Lacer

---

---

Overview & Creation

Flames erupt as a female fire folk blasts onto the scene. Enemies flee from the out-of-control blaze, shielding their eyes to protect from the intense heat. There is a swell of fire, catching onto clothing, objects, structures. Creatures scatter to escape, making a desperate attempt to make it out alive. And then, when one stands alone, the fires dissipate instantly. She smirks, and dusts herself off.   A roar of rushing wind fills the battlefield as a small, lightly- robed air monk leaps amongst his enemies. He's a blur of motion amongst easily-deflected blows, as the power of a gale- force hurricane blasts his adversaries in every direction. One opponent remains standing, but finds that it cannot touch this new fighter, as he flits about the battlefield with supreme ease, never fearing danger, laughing in its face. A sound of rushing water fills the room, as cool liquid quickly floods the floor. The water seems to move this way and that, not according to natural laws, but having a mind of its own. It grows hostile, seeking out enemies, slamming them into walls and then freezing them in place. Those who try to run are pummeled, and then pulled back. Creatures who are already frozen struggle to move, but it's useless. The water forms a large wave, and all creatures are unfrozen from their prisons just as the tidal wave crashes down, crushing them under its power. Only then does a blue-robed water clan member confidently enter the room.   The earth rumbles as stone and rock are burst asunder. Shockwaves fill the air as earthquakes shake enemies in their boots. An earth kin stands, cutting through the onslaught with nothing but the power of the stone. It obeys his commands, and moves as an extension of his own body. The earthlacer never stands aside against an enemy. The lacer is as powerful and enduring as the mountain.  

Elemental Instinct

Lacers usually find themselves infused with abilities that they themselves do not understand. No one knows where these abilities come from. Some believe that lacers are the reincarnations of lacers who have passed on to the Spirit World. Others think that the power comes from spirits of the elements bonding to a person at birth. Whatever the source, lacers sometimes find themselves bonding more closely with other lacers, even those of other elements, than with their own people.  

Martial Arts and Magic

Most lacers learn to train in their abilities as best they can. Many seek out teachers, learning many different styles and forms, becoming versatile elemental warriors. Others live in more isolated societies, and have to learn to lace on their own. Whatever the case, lacers must learn patience as well as confidence in wielding their element abilities. Many lacers are at home on the road, using their elemental abilities to enhance their journey, making friends or foes along the way.  

Creating a Lacer

As you create your lacer character, consider firstly your element. Some stereotypes exist for a reason, and your character can embrace or shun these conventions. Firelacers are often seen as hot-headed. Are you impulsive and intimidating, or do you embrace the natural beauty and calmness of a soothing fire? Airlacers can be flighty and aloof. Do earthly things concern you at all, or do you instead form tight bonds with those around you? Waterlacers are supposed to be adaptable and resilient. Are you versatile, or do you hold a strong set of beliefs that you never waver from? Earthlacers are seen as unmoving and strong. Do you stand resolute against obstacles and foes, or do you try to find the alternate solution?  

Quick Build

You can make a lacer quickly by following these suggestions. First, choose your ability scores according to your element. Make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom (for airlacers and waterlacers) or Charisma (for firelacers and earthlacers). Second, choose the urchin background.
 

---

Class Features

Basic Lacing

You gain your element's Basic Lacing abilities (Firebending, Airbending, Waterbending, Earthbending).  

Elemental Strike

At 1st level, your practice with lacing allows you to blast an opponent with an elemental strike. You can use your elemental strike when you make an attack. Your elemental strike has the following properties:   You roll a d6 for the damage of your elemental strike. This die changes as you gain Bender levels, as shown in the Elemental Strike column of the Bender table. Your elemental strike deals bludgeoning damage.   Your elemental strike is a ranged weapon with a normal range of 20 feet, or a long range of 60 feet. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can't attack a target beyond the strike's long range.   Despite being a ranged weapon, you do not have disadvantage on attack rolls with your elemental strike when a hostile creature is within 5 feet of you, nor when attacking a creature that is prone within 20 feet of you.   You can use Strength instead of Dexterity for the attack and damage rolls of your elemental strike.   When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you can choose to avoid killing them with your elemental strike, leaving them unconscious.   When you take the Attack action with a weapon with which you have proficiency in, you can make an elemental strike as a bonus action.  

Ki

Ki points represent the mystical energy that affords you power over your element. You begin with 1 ki point, and gain additional ki points as you gain lacer levels, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Lacer table. You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such features: Deflection, Power Blow, and Surprising Angle. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.   When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest quietly meditating to regain your ki points. Some of your ki features require an attack modifier, or require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The ability modifier you use is different depending on your element. Firelacers and earthlacers use their Charisma, since their ki is powered by their strength of spirit and force of will. Airlacers and waterlacers use Wisdom, as their power comes from intuition and insight.  

Firelacers and Earthlacers

  Ki Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier   Ki attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier  

Airlacers and Waterlacers

Ki Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier   Ki attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier    

Deflection

You can spend 1 ki point as a reaction to deflect or dissipate an elemental strike, form attack, or spell attack that would deal damage to you. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your ki ability modifier + your lacer level.  

Power Blow

When you hit an enemy with an elemental strike, you can spend 1 ki point to force the enemy to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the enemy is pushed 10 feet away from you.  

Surprising Angle

When you make an attack against a creature with an elemental strike, you can spend 1 ki point to hit the target from any angle, not simply in a straight line. This allows you to ignore the effects of any amount of cover except for total cover.    

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you begin to develop your own fighting style. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.  

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.  

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.  

Power Strikes

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for your elemental strike, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2.  

Superior Range

The short range of your elemental strike is increased to 30 feet, and its long range is increased to 90 feet.  

Lacing

At 2nd level, you begin to wield absolute control and authority over your element. In addition to basic effects, you learn amazing powers to drive your foes before you. Form Levels Form LEVEL|NAME|Ki COST|MEANING 1ST|SHO|2|NOVICE FORMS 2ND|GA|3|INTERMEDIATE FORMS 3RD|DE|4|ADVANCED FORMS 4TH|YOI|5|EXPERT FORMS 5TH|SEN|6|MASTERY FORMS  

Forms Known

You know three 1st-level forms of your choice from your element's form list. The Forms Known column of the Lacer table shows when you learn more forms of your choice. Each of these forms must be of a level that you know. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new form of 1st or 2nd level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the forms you know and replace it with another form from your element's form list, which also must be no higher than your maximum form level.  

Initiating Forms

Your forms are ki features, and so you must spend ki points to initiate these forms. You spend the number of ki points shown on the Form Levels table in order to initiate a form. Most forms have enhanced effects, which you can initiate by spending additional ki points when you initiate the form. Each additional ki point you spend increases the form's level by 1. You cannot spend ki to initiate a form at a higher level than your maximum form level, as shown in the Maximum Form Level column of the Lacer table.  

Prana Burst

Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with an elemental strike, you can expend 1 ki point to deal an additional 1d8 damage to the target. You can spend 1 additional ki point on this ability at 5th, 11th, and 17th level. For each ki point you spend, you deal an additional 1d8 damage on the attack.  

Elemental Arts

At 3rd level, you begin to follow a style of lacing, mastering the forms of those who have come before you. Many lacers choose Ten Animal style, mimicking animal movements with their lacing forms. Lacers of each element have also studied styles unique to their element. Eastern Shaolin (fire), Eight Palms (air), Moon (water), and Western Mantis (earth) style are available to lacers of the appropriate element. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level.  

Matter Skandha

As you gain levels, you begin to unlock features that vary depending on your element. These features follow the skandha, the five aspects that constitute a person's being. At 3rd level you gain the first of these, the skandha of matter.  

Fire

. When you successfully attack an enemy, you can spend 2 ki points to force the enemy to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the enemy is knocked prone. Whenever a target is knocked prone in this way, the target has disadvantage on the first attack it makes before the end of its next turn.  

Air

. You can spend 2 ki points as a reaction whenever you are subject to a melee weapon attack to take the Disengage action and move up to half your speed, avoiding the attack.  

Water

. You can spend 1 ki point to use waterlacing to perform a grapple against a target within 20 feet of you so long as you have at least one hand free. You may substitute a Wisdom (Athletics) for your Strength (Athletics) rolls to grapple until the grapple ends. While grappling a target in this way, you can substitute any amount of your own movement to move your target anywhere within range on your turn. You are still limited to half of your normal movement for grappling a creature.  

Earth

. You can spend 1 ki point as a bonus action to gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier.  

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.  

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.  

Push It

Starting at 7th level, you are able to push yourself past your normal limits. As a bonus action, you can regain 2 ki points, up to your maximum number of ki points. When you use this feature, you must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, you suffer one level of exhaustion.   Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When you finish a short or long rest, the DC resets to 10.  

Sensation Skandha

At 7th level you gain the skandha of sensation for your element.   Fire. When you make your first elemental attack on your turn, you can choose to attack recklessly. Until he end of your turn, you have advantage on elemental attack rolls, but attack rolls against you have advantage.   Air. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.   Water. You gain a swim speed of 30 feet, and have advantage on all Athletics (Swim) checks made to swim. Ice and snow are no longer difficult terrain for you. In addition, you have advantage on elemental strike attacks made while both you and your target are underwater.   Earth. When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.  

Cognition Skandha

At 11th level, you gain the skandha of cognition for your element.  

Fire

. You can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack with your elemental strike against any creature that strikes an ally within 20 feet of you. Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against the effects of extremely hot environments.  

Air

. If you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 60 feet of you.   Additionally, you are acclimated to altitudes up to 20,000 feet.  

Water

. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Help action as a bonus action. You can take the Help action to aid a friendly creature in attacking a target within 20 feet of you which does not have total cover from you.   Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against the effects of extremely cold environments.  

Earth

. You cannot be surprised by creatures which are touching the ground within 30 feet of you.   Additionally, you are unaffected by heavy precipitation, and can make Wisdom (Perception) checks normally in such conditions.  

Volition Skandha

At 15th level, you gain the skandha of volition for your element.  

Fire

. When you are prone, you can stand up using only 5 feet of movement.  

Air

. Your ki sustains your body so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however.  

Water

. Your knowledge of how to read people allows you to use Wisdom in place of Charisma when making Deception, Intimidation, Performance, and Persuasion checks.  

Earth

. Whenever you make an Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion check related to stonework, earthlacing effects, or spells which alter the earth, you are considered proficient in the skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.  

Discernment Skandha

At 20th level, you gain the skandha of discernment for your element.  

Fire

. The power of fire burns within you. When you make an elemental strike as a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki point to immediately make another elemental strike as part of the same bonus action.  

Air

A swirling wind surrounds you at all times. When an attacker that you can see hits you with a ranged attack, you can use your reaction to force the attacker to roll the attack again. The creature must use the second result.  

Water

. You can feel the water and ki which flows through all living things. Any time you would be surprised, you can spend 1 ki point to not be surprised. You have advantage on attack rolls you make in any round of combat during which at least one creature is surprised, and targets have disadvantage on saving throws against you.  

Earth

. The earth builds strength in your body. You gain immunity to nonmagical bludgeoning damage, and resistance to magical bludgeoning damage.        
 

---

Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:   (a) leather armor or (b) scale mail   (a) a scimitar, (b) a quarterstaff, (c) a mace, or (d) a rapier   (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack   Alternately, you can purchase your own starting equipment. At level 1, a lacer begins with 4d4 x 10 gp.

---

Subclass Options

Elemental Arts

Many lacing styles arose in various combative sporting arenas around the world. Different lacers began to develop their own styles, and then copy one another, until some similar fighting styles emerged. The most popular style is called the Ten Animals, so named because practitioners of this style learn various powers that mimic animal movements and abilities.   Other styles have been developed by those who follow only certain elements. Firelacers developed the Eastern Shaolin style, modeled on draconic might and power. Airlacers formed the Eight Palms style, meant to keep those who practice it out of harm's way. Waterlacers created Moon style, which follows the push and pull of battle. Earthlacers developed Western Mantis, which is all about waiting and listening to one's opponents.  

Ten Animal Arts

Ten Animal style lacing shares a long history of tradition and practice, and is the most common form of lacing taught to new students. The style copies the powers of animals, mimicking their dangerous and impressive abilities and turning them into power for the lacer.  

Animal Style

At 3rd level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.  

Pigmonkey Swing

. You can move through the spaces of hostile creatures, regardless of size.  

Tapirat in the Grass

. You can use the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn.  

Turtleduck Shell

. Your base AC becomes 13 + your Dexterity modifier if you are not wearing armor. Wing of the Peacrane. You can use your Deflection ki feature without needing to spend ki points.  

Bestial Strike

At 6th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.  

Dragon Breath

. You can spend 1 ki point on your turn when you make a successful elemental strike. Each other creature within 5 feet of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature an amount of damage equal to your ki ability modifier (minimum 1).  

Fangs of the Snakamander

. You can spend 1 ki point on your turn when you make a successful elemental strike. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes the strike's damage again at the beginning of its next turn.  

Talpatian Venom

. You can spend 2 ki points when you make a successful elemental strike. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is incapacitated until the beginning of your next turn.  

Savage Fighter

At 10th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature.  

Animalian Arts

At 14th level, you learn to focus, allowing you to perform incredible feats. Whenever you make an ability check that lets you add your proficiency bonus and you roll a 9 or lower, you can spend 1 ki point to treat the roll as a 10.  

Beast Mastery

At 18th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.  

Armor of the Liondillo

. You can spend 1 ki point as a reaction whenever you are attacked. Until the beginning of your next turn, you have resistance against the type of damage that harmed you, including against the triggering attack. If the triggering attack deals more than one damage type, you gain resistance to both types of damage until the beginning of your next turn.  

Jaws of the Whiskergator

. You can spend 3 ki points on your turn. Until the beginning of your next turn, the damage of your elemental strike (but not any additional features, such as Prana Burst) deal their maximum damage.  

Rise of the Phoenix

. You can spend 1 ki point any time you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright to drop to 1 hit point instead. Each time you use this ability, it costs 1 additional ki point. When you complete a long rest, the cost resets to 1 ki point.      

Eastern Shaolin Arts

Eastern Shaolin is an art exclusive to firelacers. The style looks to dragons for form and function, but also seeks to evoke the mighty presence and powerful awe of being in draconic presence. Eastern Shaolin practitioners move quickly between stances, keeping one step ahead of their enemies, and taking advantage of any momentary weakness.  

Dancing Dragon

Eastern Shaolin firelacers study the forms of mighty dragons. Beginning when you choose this style at 3rd level, you learn a new ability called the Dancing Dragon. The Dancing Dragon is composed of three kinds of stances. You can enter a stance as a bonus action on your turn, which lasts until the beginning of your next turn. You cannot enter the same stance on consecutive turns. Each stance empowers you in different ways.  

Low Stance

. In low stance, you have advantage on attack rolls against targets which are prone.  

High Stance

. In high stance, you make Dexterity saving throws with advantage.  

Power Stance

. In power stance, any time you attempt to shove or push a target, you make your check with advantage.  

Draconic Power

Starting at 6th level, you can spend 1 ki point when you make an opportunity attack against a creature to deal additional fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier on a hit.  

Draconic Presence

Beginning at 10th level, if you fail a saving throw which causes you to become charmed or frightened, you can choose to succeed instead. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.  

Wreathed in Flame

Starting at 14th level, you gain resistance to fire damage.  

True Fire

At 18th level, you unlock the true meaning of firelacing. All fire damage you initiate deals normal damage to any creature that possesses fire resistance, and half damage to any creature with fire immunity.  

Eight Palms Arts

Eight Palms is an art exclusive to airlacers. The style seeks to remain safely away from danger, even in the middle of combat. Circle walking is a fundamental technique of eight Palms, as the airlacer attempts to remain in range of a combatant, and at the same time, completely out of reach.  

Fancy Dancer

Starting when you choose this style at 3rd level, you can keep out of harm’s way with a technique known as circle walking. Whenever an enemy makes a melee attack against you, you can spend 1 ki point to activate your Deflection ki feature against it, reducing the damage of the attack. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can circle walk around your target. While circle walking, your target has disadvantage on attack rolls made against you, and you can use your reaction to move up to your speed so long as you remain within 5 feet of your target. Circle walking ends immediately if you are not within 5 feet of the target for any reason.  

Leaf in the Wind

Beginning at 6th level, your speed increases by 10 feet, and your jump distance is doubled.  

Blind Monk

Starting at 10th level, the blinded condition has no effect on you unless you are also deafened. Additionally, you can spend 2 ki points as a reaction any time you would be grappled or restrained to escape from the effect.  

Twinkle Toes

Beginning at 14th level, you gain proficiency in all Dexterity ability checks (including initiative rolls). If you already have proficiency in any of these abilities, your proficiency bonus is doubled for those ability checks.  

Air Master

Starting at 18th level, you do not take damage from falling from any height, so long as you are not incapacitated or otherwise restrained. You also gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed. You can spend 2 ki points to double your flying speed for 1 minute.      

Moon Arts

This art is exclusive to waterlacers. Moon style waterlacing focuses less on direct combat than many other lacing styles, instead focusing on reacting to what others do. The moon is the original waterlacer, pushing and pulling the tides. A moon style waterlacer attempts to emulate the moon, pushing enemies down, and pulling allies up to achieve victory.  

Push and Pull

Beginning when you choose this style at 3rd level, you can spend 2 ki points as a reaction when you or an ally within 5 feet are targeted with a melee weapon attack. The attacking creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to your ki save DC). On a failed save, you choose a target within 5 feet of the attacking creature as the new target of its attack. The creature resolves its attack normally against the new target. You can choose to have the attack target no creatures.  

Sink and Float

Starting at 6th level, you have the ability to make two reactions each round. You regain both reactions at the beginning of your turn.  

Life and Death

Beginning at 10th level, any healing you are subject to while in the presence of a natural body of water large enough to completely submerge your body in (such as a river, lake, or sea) is automatically maximized. For example, if you took a short rest and used a d8 Hit Die to heal and had a Constitution of 16, you would regain 11 hit points (1d8 + 3), without needing to roll. The distance from such a location that qualifies you to be in its presence is subject to your DM's discretion, but you should be near enough to the location that you can feel the natural energies of the water flowing through you.  

Moon and Ocean

Starting at 14th level, whenever you initiate a form on your turn, you can protect some creatures in the area. To do so, you spend 1 ki point and choose a number of creatures up to your   Wisdom modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature is completely protected from the form and suffers none of its effects.  

Eternal Dance

Beginning at 18th level, choose two 1st-level forms and one 2nd-level form that you know. Whenever you initiate these forms, they are automatically initiated one level higher than normal without you needing to spend additional ki points, up to your maximum form level.    

Western Mantis Arts

Western Mantis is an art exclusive to earthlacers. This style focuses on precise steps, hearing, and listening to opponents. Western Mantis style seeks to “read” the slight movements and variations in an enemy’s form in order to detect where an attack may be coming from, in order to avoid, neutralize, or counter it.

Neutral Jing

Western Mantis style places emphasis on waiting, and listening. Beginning when you choose this art at 3rd level, your ability to ready yourself for danger is unmatched. Whenever you take the Ready action, you are also under the effect of the Dodge action until you use your reaction or until the beginning of your next turn.

Sure-Footed

Starting at 6th level, you can spend 1 ki point as a reaction any time you would be moved from your space or knocked prone to negate the movement. You still suffer any other effects of the action as normal.

Earth’s Embrace

Your experience in being connected with the earth heightens your senses. Beginning at 10th level, you gain tremorsense to a range of 20 feet.

Badger Glide

By 14th level, your connection with the earth is unparalleled. You can spend 1 ki point as a bonus action to gain a burrow speed equal to your movement speed. You can burrow through solid rock at this speed. This burrowing ability lasts for 1 minute.

Precise Step

Starting at 18th level, you are immune to the effects of critical hits. Any critical hit against you is treated as a normal attack. In addition, when you score a critical hit, you can roll one of the damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
 

---