Class Feature Friday: Elemental Mystery (Oracle Mystery)
In the past, we’ve seen various oracle mysteries tied to the four elements individually, but today, we’re looking at something of a rarity, a mystery the focuses on the combination of aspects from others.
Indeed, the elemental mystery revolves around the union of all four elements together, using them individually or in combination to achiever various effects.
The combination of all these elements lends itself to a theme of balance, that, while these oracles are capable of the various expressions of all four elements, they can then rein them in and return to a state of equilibrium, the rage of fire, the force of wind and water, the fortitude of earth, all working in harmony.
The deity that holds sway over all four elements is rare indeed, so most divinities that grant this mystery rule over two, but others exist. However, another way of looking at it is going back to the original pantheon idea of oracles by flavoring this mystery as being granted by groups of gods representing the various elements in kind, which would make the elemental mystery one of the largest pantheons.
The spells associated with this mystery include those that provide protections against the elements, wrap them in an aura of elemental energy, various levels of transformation into an elemental being, creating demiplanes, and even summoning small armies of elementals.
One possible revelation of this path combines wind and water to rush foes with waves of hydraulic and pneumatic force, bowling foes over even as the mystic outmaneuvers them. Later on, this power can even empower them to make sweeping attacks that hit all within reach, either to injure them or knock them away with water and air.
Channeling air and fire, others can surround themselves in a heat shimmer to make themselves harder to target, even later adding that heat to their attacks.
With a gesture, many can summon a protective barrier of an element around themselves, blocking blows. Later on, this layer gains additional benefits depending on the element, with air granting more defensive agility, earth granting stability, fire inundating them to heat, and water increasing mobility below the waves.
As a being of the elements, many of these oracles find friends in the form of elementals, able to call them with their summoning much faster than most.
Additionally, there are those of this mystery that can channel raw elemental power to heal or harm elemental beings, starting with one and eventually mastering all four.
Further, many also develop a resistance to all four elemental energy types, which grows as they do.
Particularly agile oracles of this mystery channel fire and water to move with inhuman grace, increasing their top speed, running on liquids, and even avoiding harm from contact (but not immersion) with superheated magma and the like.
The heat of fire transmutes the metal of earth, and some oracles use this to enhance their weaponry, refining the edge, treating it as different types of metals, and even temporarily magically enhancing it.
Churning water and earth, some oracles can exude an aura to make movement around them difficult for foes, while leaving allies untouched. This works on both land and water, as earth grinds and twists under their feet, while water churns with conflicting currents.
With the weight of earth and the force of wind, some of these spellcasters can knock foes back or over with ease, even if they are much larger.
Finally, the most powerful oracles of the elements become beings of raw elemental power beyond the surface of their skin, their bodies becoming immune to blows that would cripple their anatomy were it made of flesh, and eliminating many mortal needs.
This diverse mystery can support a number of builds, but it seems pretty heavily focused on melee combat thanks to the various elemental body and close-combat themed revelations in their arsenal. If a combat oracle is what you have in mind, go for it. Also consider branching out into or focusing on summoning, since they can summon elemental allies at the drop of a hat, as well as support them with elemental channeling. Beyond that, I’d recommend a good number of buffing, debuffing, and healing, with a minor in what few blasting spells the cleric/oracle spell list has to offer.
Beyond the inevitable Captain Planet jokes, we have to consider what motivates an oracle of the elements. Perhaps they exist as agents of elemental balance, extending this to other aspects of balance and imbalance in the world around them. Alternately, they may focus instead on using their power for their personal endeavors or that of their patron deities.
A series of highway robberies have been occurring upon the deep roads, with victims claiming that a drider wielding all four elements has been raiding the beetle caravans for rare gemstones and minerals. Investigating this individual reveals that the thief is a drider oracle who wishes to create a permanent demiplane and just shut herself away from all reality. However, doing so would spell doom for her colony, which relies on her counsel.
The Pristine Wood is true to its name, a place where no signs of corruption or civilized influence, save for its caretaker, Great Inja, an ancient elf who calls upon wind, rain, and earth to manage the forest, and even uses fire to clear overgrowth. However, there are those in druidic circles who would claim his work makes a mockery of natural processes.
Lead into a curious forest of giant mushrooms by a fungal creature known as a thorny, the party happens upon the creature’s master a oracle of all four elements, who bears a terrible prophecy that they must hear: The four elemental monarchs have decided that their world will be the next staging ground for their four-way conflict.
