Primal Ascendant (3.5e Class)
Primal Ascendant
Linked deeply to the elemental forces of their world, the Elemental Ascendant trains vigorously to represent an element, mastering its magic to a peerless degree until they have achieved an avatar like state of their element, an unbridled force of primal power.
Making a Primal Ascendant
A Primal Ascendant is normally a support character, due to its low health and armor capabilities.
Abilities: Charisma (Spellcasting and Class Features).
Races: Any, though typically its those races close to an elemental plane.
Alignment: Any Chaotic or Neutral
Starting Gold: 3d6x10 gp
Starting Age: As Cleric
| 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 | +0 | +2 | Path, Elemental Spellcasting | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Bonus Feat | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Primal Gift, Attunement | 5 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Absorb Element | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +2 | +6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +3 | +6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Primal Gift, Elemental Apotheosis | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Bonus Feat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Bonus Feat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +9 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Primal Gift | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +11 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Bonus Feat | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Primal Gift, Elemental Ascension | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the <-class name->.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An Elemental Ascendant is proficient with all simple weapons and martial weapons. They are also proficient with Light Armor, but not Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, or Shields (including Tower Shields). Elemental Ascendants do not suffer Arcane Spell Chance Failure while in Light Armor.
Path: An Elemental Ascendant first chooses which element they will represent as they progress on their journey to become an avatar for that element. This choice cannot be undone, and effects later gain class features. This gives you bonus class skills, and if you have ranks in the class skill you gain an additional +3 to that skill.
This choice also affects other class features. Listed after the skills on the following table is the associated element that causes damage and other effects from your choice, and in parenthesis is its opposing element, also used for other class features later.
| Element | Skills | Associated Type |
|---|---|---|
| Air | Jump, Listen, Tumble | Electricity (Acid/Earth) |
| Earth | Climb, Concentration, Listen | Acid (Electricity/Air) |
| Fire | Intimidate, Listen, Tumble | Fire (Cold/Water) |
| Sound | Bluff, Listen, Move Silently | Sonic (Silence/Force) |
| Water | Heal, Sense Motive, Swim | Cold (Fire) |
Elemental Spellcasting: While you have a greater range of spell selection, your spell types are limited because of your attunement to the element you chose in the Path Class Feature. The table below lists the spell types, domains, or schools any spell you choose must have when making your spell selections. This does not effect spells gained from other classes.
In addition, because these spells are considered raw and primal powered, almost divine in nature, even on a successful saving throw for spells that allow it the target still takes a minimum of half damage, bypassing any resistances or immunity.
| Element | Spell Descriptors |
|---|---|
| Air | Air, Electricity, or Wind |
| Earth | Acid, Earth, or Metal |
| Fire | Fire, Light, or Solar |
| Sound | Mind-Affecting, Sonic, or Travel |
| Water | Cold, Ice, or Water |
Spells: An Elemental Ascendant casts arcane spells which are drawn primarily from the sorcerer/wizard spell list and divine spells from the Cleric spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must.
To learn or cast a spell, an Elemental Ascendant must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an Elemental Ascendant’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Elemental Ascendant’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, an Elemental Ascendant 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 Ascendant. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.
An Elemental Ascendant’s selection of spells is extremely limited. An Elemental Ascendant begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new Elemental Ascendant level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Elemental Ascendant Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells an Elemental Ascendant knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Elemental Ascendant Spells Known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list or cleric spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the Elemental Ascendant has gained some understanding of by study. The Elemental Ascendant can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.
Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered Elemental Ascendant level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), an Elemental Ascendant can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the Elemental Ascendant "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level Elemental Ascendant spell the sorcerer can cast. An Elemental Ascendant may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
Unlike a wizard or a cleric, an Elemental Ascendant need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level. He does not have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll cast.
| Level | Spells Known | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |
| 1st | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 12th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 14th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 16th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 17th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 18th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 19th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Bonus Feats: At 3rd level, and any indicated level thereafter on Table: The Elemental Ascendant, you gain bonus feats. You may choose any feat you already meet the prerequisite for.
Primal Gift (Ex): At 5th level, and every five levels thereafter, you gain a Primal Gift. This is a unique ability given to you from the elements. This is selected from the following list of gifts, each one varying in uses. Unless it specifies otherwise, you may only take each gift only once.
- Lasting Mark (Su): Whenever a creature fails a saving throw and takes damage from one of your spells, it gains a mark on their body. This mark deals 1 point of elemental damage per spell level at the beginning of the marked creature's turn. The damage type based on your element chosen in the Path class feature. The mark lasts for 1d4 rounds, but it can be extinguished, removed, or erased as a move action if the creature succeeds at a reflex save (using the spell's DC). Dousing the creature with a substance of the opposing element (such as water for a mark from fire) as a standard action, grants a +2 bonus on this save, while immersing the creature in the substance automatically extinguishes the mark. Spells that do not grant a save do not cause this mark. Like other spells and abilities casted by you, they take minimum half damage due to the elements divine and primal nature.
- Elemental Movements: You gain the feats Combat Casting at 5th level, Dodge at 10th, and Nimble at 12th. You also gain Toughness at 13th, 16th, and 19th level. If you take this gift in later levels, you gain all the feats you would get from previous levels as well. These are counted as bonus feats. If you already had any of these feats (aside from toughness), nothing happens.
- Elemental Storm (Su):As a standard action, you can cause your element to erupt around you. You can create one 10-foot cube of your element per Elemental Ascendant Level. These cubes can be arranged in any pattern you desire, but each cube must be adjacent to another and one must be adjacent to you. Any creature caught in these elements takes 1d6 points of damage per Elemental Ascendant level, with a Reflex save resulting in half damage minimum, regardless of resistances and immunities. This storm lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. You can use this ability once per day. You must be at least 11th level to select this Primal Gift.
- Ceaseless Vision (Ex): If you chose Air or Fire as your Path, you may see through fog, smoke, or other similar substance with no penalty (but are still subject to other saves and rolls). If you chose Water or Earth, you gain Tremorsense 20ft. If you chose Sound you gain Blindsense 20ft. Requires level 9 or higher to choose this gift.
- Elemental Armor (Su): You can conjure armor of your element that grants you a +4 armor bonus. At 7th level, and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +2. At 13th level, this armor grants you DR 5/piercing. In conditions of your element, the armor bonus (and DR bonus) increases by 2; in conditions (or areas) with elements opposite to your element (like hot conditions if you chose Water), it decreases by 2. You can use this armor for 1 hour per day per Elemental Ascendant level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-hour increments.
- Elemental Aura (Su): You gain a aura around you that inflicts periodic damage of your elemental type. You may do this a number of times per day equal to 3 plus your Charisma modifier. Lasts for a number of rounds equal to half your level, and all creatures (except you) must roll a will save or suffer 1d6 points of elemental damage per Elemental Ascendant level you possess. The damage is based on your element. Requires level 12 or higher to select this gift.
- Meld into Element (Su): You gain the ability to meld into your respective element, as the spell Meld Into Stone. Just like the spell, certain spells may subject you to being forced out.
- Primal Weaponry: You select one type of weapon and gain a Weapon Focus feat for that weapon. In addition, you can as a swift action imbue that weapon with primal power. This grants that weapon a +1 Enhancement Bonus for every full 4 levels you possess (to a maximum of +5 at level 20). This can be done with any weapons you have Weapon Focus feats for. This can be used for a number of rounds per day equal to your Elemental Ascendant levels, but they do not need to be consecutive.
- These bonuses stack with any existing bonuses the weapon might have, to a maximum of +5. The Elemental Ascendant can enhance a weapon with any of the following weapon special abilities: brilliant energy, defending, disruption, flaming, frost, keen, and shock. In addition, if the Elemental is neutral (with no other alignment components), he can add spell storing and thundering. Adding any of these special abilities replaces an amount of bonus equal to the special ability's base cost. Duplicate abilities do not stack. The weapon must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus before any other special abilities can be added.
- You may exchange any of the elemental enchantments to match your element if you so wish, but are not required to do so.
- If multiple weapons are enhanced, each one consumes rounds of use individually. The enhancement bonus and special abilities are determined the first time the ability is used each day, and cannot be changed until the next day. These bonuses do not apply if another creature is wielding the weapon, but they continue to be in effect if the weapon otherwise leaves the Elemental Ascendant's possession (such as if the weapon is thrown). This ability can be ended as a free action at the start of the Elemental Ascendant's turn (that round does not count against the total duration, unless the ability is resumed during the same round). If the Elemental Ascendant uses this ability on a double weapon, the effects apply to only one end of the weapon.
Attunement: Starting at 5th level, you, and those near you within 30ft, may treat any spells they cast with the same types of spell you can cast as if they were one level higher for purposes of Damage and DCs only. Does not effect duration or other factors. This increases to +2 at level 10, and +3 at level 15.
Absorb Element (Ex): At 7th level, you may a number of times per day absorb a natural source of your element to heal. This can be done 3 times per day plus your Charisma modifier. This heals you for 1d6 per three full levels of Elemental Ascendant you possess.
Elemental Apotheosis: At 10th level you begin to take on greater powers from your attunement to your element. You gain a resistance of 20 to your element, but you gain Vulnerability to your opposing element. You also gain the following Spell-Like Abilities:
- Elemental Ray (Sp):You may make a ranged touch attack in place of a normal attack. If successful, you deal 1d6 points of damage of your element per 2 levels of Elemental Ascendant you possess. This can be done 3 times per day, plus an additional amount equal to your Charisma modifier.
- Elemental Blast (Sp): You can unleash a blast of elemental energy once per day with this abilit at 5th, twice at 10th, and three times at 15th, and at 20th it possesses a 60-foot radius. This is a 20-foot radius burst of elemental energy matching your type that deals 1d6 points of damage per level of Elemental Ascendant you possess. Those caught in the area of your blast receive a Reflex save for half damage. Creatures that fail their saves gain vulnerability to your energy type until the end of your next turn. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 your Elemental Ascendant level + your Charisma modifier.
Elemental Ascension: At 20th level, you have achieved the perfection of your element. You gain immunity to your element and immunity to Sneak Attacks and Critical Hits. You also gain a movement based on your element indicated on the table below. Use your Elemental Ascendant levels as your caster level for your Dimensional Door ability if you are Sound.
| Element | Movement Speed |
|---|---|
| Air | 40ft Fly (Perfect Maneuverability) |
| Earth | 30ft Earthglide |
| Fire | +20ft Land Speed |
| Sound | Dimensional Door (3/Day) |
| Water | 30ft Swim Speed |
Ex-Elemental Ascendant
Elemental Ascendants never cease their inherent natural connection to the primal elements, and thus will take no penalty for multi-classing or other normally major changes in a characters build.
Playing an Elemental Ascendant
Religion: While they aren't exclusive to one religion or another, most Elemental Ascendants favor gods or just straight out worship those who are closely linked to the elements.
Other Classes: Most other classes will interact with this class as if it were something similar to a Cleric or Druid.
Combat: Most Elemental Ascendants prefer to be supportive with minor melee roles.
Advancement: Most Elemental Ascendants will later take Cleric classes or Monk for more survivability.
Elemental Ascendant Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Nature) can research Elemental Ascendants to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 5 | They hold a deep connection to the most primal roots of all elements. |
| 10 | They can cast spells that both Clerics and Wizards can. |
| 15 | Some have been known to become elementals eventually. |
| 20 | Select Information Available By Choice. |
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