Filmbuff's page

The main issue I had was that if the spells DON'T change then there aren't many options (lvl 1 "produce flame" becoming "Produce [element]" lets you have offensive options in every focus from early level, etc). Maybe I can change it to a flat Bonus every other level? so by lvl 20 it's just +10 dmg? or maybe you gain 1/2 a CL, so it's only 3 or 4 by 20 but still the full bonus to summons/companion?

Hadn't fleshed out the act yet. maybe a 1 minute Concentration act, no roll unless it's interrupted? makes it unhealthy in a fight but easy on the crawl.

I copied group summoning from the PrC in 3.5 that did the same thing with evil summons, can't remember the name, Malconvoker?

I know the attunement is basically just a spell, but I thought it was a nice roleplay addition that frees a spell slot without being too game changing (and allows longer trips into the planes, sleeping ect).

I hadn't really looked too deeply at the planar opening/closing, other than being able to close planar tears and opening weak point to cross into a plane (which tbh is the kind of thing a lvl 6/8 spell could do easily enough). It could be dropped without effecting the class.

I added "Planar Attunement" at a later level specifically to STOP someone from claiming immunity at a lower level, and to give them something to earn.

When I flesh out the element stats for the companion I may add weaknesses to companion AND character for opposing elemental type (gaining the fire subtype brings cold/water damage amplification?).

The premise was based around the idea that the material plane needs to be protected, kept in balance with the elemental planes or risk them tearing our world apart. Sort of a guardian of reality I guess.

I moved casting to charisma on the thought that the elementals are more intelligent than animals, and that the magic was based on a communion with them. but mechanics wise I guess Cha is only used for spontaneous casters, which I wouldn't want to do.

The companion idea makes since; I did it that way because 3.5's elemental companion variant for druids worked that way. I'll have to work something around the animal companion chart.

I called it elemental refocus at first, but thought it'd be cooler to tie it to the actual 3.5 planes. It gives the ability to unlock the dual planes later, to widen the power options.

I was actually worried having shapechanging, the spell bonuses, AND Planar SLA would be too much (at level 19 they'd have effective CL 26 for elemental spells AND +7 Str/Dex/AC/Dmg to all summons), so I dropped the more physical aspects of the druid to keep balance.

I started this idea specifically looking for an adaptable summoner/pet class, although I imagine the same basic concepts could be applied to an INTERNAL elemental druid, dropping the summon bonuses/planar merging and taking wild shape that's limited to the Focused plane (which considering the Pos/Neg planes could technically negate archon/demon DR etc, that could be pretty sweet)

So I've been dicking around with a summoning base class, and I really like the idea of a sort of Planar Druid; A summoner/communer who connects with the spirit of the elemental/para/quasi planes as part of the class. I built it using one of the online homebrew guides and it came in at around the same level as the other tier 1 classes (druid/wiz specifically), but it still seems overpowered.

Elemental Plane Druid
Role: Primarily a summoner, but can cast decently well
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: D8
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Planes) (Int), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str)
Skill ranks Per Level: 4+Int
BAB: Low
Good Saves: Fortitude, Will
Spell Progression: as Druid

Level Progression:
Level Special
1 ... Divine Spellcasting, Elemental Companion (small), Planar Focus +1, Spontaneous Casting
2 ... Dual Summoning
3 ... Planar Refocus 1/day
4 ... Planar Focus +2, Companion Medium
5 ... Planar Closing, Paraelemental Focus
6 ... Planar Refocus 2/day, Elemental Template Feat
7 ... Planar Attunement, Planar Focus +3
8 ... Planar Opening
9 ... Planar Refocus 3/day
10 ... Planar Focus +4, Companion Large
11 ... Quasielemental Focus
12 ... Planar Refocus 4/day
13 ... Planar Focus +5
14 ...
15 ... Planar Refocus 5/day
16... Planar Focus +6, Companion Huge
17 ... Planar Merge
18 ... Planar Refocus 6/day
19 ... Planar Focus +7
20 ... Planar Refocus /will

Class Features
Divine Spellcasting
Casts Druid divine spell list (except where noted), uses Charisma in place of wisdom, as their connection to the planes is communal.

Elemental Companion
Elemental has base stats of it's size +Planar focus to Str/Dex/Armor/Damage. Planar forus bonuses only apply IF the element and your focus match. same Specials as druid animal companion. can change the element of the companion in the morning, or when refocusing.

Elemental Focus
Choose an elemental Plane to focus on for spell descriptors and companion type (can be different, but you lose benefits), chosen when meditating.
-Spells of a any elemental descriptor change to focused type.
-Summon nature's ally adds Focused subtype to each summon.
-increases CL of spells with effected descriptor (and summons of descriptor)
-adds Focus to Str/Dex/Armor of summons/Companion with descriptor.
-Para/Quasielemental Focus allows the choice of 2 spell descriptors, Quasi add Pos/Neg to options.

Planes
Elemental
Fire, Water, Earth, Air

Paraelemental
Ooze (water/earth), Ice (air/water), Magma (fire/earth), Smoke (air/fire)

Quasielemental (positives)
Lightning (air), Radience (fire), Minerals (earth), Steam (water)

Quasielemental (Negative)
Vaccuum (air), Ash (Fire), Dust (earth), Salt (water)

Spontaneous Casting
Summon Nature's Ally. All Summoned minions have Elemental subtype.

Group Summoning
When summoning with focused descriptor, add 1 to the amount summoned.

Planar Refocus
Can refocus to a different Plane, and can choose to have the companion change as well (or to have the companion different than your focus.

Planar Opening/Closing
Can open or shut a focused planar portal. costs one Planar Refocus.

Planar Attunement
You and your companion ignore any harmful effects derived from your Focused plane's elemental or energy traits, as well as any natural environmental affects associated with the plane. This provides 0 protection from directed energy (immunity to fire plane does not lessen fire damage from any source, including a fire elemental ON said plane).

Planar Merge
can merge the area with focused plane, 25 ft +5/2 levels becomes infused with planar energy, as well as being a place that anything/one can cross over at will (can be very dangerous for all involved). Costs 1 Planar Refocus.

Spell List
Druid Spells, Except as follows;
- Add spells Listed,
- All summons have elemental descriptor versions.
- Animal spells are replaced with elemental versions (instead of effecting animals they effect anything with an [element]/outsider subtype); they are listed below as well, remove all spells that target/effect animals from spell list.

0- Summon Nature's Ally 0 (1d3-1 Elemental frogs/bats, or 1 elemental cat)
1- Calm/charm/detect/speak elementals(replaces animals), Produce [Element] (replaces produce flame) (1d6+1/lvl touch or thrown), Locate Touchstone
2- Elemental Messenger, Elemental Trance, Hold/Reduce Elemental (replace animals), Avoid Planar effects
3- Dominate Elemental, Attune form
4- Lesser Planar Ally, Dimensional Anchor, Lay of the land, Planar Tolerance, Touchstone Lightning
5- Plane Shift, Lesser Planar Binding, Contact other Plane, Elemental Growth, Awaken (elemental options like fires and storms), [Element] Stride (from fire to fire, etc), Commune with elements (learn the terrain and planar weaknesses), Focus Touchstone Energy, Astral Hospice
6- Planar Binding, Planar Ally, Banishment, [Element] Seeds, Summon greater elemental
7- Animate [Element] (creates elemental constructs), [Element] Storm
8- Greater Planar Binding, Greater Planar Ally, Dimensional Lock, [Elemental] Shapes,
9- Planar Perinarch

As you can see it still seems a little overpowered, thinking about making the heals 50% effective unless the target shares subtype with focused plane (so it can heal the caster and companion, but less useful to party) Let me know what you think