Primordial Magic

A dwarven mage stands ready as a fire elemental emerges from the recently uncovered portal to the Plane of Fire, ready to protect his allies by redirecting the attacks the elemental is throwing at them. An elven elementalist emerges from the wilds, earthquakes and flooding have destroyed her home and threaten the nearby farming village; only she can stop it. 

The four primordial elements have existed since before the world began and they will still exist long after it ends. They are the foundation for the universe and demand respect. Someone in your ancestry was exposed to these elements in their truest form. Whether through striking deals with powerful elementals, spending a lifetime mastering each of the elements, or having spent time in the Elemental Planes, they gained power from the primordial forces and it has now manifested in you. This power has been unlocked through some event, likely a natural catastrophe or even being touched by the elements themselves by accident or through a ritual.

While many use the elements for destruction, your focus is on manipulating them, utility first, then defense, and finally offense. The relationship you have with them is pure energy synergy, and as you grow stronger, so does your ability to mold them to your will. Should you choose to use them for damage, you will need to be patient with yourself and the elements as accidents can happen with that much power. With time you can learn mastery over the four elements, but only if you are willing to work with them instead of just exerting control, 

Elemental Spells

When you choose this sorcerous origin at 1st level, the primordial elements are just within your grasp, you are able to harness their power to assist yourself or your allies. At 1st level, you gain cantrips that allow you to control the four primordial elements: fire, air, earth, and water. You learn additional spells when you reach levels 3, 5, 7, and 9 in this class, as shown on the Elemental Spells table. Each of these spells counts as a sorcerer spell for you, but doesn’t count against the number of sorcerer spells you know.

Elemental Spell Table
(Level 1, Cantrips Only) Control Flame, Gust, Mold Earth, Shape Water
(Level 3) Dragon’s Breathe
(Level 5) Protection from Energy, Water Walk
(Level 7) Summon Elemental, Elemental Bane
(Level 9) Conjure Elementals, Wall of Stone

Whenever you gain a sorcerer level, you can replace one spell gained from this feature with another spell of the same level. The new spell can be from the Sorcerer or Druid spell lists but it MUST HAVE AN ELEMENTAL EFFECT (fire, cold, thunder/lightning, or earthen manipulation). If there is a spell you believe fits this description but is not immediately obvious, discuss with your DM. 

Elemental Connection

When you choose this subclass at 1st level, your connection with the Primordial Elemental Planes gives you deepened knowledge about the denizens that reside their. You can speak, read, and write Primordial. Knowing this language allows you to understand and be understood by those who speak its dialects: Aquan, Ignan, and Terran. 

Additionally, the elements are always coalescing around you: fire flares brightly in front of you, a rock shifts and causes an opponent to stumble, the breeze blows debris into an opponent's eye, or rain falls momentarily falls and causes confusion. These momentary distractions give you a boost in battle: when you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Charisma modifier.

Elemental Sanctuary

When you reach 6th level in this class, you can use the elements to give you additional protection from harm. As a bonus action, you can create a sanctuary around yourself. Choose from the following list:

• Fire Alarm: Fire swirls around you, keeping harm at bay. When an attack or magical effect would cause you to make a Saving Throw, you can choose to add +2 to the roll.
• Water of Life: You absorb the water in the air around you, feeling refreshed. You gain 1d8 temporary hit points. 
• Earthen Tomb: The earth erupts around you, creating a shield between you and harm's way. You gain a +2 bonus to your AC for the duration. 
• Leaf on the Wind: The wind effortlessly gives you the boost you need to reach your destination. You gain +10 feet to your movement for the duration. 

This sanctuary lasts until you finish a short rest or until you activate a different sanctuary. You can spend two sorcery points to add an additional element to your sanctuary but you cannot use the same element twice. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier per day. 

 

Elemental Risks and Rewards

Additionally when you reach 6th level in this class, you have gained a modicum of control over the elements. Instead of aiding you in defense, you can summon them for the offensive, as well. Once per round, when you cast a spell with an attack roll of fifth level or lower and that results in elemental damage, you can choose to forego a reaction for your current turn to add additional elemental damage. If the attack hits, roll [roll]1d4[/roll] and add an additional damage die of the rolled element to the total damage done.

NOTE: At 6th level, when you roll a critical failure, there is an additional effect. At 14th level, on a critical failure AND a critical success, there is an additional effect. At 18th level, only a critical success has an additional effect. The effect only last until the end of the creature's next turn, regardless of the trigger.

1.   Fire
     (6th and 14th) Critical fail: The fire fuels the creature and their next attack roll has advantage.
     (14th and 18th) Critical success: The creature is ignited and takes fire damage equal to your Charisma Modifier at the start of its next turn.

2.   Cold 
     (6th and 14th) Critical fail: The creature regains [roll]1d6[/roll] hit points as healing waters coalesce around them.
     (14th and 18th) Critical success: The creature is knocked prone as the ground turns to ice around them.

3.   Lightning
     (6th and 14th) Critical fail: The creature gains 10 feet of movement as what should have been lightning is actually a strong wind.
     (14th and 18th) Critical success: The creature is stunned as lightning strikes them

4.   Thunder
     (6th and 14th) Critical fail: The earth erupts around them and they gain +2 shield to their armor class.
     (14th and 18th) Critical success: The earth erupts around them, grappling them.

Elemental Affinity

When you reach 14th level in this class, your mastery of the elements has grown. When you finish a long rest, you may choose up to two elements that you have resistance to (fire, cold, lightning, or thunder). When you are dealing with these elements, either through an attack or because of the environment you are in, your body seemingly transforms to match the element; your skin becomes becomes warm to the touch, your form slightly incorporeal as the wind, your skin hard as a rock, your blood runs cold as an icy river.

Additionally, you may add your proficiency bonus to any check made to recall History or evaluate Arcana relating to the four primordial elements, or converse (Deception and Persuasion) with a creature whose native language is primordial. 

Elemental Embodiment

When you reach 18th level, you have become adept at handling the elements, so much so that you can embody their characteristics in a number of ways. After a long rest, you can spend up to 6 sorcery points to choose up to four elements that you can transform your body to match until the end of your next long rest. You can spend 1 point for a single element, 2 points for two elements, 4 points for three elements, and 6 points for all four elements. You can then use a bonus action on your turn to activate or deactivate the form. The benefits are as follows:

• Fire: Your body becomes red hot to the touch and your pupils flicker like a flame. A creature who makes a melee attack against you takes 3d8 fire damage and you make saving throws against fire damage with advantage. 
• Water: Your body seems to be made of water, swirling ripples dance across your skin, your hair flows like water. You gain a swim speed of 60 feet and can breathe water and air.
• Earth: Your skin looks smooth and polished (or textured and rough, your choice) as stone, each step you take, your feet become one with the ground. You can move across difficult terrain made of earth or stone without expending extra movement and you have 30 feet of tremorsense when on natural (non man-made) ground.
• Air: Wind swirls around you, your body near incorporeal. You gain a flying speed of 60 feet and are resistant to nonmagical slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage.

Additionally, if a creature within 30 feet of you is going to take damage of a type you are currently embodying, you can choose to absorb half that damage, as you channel the elements away from them and into your form.