Editing Elementalist (section)

===Arcane Elementalists===
The first time an arcane elementalist appeared was during the days of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition. Here, in the Elementalist first appeared as a [[Specialist Wizard]] in the "Tome of Magic" splatbook, alongside its more famous sibling, the [[Wild Mage]].

This AD&D specialist functioned much like its kin. The four [[element]]s of AD&D - Earth, Fire, Water and Air - were each treated as a distinctive sub-schools within an Elementalist school. As such, the first thing you did was pick which sub-school you specialized in; spells classified as belonging to the "rival" sub-school (Earth/Air, Water/Fire) were your prohibited spells, but otherwise you could learn any arcane spell. That said, you paid for this versatility with greater difficulties learning spells outside of your school; whilst you had a +25% chance to learn sub-school spells and a +15% chance to learn spells from the "adjacent" sub-schools, you suffered a -25% chance when trying to learn a spell that wasn't a member of the elemental school.

Other bonuses you gained from this specialization consisted of:
* +2 bonus to saving throws against elemental spells from your sub-school.
* Enemies take a -2 penalty to saving throws against elemental spells you cast that belong to your sub-school.
* You gain 1 bonus spell memorization slot per level, although these bonus spell-slots must be filled with elemental spells from your sub-school.
* Once per day, when casting a spell from your elemental sub-school, you can overcharge it, casting it with a level boost of +1d4.
* When creating spells, if the spell is from your elemental sub-school, treat its level as being 1 level lower to determine the difficulty of its creation (for example, a Water Elementalist trying to create an ice or water version of Fireball finds it only as hard as trying to invent a new 2nd level spell, rather than its actual 3rd level status).
* At 15th level, you don't need to concentrate in order to maintain control over summoned elementals from your sub-school.
* At 20th level, you no longer need to fear summoned elementals from your sub-school turning on you when you conjure them.

This [[kits|specialization]] was later reprinted in "Domains of Dread", the first attempt at making a proper campaign setting out of [[Ravenloft]]. Here, they picked up one new unique bonus: if an elementalist provokes a [[Powers Check]] by casting a spell from their sub-school, then that check's percentage is halved (rounding down) - however, the same mechanics that allow them to use their elemental magic to shield themselves from the gaze of the [[Dark Powers]] makes them especially vulnerable to attracting their attention through other forms of magic, meaning all other spells cast by an elementalist that provoke a Dark Powers Check ''increase'' that check's percentage by half (rounding up). This means that a fire elementalist who casts a spell to perform a deed that would normally provoke a 14% Dark Powers check drops it to a 7% check if they use a fire spell and raises it to a 21% check if they use any other kind of spell.

Perhaps not the most impressive class, but certainly better designed than the crock of steaming shit that was the [[Arcanist]].

Alternative takes on the Elementalist would appear in the [[Al-Qadim]] setting for [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]], in the form of two new [[kits]] (technically variant specialist wizards): the Elemental Mage, and the [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|Sorcerer]].

The ''Elemental Mage'' was the Zakharan equivalent of the Tome of Magic Elementalist - yes, this was kind of stupid, and they even admitted the idea had been done before in the Tome of Magic. Elemental Mages gained the following bonuses, at the cost of being completely unable to '''any''' spell that wasn't either a Universal spell or part of their chosen elemental proficiency:
* +40% chance to learn spells belonging to your chosen elemental.
* +2 bonus to all saving throws against attacks using your chosen element.
* -2 damage per damage die against attacks using your chosen element.
* +2 to all proficiency and ability checks involving your chosen element.
* +1 damage per damage die with attacks you make that involve your chosen element.

The ''Zakharan Sorcerer'' is a variant Elemental Mage that trades potency for versatility. Their only special advantage is a +20% chance to learn elemental spells - however, they can learn spells from ''two'' elements, instead of just one.

To add to their flavor, Zakharan elementalists referred to the four elements as Sand (Earth), Wind (Air), Sea (Water) and Flame (Fire). Also, for flavor reasons, the only native [[wizard]]s in Zakhara were elementalists and [[sha'ir]], with other kinds of wizard being designated as "Ajamis"; these bastards are regarded with social fear and distrust, and can't learn new spells whilst in Zakhara, as all native magic is based on genie teachings that outsiders can't grok, although they always have the option to convert to one of the native wizard kits.

The next official D&D Elementalist appeared in [[Dungeons & Dragons]] 4th edition, in the sourcebook "Heroes of the [[Elemental Chaos]]". Whilst this sourcebook provided new elemental-themed powers for many classes, as well as elementalism character themes, it also featured the Elementalist: an Essentials [[Variant Class]] for the [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|Sorcerer]]. Running on Essentials'... unique approach to 4e classes, the 4e Elementalist had a unique spell source (elemental magic), and also has no daily or encounter powers; they cast a range of metamagic enhanced at-will powers using their own Elemental Escalation ability. Elementalists pick a specific element and run with it, gaining a specific set of abilities depending on whether you favour earth, fire, air, water or heart.

Considering when Heroes of Elemental Chaos was released, any similarity to any characters in [[Avatar: The Last Airbender]] is almost certainly intentional.

However, another [[elementalism]] class had preceded the elementalist proper. In the pages of [[Dragon Magazine]] came the Pyromancy school for the [[Mage]] (itself a variant class of the wizard), a form of elementalist focused entirely on killing things with fire. Like all Mage schools, being a Pyromancer translated as a set of three class features gained at levels 1, 5 and 10, with the option to "dabble" in that school by gaining its first two features at levels 4 and 8.
* Pyromancy Apprentice: You gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls with arcane fire attacks. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. Additionally, your attacks ignore fire resistance.
* Pyromancy Expert: You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff checks and Intimidate checks.
* Pyromancy Master: When you use an area or close arcane fire attack power that is not already a zone, the area of the attack becomes a zone that lasts until the end of your next turn. Creatures that end their turns within the zone take fire damage equal to your Constitution modifier.

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