I have noticed what may have been an oversight in how channel elements works.
Kineticists need to have their kinetic aura active to use impulses, and they need to use impulses to do just about anything. And in order to activate their kinetic aura, they need to use the [Channel Elements] action. Here is where the problem starts.
[Channel Elements] gains the traits of every element you have unlocked (Earth trait for Earth, Air trait for Air, ect.) and you can't choose to not channel an element that you have unlocked in order for the action to not gain that trait. Channelling your elements is all or nothing.
According to the aquatic combat rules on page 478 of the player's handbook, "You can’t cast fire spells or use actions with the fire trait underwater."
If you have the fire element unlocked, [Channel Elements] has the fire trait.
If you have the fire element unlocked, you can't use [Channel Elements] underwater. Ever.
If you have both the fire element and the water element unlocked, you can't use [Channel Elements] underwater. Ever.
If you have all 6 elements unlocked, you can't use [Channel Elements] underwater. Ever.
I don't know about all of you, but I don't feel as though this was an intended feature of the Kineticist's fire element. Don't get me wrong, taking taking the fire element in a semi or fully aquatic campaign was always going to be a sub optimal decision, but I don't think that it's supposed to be the death trap that it is.
If you have elements other than fire unlocked, then you can use [Channel Elements] before entering the water, but if you use an overflow action or fall unconscious while underwater, you will be rendered almost completely helpless until you surface.
Thoughts?
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Would this line be relevant in solving that?
Your kinetic elements function even in environments where they normally wouldn't. For example, you could use fire actions underwater even though that's normally not possible, and you could create air in a vacuum.
Would this line be relevant in solving that?
Your kinetic elements function even in environments where they normally wouldn't. For example, you could use fire actions underwater even though that's normally not possible, and you could create air in a vacuum.
It would indeed. I'm glad that I just missed something.