Elemental Caster (3.5e Class)

Elemental Caster

Bending the elements to his whim, the elemental caster fits well into almost any group. Many elemental casters find themselves easily identifying with sorcerers or druids, sharing the love for power or nature with them. The difference, though, is that unlike the others, an elemental caster finds them both to be one and the same. Drawing from the elements, the elemental caster can, and often does, shape the course of the battle, and for that matter, the battlefield.

Most of their lives are spent in the wilderness, making them slijoghtly more tougher then the average spell caster. From a young age, an Elemental Caster seeks power, and the call of elements pulls them the strongest. This leads them to leave home and seek an area where all the elements are present. Many choose mountain lakes where they build permanent pyres so they can have a source of fire. Others spend most, if not all of their lives seeking out the most powerful elementals, learning from the smaller ones along the way.

Martial studies are usually forgotten, except for the most basic self defense, as living in the wilderness can be dangerous. Most elemental casters end up as part of some adventuring party which is where they find the most joy.

Making a Elemental Caster

Though they have the ability to literally shape the area they fight in and can cast spells, they are very weak in actual combat.

Abilities: Charisma is important so the elemental caster can cast more spells per day, in the form of bonus spells. Constitution is also important, keeping him alive longer.

Races: Although any race feels the call of the elements, those races closer to nature, like dwarfs or elves, are more likely to become elemental casters.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 3d4x10 gp (75 gp).

Starting Age: moderate.

Table: The Elemental Caster

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spells per Day
		Fort	Ref	Will		0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Minor Manipulate Elements	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Elemental Companion	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1		6	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1		6	6	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Absorb Spells	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2		6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2		6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2		6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3		6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Redirect spells	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—	—
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3		6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—	—
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4		6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—	—
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4		6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—	—
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4		6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—	—
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	Major Manipulate Elements	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—	—
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Elemental Form	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	—
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	—
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6		6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Elemental Mastery	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Climb(str), Concentration(con), Craft: Staves(Int), Heal(wis), Knowledge: Nature(Int), Knowledge: The Planes(Int), Ride(dex), Spellcraft(Int), Survival(wis).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Elemental Caster.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Elemental casters are proficient with simple weaopns and light armor.

Spells: Elemental Caster can cast any spell he knows but must prepare it ahead of time. (see below).

To learn or cast a spell, a elemental caster must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a elemental caster’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the elemental caster’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a elemental casters can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Elemental Caster. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.

Elemental Casters choose their spells from the following list:

0— Dancing lights, flare, light, nature's hand(as mage hand), create water, ray of frost, cure minor wounds

1st— Magic stone,sleep spell,burning hands, entangle, endure elements, obscuring mist, faerie fire, good berry, produce flame, cure light wounds

2nd— Darkness, pyrotechnics, whisper wind, wind wall, soften earth & stone, barkskin, fog cloud, fire trap, flaming sphere, gust of wind, tree shape, wood shape, cure moderate wounds

3rd— Daylight, continual flame, searing light, stone shape, water breathing, water walk, plant growth, meld into stone, command plants, diminish plants, fireball, cure sirious wounds

4th— Speak with plants, control water, air walk, spike stones, wall of fire, fire shield, flame strike, ice storm, commune with nature, tree stride, stone skin, solid fog, wall of ice, cure critical wounds

5th— Control winds, wall of stone, wall of thorns, cone of cold, transmute mud to rock, transmute rock to mud

6th— Animate plants, wind walk, chain lightning, fire seeds, repel wood, spell staff, live oak, otilukes freezing sphere, stone to flesh, move earth

7th— Control weather, earth quake, fire storm, sun beam, transmute metal to wood, delayed blast fireball

8th— Whirlwind, incendiary cloud, control plants, sunburst, repel metal or stone, polar ray

9th— Storm of vengeance, elemental swarm (any element), shambler, inprisonment.

Table: Elemental Caster Spells Known

Level	Spells Known
	0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	5	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	5	3	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	6	3	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	6	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	7	4	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	7	5	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
8th	8	5	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
9th	8	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
10th	9	5	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—
11th	9	5	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—
12th	9	5	5	4	3	2	1	—	—	—
13th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	—	—	—
14th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	1	—	—
15th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	—	—
16th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	1	—
17th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
18th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	1
19th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	3	2
20th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	3	3

Minor Manipulate Elements (Sp): At first level the Elemental Caster gains the ability to manipulate an element once per day per level, up to 10 times a day. The Elemental Caster, using this ability, can make small hills or valleys, make a fire grow to one and a half it's size or shrink to half it's size, make water rise or fall up to 10ft, still a small wind or cause a small gust of wind or grow or kill 5 square feet of crops or d6 hd of plant creatures.

Elemental companion (Ex): A Elemental Caster at 2nd level gains an Elemental companion of the element of their choosing. Use the standard template from the monster manual for the stats on the elemental. Also, the Elemental Caster gains a 10% bonus to all spells and elemental manipulation of the same element as the chosen elemental. This bonus increases by 5% as the elemental grows, i.e. 15% for medium, 20% for large. The elemental grows one size up to greater at levels 5 and 10.

Absorb Spell (Sp): At 5th level the elemental caster gains the ability to absorb one spell per day per level, starting at 5th, up to 3, cast upon them. This does not apply to Area of effect spells. The Elemental Caster takes half damage, rounded up, from the spell and recharges one spell per day of the level equal to the absorbed spell. The recharge cannot happen more then once per day.

Redirect Spell (Sp): At 10th level the Elemental Caster gains the ability to redirect a spell cast upon them once per day per level, starting at 7th level, up to 3, at a different target. This has no affect on area of effect spells or cone spells. The Elemental Caster still takes half damage from the spell.

Major Manipulate Element (Sp): At 15th level, the ability to manipulate elements becomes stronger. Following the same rules as Minor Manipulate Elements, the Elemental Caster gains the ability to make large hills or valleys, grow or kill 20 square feet of crops or affect d10 hd of plant creatures, raise or lower water up to 40ft, stop a strong wind or cause a strong gust of wind or cause a fire to grow up to 3 times it's size or snuff it completely.

Elemental Form (Sp): At 16th level the Elemental Caster has spent enough time manipulating elements that they can alter their body to an element type. Once per day the elemental caster can take on the traits of one element, either earth, fire, air, water. The change lasts 2 minutes per level. While in an elemental form the Elemental caster can only cast spells of that element. The traits of each element follows... Earth: the elemental caster gains a 25% damage reduction and can no longer be knocked prone but is reduced to one quarter speed. Fire: All attacks made by the Elemental Caster deal an additional 2d6 points of damage but cannot use any equipment, and a +3 AC bonus. Air: The Elemental Caster gains +10 to their AC, though they can deal no damage while in this form. Water: The Elemental caster gains water breathing, and a +5 bonus to ac but deal half damage in this form.

Elemental Mastery (Sp): At 20th level the Elemental Caster becomes a master of one element. All spells of that element are capable of dealing double damage OR being cast as a quickened spell with out counting the spell as one level higher. This can only be done twice per day per level, with a maximum of 10 times per day.

Epic Elemental Caster

Table: The Epic Elemental Caster

Hit Die: d6

Level	Special
21st
22nd
23rd	Bonus Feat
24th
25th
26th	Bonus Feat
27th
28th
29th	Bonus Feat
30th	Elemental Ascension
4 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Spells: The Elemental Caster’s caster level is equal to his or her class level. The caster’s number of spells per day does not increase after 20th level. The casters does not learn additional spells unless he or she selects the Spell Knowledge feat.

#Elemental Ascension: The Elemental Caster gains ultimate control over a single element, manipulating it at will and allowing their body to permanently taking on that element's traits. The traits will be the same as Elemental Form, just permanent. Upon choosing an element to ascend to, the caster can no longer cast spells from other elements. Spells of the element they choose are treated as having the maximize spell, enlarge spell, and widen spell feats, with out the requirements for casting the spell at a higher level.

Bonus Feats: The epic elemental caster gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic sorcerer bonus feats) every three levels after 20th.

Sample Half-Elf Elemental Caster Starting Package

Weapons: Short Sword, Sling, Bullets, sling (30)

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
Climb	4	Str	0
Concentration	4	Con	"—"
Knowledge: Elements	4	Int	"—"
Survival	4	Wis	"—"

Feat: Combat Casting.

Gear: Padded Armor, Backpack (empty), Bedroll, 3 days firewood, fishing net, flint and steel, 3 days trail rations, 50ft hempen rope, water skin, whet stone.

Gold: 30 gp

Campaign Information

Playing a Elemental Caster

Religion: Though they don't place much stock in religion, many of the Elemental Casters tend to worship Obad-hai due to his close ties to the elements.

Other Classes: Elemental Casters find friends in druids and rangers due to their tie to nature. Sorcerers and wizards provide rivals, friendly or otherwise, due to their pursuit of power. Rogues, Clerics, Bards, and Fighters mean little to the Elemental caster though they have their uses. Barbarians are the only class they view with hatred, for they tend to be too destructive for their own good.

Combat: Elemental Casters benefit from being in the back of combat until later levels.

Advancement: An Elemental Caster may wish to take extra feats that may improve weapon skills or their spell casting ability. If wanting to multi-class taking a combat class may be prudent, allowing the Elemental Caster to get closer to combat to fight.

Elemental Caster's in the World

“	Water, Earth, Fire, Air. They all have their uses but in the end... all must yield to man.	”
—Lucius, Human Elemental Caster

Though on the outskirts of society, Elemental Casters are valuable to all and most of the time are recruited by many cities and states to help build their cities quicker. They are also used to shape the face of a battlefield.

Daily Life: Many Elemental Casters prefer to spend most of their time in the wilderness honing their skills with elements. When on adventures with others, they tend to be the ones who seek out knowledge from books.

Notables: Lucius, the first human elemental caster to ascend.

Organizations: Though they have no formal guild or order, Elemental Casters do have a circle of elders that pass down rules or regulations for other Elemental casters to follow. There are 4 elders, each ascended to one of the 4 elements.

NPC Reactions: Many NPCs will react to the elemental caster as they would a ranger or druid.

Elemental Caster Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge: Nature or Knowledge: Elements can research Elemental Casters to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge: Nature or Elements

DC	Result
5	There are rumors of gods in elemental form walking the earth.
10	The rumors of gods are false. There are men capable of altering some elements as they see fit.
15	There are a few, very powerful Elemental Casters who can become the elements themselves.
20	There are four elders that the elemental casters follow, who are so powerful that they are permanently in tune with their element.

Elemental Casters in the Game

Similar to Battle Sorcerer.

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