Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SupercrazyDM 08-13-07, 01:59 PM	I want to make a waterbender as a non broken class. Can someone help me with this. I mean a waterbender like in avatar.
trapspringer 08-13-07, 02:31 PM	OK. That's just vague enough to work. There are a couple of ways to go with this. The first option would be to make a spontaneous arcane caster with water-themed spells and healing magic. Replace the material components of all spells with a focus component instead. That focus would, of course, be water. Bigger water spells might even have a focus measured in hundreds of gallons while a water-whip would be require a half-gallon focus. You could adapt existing spells to your purposes. For example False Life could easily be re-written as insubstantial water wall, a spell that that grants 1d10 temporary HP until the begging of your next turn. OK, so, let's try to further distinguish this class from existing arcane classes without wrecking game balance. To do this, we'll draw on existing spell casting mechanics and variants from UA. We have two options here. The first is the spell point system. This is basically like psionics but for arcane casters. I don't like that idea because it doesn't "fit" A:tLAB. The next option is recharge magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/rechargeMagic.htm). I think that's the ideal fit. Now, that's not exactly sub-optimal. At this point the character is extremely appealing to basically anyone looking at playing a healer. To bring this class back down to earth, we will be manipulating the spell list to nerf the character. And I'll work on that later.
trapspringer 08-13-07, 03:01 PM	OK, so we've got a basic mechanic for spell casting and a theme for the spell list. We'll be taking every water-manipulating spell in every book, and adapting a base of core spells that are universal for spell casters. Remember that some spells will be a lot more powerful for this class than for others. Create Water springs to mind. Let's start with: 0th: Cure Minor Wounds 1st: Cure Light Wounds False Life (Insubstantial Water Wall) Fist of Stone (Fist of Water) Entropic Shield (Coruscating Bubble) Magic Stone (Water Darts) Shield of Faith (Shield of Water) Color Spray (Water Blast) 2nd: Cure Moderate Wounds Protection From Arrows (Greater Coruscating Bubble) Locate Object (water only) Spiritual Weapon (Water Whip) Sound Burst (Water Burst; instead of sonic damage target takes force damage) And so on... You can work with your DM to adapt other spells of a suitably defensive and combat-lite focus. You'll also need to carefully consider how much water is required for each. Remember that for the character to be effective in a non-maritime campaign, the water required must be reasonable. At the same time, the requirement of H2O should be a very real consideration to the character; it should come up every time he or she casts a spell. You might consider a gallon per spell level as a base guideline. Now, as the spell list begins to take shape it's clear the class isn't going to be scaring anyone with raw arcane fury. In fact, the only combative spells are suboptimal for their level. The character has a solid defensive basis, so we're off to a good start. Similar classes include the cleric, who's spells focus on buffing, defense, and healing. Our classes upper level spells will be a little more damaging than the clerics, though, so let's keep that in mind. At any rate, what all this means is we get to give the character abilities and bonus feats to make up the difference between it and our target class (a bard or wizard). Keeping with the spirit of A:tLAB, let's throw in some kung fu. We'll give this class the monk's unarmed strike ability as a character one size smaller. Thus at first level a water bender would deal 1d4+strength with an unarmed strike. Because we're setting this class up as a secondary melee fighter now, let's also say we give it a d6 HD like a rogue. That coupled with the classes defensive magic should make it possible to be a fairly capable secondary fighter. To round out the class and keep the focus on spellcasting, let's also give it bonus feats at first level and every five levels, like a wizard. Now we set the spell casting progression as a bard (which nets us reduced recharge times and justifies our neat abilities and bonus feats), throw in the ability to cast in light armor, and a few miscellaneous weapon proficiencies, and we're good to go. Skills should probably be pretty sparse and non-specific. Water benders could feesibly come from any walk of life, though it might be tempting to peg them as seal-huntin canoe-ridin' Eskimo types. Let's say we give 'em the big five (Climb, Jump, Swim, Craft, and Profession), along with knowledge: nature and knowledge: arcana, spell craft, and concentration. So Skills: 4+int (x4 at first level) Climb, Concentration, Craft, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature), Profession, Spell Craft, and Swim. Let's say they cast spells based on wisdom to keep the MAD rolling and to ensure that players don't wind up running over their skills with skill points.
DrMorganes 08-13-07, 06:32 PM	Nice so far. However, I see little reason to nerf the Unarmed Strike damage. That has more to do with size than training; anyone can make an unarmed strike and do damage equal to their level. Granting Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat simply means the character has had enough martial [arts] training to be able to do lethal damage with his/her Unarmed Strike and knows enough about combat to be able to make those attacks without drawing attacks of opportunity. I've only seen a few episodes of A:tLAB. From what I've seen, however, the entire Elemental Bender concept seems very much to be a monastic tradition. Discipline and focus are required, indicating a Lawful alignment restriction. So I'd say rather than redesign from scratch, let's base the Benders off the Monk - perhaps even making them a Prestige Class closely tied to monastic traditions. I disagree with Trapspringer in the replication of their powers. The Benders are neither arcanists nor followers of divine powers. Psionics, with its focus on mental discipline, seems to me to fit the flavor better. Not only that, but spellcasters already dominate the game at higher levels. Recharge magic only widens that gap. Psionics allows similar flexibility, but keeps the balancing factor of having a limited store of power points. The power/spell point options are just as powerful as recharge magic in the short run or when facing a limited number of encounters per day, but when harried the point-based caster must still choose his manifestations carefully. Additionally, using the recharge magic option is a "whole campaign" option. If ALL the casters aren't using recharge magic, that puts the Benders at a major advantage over both vancian casters and psions. This is not necessarily a bad thing - particularly if one is trying to replicate a world similar to that of A:tLAB. However, if one is simply looking to add versatility to an existing campaign world, I think going the psionic route will be the easiest to integrate. The only trouble with a psionic-based prestige class
Kobold Paladin 08-13-07, 06:55 PM	Sorry to be a poor sport but.... Intuitive adeptive abilities that can be used for a million things do not work in D&D, there is just no way of properly balancing their power or adjudicating their effects.
Aryxbez 08-13-07, 07:05 PM	Why try to make a new when you could use the classes made at Anime D20. Below is the link to the Threads which the classes were made. There should be a link to the persons personal site and you should otherwise find the Avatar stuff in a PDF. Avatar D20 (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=837870)
Mindolin 08-13-07, 07:17 PM	Something to remember is that from what was seen when Kitara first discovered her powers of healing is that those powers are fairly rare, so you might want to put them at a higher level. Perhaps the best thing would be to make the class based on the Warlock more than any other arcane caster, with the Eldritch Blast simply being a blast of water, possibly drained from the moisture in the air itself. That way the main thing you have to do is change some of the class features, and you'll have your Waterbendr.
trapspringer 08-14-07, 01:45 AM	That's a really solid idea. All the weird effects you can add to your EB could be rewritten as (or replaced by) water effects.
aikimiller 08-14-07, 09:52 AM	I would say take a look at the Shugenja from the Complete Divine, they are a elemental themed casting class, and I think it would work pretty well for what you want. Maybe go into Elemental Savant later
Mindolin 08-14-07, 10:15 AM	If we do it as a Warlock, then we can do Hellrime Blast as ice cold water, Brimstone Blast would be scalding hot water, and Sickening Blast could be polluted water.
BloodDragon 08-14-07, 10:28 AM	I want to make a waterbender as a non broken class. Can someone help me with this. I mean a waterbender like in avatar. Take a look at the Wavekeeper PrC in Stormwrack. That "Wave Master" ability is more or less what your looking for. Also the Water Devotion feat from Comp. Champion & Summon Elemental feat from Comp. Mage allow you to summon water elementals. Not "Excatly" water bending but I suppose if you play it up as you "bending water" instead of commanding a creature it'll work out the same. When is the next session coming out?... Edit: Also the Animate Water spell (Druid 1), from the Spell Compendium
pres_man 08-14-07, 12:42 PM	Druid with focus on water spells comes to mind, as does a water shugenja from complete divine.
Holy_Beholder 08-15-07, 12:27 AM	Someone made a complete Avatar system in the Anime forum.