Author Topic: Elemental Mages  (Read 30357 times)

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Flay Crimsonwind

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #40 on: November 25, 2009, 09:43:50 PM »
I know my immediate response to classes I like is the same, but hey, anyone want a 4 person playtest PBP campaign? Soon as the new mancer comes out?

VennDygrem

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #41 on: November 25, 2009, 09:48:36 PM »
Definitely.  :P

bogsnes

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #42 on: November 26, 2009, 10:43:04 AM »
I am in!

RobbyPants

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #43 on: November 29, 2009, 09:49:03 PM »
I'm glad you guys are interested.  It might be a week or so before I post the hydromancer.  I started working on it, and it began turning more and more into an ice mage.  It's not necessarily a bad thing.  It just might only have two or three true water-based powers.
My balancing 3.5 compendium
Elemental mage test game

Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]

VennDygrem

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #44 on: November 29, 2009, 10:47:13 PM »
That is one of the perils of using water as an element in D&D. However, water can also be a good medium for delivering other status effects and attacks, such as poison, disease (bog water... ugh), slow effects, nausea (bog water, again), suffocation, etc. It comes in several forms, from liquid water to solid ice to nearly-gaseous steam/mist. It can be versatile, but then again it certainly works well enough as a companion or foil to the pyromancer.

Flay Crimsonwind

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #45 on: November 29, 2009, 11:31:50 PM »
That is one of the perils of using water as an element in D&D. However, water can also be a good medium for delivering other status effects and attacks, such as poison, disease (bog water... ugh), slow effects, nausea (bog water, again), suffocation, etc. It comes in several forms, from liquid water to solid ice to nearly-gaseous steam/mist. It can be versatile, but then again it certainly works well enough as a companion or foil to the pyromancer.
NONONONONO, Steam Mage PrC! If you can't take two of these classes simultaneously, then it could confer some benefits of each and combine them, or if you can take two of these could combine them straight away.

Wall of smoke + water ability = Wall of Steam! Providing the same benefits as smoke, but scalding the foe/causing a status issue, perhaps goes through armor since it's gaseous.

Steam elementals!

Just takes a bit of combination. Pyromancer controls the heat, Hydromancer controls the liquid needed to create steam. Awesome combination. I feel as if I've seen a steam mage before though...

VennDygrem

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #46 on: November 30, 2009, 03:07:41 AM »
There are some spells and creatures (particularly, some varieties of dragon) with Steam attacks. They're treated as fire damage (for lack of a simple 'heat' damage type).

veekie

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #47 on: December 01, 2009, 08:15:20 AM »
That is one of the perils of using water as an element in D&D. However, water can also be a good medium for delivering other status effects and attacks, such as poison, disease (bog water... ugh), slow effects, nausea (bog water, again), suffocation, etc. It comes in several forms, from liquid water to solid ice to nearly-gaseous steam/mist. It can be versatile, but then again it certainly works well enough as a companion or foil to the pyromancer.
Yeah, an Ice based one says Cryomancer to me, really, water should emphasize on it's fluid aspect, rather than it's Not-Fire aspect.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

RobbyPants

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #48 on: December 01, 2009, 09:44:13 AM »
Alternately, if I did focus more on ice, then it would seem only fair to also focus on steam.  I'm already using several fog powers for them, so steam isn't much of a stretch.  If nothing else, I could turn the otherwise unassuming offensive power of water into something more versatile by offering the ability to choose between nonlethal, cold, or fire damage.  I did something similar with the aeromancer with nonlethal, sonic, and electricity. 

Although, cold and fire are more commonly resisted, so I have to be careful not to make this class useless.  The pyromancer can at least bypass resistances and immunities because of its single-minded approach.  I have to think about this...
My balancing 3.5 compendium
Elemental mage test game

Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]

veekie

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #49 on: December 01, 2009, 03:28:35 PM »
Well, steam is fire(if damp), water can be acid, poison or bludgeoning force, ice can be cold, piercing, bludgeoning or even slashing.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

VennDygrem

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #50 on: December 01, 2009, 04:56:07 PM »
Don't forget that bodies are typically made up mostly of water; a hydromancer could control that, gaining a limited version of dominate monster, but only affecting living, corporeal creatures. Blood-bending ftw. :D

RobbyPants

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #51 on: December 06, 2009, 11:39:57 AM »
I decided to remove acid from the geomancer.  I was debating on what energy type might work, and I decided [FIRE] could do just fine in the form of molten rock.  So the two acid powers have been modified slightly to match.

This allows me to move acid to the hydromancer.  I'm actually thinking about giving them [ACID], [COLD], and [FIRE] to boost versatility.  I'm still working on the hydromancer, and I don't really have a deadline on it at this point (sorry if I'm holding up the pbp game ;)).  A combination of starting to DM again and drywalling my basement has been chewing up my free time!
My balancing 3.5 compendium
Elemental mage test game

Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]

VennDygrem

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #52 on: December 07, 2009, 03:56:14 AM »
I think it's a good idea. Giving the non-pyromancer classes versatility in energy types helps make up for not having the pyro's bypass resistance ability, and keeps them interesting. Luckily a Geomancer vs. a Pyromancer can still work since the geo can simply smash the pyro with his earth powers, so giving fire/magma attacks is still a mechanically-sound move, aside from being flavorful and awesome. :D

veekie

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #53 on: December 08, 2009, 04:02:33 PM »
I think it's a good idea. Giving the non-pyromancer classes versatility in energy types helps make up for not having the pyro's bypass resistance ability, and keeps them interesting. Luckily a Geomancer vs. a Pyromancer can still work since the geo can simply smash the pyro with his earth powers, so giving fire/magma attacks is still a mechanically-sound move, aside from being flavorful and awesome. :D
Nothing like showing how much better rock is!
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

bogsnes

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #54 on: December 09, 2009, 03:43:42 AM »
Dibs on being Aeromancer  :D

Flay Crimsonwind

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #55 on: December 09, 2009, 03:50:30 AM »
Dibs on being Aeromancer  :D
Pyro shotgun! In case my name didn't say it all...

veekie

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #56 on: December 09, 2009, 04:15:33 AM »
Water sounds to be particularly interesting once the new version is up.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

VennDygrem

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #57 on: December 09, 2009, 09:52:05 PM »
I'll form the Head! I mean, I'll gladly take Geomancer. :P

bogsnes

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #58 on: December 10, 2009, 04:05:44 AM »
Just one thing I want to say:

I think that they should be based upon different attributes... To me it makes more sense having fire based on charisma, air prolly around intelligence, earth based on wisdom or intelligence, and water on wisdom.

RobbyPants

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Re: Elemental Mages
« Reply #59 on: December 10, 2009, 09:02:30 AM »
I picked Cha just for the whole force of will thing, and that these are all pretty much spell-like abilities.  SLAs are traditionally keyed off of Cha.
My balancing 3.5 compendium
Elemental mage test game

Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]