Elemental Reactions (5e Variant Rule)
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This variant rule is meant to primarily be a part of a larger Genshin Impact supplement or support a Genshin-themed or inspired world but can be adapted to function seamlessly in most games.
It is heavily encouraged that DMs employing this rule promote their players to be creative when conducting these reactions through the use of spells and other environmental effects.
Any player character can trigger elemental reactions, and if the DM so chooses, non-player characters as well. The general rule of thumb for an elemental reaction is for one player to initiate the reaction by attacking an enemy with a certain damage type and expending their reaction to trigger it. To resolve an elemental reaction, a creature needs to have been previously affected by damage type prior. DMs can choose how they wish to personalize the rulings for how long a damage type will linger on a creature before being unable to trigger a reaction such as a 1 round time limit, 1-minute limit, or even until the end of combat. Lingering effects of a damage type may also be removed via certain spells if the DM permits it such as the Lesser Restoration spell as a catch-all "cleansing" effect or employing the Shape Water cantrip or similar effect to remove a lingering burning effect.
On that note, it is heavily encouraged to employ the respective Ignited and Soaked rules and the Shocked and Chilled rules for a more unique feel to the game. Those rules may also provide a more visceral effect to the linger damage types by enabling visual, auditory, or mechanical aid for player immersion. Most damage types in 5e can support the general rules of Elemental Reactions; however, some may be at a DM's own discretion such as the Crystalize reaction.
To utilize this rule set players much first follow these steps and meet these conditions:
- 1. A creature must have been damaged by an applicable damage type within the time frame of the respective lingering effect.
- 2. A creature must use another applicable damage type on the same creature with the lingering effect and deal damage or affect them with it.
- 3. Once these conditions are met, the creature who used the damage type on the creature affected by the lingering effect can utilize its reaction to cause an elemental reaction.
- 4. If multiple elemental reactions can be triggered by a player's reaction, they may be triggered simultaneously or in an order decided by the DM.
- 5. Resolve the effects of the reaction and remove or apply any lingering effects on the creature(s) affected.
A single creature cannot trigger its own elemental reactions in the same round they apply a lingering effect to the same creature; however, if another creature uses an applicable damage type during that same round, they can trigger the reaction. For example, If you cast a shocking grasp cantrip on a creature and meet the conditions for casting Hellish Rebuke as a reaction that same round, it will not trigger an elemental reaction. If a Sourceror uses the Fire Bolt cantrip following your turn, however, they can trigger the reaction that same round.
Finally, a creature may only utilize these elemental reactions a number of times equal to half of their proficiency bonus (rounded up) total per long rest.
Overload[edit]
Whenever you deal damage to an enemy with lightning damage from any of your Electro Vision, lightning-based features, or spells within three rounds after a creature receives fire damage (or vice versa) by expending your reaction, you can trigger an explosion that will deal fire damage to all creatures within 5ft of the enemy. The targeted creature (or creatures within an area who would trigger the reaction) and all creatures within 5ft of them must all make a Dexterity saving throw against your Elemental Reaction DC or take (Your proficiency bonus)d6 fire damage and be knocked back 5ft in a direction of the GM's Discretion and prone. On a successful save, they take no additional effect and only take half damage. Triggering multiple instances of overload on creatures within 5ft of one another will only cause damage once from the respective overloads on creatures who have already been affected by the reaction.
Crystalize[edit]
Whenever you deal damage to a creature using a spell or feature (not including weapon features or properties) that deals bludgeoning damage, roll a d4. On a four, you generate a geo shard that will appear at the nearest unoccupied space from the creature the damage was dealt to or the creature who used the damaging effect (GM's discretion) that will persist until a creature enters the space of the shard, 1 minute has passed or combat ends. Allied creatures that enter the same space as the shard will gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus times five and have a +2 on checks to maintain their concentration on spells and other similar effects. These temporary hit points last until depleted or until combat ends, and creatures cannot benefit from the temporary hit points from this elemental reaction again until all temporary hit points they possess are depleted.
If a creature who is damaged by an effect to cause a Crystalize elemental reaction is also affected by the Ignited, Soaked, Chilled, or Shocked conditions when a geo shard is created, the creature who enters the same space as the shard will also gain resistance to the associated damage type which lasts until the temporary hit points are depleted.
Electro-Charged[edit]
Whenever you deal lightning damage to a creature from any of your Electro Vision User features or spells within three rounds after a creature receiving the soaked condition or being affected by any water-based conditions (or vice versa), by expending your reaction you will cause them to make a Constitution saving throw against your Elemental Reaction DC. On a failure you cause them to be afflicted with the Electro-Charged condition. Electro-charged will cause enemies to retain the soaked condition and now have electro energy linger for the next minute. While a creature has lingering electro, it takes (your proficiency bonus)d4 lightning damage at the end of each turn of the affected creatures and remakes the saving throw ending it on a success. The condition will spread to any creatures who start their turns within 5ft of the affected if they also suffer from the soaked condition. They must also make a constitution saving throw or be affected by the condition. Whenever the Electro Charged condition ends on a creature, they will also lose any other elemental conditions affecting them such as soaked.
Additionally, if a lightning-based spell or feature affects a body of water, 20ft from the affected area (or larger depending on the spell or feature used) it will become electro-charged for the next minute causing creatures who enter inside it or that are inside the water to receive the electro-charged condition. While a creature remains in the electro-charged area of the body of water they will not make the constitution saving throw to end the effect. If they exit the affected area of the body of water then electrocharge will function according to its normal minute duration or until they pass their constitution saving throw.
Finally, if a third elemental damage type is introduced while an enemy has been affected by Electro-Charged, that will result in two separate corresponding elemental reactions based on the present conditions by expending only one use of the elemental reaction feature.
For example: soaked->lightning damage->Electro-Charged->Fire damage->Overload and Vaporize reactions will be triggered simultaneously provided you have sufficient uses of the elemental reaction feature if not then any subsequent reactions that would have occurred do not activate.
Superconduct[edit]
Whenever you deal damage to an enemy with lightning damage from any of your features or spells within three turns after a creature receives cold damage (or Vice versa), you can expend a reaction to cause them and all creatures within 5ft of them to make a dexterity saving throw against your Elemental Reaction DC or suffer from the superconduct condition. Superconduct will deal cold damage in a 5ft radius of the affected creature dealing (Your proficiency bonus)d4 cold damage at the end of each of their turn and causing enemies to take increased damage from Bludgeoning, Piercing, and slashing damage by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus for the next minute. A creature affected by Superconduct may remake the saving throw to end the condition at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, they are no longer affected by the condition.
Vaporize[edit]
Whenever a character applies the soaked condition and the creature within three rounds is affected by fire damage or is under the ignited condition by another ally(or vice versa) triggers the Vaporize elemental reaction. In order to trigger this reaction, the initiator user must contribute one of the two elements present. Vaporize will deal increase the damage of the element which triggers the reaction depending on if it was a fire or water-based damage. If the effect was fire damage, increase the damage dice of the spell or feature by three, or if no die is present, then deal amount of fire damage equal to the total level of the user who triggered the reaction. If it was water-based damage increase the size of the damage die by 3 steps up to a maximum of a d12. If the damage step would increase past a d12, then you may add the ability modifier chosen from your Elemental Reaction DC to the damage.
Melt[edit]
Whenever a character applies the ignited condition or a creature has received fire damage within three rounds and is then affected by cold damage by another ally(or vice versa) triggers the Melt elemental reaction. Melt will add additional damage to the triggering feature or spell equal to your total character level.
Frozen[edit]
Whenever a character applies the soaked condition and the creature within 1 minute is affected by cold damage by another ally(or vice versa) triggers the frozen elemental reaction. The creature must make a constitution saving throw against your Elemental Reaction DC with disadvantage and on a failure will be affected by the frozen condition. On a successful save, they will instead be affected by the Chilled condition instead. Frozen will cause the creature to gain a special frozen condition which functions like the stunned condition with the exception that they will also be affected by lingering cryo for one minute for any other elemental reactions. The stunned condition applied by the Frozen elemental reaction will last for 1 round. If a creature affected by the frozen condition is damaged by any explosion, receives damage from any weapon with the heavy property, or is damaged by any bludgeoning damage, it will cause the Shattered Elemental Reaction.
Shattered[edit]
The shattered reaction is triggered by a frozen character receiving damage from any explosion, any weapon with the heavy property, or when affected by a damaging effect from a weapon dealing bludgeoning damage. Shattered will treat the creature as if they were vulnerable to the triggering damage of the condition. If the creature had resistance, it would treat the damage as if it did not and immunity will also be treated as resistance.
Dendro[edit]
A creature who deals poison damage through a feature, or spell may spend a reaction to apply Dendro to the creature for the next minute. While affected by Dendro, it will linger and will not cause any additional effects on its own to the affected party. However, depending on which additional elements are exposed to the lingering Dendro, it will apply either the Quicken, Burning, or Bloom Elemental Reactions. If Dendro is applied while a creature is currently suffering from any triggering elements then it will instead automatically trigger one of the three respective Dendro reactions in addition to any other elemental reaction which may trigger.
Quicken[edit]
Whenever a creature affected by Dendro is damaged by a feature or spell that deals lightning damage or has the Shocked condition applied to them (or Vice Versa if they were already affected), they are affected by a quickened aura for the next minute. The quickened aura spans 10ft from the affected creature and while affected may allow for the Spread or Aggravate to be triggered by corresponding elements. Once a creature is affected by either of these effects, the quickened aura ends. Inflicting the ignite, or soaked conditions or dealing water or fire-based damage while a creature is affected by the quickened aura will trigger either the Bloom or Burning Reactions respectively.