Elementalist Class

[IxionIndustries]

Hi guys! This is my first post, but I swear I'll be eloquent! D:

Anyways, I've got a class idea in mind that I've been trying to work out and put to paper. My friends and I have been playing an extra-planar themed campaign, based around the setting of RIFT: Planes of Telara, and though I've worked out the mechanics for the Rifts themselves to make them fun random encounters, I just can't seem to make this concept class workable for me.

Basically, I want an Elementalist. But not just the guy who can bind elementals, or shoot fire with one hand. I want something mutable.

At it's core, I want a caster who doesn't use spells, but instead has spell-like abilities that they pick to mold elemental forces, like creating a wall of earth, or summoning a weapon of fire.

Similar in structure to a Witch, and the different Hex categories. However, I also wanted a sort of dedication to an element that the player can grow into, like an Oracle's mysteries. And then, I want a few utilities like the Alchemist has, like a reliable basic attack (Elemental bolts).

However, I'm having issues compiling things like a travel "Hex" for each element. Earth has Earthgliding, Water has water-breathing, Fire is iffy, but I can think of one; But what about Death and Life?

Now, I would say "To hell with those abstract elements!" But it detracts from the theme of the campaign, and I'd hate to do that without duress, and I have a feeling that everyone here has a wonderful creative well-spring to help me with! C:

Also, I'd like you guys' concepts for an uncontrollable elemental "companion" that would serve as a "Greater Hex". I want it to be customizeable with different attacks and stuff.

[Flak]

Death could have some kinda shadow-walking-flavored thing, like shadowdancer's jump or some spell the name of which I'm forgetting, shadow jaunt or shadow walk or some such?

[IxionIndustries]

Okay guys, here's what I have so far, and I'll edit to add more later I suppose. It's kind of a cover-up of the Alchemist and the Witch, but I don't know how else to go with it:

Elementalist

Hit Die: d6

Class Skills:
Use Magic Device
Spellcraft
Survival
Profession
Knowledge (The Planes)
Knowledge (Nature)
Knowledge (Arcana)
Knowledge (Geography)
Linguistics
Craft

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + INT modifier

Elemental Force
Each Elementalist is attuned to an elemental force, be it Fire, Earth, Life, Air, Water, or Death. This force grants additional abilities. There may be a number of reasons why the elementalist chose this force to abide by. A person entranced by perfection may choose the constantly-evolving plane of life as his force, just as a person obsessed with gold and diamonds may choose the plane of earth. This force manifests in a number of ways as the elementalist gains levels. An elementalist must pick one elemental power upon taking her first level of and elementalist. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, an elementalist learns an additional spell derived from her elemental force.

Wild Bolt
Each elementalist gains the ability to channel energy in the form of rapid missiles of their chosen element. The damage dealt by an elemental bolt is either electricity/sonic, fire/heat, water/cold, earth/acid, entropic/negative or positive/chaotic. An elementalist can use a number of bolts each day equal to his class level + her Intelligence modifier. The damage of a wild bolt depends on the elementalist's chosen elemental force. On a direct hit, an elementalist’s bolt inflicts 1d6 points of elemental damage + additional damage equal to the elementalist’s Wisdom modifier. The damage of an elementalist’s bomb increases by 1d6 points at every odd-numbered alchemist level (this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or by using feats such as Vital Strike). Splash damage from a wild bolt is always equal to the bolt’s minimum damage.

Elementalists can learn new bolt effects as evocations (see the Evocation abilities) as they level up.

Lesser Evocation
Every elementalist utelizes magic tricks, called evocations, that grant them elemental powers or control over certain materials. At 1st level, an elementalist gains one evocation of her choice. She gains an additional evocation at 2nd level and for every 2 levels attained after 2nd level. An elementalist cannot select an individual evocation more than once.

Unless otherwise noted, using an evocation is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The save to resist a evocation is equal to 10 + 1/2 the elementalist’s level + the elementalist’s Wisdom modifier.

Elemental Mason: This ability creates an anchored plane of elemental material or a hemisphere of said stuff, depending on the version selected. A wall of this material cannot form in an area occupied by physical objects or creatures. Any creature adjacent to the wall when it is created may attempt a Reflex save to disrupt the wall as it is being formed. A successful save indicates that the ability automatically fails. Opposing elements can destroy an elemental wall, and it deals full damage to the wall (instead of the normal half damage taken by objects).

Plane: You create a barricade of elemental material, be it molten obsidian or frozen brine. The wall is 1 inch thick per odd-level. It covers up to a 10-foot-square area per caster level (so a 10th-level wizard can create a wall of ice 100 feet long and 10 feet high, a wall 50 feet long and 20 feet high, or any other combination of length and height that does not exceed 1,000 square feet). The plane can be oriented in any fashion as long as it is anchored. A vertical wall need only be anchored on the floor, while a horizontal or slanting wall must be anchored on two opposite sides.

Each 10-foot square of wall has 3 hit points per inch of thickness. Creatures can hit the wall automatically. A section of wall whose hit points drop to 0 is breached. If a creature tries to break through the wall with a single attack, the DC for the Strength check is 15 + caster level.

Even when the wall has been broken through, an ounce of that material remains. Any creature stepping through it (including the one who broke through the wall) takes 1d6 points of elemental damage + 1 point per caster level (no save).

Hemisphere: The wall takes the form of a hemisphere whose maximum radius is 3 feet + 1 foot per caster level. The hemisphere is as hard to break through as the ice plane form, but it does not deal damage to those who go through a breach.

Greater Evocation

Whirlwind Bolt: Your elemental bolts now create a powerful whirlwind effect that is at the center of the splash effect. It can take the form of a violent rip-tide, or a black mass of tentacles. You can concentrate on controlling the cyclone's every movement or specify a simple program. Directing the cyclone's movement or changing its programmed movement is a standard action for you. The cyclone always moves during your turn. If the cyclone exceeds the spell's range, it moves in a random, uncontrolled fashion for 1d3 rounds and then dissipates. (You can't regain control of the cyclone, even if it comes back within range.)

Any Large or smaller creature that comes in contact with the spell effect must succeed on a Reflex save or take 3d6 points of elementally aligned damage. A Medium or smaller creature that fails its first save must succeed on a second one or be picked up bodily by the cyclone and held suspended in its powerful winds, taking 1d8 points of damage each round on your turn with no save allowed. You may direct the cyclone to eject any carried creatures whenever you wish, depositing the hapless souls wherever the cyclone happens to be when they are released.

[Tels]

You may want to look into this template for more and/or better ideas on what you can build the Elementalist around.

Little warning, I'm going to be just tossing out ideas as they come to me when I'm typing, so things are probably going to be a little chaotic as I'll be heading to bed after this.

As for modes of movement, look at the Shadow Jump ability from the Shadow Dancer prestige class. For instance, say an Earth Elementalist is touching the ground, he could sink in, and travel through the Earth and pop out in an unoccupied square. Or a Water Elementalist could travel through water (possible moisture in the air). Air and Fire could have similarities to Dimension Door, but the Fire Elementalist would use a flash of fire. Death could just travel through Shadows exactly like a Dancer, while Life could be the opposite and travel through light.

However, if you go by the template, you don't necessarily want to give the class to methods of enhanced transport. So maybe one class will have an enhanced speed or another movement method (burrow, swim, fly etc.) while another class could use the Shadow Jump-like ability. If you were to mix the two methods, remember the Shadow Jump ability is a bit more powerful and that class should be less powerful in another way.

For class abilities, I'd strongly suggest looking at things like Avatar, The Last Airbender for ideas. Maybe the Water Elementalist has the option to control water (Hydrokinesis) at will, the Earth Elementalist has an at will ability to control earth. One thing to think about is give Earth and Water the at will abilities, but only a swim/burrow speed. Air could gain the ability to manipulate the air and create things like gusts of wind, wind walls, etc. and a fly speed, but not a dimension door. My reasoning behind this is those three have the potential for real battlefield control, via things like Wall of Ice, Wall of Stone, Wind Wall and Gust of Wind, while Fire, Death and Life are more energy based. Fire could manipulate fire somewhat, like maybe make an opposed caster level (CL = to Elementalist level) check to modify fire based abilities in some way. Like say when someone casts a fireball, he could try and use his fire abilities to dispel fire attacks, but only a number of times per say equal to his wisdom modifier and make it a full round action. Death and Life could manipulate the levels of illumination with Life having the ability to shed light as a spell (first level = light, 3rd level = continual flame, 5th level = daylight) and gain low-light vision, while Death can lower the light level as per Darkness and Deeper Darkness, and gain Darkvision, then the See in all Darkness ability.

I think the Fire, Death and Life Shadow Jump like abilities would be really cinematic. You might also consider mixing in different abilities for Death and Life like Channel energy (negative/positive) and how they are affected (as undead/as alive).

So let me give an example of one of the possible class selections I proposed:

Death:

Death would be ability to lower the light level around him as per Darkness then Deeper Darkness, use Darkvision (if the base creature already has Darkvison, his sight is extended by 30 ft.), then See in Darkness. He could cast a negative energy bolt and channel negative energy (which he could use to heal himself, but he is damaged by positive energy as well). Later on, he can Shadow Jump as a Shadow Dancer equal to his Elementalist level. He could eventually be able to mimic spells through Shadow Conjuration and Shadow Evocation. The Death Elementalist gains a bonus on saves vs death effects equal to half his Elementalist level.

Anyway, I like the idea of the class, and you might think about including abilities that all Elementalists can choose as a power, in addition to the powers unique to their element. Also, I can tell you copy/pasted descriptions and entries from other classes, might want to go back and edit those out for your final entry.