ELEMENTAL AVATAR
Requirements:
- Epic divine caster
- 24 spellcraft
- Ability to cast 9th level spells (note: Normally epic spells do not require this, but for balance concerns this will be required while testing on the PGCC)
Upon taking the feat and slotting it, you acquire a new 'stance' akin to dwarven defender. Upon activating it you are 'wreathed in elements' gain a plethora of bonus stats whose values vary and depend on your active elemental stream, and all of the caster's summons are dismissed (and continue to be while active).
The stats are as follows:
+4 shield AC (-air becomes 6, -earth becomes 2; Levels in monk negate the AC gain)
+4 damage resistance (-air becomes 2, -earth becomes 6)
+d6 damage dependent on element (-fire becomes d8, -water becomes d4)
+2 regeneration (-fire becomes 1, -water becomes 4)- 2d4 damage per round in an AoE
- -40 to hide and MS while active
- This spell is currently exclusive with shapechange.
This feat does not work with divine shield
This feat does not work with defensive stance pending a new stance system to come with monk
DAMAGE ASSOCIATION WITH EACH ELEMENT:
Fire - Fire
Earth - Bludgeoning
Water - Cold
Air - Electric
DESIGN NOTES AND CONCERNS:
The reason for shield AC is twofold:
- One is to reduce too much AC bloat, with shield using shamans and magic vestment users only gaining 2 and 1 AC respectively and only with the air stream.
- The other is to give a more competitive edge to dual wielders, 2h users, and zen archers who do not dip monk/vigilante
The reason for shapeshifted form exclusivity is simple: Plantshape. While shenanigans could be pulled in general and would be
bothersome, plantshape is an outlier. I hope to find a way to let at least monolith shape druids use this without being shapeshift exclusive, but such might need to wait for further down the line.The bonus 2d3 damage applies to fists, melee weapons, and bows all. Normally such damage increase effects cause the damage to be true damage, ie it ignores DI and DR, but thanks to some clever work by Zadi this damage respects DI and DR like normal.
The stance mechanics of this uses a new system. It is a stance with boons akin to defensive stance on earthkin defender. Due both to this and worry about excessive regen stacking defensive stance does not work with this spell
The damage on earth is bludgeoning. While it was initially going to be acid, ideas about what how strong or weak the DR combined with the thematics of earth and potential for an ooze stream with acid damage have made it bludgeoning. I am not certain on this remaining but this is what PGCC testing will start with.