energies of air opposite to each other, though, not opposite to the earth energies.

The "earth energies" are negative and positive energy. The negative energy is on the dark side of the rainbow (cold and acid) while the positive energy is on the bright side (fire and electricity). Death and decay is associated with the earth, but so is growth and rebirth.

In the following crude diagram, each energy on the left is paired with an opposite form of energy on the right.

...................................AIR..........................
..................................................................
......W....................force - sonic.....................F
......A...........................................................I
......T................acid................electricity........R
......E............... cold...................fire..............E
......R...........................................................
..........................negative - positive................
.............................energy...energy..................
....................................................................
..................................EARTH..........................

 

[Gez]

Interesting take on it.

It means there's a linear (line-centered, and mirrored) opposition, rather than an axial (point-centered, and rotating) one.