I've been looking at DnD/Pathfinder homebrew lately and I came across someone else's "Elemental Bender" homebrew class on another site and... it was bad. Enough to make me want to try making one myself, so I spent a part of today working on an Earthbender base class.
Saves: Best- Fortitude, Decent- Reflex, Worst- Will.
BAB: same as monk's
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Is proficient with light and medium armor. She is not proficient with any weapons (see Weapons Training talent)
Unarmed Strike: This functions as the monk ability, except the earthbender’s unarmed strikes do not deal more damage than normal and the damage does not increase as she levels.
Bend Earth: At 1st level, the earthbender has a natural ability to manipulate earth. Dirt, soil, and stone may be used. Any earth within 30ft of the bender may be used.
An earthbender may use her bending abilities to hurl manipulated earth at her foes as a ranged bending attack with a range increment of 30 feet + 10 feet for every 4 levels of earthbender she possesses Bending can be used in melee, but it provokes an attack of opportunity (see Close Quarters Bending talent). An earthbender adds her Strength modifier to bending attack rolls. (this uses the same damage increments as the monk's unarmed strikes do)
An earthbender may also manipulate earth for different ends. She can bend earth to create cover, move underground, create stairs, or other uses (subject to DM approval) by making a Bending Check. An earthbender adds her Strength bonus and her levels as an earthbender to the result of this check. The DC for this check is 10+ 5 for every 5 square feet of earth she attempts to manipulate. An earthbender may take 10 on this check in unstressful conditions.
Earth Sense: An earthbender can sense earth and stone. An earthbender can sense any bendable earth within range (see Bend Earth) even if she cannot see it. In addition, she can make a Perception check to sense earth outside of this range. The DC of this check is 10 + 5 for every 5 feet outside of her effective range the the bendable earth is. An earthbender may add 1/2 of her levels in earthbender as a bonus to this check.
In Your Element: At 3rd level, when in the presence of abundant earth, An earthbender is a deadly foe. If an earthbender and her opponent are surrounded by earth on all sides*, she gains a +1 circumstance bonus to all Bending checks. This bonus increases by one at 9th level, 15th level, and 20th level.
*An earth bender gains this bonus if the ground surrounding both an earthbender and her opponent is unobstructed earth. An earthbender would be denied this bonus on the ocean, in a dense forest, if a floor is blocking direct contact with earth, etc.
Bending Talent: As an earthbender practices her art, she learns a number of special techniques for her bending. At 2nd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, an earthbender gains a bending talent. An earthbender may not select an individual talent more than once. An earthbender may only select talents denoted as being “Earth” talents or that have no specific element.
Close Quarters Bending: The bender does not provoke an attack of oppurtunity when using bending against an adjacent foe.
Weapon Training: The bender is proficient with one simple, martial or monk weapon of her choice. can make an attack with her weapon in addition to her bending attack by taking the penalties for fighting with two weapons.
Advanced Weapon Training: With using the full attack action, the earthbender can combine a weapon strike with a bending attack into a single, powerful blow. The damage dice of the earthbender’s weapon are added to damage dice of the bending attack.
Great Constitution (Earth): The earthbender gains 2 additional hitpoints for every level of earthbender she possesses.
Sand Bending (Earth): In addition to bending earth and stone, the earthbender can manipulate sand and create clouds of dust. Sand is added to the list of bendable materials, using Dexterity instead of strength for bending attacks and rolls made with it. In addition, as an attack action an earthbender can hurl a cloud of sand or dust at her enemy, dealing 1d4 points of damage and causing the opponent to be blinded for a number of rounds equal to 1 + 1/3 of the earthbender’s level unless they pass a Fortitude save with a DC equal to the roll of the attack.
Great Strength (Earth): The earthbender gains a permanent +2 bonus to Strength.
Bending Trip (Earth, Air, Water): The character can use her bending to trip an opponent from a distance.
Bending Grapple (Earth, Water): The character can use her bending to grapple an opponent from a distance.
Master Element: At 20th level, the earthbender masters her element. Once per day, she can perform an extraordinary feat of bending: triggering an earthquake, moving an island, or other feats (subject to GM approval). Afterwards, she gains the exhausted condition.
So, is this more of a monk archtype than a base class?
What abilities are replaced?
I like the simplicity of what you've done here, and I think it would work, and do justice to the concept of the benders.
Just my two cents..
If you want to make benders that model the Avatar characters. You might want to look at making a sorcerer archetype.
Create a bloodline that incorporates the unarmed combat feats.
And make some new spells that mimic the bending abilities.
Something like:
Armor of Earth (Like when Toph creates a shell around her)
School Abjuration; Level Druid 2, Sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF/F Contact with the ground
Range Self
Effect: Earth moves to protect you
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
The very ground moves to protect you. A form fitting shell of earth and rock slides up around you that shifts to absorb blows.
While in contact with the ground you gain Damage Reduction 3/-. The armor can absorb 5 points per level of the caster before collapsing.
Whip of Water (Katara's common attack)
School Evocation; Level Druid 2, Sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range 0 ft
Effect: Whip of Liquid
Duration 1 minutes/level (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
A whip of water springs from your hand. The whip can be conjured to be either 5’, 10’ or 15’ to provide reach when the spell is cast. Changing the length of the whip after the initial casting is a move action. The whip only threatens squares at its end.
The water forms a razor like edge that deals 1d6 slashing damage +1 point per level (max +10)..
The whip can be used to make trip attacks or disarms.
If released the water of the whip evaporates instantly
A little more exotic
Plinth of Earth
School Transmutation; Level Druid 3, Sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range Close (25’ + 5’/level)
Effect: A 10’ tall 5’ wide pillar of earth bursts from the ground beneath the target. 1 plinth for every 3 levels.
Duration: instant, 1 round per level then the plinth crumbles
Saving Throw see text; Spell Resistance no
You cause the ground beneath the target to erupt upwards into an earthen pillar. The pillar can be a max of 10’ tall + 10’ for every 3 level above 5th. To a max of 50’ at 17th level. Against large or smaller creatures the pillar raises the creature up into the air. Creatures of size huge or larger cause the pillar to crumple under their weight. A reflex save allows the creature to retain its footing atop the pillar or step off before being lifted to dangerous heights. Creature's Choice. Failure results in the creature being knocked prone atop the pillar. Failure by more than 5 causes the creature to fall off the plinth at max height.
If used on a friendly target an Acrobatics check DC 15 allows the target to remain standing atop the growing plinth. If the target is lifted to a height that would force them against the ceiling they take 1d6 crushing damage for each 10' traveled. The plinth will then crumble and collapse from the impact. Possibly resulting in falling damage for the victim.
The plinths may be used for cover by those on the ground. The plinths have an AC 10 and 5 hp per 2 caster levels
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Qinggong monk with earth style abilities and the shaitan style feats?
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It is interesting but I thought of avatar first off and am disappointed that it's not based on them.
Unarmed strike without the damage bonus is literally just the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. Easier to give the feat then explain as you did above.
There are only two save progressions good and poor. Fort and will should be good while reflex should be poor.
Leaving it uninvolved with avatar the above should be sufficient, though a few more unique abilities would be nice.
If going for the avatar benders I suggest watching the show again just to note what they do with their bending.