Bare, clawed feet part river-rounded gravel as a tengu sweeps
through motions as graceful as any dancer’s, the surging
water parting to allow her and her weary companions a
peaceful crossing.
With patient composure, an oniborne deflects a hail of
flaming arrows, redirecting their heat into a cascade of blue
flame and burning fists.
The clack of jagged obsidian, splash of glacial water, and
warmth of flaming eddies gather within a rushing whirlwind. Drifting out of these massed elements is a glowing
hanamori, a primordial incarnation of their mortal form.
These benders, as disparate as their affinities might be,
are defined by their connection with the elements: a magic
manifested through precise and practised movements. More
than a martial art, their motions are a spectacular union of magical and physical virtuosity, each twist and flick a
nuanced touch of the Weave. For some, this is a weapon of
war, of thunderclaps and fists of rock. For others, this is a
tool to preserve, to craft shields of ice and invigorate with
an inner flame. Whether a bender chooses to study all the
elements—earth, air, water, and fire—or to master just one,
the primordial forces of nature are theirs to command.
hit dice:
1d8 per bender level
hit points at 1st level:
8 + your Constitution modifier
hit points at higher levels:
1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per bender level after 1st
armor proficiencies:
Light armour, medium armour
weapon proficiencies:
Simple weapons, chakrams, nunchaku, shortswords, shuriken, starknives, twinblades
tools:
One type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument of your choice
saving throws:
Strength, Constitution
skills:
Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History,
Insight, Religion, and Stealth
starting equipment:
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment provided by your background:
- (a) a quarterstaff, (b) a chakram, or (c) any simple weapon
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- Leather armour and 10 shurikens
If you forgo this starting equipment, as well as the items
offered by your background, you start with 5d4 x 10 gp to
buy your equipment.
spellcasting:
1st-Level Bender Feature
As a bender of elements, you use the motions of your
corporeal form to coax the Weave into manipulating
the primordial forces.
Cantrips
You know two cantrips of your choice from your
bender spell list (see Elemental Affinity). At higher
levels, you learn additional cantrips of your choice, as
shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bender
table. Your Elemental Affinity feature also allows you
to learn more cantrips at higher levels.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Bender table shows how many spell slots you
have to cast your bender spells of 1st level and higher.
To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot
of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended
spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the repertoire of bender spells that are
available for you to cast, choosing from your bender
spell list (see Elemental Affinity). When you do so,
choose a number of these spells equal to your bender
spellcasting ability modifier + half your bender level,
rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells
must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you are a 5th-level bender, you
have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots.
With a spellcasting ability of 14, your repertoire of
prepared spells can include four spells of 1st or 2nd
level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level
spell thunderwave, you can cast it using a 1st-level or
a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it
from your repertoire of prepared spells.
You can change your repertoire of prepared spells
when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new reper
-
toire of bender spells requires time spent practising
their movements and gestures: at least 1 minute per
spell level for each spell in your repertoire.
Spellcasting Ability
When you gain your first level in this class, you choose
which spellcasting ability you use for your bender spells
from Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. You use this
ability whenever a bender spell refers to your spellcasting
ability. In addition, you use this ability’s modifier when
setting the saving throw DC for a bender spell you cast and
when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your spellcasting ability modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus
+ your spellcasting ability modifier
Ritual Casting
You can cast a bender spell as a ritual if that spell has the
ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use your free hand as a spellcasting focus for your
bender spells. This free hand can be used for both the somatic and material components for a spell, provided the material
component has no cost and isn’t consumed by the casting.
class features:
Elemental Affinity
1st-Level Bender Feature
You find attunement with one of the four elements. Choose
one of the following: air, earth, fire, or water. The spells
associated with that element are added to your bender spell list.
Each element is associated with one or two damage types:
- Earth: Acid & bludgeoning.
At Higher Levels. At 6th, 10th, and 14th levels, you
choose one of the four elements to gain affinity with, either
a new element or one you’ve chosen before. This has some
immediate effects and interacts with some subclass features.
- New Elemental Affinity. If you choose a new element
with which to gain affinity, you add its spells to your
bender spell list and you learn one cantrip of your
choice from the new element’s list. This cantrip doesn’t
count against the number of cantrips you know.
- Repeated Elemental Affinity. If you choose an element
for which you already had affinity, spells that you cast
from that spell list are cast one level higher than the
level of spell slot you expend. This effect stacks; if you
choose to gain affinity with the same element four
times, your spells from that element’s list are cast three
levels higher than the spell slot you expend.
Elemental Strikes
1st-Level Bender Feature
You have learnt to unite magic with movement, giving you a
unique and deadly combat style. When you take the Attack
action, you can make melee or ranged spell attacks called elemental strikes as one or more of your attacks. The strike deals
damage of a type with which you have affinity (your choice
when you make the attack).
- Melee. Melee. A melee elemental strike is an unarmed
strike that has a reach of 10 feet and deals damage
equal to 1d6 plus your bender spellcasting ability modifier on a hit.
- Ranged. A ranged elemental strike has a range of 60
feet and deals damage equal to 1d4 plus your bender
spellcasting ability modifier on a hit.
This damage does not increase with level. However, any
magic items that confer a bonus to the attack and damage
rolls of your unarmed strikes confer the same bonus to your
elemental strikes.
The superior strikes for these attacks are Flurry (for
melee attacks) and Battery Strike (for ranged attacks), both
unlocked by the tier 2 Pugilist advanced technique. See
the Advanced Weapon Masteries chapter on page 83 for
more details on superior strikes, and advanced techniques.
Elemental Combo
2nd-Level Bender Feature
Your strikes manifest elemental energy, which you can
unleash at the peak of your combination. On your turn,
after you make a weapon attack or elemental strike, or after
you cast a levelled spell from your bender spell list, you can
release a jet of elemental energy as a bonus action. Make a
spell attack against a creature within 60 feet of you. On
a hit, it deals 1d4 damage of a type with which you have
affinity. If the target of this attack is within 10 feet of you,
you can add your spellcasting ability modifier to the damage.
At Higher Levels. This attack's damage increases by 1d4
when you reach 6th level (2d4), 10th level (3d4) and 14th
level (4d4) in this class.
Bender Discipline
3rd-Level Bender Feature
You choose an aspect of how nature manifests, which you
embody in your manipulation of the elements. Your discipline choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at
7th, 15th, and 20th level.
Ability Score Improvement
4th-Level Bender Feature
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and
19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice
by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice
by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20
using this feature. Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Extra Attack
5th-Level Bender Feature
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take
the Attack action on your turn.
Improved Extra Attack
Optional 7th-Level Bender Feature
This feature replaces the Extra Attack feature and works
with features that interact with Extra Attack.
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take
the Attack action on your turn.
When you reach 7th level in this class, your movements
allow you to imbue magic in the elements you bend. When
you take the Attack action, you can cast one cantrip in
the bender spell list that you know in place of one of your
attacks. This cantrip must have a casting time of one action,
and it is cast at its lowest level.
For example, if you are an 11th-level bender and use this
feature to replace an attack with a casting of fire bolt, the
cantrip deals 1d10 damage (instead of 3d10).
Primordial Form
11th-Level Bender Feature
As a bonus action, you embody aspects of a chosen element. Choose one of the elements with which you have
affinity. For 1 minute, or until you fall unconscious, you
can cast 1st-level spells associated with that element (see
Bender Spell List, page 164) even if you do not have them
prepared and without expending a spell slot. Note: as spells
cast using this feature don’t expend spell slots, they are not
automatically upcast to higher levels if you have repeated
elemental affinities. In addition, you gain a benefit based on
that element:
- Air: Untouchable. You have resistance to bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage.
- Fire: Alight. At the end of each of your turns for the
duration, creatures of your choice within 10 feet of
you take fire damage equal to your bender spellcasting
ability modifier (minimum 1).
- Earth: Solid. You gain a +2 bonus to AC.
- Water: Fluid. You gain a pool of vitality equal to five
times your bender level. At the end of each of your
turns for the duration, you can cause up to three
creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you to regain
5 hit points (no action required), expending an equal
amount of vitality from your pool to do so.
After you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you
finish a long rest.
Starting at 17th level, while in your primordial form, you
can cast spells of 2nd level or lower without expending a
spell slot.
Primordial Avatar
18th-Level Bender Feature
As an action, you become a primordial incarnation of your
mortal form. You gain 50 temporary hit points as well as
benefits based on your Elemental Affinities, which last for
10 minutes, or until you fall unconscious. After you enter
this state using this feature, you can’t do so again until you
finish a long rest. You gain one benefit for each elemental
affinity you have (new or repeated).
subclass options:
Disciple of Ferocity
Disciple of Fortification
Disciple of Fusion
Disciple of Invigoration
Level | Proficiency Bonus | Abilities | Cantrips known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
---|
1 | +2 | Spellcasting, Elemental Affinity (1), Elemental Strikes | 2 | 2 |
2 | +2 | Elemental Combo | 2 | 2 |
3 | +2 | Bender Discipline | 2 | 3 |
4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 3 |
5 | +3 | Extra Attack | 2 | 4 | 2 |
6 | +3 | Elemental Affinity (2) | 2 | 4 | 2 |
7 | +3 | Discipline Feature, Improved Extra Attack (optional) | 2 | 4 | 3 |
8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 4 | 3 |
9 | +4 | - | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
10 | +4 | Elemental Affinity (3) | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
11 | +4 | Primordial Form | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
13 | +5 | - | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
14 | +5 | Elemental Affinity (4) | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
15 | +5 | Discipline Feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
17 | +6 | - | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
18 | +6 | Primordial Avatar | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
19 | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
20 | +6 | Discipline Feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |