Elemental Warrior

In a similar manner to Eldritch Knights who focus on the study of arcane techniques, Elemental Warriors focus instead on the properties of the primal magic of nature itself. By studying the ways of nature and attuning themselves to its energy, they can conjure elemental armaments to aid them in combat. By further channeling their primal energy, these warriors can manifest various effects out of the weapons to turn the tides of a fight. Where other Fighters focus on a specific style of combat, these Fighters instead practice with a wide array of weapons and are able to make the most out of any given weapon they wield.

When creating an Elemental Warrior, it's useful to think about how your character happened to learn the ways of nature and the use of elemental magic. Did they live alone in a magical forest, and reached an epiphany while going through their everyday training? Perhaps a magical entity such as an archfey or another nature spirit decided to aid your character and bestowed these gifts upon them? Or maybe your character was part of an order of Elemental Warriors, Druids or Rangers, and learning how to use these techniques was part of their special training?

As for your ability scores, make Strength your highest score if you plan to focus on the Earthen Maul and Flaming Sword weapons. You can make Dexterity your highest instead, if you feel like the Water Whip or the Wind Bow suit your character more. Your second highest score could either be your Constitution, especially if you focus on your melee weapons, or Wisdom if you want to increase the potency of your elemental effects. Suitable backgrounds include the acolyte, hermit or soldier backgrounds.

Elemental Technique

Starting at 3rd level, you can create Elemental Weapons with effects that are fueled by special points called Spirit Points.

Spirit Points

You have a number of spirit points equal to your level in this class, which are expended when you use them. You regain all of your spent spirit points when you finish a long rest.

Weapons

You can conjure an Elemental Weapon as a bonus action in an empty hand. Each weapon has different properties, and you can only wield one elemental weapon at a time. An elemental weapon lasts for 10 minutes, and you can't swap your active weapon until that time has passed. The weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance to nonmagical attacks.

As a result of your training with a wide variety of different weapons, your Fighting Style changes depending on what weapon you are currently wielding: Dueling for the Flaming Sword and Water Whip, Great Weapon Fighting for the Earthen Maul and Archery for the Wind Bow.

Saving Throws

Some of the effects of your elemental weapons require your target to make a saving throw. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Elemental Weapon save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.

Bonus Proficiencies

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the Arcana or Nature skill and with the herbalism kit. In addition, you learn to speak, read and write Primordial.

Arcana

You gain proficiency with the Arcana skill.

Nature

You gain proficiency with the Nature skill.

Elemental Weapons

The weapons are presented in alphabetical order.

Earthen Maul

This weapon has the Heavy and Two-Handed properties and deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit. Once per turn when you hit a creature with this weapon, you can cause the weapon to deal an additional 1d6 acid damage. If you do, you can expend 1 spirit point and force the target to make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target is pushed 10 feet back or knocked prone (your choice).

Flaming Sword

This weapon has the Versatile property and deals 1d8 slashing damage on a hit (1d10 when wielded with two hands). Once per turn when you hit a creature with this weapon, you can cause the weapon to deal an additional 1d6 fire damage. If you do, you can expend 1 spirit point and force the target to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target ignites and takes the same fire damage at the start of each of its turns. The target can spend its action to pat down the flames, ending the effect. Only one target can suffer from this effect at a time, and no more than once at the same time.

Water Whip

This weapon has the Finesse and Reach properties and deals 1d4 slashing damage on a hit. Once per turn when you hit a creature with this weapon, you can cause the weapon to deal an additional 1d6 cold damage. If you do, you can expend 1 spirit point and force the target to make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target's speed is reduced to 0 and it has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. You can only have one creature affected by this weapon at any given time.

Wind Bow

This weapon has the Heavy, (Range 150/600) and Two-Handed properties and deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit (you still need a free hand to load the weapon). Once per turn when you hit a creature with this weapon, you can cause the weapon to deal an additional 1d6 thunder damage. If you do, you can expend 1 spirit point and the target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target's speed is halved and it has disadvantage on ranged attack rolls until the end of its next turn.

Primal Surge

Starting at 7th level, you can use you reaction to generate elemental effects. This reaction costs 2 spirit points, and the trigger and effect is different for each weapon as listed below:

Earthen Maul:

When you or an ally within 5 feet of you is targeted by an attack, you can grant the target a bonus to their AC equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) against that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss.

Flaming Sword:

When you or an ally that you can see is hit with an attack by an enemy that is within 5 feet of you, you can make a melee attack with the sword against that enemy. The attack deals additional fire damage equal to your Wisdom modifier on a hit.

Water Whip:

When an ally that you can see within your reach regains hit points, you can heal them for additional hit points equal to three times your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 3 hit points).

Wind Bow:

When you or an ally that you can see within 30 feet of you is targeted by a ranged attack, you can make an opposed attack roll. You can add your Wisdom modifier to the roll and if your attack roll exceeds the enemy's attack roll, the enemy's attack fails. If the enemy's attack roll is equal to or exceeds yours, the enemy's attack hits.

Weapon Versatility

Starting at 10th level, your intense training has made your technique more versatile. When you conjure an elemental weapon, you can choose to conjure two different weapons at the same time, with one of the weapons being held in your hand and the other stowed in a pocket dimension. You can then expend 1 spirit point and swap between these two weapons as a bonus action.

In addition, the bonus damage your elemental weapons deal increases to 1d8.

Elemental Reserve

Starting at 15th level, your spiritual reserves refresh when you enter combat. When you roll initiative and have no spirit points remaining, you regain 5 spirit points.

Primal Might

Starting at 18th level, you can use your primal essence to enter an enhanced state. You can use a bonus action and expend 10 spirit points in order to gain the following benefits for 1 minute or until you're incapacitated:

•  You can force a creature to make a saving throw against the effects of your elemental weapons without expending spirit points.
•  On your turn, when you attack a creature with an elemental weapon and reduce it to 0 hit points or score a critical hit against it, you can choose to regain hit points equal to half your fighter level or regain spirit points equal to half your Wisdom modifier.

In addition, the bonus damage your Elemental Weapons deal increases to 1d10.