A blast from the past this week – specifically the 3.5 book Magic of Eberron. Here I’ve updated the Elemental Grafts from that book, incorporating a few existing augmentations that are already in the same vein. No longer grafts, they are now augmentations, though the flavor is still much the same as portions of elemental material are incorporated into living beings and confer related abilities.
ELEMENTAL AUGMENTATIONS
Requiring both surgical skill and arcane mastery to create and install, elemental augmentations are a kind of magitech augmentation that combine cybernetic and elementally infused material components. Elemental augmentations follow much the same rules as all other augmentations in regards to implantation, activation, and removal (see page 208 of the Core Rulebook). Though they can be detected and crafted as if they were hybrid items, once they are installed, they become a part of your body and generally can’t be affected by abilities that disable or destroy hybrid items.
Unlike other magitech augmentations, elemental augmentations have a cumulative effect as more of the same kind of element is incorporated into the body. Having at least two elemental augmentations of the same plane (air, earth, fire, or water) confers a particular benefit as follows, but only as long as the recipient has no elemental grafts of the opposing variety.
- A being with at least two air elemental augmentations (and no earth elemental augmentations) gains a +5ft bonus to land speed for each augmentation beyond the first, but only when wearing light or no armor and unencumbered.
- A being with at least two earth elemental augmentations (and no air elemental augmentations) gains damage reduction adamantine equal to the number of augmentations beyond the first (so a being with three earth elemental augmentations would have DR 2/Adamantine). This benefit does not stack with any other DR of the same kind.
- A being with at least two fire elemental augmentations (and no water elemental augmentations) gains a +1 bonus on Reflex saves and Initiative checks per each fire augmentation beyond the first.
- A being with at least two water elemental augmentations (and no fire elemental augmentations) gains a swim speed equal to 20ft plus 10ft per water augmentation beyond the first, or adds +10ft to an existing swim speed for each water augmentation beyond the first. They also gain the Amphibious extraordinary ability.
AIR ELEMENTAL AUGMENTATIONS
BUFFETING SKEIN
Item Level: 6, Price: 4100, System: Skin
Auran runes of power are mystically etched into your skin, infusing you with the essence of elemental air, and making your whole body slightly translucent. You gain resistance 5 to electricity, which stacks with any existing resistance you may have, and can spend a resolve point as a swift action to fill the air around you with powerful buffeting winds. Any creature within 15ft of you takes 1d4 piercing damage and is subject to a bull rush combat maneuver from you, using your level + your key ability score modifier as your attack bonus. Compare the result to each target’s KAC + 8. If you’re successful, that creature is knocked back 5 feet, plus 5 additional feet for every 5 by which your attack exceeds the creature’s KAC + 8. The winds last for a minute, or until you choose to end the effect, and any creature that approaches with the 15ft radius is subject to the damage and bull rush every turn that they remain in the area of effect. You may not use this ability again until you have taken a 10 minute rest to regain stamina.
WHIRLWIND FORM
Item Level: 7, Price: 6400, System: Body
Infused with elemental air, your body courses with pale blue vein like structures that seem to move beneath the surface of your skin. As a standard action you can spend a resolve point to activate this augmentation to surround yourself with a churning whirlwind. Once activated a swirling vortex of air forms around you, allowing you to fly with the faultless control of an air elemental. While active you gain a fly speed of 30ft with perfect maneuverability. However, the vortex is both loud and somewhat obscures your vision, giving you a -4 penalty to Perception and Stealth checks. The effect can be ended as a standard action, but cannot be used again until you have taken a 10 minute rest to regain stamina.
EARTH ELEMENTAL AUGMENTATIONS
EARTH GLIDER
Item Level: 6, Price: 4100, System: Arms, hands
Your arms, hands, and fingers are transmuted into elemental burrowing tools. Your fingers have blunt ends and no fingernails, your entire arms are thicker than normal, and covered in a thick hide reminiscent of earth elementals. As a full round action you can attune your arms with the earth and gain a burrow speed equal to your un-enhanced land speed. You can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth short of metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Your burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create a ripple or any other sign of its presence. You cannot bring any other creatures along with you while gliding through the earth in this manner. The effect ends the moment you exit the earth, and the entire time you are earth gliding you cannot breath, suffocating as per the suffocation rules, though you may spend a round to hold your breath before hand.
TREMOR GRAFT
Item Level: 7, Price: 6000, System: Legs
Veins of pure earth are laced into your lower torso and down your legs. The skin there is the color of slate and rough to the touch, like coarse sand. As long as you are touching the ground you gain blindsense (vibration) out to 30ft.
FIRE ELEMENTAL AUGMENTATIONS
INCENDIARY SKIN
Item Level: 6, Price: 4100, System: Skin
Ignan runes of power are mystically etched into your skin, infusing you with the essence of elemental fire, giving your skin a ruddy cast and a warmth significantly greater than others of your species. Up close, rivers of fire seem to course through the runes. Your incendiary skin gives you resistance 5 to fire, which stacks with any existing resistance you may have. As an immediate action you can spend a resolve point to activate your skin’s blazing properties, causing sheets of flame to erupt from the runes on your body that deal 2d6 fire to any creature that strikes you with a natural attack or melee weapon without reach. This also adds 1d4 fire to all of your melee attacks, though it does not change whether that weapon targets EAC or KAC. Your clothing and gear is unaffected by the flames. Once activated the effect last for 1 minute.
SCORCHING GAZE
Item Level: 7, Price: 7140, System: Eyes
Your eyes have been replaces with glowing brass orbs that smolder with inner fire. You gain Darkvision out to 60ft, and as a standard action you can spend a resolve point to activate your scorching gaze. Once activated, your eyes give you the gaze ability (as described in Alien Archive page 154) that deals 2d6 fire, dealing half damage on a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ your level + you Con modifier). Directing your gaze at a creature is a standard action. As a full round action, while active, you can direct your gaze on a combustible item within 30ft to set it on fire. Attended items save as normal. Items set on fire take 1d6 burn. The gaze effect can be ended as a move action, and cannot be repeated until you have taken a 10 minute rest to regain stamina.
WATER ELEMENTAL AUGMENTATIONS
AQUEOUS BODY
Item Level: 6, Price: 4100, System: Skin
Aquan runes of power are mystically etched into your skin, infusing you with the essence of elemental water, giving your skin faint blue cast and causing your veins to stand out starkly against your skin. You gain resistance 5 to cold, which stacks with any existing resistance you may have. As an immediate action you may spend 1 resolve point to activate your aqueous body, transforming your body and equipment into a semi-solid form. While active you gain DR 3/- and a fortification ability that has a 20% chance to negate a critical hit. This effect lasts one minute, or can be ended as a move action.
BREATH OF THE WAVES
Item Level: 7, Price: 7140, System: Lungs, Throat
The inside of your mouth, throat, and lungs have been replaced with the sustaining substance of a water elemental. Water laps gently around the inside of your mouth, your tongue seems to be made of water, and your teeth take on the appearance of ice. You no longer need to breath, are immune to the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum, no longer have the need for food or drink, and the augmentation’s magic refreshes your body and mind, so you need only 2 hours of sleep each day to gain the benefits of 8 hours of rest. If you cast spells, you can prepare spells after only 2 hours, but you still can’t prepare spells more than once per day. As a standard action you may spend a resolve point to make a breath weapon attack in a 80ft line, dealing 9d6 bludgeoning and cold damage, dealing half damage on a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ your level + you Con modifier). This cannot be repeated until you have taken a 10 minute rest to regain stamina.
Jeremy Corff
Artist and Writer