Ok, more homebrew. It's actually kind of how I've been running my game so far, but I'm trying to codify it to make it all nice and rulesified. Something concrete rather than off the cuff. Basically, I'm trying to address the different types of energy that keep popping up and some of the inconsistencies (such as Acid being associated with earth rather than water). Here's my first stab at it.
---------------------------------------------
There are five main elements, each with sub-elements. The five main elements are :
Air, Earth, Fire, Spirit, and Water
Each main element has one or more sub-elements.
Air – Force, Sonic, Wind
Earth – Darkness, Dirt, Metal
Fire – Electricity, Heat, Light
Spirit – Positive Energy, Negative Energy, Ethereal
Water – Acid, Cold, Fluid
Resistance (Element) works against all sub-elements. Resistance (Sub-Element) works only against the sub-element.
Modifications to the following spells are required :
- Any Conjuration (Healing) spells gain the [Positive Energy] subtype.
- Chill Metal gains the [Metal] subtype.
- Chill Touch gains the [Negative Energy] subtype.
- Any spell with the [Death] subtype also adds [Negative Energy]
- Any spell with the [Good] subtype also adds [Positive Energy]
- Any spell with [Water] replaces [Water] with [Fluid].
- Any spell with [Fire] replaces [Fire] with [Heat]
- Any spell with [Air] replaces [Air] with [Wind]
- Any spell with [Earth] replaces [Earth] with [Dirt]
- Any ethereal spell gains the [Ethereal] subtype.
- Curse Water gains [Negative Energy].
- Feather Fall gains [Wind] subtype.
- Fly gains [Wind] subtype.
- Gaseous Form gains [Wind] subtype.
- Harm gains [Negative Energy] subtype.
- Heat Metal gains the [Metal] subtype.
- Horrid Wilting gains [Negative Energy] subtype.
- Inflict spells gain [Negative Energy] subtype.
- Iron Body gains [Metal] subtype.
- Ironwood gains [Metal] subtype.
- Keen Edge gains [Metal] subtype.
- Levitate gains [Wind] subtype.
- Mage Hand gains [Wind or Force] subtype.
- Meteor Swarm replaces [Fire] with [Dirt or Heat].
- Obscuring Mist gains [Wind] subtype.
- Pyrotechnics gains the [Fire] subtype
- Quench gains the [Water] subtype.
- Repel Metal or Stone retains [Earth] subtype.
- Searing Light gains the [Light] subtype.
- Statue gains the [Dirt] subtype.
- Stoneskin gains the [Dirt] subtype.
- Stone Tell gains the [Dirt] subtype.
- Stone to Flesh gains the [Dirt] subtype.
- Telekinesis gains the [Force] subtype.
- Transmute Metal to Wood gains the [Metal] subtype.
- Transmute Rock to Mud becomes [Dirt or Fluid]
- Wall of Iron gains the [Metal] subtype
- Water Breathing gains the [Fluid or Wind] subtype.
PROTECTION FROM ENERGY
School abjuration; Level cleric 3, druid 3, ranger 2, sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 10 min./level or until discharged
Saving Throw Fortitude negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
Protection from energy grants temporary immunity to the type of sub-element you specify when you cast it (acid, cold, electricity, heat, sonic, etc.). When the spell absorbs 12 points per caster level of energy damage (to a maximum of 120 points at 10th level), it is discharged. Alternately, a caster can specify Protection from Energy at the Element level instead. In this case, the spell absorbs 6 points per caster level of energy damage of any sub-element (to a maximum of 60 points at 10th level). For example, if a 5th level caster were to cast Protection from Heat, the spell would absorb up to 60 points of heat damage. The same caster casting Protection from Fire would absorb up to 30 points of heat, electricity, or light damage.
Protection from energy overlaps (and does not stack with) resist energy. If a character is warded by protection from energy and resist energy, the protection spell absorbs damage until its power is exhausted.
RESIST ENERGY
School abjuration; Level cleric 2, druid 2, paladin 2, ranger 1, sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 10 min./level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
This abjuration grants a creature limited protection from damage of whichever one of the sub-element types you select: acid, cold, electricity, heat, sonic, and so forth. The subject gains resist energy 10 against the energy type chosen, meaning that each time the creature is subjected to such damage (whether from a natural or magical source), that damage is reduced by 10 points before being applied to the creature’s hit points. The value of the energy resistance granted increases to 20 points at 7th level and to a maximum of 30 points at 11th level. The spell protects the recipient’s equipment as well. Alternately, when cast, the caster may instead choose to protect the target from a major energy type (air, earth, fire, spirit, or water). If this is done, the resistance amount is cut in half, but it works against all sub-elements of that type. For example, if a 5th level caster used Resist Energy (Fire), then the target would gain 5 points of resistance to Heat, Light, and Electricity damage.
Resist energy absorbs only damage. The subject could still suffer unfortunate side effects.
Resist energy overlaps (and does not stack with) protection from energy. If a character is warded by protection from energy and resist
energy, the protection spell absorbs damage until its power is exhausted.
Magical item changes :
Armor Changes
Energy Resistance: A suit of armor or a shield with this property protects against one type of sub-element energy (acid, cold, electricity, heat, sonic, etc.) and is designed with patterns depicting the sub-element it protects against. The armor absorbs the first 10 points of energy damage per attack that the wearer would normally take (similar to the resist energy spell). Alternately, the armor can be created to protect against one of the five main energy types, Air, Earth, Fire, Spirit, or Water. In this case, the armor absorbs the first 5 points of energy damage per attack that the wearer would normally take (similar to the resist energy spell), but this is against all sub-elements of the primary element. For example, Energy Resistance (Fire) would protect against the first 5 points of heat, electricity, or light damage.
Faint abjuration; CL 3rd; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; Price +18,000 gp.
Energy Resistance, Improved: As energy resistance, except it absorbs the first 20 points of sub-element energy damage per attack, or the first 10 points of element energy.
Moderate abjuration; CL 7th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; Price +42,000 gp.
Energy Resistance, Greater: As energy resistance, except it absorbs the first 30 points of sub-element energy damage per attack, or the first 15 points of element energy.
Moderate abjuration; CL 11th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist energy; Price +66,000 gp.
Brilliant Energy: A brilliant energy weapon has its significant portion transformed into light, although this does not modify the item’s weight. It always gives off light as a torch (20-foot radius). A brilliant energy weapon ignores nonliving matter. Armor and shield bonuses to AC (including any enhancement bonuses to that armor) do not count against it because the weapon passes through armor. (Dexterity, def lection, dodge, natural armor, and other such bonuses still apply.) A brilliant energy weapon cannot harm undead, constructs, and objects.
This property can only be applied to melee weapons, thrown weapons, and ammunition. Resistance vs light reduces the damage from a Brilliant Energy weapon.
Strong transmutation; CL 16th; Craft Magic Arms and
Armor, gaseous form, continual f lame; Price +4 bonus.
Ghost Touch: A ghost touch weapon deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures, regardless of its bonus. An incorporeal creature’s 50% reduction in damage from corporeal sources does not apply to attacks made against it with ghost touch weapons. The weapon can be picked up and moved by an incorporeal creature at any time. A manifesting ghost can wield the weapon against corporeal foes. Essentially, a ghost touch weapon counts as both corporeal or incorporeal. Resistance (Spirit) and Resistance (Ethereal) both reduce damage from a ghost touch weapon.
Moderate conjuration; CL 9th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, plane shift; Price +1 bonus.
Remove the following Weapon bonus types : Flaming, Flaming Burst, Icy, Icy Burst, Shock, Shocking Burst, Thundering and Thundering Burst.
Replace with the following :
Elemental : An elemental weapon is imbued with the essence of a sub-element (such as light, darkness, heat, cold, acid, wind, etc). Upon command, an elemental weapon (referred to by it's type, Light, Dark, Heated, Chilled, Acidic, Sonic, etc) is sheathed in an aura of it's sub-element type. It does an extra 1d6 damage of it's associated type on a successful hit. The elemental energy does not harm it's wielder. The effect remains in effect until another command is given.
Moderate evocation; CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, third level or higher spell with appropriate elemental sub-type; Price +1 bonus.
Elemental Burst : An elemental burst weapon functions as an elemental weapon that explodes with elemental energy upon striking a successful critical hit. The elemental damage does not harm the wielder. In addition to the extra elemental damage from the elemental ability, an elemental burst weapon deals an extra 1d10 points of sub-element damage on a successful critical hit. If the weapon’s critical multiplier is ×3, add an extra 2d10 points of sub-element damage instead, and if the multiplier is ×4, add an extra 3d10 points. Even if the elemental ability is not active, the weapon still deals its extra elemental damage on a successful critical hit.
Moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, third level or higher spell with appropriate elemental sub-type; Price +2 bonus.
Greater Elemental : A greater elemental weapon functions like an elemental weapon, but is imbued with the essence of a main element (such as Air, Earth, Fire, Spirit, or Water). It is sheathed, upon command, by all the sub-elements it is imbued with, and counts as a correct weapon vs DR of any sub-element type it contains. It also ignores Resistance unless that resistance is to it's elemental type, not a sub-element type. For example, a Greater Elemental Fire weapon would count as a Heat weapon to bypass DR 5/Heat, it would count as an Electrical weapon if the target had vulnerability (50%) to Electricity, and would ignore Resistance 10 (Heat). It would, however, be affected normall by Resistance 5 (Fire).
Moderate evocation; CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, two third level or higher spells with appropriate, but different, elemental sub-types; Price +2 bonus.
Greater Elemental Burst : A greater elemental burst weapon functions as an elemental burst weapon and as a greater elemental weapon simultaneously.
Moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, three third level or higher spells with appropriate, but different, elemental sub-types; Price +3 bonus.
Creature Changes
Dragons are the biggest change, so here they are :
Black Dragons : Replace Immunity(Acid) with Immunity (Spirit), change breath weapon to [Negative Energy].
White Dragons : Replace Immunity(Cold) with Immunity (Water), leave breath weapon [Cold]
Blue Dragons : Replace Immunity(Electricity) with Immunity(Air), change breath weapon to [Sonic]
Red Dragons : Leave Immunity(Fire) as is, change breath weapon to [Heat]
Green Dragons : Replace Immunity(Acid) with Immunity(Earth), change breath weapon to [Dirt] (basically stones and dirt pelting targets).
The green is the hardest one to fit, since he's left with dirt, but at least he's not duplicating, and considering he lives in lush forests, earth is not a bad fit (lush soil, etc). I think black fits much better with negative energy, honestly.
Gold Dragon : Replace Immunity(Fire) with Immunity(Spirit), change breath weapon to [Positive Energy] (yes, you can still damage with positive energy, but I'd give the gold dragon the ability to heal or damage it's targets, basically damage would be overloading them with positive energy, kind of like being on the positive energy plane)
Brass Dragon : Keep Immunity (Fire), change breath weapon to [Heat]
Bronze Dragon : Replace Immunity(Electricity) with Immunity(Water), change breath weapon to [Fluid] (gush of water, like a firehose)
Copper Dragon : Replace Immunity(Acid) with Immunity(Earth), change breath weapon to [Dirt]
Silver Dragon : Replace Immunity(Cold) with Immunity(Air), change breath weapon to [Electricity]
Again, silver is a hard one, he's sort of odd man out. Every other dragon had a subtype already that fit. I think changing silver to air from cold is not a big stretch, their preferred living places (tall mountain peaks) still makes sense.
Elementals
Basically, elementals become sub-elementals. So Fire becomes Heat, Cold stays Cold, Air becomes Wind, etc. I have to go through and stat up light and darkness elementals (probably can use existing monsters).
Anyway, that's what I've got so far.
Thanks both, yeah, it's a lot of reconning, but it seems more symmetric to me. :) I have this issue with mild OCD, so symmetry is very important. ;)