[FOCI]

Evokes the Elements

Shotguns & Sorcery

You possess a shard of magical power within you that grants you the ability to command one of the classical elements of air, earth, fire, or water. You might have sought out your talent, studying ancient magic to increase your abilities, or it might have lain dormant, waiting for a moment of stress before awakening. No matter how you came by your abilities, the element proves a useful ally. You infuse your attacks with the element, and you draw upon the element to protect yourself.

Wizards are most likely to seek control over elemental power, having the resources and talents required to shape the element effectively. Freelances might stumble into the talent, having recovered an ancient tome or item of great magical power that imparted the ability to them. Veterans rarely command elemental power, though when they do, they effectively combine their combat training with magic.

Minor Effect Suggestion

You experience a surge of elemental power. The next time you use one of your abilities gained from your focus, you decrease the difficulty by one step.

Major Effect Suggestion

Fire, dust, wind, or water rushes out from the target, inflicting a minor wound (2 points) to everything and everyone within an immediate distance.

Tier 1

Elemental Power Enabler

Choose one of the following elements: air, earth, fire, or water. Your choice affects the abilities you gain from this focus.

Elemental Defense (1 Intellect point) Action

Your chosen element surrounds and protects you for one minute.Action to initiate.s

• Air Wind swirls around you, granting you an asset on Speed defense rolls.
• Earth Rocks, dirt, and sand sheathe your body, granting you +1 to Armor.
• Fire Flames dance across your body. The flames harm neither you nor your possessions, but other creatures can feel the heat emanating from you. You emit light out to a short distance. When a creature within an immediate distance successfully attacks you, the flames surrounding you inflict 1 point of damage to that creature.
• Water A sheath of water covers your body that halves any ambient damage you take (round down). You also have an asset for swimming actions.

Shape Element (1 Intellect point) Action

You can shape and move your chosen element.

• Air You stir the air inside a cube of space, 10 feet on each side, within a short distance. You clear dust, fog, and harmful vapors from the area.
• Earth You cause earth and stone inside a cube, 5 feet on a side, within an immediate distance to assume whatever shape you choose.
• Fire You cause one fire that you can see to move a short distance. The size of the fire must be no larger than a cube, 5 feet on a side. If the fire moves across a non-flammable surface, it immediately gutters out.
• Water You cause water inside a cube, 5 feet on a side, to either evaporate, turning to mist that spreads out 15 feet in all directions, or to freeze into a block of ice.

Tier 2

At the second tier, you gain the following benefit.

Elemental Missile (2 Intellect points) Action

You fling a missile formed of your chosen element at a creature within short range. The missile inflicts a minor wound (3 points) and has an additional effect depending on the element you chose.

• Air Buffeting winds moves a target of your size or smaller an immediate distance.
• Earth A chuck of rocks knocks the target to the ground.
• Fire A fiery missile inflicts 1 additional point of damage.
• Water Ice forms on the target, preventing it from moving from its space for one round.

Tier 3

Elemental Ball (4+ Intellect points) Action

You hurl a ball formed of your chosen element to a point within long range. When the ball reaches that point or impacts against a solid surface, it explodes in a 10-foot radius sphere and inflicts 3 points of damage to everything in the area. Even on an unsuccessful attack, a target in the area still takes a minor wound (1 point) . If you apply effort to decrease the difficulty, it applies to all targets in the area. If you apply Effort to increase the damage rather than to decrease the difficulty, you deal an additional 2 points of damage per level of Effort (instead of 3 points) and targets in the area take an additional 1 point of damage even if you fail the attack roll.

Tier 4

Elemental Protection (4 Intellect points) Enabler

You extend the benefits of your Elemental Defense ability to each target you designate within immediate range. The effects last for one hour.

Action to initiate.

Tier 5

Elemental Wall (7+ Intellect points) Action

A level wall appears on a solid foundation within short range. The wall is 1 foot thickand up to 20 feet by 20 feet in size, though it conforms to its space. The wall remains for ten hours. The material from which the wall is made depends on your element.

Action to initiate.

• Air The wall is made from howling wind, which deafens creatures within short range for as long as they remain within this range. The winds extinguish flames and disperse fog, gas, smoke, harmful vapors, and dust within this range. It takes a successful Might action to pass through the wall. Failure results in being blown back and knocked to the ground. Ranged weapon attacks made through the wall automatically miss.
• Earth The wall is made from granite. If you apply three levels of Effort when creating the wall, it becomes permanent until destroyed.
• Fire The wall is made of flames that inflict 4 points of ambient damage to anything passing through the wall. Flammable objects that pass through the wall catch fire. At the end of each round, each creature within an immediate distance of the wall takes 2 points of ambient heat damage.
• Water The wall is a cascading waterfall. Any non-magical fire or burning object that passes through the wall is extinguished. It takes a successful Might action to pass through the wall. Failure results in being pushed back and knocked to the ground. Ranged weapon attacks made through the wall automatically miss. The difficulty of movement actions within a short range of the wall is increased by one step, as the rushing water knocks creatures off their feet and makes the terrain slippery.

Tier 6

Elemental Servant (6 Intellect points) Action

A construct made from your chosen element appears in an open space on a solid surface within short range and remains for 10 minutes. The construct is a level 5 creature of your size. You can use an action to give it a command, provided you are within long range of it. If you don't give it a command, it acts as it was previously directed, or does nothing if you haven't given it any instructions. The construct has other abilities based on your element.

Action to initiate.

• Air The construct can fly.
• Earth The construct has Armor 3.
• Fire The construct inflicts 1 additional point of fire damage with its attacks.
• Water The construct can swim and extinguishes any flames within an immediate distance of it. GM Intrusions The element you command slips from your control, bursting from you to inflict 2 points of damage to creatures within an immediate distance. Wind can damage fragile objects, fire can spread in unexpected directions, earth can damage structures, and water can create slippery or icy patches.

GM Intrusions: The element you command slips from your control, bursting from you to inflict 2 points of damage to creatures within an immediate distance. Wind can damage fragile objects, fire can spread in unexpected directions, earth can damage structures, and water can create slippery or icy patches.