Difference between revisions of "Element Shaper (5A)"

Latest revision as of 13:25, 23 May 2023

This is an Artificer Specialization for 5A.

The elements are alive. An elemental shaper forms them into an elemental construct, matter given form and animation by the artificer's craft. All elemental constructs consists of all the elements, but the methods and tools the element shaper uses changes the mix of elements.

Greyhawk: An ancient art practiced by elves, but also in the old Suel empire and by the Temple of Elemental Evil. Most, including many practitioners, see this as a summoning art rather than as artificing.

Subclass Abilities

Element Shaper Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Element Shaper Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.

**Element Shaper Spells**
Artificer Level	Spells
3	Absorb Elements, Chromatic Orb
5	Dragon's Breath, Hold Person
9	Pulse Wave, Thunder Step
13	Evard's Black Tentacles, Fire Shield
17	Hold Monster, Steel Wind Strike

Elemental Lore

At 3rd level when you choose this specialization, you learn Primordial and one of its elemental daughter languages: Auran (air), Aquan (water), Ignan (fire), and Terran (earth).

Elemental Construct

At 3rd level you gain the ability to shape and animate the elements into an elemental construct. You have four basic forms you can choose between, floater (air), biped (fire), multiped (earth), or serpentine (water).

In combat, the elemental construct shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the elemental construct can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

If your elemental construct dies, it collapses into a lump of matter, a Tiny object weighing 10 lbs. You can use an action to revive it, provided you are within 5 feet of it and you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. If you do so the elemental construct returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored. If your elemental construct is lost or you wish to rebuild it, you can create a new elemental construct with 2 hours of work. This allows you to alter any choices made in its construction. You can do this during a long rest. Your old elemental construct returns to inert matter when you start making a new one.

Finally, the stat block for the elemental construct uses your Proficency Bonus (PB) in many places.

Elemental construct

Medium Construct

Armor Class: 13 + PB (natural armor)

Hit Points: 6 hp x your level (d8 hd equal to your level)

Speed: 30 feet, Fly 30 feet (floater only, can hover), Swim 30 feet (serpentine only)

STR 10 plus PBx2 (+PB) DEX 13 (+1) CON 13 (+1) INT 5 (-2) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 10 (+0)

Saving Throws: Dex +1 plus PB, Con +2 plus PB

Skills: Athletics +0 plus PBx2, Intimidate +0 plus PB

Damage Resistances: cold, electricity, fire

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned, unconscious

Senses: darkvision 60 feet, passive Perception 10

Languages: understands Primordial.

Challenge: —

Proficiency Bonus: equals your bonus.

Hands: (biped only) Has 2 hands that can use weapons. When attacking with weapons it has proficiency with it uses your spell attack modifier to hit.

Mount: (multiped or serpentine only) The elemental construct can carry a rider of Small size.

Weapon proficiencies: (biped only) proficient in simple melee weapons.

Action

Slam Attack. Melee Weapon Attack your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. 1d8 +PB bludgeoning damage

Weapon Attack. Melee Weapon Attack (biped only - you must supply the weapon) your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Damage by weapon type.

Claw Attack. Melee Weapon Attack (multiped only) your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. 1d8 +PB piercing damage.

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: (serpentine only) your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. 1d8 +PB piercing damage. The target is grappled, escape DC 10 + PB Until this grapple ends, the creature is grappled, and the elemental construct can't constrict another target.

Spark. Ranged Weapon Attack (floater only) your spell attack modifier to hit, range 30/90 feet, one target. 1d6 +PB electrical damage.

Elemental Affinity (Optional Rule)

Elemental Affinity is an optional rule that has purely cosmetic effects. You can ignore this rule with no consequences.

The appearance and nature of your elemental construct depends on a number of choices you make as an element shaper. All elemental constructs are composed of all the four elements, but some have more of one element than of the others. There are numerous places in this subclass where there are multiple choices, one for each of the classic elements, air, earth, fire, and water. Your servant's appearance is shaped by these choices. This has no effect on the abilities of the elemental construct, it is more of a visual clue.

The basic elemental construct is a rough collection of matter with chunks of stone, ice, water, and embers, all surrounded by a miasma like a second skin. If you choose air, the servant is less solid and more like a thundercloud. When you choose earth, the servant becomes more solid and hunched over like a beast. Fire makes the servant more fully formed, with a distinct head and limbs. Water makes the servant fluid, sinuous, and flexible.

In addition to the choices listed under other abilities below, your tool proficiencies affects the elemental affinity of your elemental construct if you have them:

Air Musical instruments.

Earth Jeweler’s tools, mason's tools.

Fire Alchemist's supplies, smith's tools.

Water Brewer’s supplies, potter's tools.

Elemental Evolution

At 5th level, all natural attacks your elemental construct use does magical damage. Your elemental construct gains the multiattack ability.

Multiattack. The elemental construct makes two attacks of any type it knows in any combination.

Elemental Customization

At 5th level you can customize your elemental construct to fit your needs. When you build your elemental construct, choose one of the following:

Large (earth) The elemental construct is of Large size taking up 10 ft. of space.

A floater elemental construct increases the range of its spark attack to 50/150 feet.
A humanoid elemental construct gains reach 10 ft.
A quadruped or serpentine elemental construct can carry a rider of Medium size.

Small (Air) The elemental construct is of Small size and gains proficiency in the Stealth skill.
Amorphous (water) The servant can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Fast (fire) All speeds increase by 10 ft.

Manifest Element

**Manifest Element**
Spell Slot Used	Summon Elemental Level
1	4
2	5
3	6
4	7
5	8

At 9th level you can can conjure elementals other than your elemental construct. You add the Summon Elemental spell to your spell list. You can use lower-level spell slots to greater effect when with this ability. When cast Summon Elemental, the spell slot you use is increased to a higher level, as shown in the Manifest Element table. This increase happens only when you cast Summon Elemental and cannot affect any other spell you cast.

Twin Elemental

At 15th level you can summon a copy of your elemental construct, identical in all respects. This twin appears within 5 ft. of your elemental construct, which must be within 90 feet of you when you do this.

Any spell you cast that affects either elemental construct affects both elemental constructs. Even spells cast on your elemental construct before you summon the twin elemental carry over to affect both elemental constructs. You can give orders to both you elemental constructs with a single bonus action. The effect ends when either elemental construct is slain or after one minute, whichever comes first. If both elemental constructs are present when the effect ends, the elemental construct with the least hit points disappear and the elemental construct with the most hit points remaining heal an amount of damage equal to the remaining hit points of the elemental construct that disappeared.

If your elemental construct is not present, you can use this ability to summon an elemental construct in any spot you can see within 90 feet. This then becomes your one elemental construct, with the normal duration of that effect.

You can use this ability one time, and regain the ability on a long rest.

Designer's Notes

A development of the reanimator, the element shaper is less controversial in-world. Their pet starts out with immunities the reanimate lacks, but develops less new abilities.

Elemental Affinity is pure flavor, as the description says.
Elemental Customization is weak and could use a rewrite.
Manifest Element is quite powerful as a side interest, making the element shaper somewhat like a pathfinder summoner.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{5A}}{{wip}}
+{{5A}}
 This is an [[Artificer (5A)|Artificer]] Specialization for [[5A]].
-''Elemental substance can be manipulated by magic.
+''The elements are alive. An elemental shaper forms them into an elemental construct, matter given form and animation by the artificer's craft. All elemental constructs consists of all the elements, but the methods and tools the element shaper uses changes the mix of elements.
-=== Medical Attention ===
+'' '''Greyhawk:''' ''
-If you or any friendly creatures you assist spend one or more Hit Dice to regain hit points at the end of the short rest, each of those creatures regains additional hit points equal to your proficiency bonus in Medicine.
+''An ancient art practiced by elves, but also in the old Suel empire and by the Temple of Elemental Evil. Most, including many practitioners, see this as a summoning art rather than as artificing.
-=== Elemental Artificer Spells ===
+== Subclass Abilities ==
-Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Elemental Artificer Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
+=== Element Shaper Spells ===
+Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Element Shaper Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
 {| class="wikitable"
-|+'''Elemental Artificer Spells'''
+|+'''Element Shaper Spells'''
 || '''Artificer Level''' ||valign="bottom" | '''Spells'''
 |-
 | valign=top align=center | 3 ||valign="top"| [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:absorb-elements Absorb Elements], [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:chromatic-orb Chromatic Orb]
 |-
-| valign=top  align=center | 5 ||valign="top"| [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:dragons-breath Dragon's Breath], [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:enhance-ability Enhance Ability]
+| valign=top  align=center | 5 ||valign="top"| [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:dragons-breath Dragon's Breath], [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:hold-person Hold Person]
 |-
 | valign=top  align=center | 9 ||valign="top"| [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:pulse-wave Pulse Wave], [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:thunder-step Thunder Step]
@@ Line 22: / Line 23: @@
 | valign=top  align=center | 13 ||valign="top"| [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:evards-black-tentacles Evard's Black Tentacles], [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:fire-shield Fire Shield]
 |-
-| valign=top  align=center | 17 ||valign="top"| [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:immolation Immolation], [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:steel-wind-strike Steel Wind Strike]
+| valign=top  align=center | 17 ||valign="top"| [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:hold-monster Hold Monster], [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:steel-wind-strike Steel Wind Strike]
 |}
-=== Elemental Focus ===
-At 3rd level, when you take this specialization, you must choose an element to specialize in; air, earth, fire, or water.
-=== XXX ===
+=== Elemental Lore  ===
-At 3rd level your studies of life and death allows you to animate a creature out of your choice of element.
+At 3rd level when you choose this specialization, you learn Primordial and one of its elemental daughter languages: Auran (air), Aquan (water), Ignan (fire), and Terran (earth).
-XXX
+=== Elemental Construct ===
-This is a living creature made out of parts of inorganic materials and the body parts of formerly living creatures.
+At 3rd level you gain the ability to shape and animate the elements into an elemental construct.
-You have 3 basic forms you can choose between, biped, multiped, or serpentine.
+You have four basic forms you can choose between, floater (air), biped (fire), multiped (earth), or serpentine (water).
-What ever form you choose, the reanimate looks obviously artificial.
-In combat, the reanimate shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the reanimate can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
+In combat, the elemental construct shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the elemental construct can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
-If your reanimate has died within the last hour, you can use an action to revive it, provided you are within 5 feet of it and you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The reanimate returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored.
+If your elemental construct dies, it collapses into a lump of matter, a Tiny object weighing 10 lbs. You can use an action to revive it, provided you are within 5 feet of it and you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. If you do so the elemental construct returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored.
-If your reanimate is lost or you wish to rebuild it, you can create a new reanimate with 8 hours of work.
+If your elemental construct is lost or you wish to rebuild it, you can create a new elemental construct with 2 hours of work. This allows you to alter any choices made in its construction. You can do this during a long rest. Your old elemental construct returns to inert matter when you start making a new one.
-If your old animate still lives it goes feral.
-The stat block for the reanimate uses your Proficency Bonus (PB) in many places.
+Finally, the stat block for the elemental construct uses your Proficency Bonus (PB) in many places.
-==== Reanimate ====
+==== Elemental construct ====
-''Medium monstrosity
+''Medium Construct
-:'''Armor Class:''' 11 + PB (natural armor)
+:'''Armor Class:''' 13 + PB (natural armor)
-:'''Hit Points:''' 20 x PB.
+:'''Hit Points:''' 6 hp x your level (d8 hd equal to your level)
-:'''Speed:''' 30 ft., Swim 20 ft. (serpentine only)
+:'''Speed:''' 30 feet, Fly 30 feet (floater only, can hover), Swim 30 feet (serpentine only)
-:STR 10 plus PBx2 (+PB) DEX 13 (+1) CON 15 (+2)  INT 5 (-3)  WIS 10 (+0)   CHA 6 (-2)
+:STR 10 plus PBx2 (+PB) DEX 13 (+1) CON 13 (+1)  INT 5 (-2)  WIS 10 (+0)   CHA 10 (+0)
 :'''Saving Throws:''' Dex +1 plus PB, Con +2 plus PB
-:'''Skills: Athletics''' +0 plus PBx2, Perception +0 plus PB
+:'''Skills: Athletics''' +0 plus PBx2, Intimidate +0 plus PB
-:'''Damage Resistances''': electricity
+:'''Damage Resistances''': cold, electricity, fire
-:'''Senses:''' darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
+: '''Damage Immunities ''' poison
-:'''Languages:''' understands one language you know.
+: '''Condition Immunities ''' exhaustion, poisoned, unconscious
+:'''Senses:''' darkvision 60 feet, passive Perception 10
+:'''Languages:''' understands Primordial.
 :'''Challenge:''' —
 :'''Proficiency Bonus:''' equals your bonus.
-:'''Weapon proficiencies:''' proficient in simple melee weapons. (biped only)
-:'''Hands:''' Has 2 hands that can use weapons. When attacking with weapons it has proficiency with it uses your spell attack modifier to hit. (biped only)
-:'''Slam Attack.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack'' your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 1d8 +PB bludgeoning damage
-:'''Bite Attack.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack'' your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 1d8 +PB slashing damage (multiped or serpentine only).
-:'''Claw Attack.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack'' your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 1d8 +PB piercing damage (multiped only).
-=== Reanimate Evolution===
+:'''Hands:  (biped only)''' Has 2 hands that can use weapons. When attacking with weapons it has proficiency with it uses your spell attack modifier to hit.
-At 5th level your reanimate gains the multiattack ability.
+:'''Mount:  (multiped or serpentine only)''' The elemental construct can carry a rider of Small size.
-:'''Multiattack.''' The reanimate makes two attacks of any type it knows.
+:'''Weapon proficiencies:  (biped only)''' proficient in simple melee weapons.
-Its Intelligence increases to 9 (-1).
-It and learns to speak and begins to ask you questions about the world.
-=== Reanimate Customization ===
+'''Action
-At 9th level you can redesign your reanimate to fit your needs.
+:'''Slam Attack.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack'' your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. 1d8 +PB bludgeoning damage
-It gain one of these abilities at your choice.
+:'''Weapon Attack.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack (biped only - you must supply the weapon)'' your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Damage by weapon type.
-* '''Large''' The reanimate is of Large size taking up 10 ft. of space. A humanoid reanimate gains reach 10 ft. A quadruped or serpentine reanimate can carry a rider of Medium size.
+:'''Claw Attack.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack (multiped only)'' your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. 1d8 +PB piercing damage.
-* '''Small''' The reanimate is of Small size and gains proficiency in the Stealth skill.
+:'''Constrict.''' ''Melee Weapon Attack: (serpentine only)'' your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. 1d8 +PB piercing damage. The target is grappled, escape DC 10 + PB Until this grapple ends, the creature is grappled, and the elemental construct can't constrict another target.
-* '''Wings''' The reanimate gains wings that gives it a flying speed of 40 feet.
+:'''Spark.''' ''Ranged Weapon Attack (floater only)'' your spell attack modifier to hit, range 30/90 feet, one target. 1d6 +PB electrical damage.
-Its Intelligence increases to 13 (+1).
-It begins to speak to others than you and to form its own opinions.
-It learns a total of three languages, including Common and the language it started with.
-You no longer need to give orders to your reanimate, it acts on its own.
-It is charmed by you and loyal to you.
-=== Create Life ===
+==== Elemental Affinity (Optional Rule) ====
-At 15th level you can cast one of
+''Elemental Affinity is an optional rule that has purely cosmetic effects. You can ignore this rule with no consequences.
-[http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:clone Clone],
-[http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:create-undead Create Undead],
+The appearance and nature of your elemental construct depends on a number of choices you make as an element shaper.
-[http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:raise-dead Raise Dead],
+All elemental constructs are composed of all the four elements, but some have more of one element than of the others.
-[http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:simulacrum Simulacrum],
+There are numerous places in this subclass where there are multiple choices, one for each of the classic elements, air, earth, fire, and water.
-or
+Your servant's appearance is shaped by these choices.
-[http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:true-polymorph True Polymorph].
+This has no effect on the abilities of the elemental construct, it is more of a visual clue.
-These spells gain a casting time of six hours when cast in this way.
-You must finish a long rest before you can cast one of these spells again.
+The basic elemental construct is a rough collection of matter with chunks of stone, ice, water, and embers, all surrounded by a miasma like a second skin.
+If you choose air, the servant is less solid and more like a thundercloud.
+When you choose earth, the servant becomes more solid and hunched over like a beast.
+Fire makes the servant more fully formed, with a distinct head and limbs.
+Water makes the servant fluid, sinuous, and flexible.
+In addition to the choices listed under other abilities below, your tool proficiencies affects the elemental affinity of your elemental construct if you have them:
+: '''Air''' Musical instruments.
+: '''Earth''' Jeweler’s tools, mason's tools.
+: '''Fire''' Alchemist's supplies, smith's tools.
+: '''Water''' Brewer’s supplies, potter's tools.
+=== Elemental Evolution ===
+At 5th level, all natural attacks your elemental construct use does magical damage. Your elemental construct gains the multiattack ability.
+:'''Multiattack.''' The elemental construct makes two attacks of any type it knows in any combination.
+=== Elemental Customization ===
+At 5th level you can customize your elemental construct to fit your needs.
+When you build your elemental construct, choose one of the following:
+* '''Large''' (earth) The elemental construct is of Large size taking up 10 ft. of space.
+:* A floater elemental construct increases the range of its spark attack to 50/150 feet.
+:* A humanoid elemental construct gains reach 10 ft.
+:* A quadruped or serpentine elemental construct can carry a rider of Medium size.
+* '''Small''' (Air) The elemental construct is of Small size and gains proficiency in the Stealth skill.
+* ''' Amorphous ''' (water) The servant can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
+* ''' Fast ''' (fire) All speeds increase by 10 ft.
+=== Manifest Element ===
+{| class="wikitable" align=right
+|+'''Manifest Element '''
+| align=center | '''Spell <br>Slot <br>Used''' ||valign="bottom" align=center |  '''Summon <br>Elemental <br>Level'''
+|-
+| valign=top align=center | 1  ||valign=top align=center | 4
+|-
+| valign=top align=center | 2  ||valign=top align=center | 5
+|-
+| valign=top align=center | 3  ||valign="top" align=center | 6
+|-
+| valign=top align=center | 4  ||valign="top" align=center | 7
+|-
+| valign=top align=center | 5 ||valign="top" align=center | 8
+|}
+At 9th level you can can conjure elementals other than your elemental construct.
+You add the [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:summon-elemental Summon Elemental] spell to your spell list.
+You can use lower-level spell slots to greater effect when with this ability.
+When cast [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:summon-elemental Summon Elemental], the spell slot you use is increased to a higher level, as shown in the Manifest Element table.
+This increase happens only when you cast [http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:summon-elemental Summon Elemental] and cannot affect any other spell you cast.
+=== Twin Elemental ===
+At 15th level you can summon a copy of your elemental construct, identical in all respects.
+This twin appears within 5 ft. of your elemental construct, which must be within 90 feet of you when you do this.
+Any spell you cast that affects either elemental construct affects both elemental constructs. Even spells cast on your elemental construct before you summon the twin elemental carry over to affect both elemental constructs.
+You can give orders to both you elemental constructs with a single bonus action.
+The effect ends when either elemental construct is slain or after one minute, whichever comes first. If both elemental constructs are present when the effect ends, the elemental construct with the least hit points disappear and the elemental construct with the most hit points remaining heal an amount of damage equal to the remaining hit points of the elemental construct that disappeared.
+If your elemental construct is not present, you can use this ability to summon an elemental construct in any spot you can see within 90 feet.
+This then becomes your one elemental construct, with the normal duration of that effect.
+You can use this ability one time, and regain the ability on a long rest.
 == Designer's Notes ==
-The reanimator has a combat pet that is a living creature, and can thus be healed by normal healing spells.
+A development of the reanimator, the element shaper is less controversial in-world.
-This pet is more of an offensive combatant than other artificer pets.
+Their pet starts out with immunities the reanimate lacks, but develops less new abilities.
-The spells deal with life force, including some necromancy, but the reanimator is not primarily a necromancer.
+* Elemental Affinity is pure flavor, as the description says.
+* Elemental Customization is weak and could use a rewrite.
+* Manifest Element is quite powerful as a side interest, making the element shaper somewhat like a pathfinder summoner.