Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jaappleton Jul 16, 2015 13:49:34	I need some major, serious help with this. I'm building this to begin at level 6. Elemental Evil and Unearthed Arcana are allowed.    I'm looking to create an "Elementalist", a character specializing in one element. Fire, Cold, Earth, or Lightning/Thunder.    This has to work well mechanically, and thematically.    Lightning and Thunder is Stormborn Sorcerer. However, there's one major flaw there: There's no Cantrip that's either Thunder or Lightning that can be used at range. I don't like the Tempest Cleric since its spell list doesn't exactly provide many spells that actually trigger its class abilities (see mellored's guide to clerics).   Earth type screams Druid of the Land (likely Mountain). But I worry about the lack of Concentration spells for repeatable damage, and how that'll burn through my spell slots. Yes, Land Druid gets Arcane Recovery, but is that enough? Plus, the Earth-based spells that do deal damage do... Their damage is unimpressive. Plus, the only cantrip is Magic Stone, which scales incredibly poorly.   Fire. Well, that's easy and obvious. Dragon Sorcerer. However, I don't see a single spell that's Concentration. So my spell slots go quickly. However, they also deal massive damage. But that's all they do. Virtually no control at all, that I can see. Though dead enemies don't need to be controlled. And yet the most commonly resisted damage, though Elemental Adept can mitigate that. Likely the best pick, for better or worse. I tried Light Cleric before, but with no way to replenish spell slots between long rests, I found myself being useless.   Cold. This one is a little strange. I can't find a class that has a ton of its spells. Lots of them seem to scale poorly (Snilloc's Snowballs? Ice Knife? Really?) But some of its later spells have good damage, and good control. And it has two incredibly good cantrips in Ray of Frost and Frostbite. Maybe Sorcerer, but there may be a better option. Again, not much for Concentration spells that I can see, but those cantrips might be better options most of the time.     So please, fellow players and DMs, which should I go for? Which has the most merits, and which can work out mechanically?    **I know that Earth isn't a damage type, most of the themed spells dealing Bludgeoning damage. That's fine with me. Even spells like Meteor work out for me. Earth likely has the most latitude, but I feel like most of its early spells lack the necessary punch. Plus, the cantrip issue....
#2 LordTwig Jul 16, 2015 15:25:36	Wow. All that and you don't even mention Wizard?   I would think Evocation Wizard would be the obvious choice for this.
#3 jaappleton Jul 16, 2015 15:32:09	Here's my one issue with Wizard:   I honestly don't know the spell schools enough to know if the 'family' spells fall into Evocation or not. I admit it's my issue that I need to research and get clarification on, but if anyone is willing to educate me a bit, I'm more than willing to get schooled :D
#4 Macv12 Jul 16, 2015 16:16:36	There are a few tools you can find floating around the internet. This is as good as any: http://community.wizards.com/comment/51252151#comment-51252151   Evocation includes Firebolt, Shocking Grasp, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, and so on. A lot of the archetypal "elemental" spells. It's why Evocation wizards get two damage-boosting features; most Evocation spells do damage.
#5 jaappleton Jul 16, 2015 16:41:41	I found http://donjon.bin.sh/5e/spells/ and it's pretty nice. Been helping me a lot with narrowing my choices down.