Firebending, one of the four elemental bending arts, is the pyrokinetic ability to control fire. It is unique among the bending arts, as it is the only one in which the performer can generate the element. The first human firebenders lived in a city atop a lion turtle during the era of Raava and the art later spread to the Sun Warriors, the Fire Nation, and the United Republic of Nations. The Earth Kingdom also has a small firebending minority.

As described by Iroh, fire is the element of power, consisting of overpowering force tempered by the unflinching will to accomplish tasks and desires. However, during the Hundred Year War, a militaristic Fire Nation twisted this into firebending being fueled by rage, hatred, and anger. Firebending draws its power from the sun, and the first human firebenders derived their firebending techniques from the dragons.

Firebending is known for its intense and aggressive attacking style and general lack of adequate defensive moves, although firebenders can modify offensive maneuvers to function as a defense, such as creating large walls of fire or shooting down incoming attacks with fire jabs.

 

Origin

A mural displaying the origin of firebending.

During the era of Raava, people received the element of fire from the fire lion turtle that was the guardian of their city, who would grant them the power with energybending. They could request it whenever they ventured into the Spirit Wilds and were to return it when they came back. However, Wan stole the power to better his life and that of his impoverished friends, but was captured and banished. He was allowed to keep the power of fire to protect himself and eventually befriended the spirits. As such, he managed to hone his skills by learning the proper way of bending from the dragons that lived in the Spirit Wilds. He developed his style in such a manner that his fire became an extension of his body, rather than a mere tool for protection as the others perceived it. Others learned of his survival and also set out into the Spirit Wilds with the power of fire, no longer wanting to live under the poor conditions they had in the city.

In the years following, people learned firebending from the dragons that had once populated the land. The first people in the era of the Avatar to learn from the dragons were the Sun Warriors, who understood the connection between the fire of their souls, the fire of the dragons, and the sun. In the remains of their once great civilization, Zuko and Aang discovered that firebending represents energy and life, a concept that had been lost to nearly all firebenders in the Hundred Year War. The true meaning of firebending was forgotten as anger, rage and a desire to dominate began to replace the ideals of life and energy, and how they connect to the sun. The Royal Family encouraged this to aid in the propaganda that fire could be used as a tool to destroy and that the Hundred Year War justified.

Firebenders draw their power from the sun and other solar objects, such as comets, as well as the fiery core of the planet. A solar eclipse has the potential to completely negate a firebender's power, which is the result of a direct connection between the sun and firebending. Additionally, after defeating Katara at sunrise during the Siege of the North, Zuko stated that she rose with the moon, but he rose with the sun, further referencing the sun's importance to firebending. Firebenders are also said to draw power from volcanic energy and lightning.

Fighting style

Firebenders use their chi as a source for their bending. This facet of firebending is a sharp contrast to the other bending arts, which manipulate already present sources of their element, though firebenders can also control or enhance flames nearby.

Firebending uses concentrated barrages of fire to overwhelm opponents before striking a fatal blow. Swift, whirling kicks and punches generate diverse shapes for offensive attacks. This strategy is probably what makes firebending arguably the most suited to pro-bending out of all the bending arts. Firebending tactics and forms have required little modification for use in pro-bending, the most noticeable difference in the restriction on the use of prolonged fire streams. Nevertheless, quick flurries of kicks and punches allow a pro-bending firebender to retain excellent mobility around the arena while simultaneously trying to push back the members of the opposing team.

Circular motion is also a crucial element to the skill as it seems to "power up" and enhance the firebender's flames. When creating lightning, the firebenders often move their arms in slow, circular motions, similar to waterbenders but with more tension.

Fangs of the Fire snake

When you use the Attack action on your turn, you can cause tendrils of flame to stretch out from your fists and feet. Your reach with your unarmed strikes increases by 10 feet for that action, as well as the rest of the turn. A hit with such an attack deals fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage, and if you spend 1 ki point when the attack hits, it also deals an extra 1d10 fire damage.

Searing Arc Strike

At 6th level, you gain the ability to channel your ki into searing waves of energy. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 2 ki points to cast the burning hands spell as a bonus action.

You can spend additional ki points to cast burning hands as a higher-level spell. Each additional ki point you spend increases the spell’s level by 1. The maximum number of ki points (2 plus any additional points) that you can spend on the spell equals half your monk level.

Adept Firebender

You are getting better at controling fire, you can create fire comet or wall of flames or making a dagger like flame. In addition you gain resistance to fire damage.

Fire comet: An advanced form of the fire stream in which the user pressurizes the fire into a ball and shoots it toward the enemy

Wall of flames: One of firebending's few defensive techniques, either a situated explosion or controlled inferno, this wall of concentrated flames acts as a barrier to incoming attacks.

Fire daggers: Blowtorch-like jets which are created from the fist or fingertips to use as close range melee attacks.

Firebending Master

Learn the most advanced techniques of firebending, Fire Propulsion, Fire missiles, and lightning bending.

Fire propulsion: Skilled firebending masters are able to conjure huge amounts of flame to propel themselves at high speeds on the ground or through the air. As an action you can spend 5 ki point to make huge amount of fire shoot out of your hands or feet to propel you of the ground and gain a flying speed of 120 feet for up to 1 minute. You need to keep concentration on this feature or your flames stop.(And you stop flying)

Fire missiles: A more advanced form of the fire stream, powerful firebenders can shoot long streams of fire that follow the target as they move. You create 3 fire missiles, these missiles hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. A missile deals your martial art die + 1 fire damage to its target. The missiles all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.

Lightning bending, your mastery over you chi and your body heat, lets you generate lightning. This bending technique is more volatile and is more dangerous then fire bending.

- Lightning bolt, as an Attack action on your turn, you can spend 4 ki points to cast the Lightning Bolt spell.

-Chain lightning, Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 8 ki points to cast the Chain Lightning spell as a bonus action.