Water Bender Features

As a Water Bender you gain the following class features.

Fluid Defense - Level 1

Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

Elemental Arts - Level 1

At 1st level, your practice of bending arts has earned you some special abilities.

You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for attack and damage rolls when making an attack you are proficient in.

Quick Freeze
When you hit a creature within 5 ft. of you with a melee attack or with a Water Bending Technique, you can take a bonus action to freeze your target’s feet in ice, restraining them. This last for 1 round (6 seconds). The time this effect lasts increases as you level up, which you can see in the Restrain Time column of the Water Bender table. The target can also attempt to make a Strength Saving throw against your Bending Save DC, which is calculated further down this page, to break out of the ice as an action on their turn.

Healing Aura
When you are in combat, if you roll a natural 20 on an attack or a Medicine check, you can cause yourself or one creature within 5 feet of you to gain a number of health points equal to your Critical Heal die, which can be found in the Critical Heal Die column of the Water Bender table, plus your Wisdom modifier.

You know the cantrip shape water.

Chi - Level 2

At 2nd level, you can start using more advanced Water Bending techniques. The amount of energy that you have is measured by your number of chi points. Your Water Bender level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Chi Points column of the Water Bender table. You regain all used chi points after a short or long rest.

You can spend chi points to fuel various Water Bending features. You start knowing three such features: Healing Water, Water Run, and Air Hydration. You learn more Water Bending features as you level up.

When you spend a chi point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended chi back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your chi points.

Some of the Water Bending features require you to make a ranged spell attack to hit your target or your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effect. The bending attack bonus and save DC are calculated as follows:

Bending Abilities

Dexterity and Wisdom are your bending abilities for your Water Bender features and techniques. You move as swift as rapids, and have a head as cool as ice. You use Dexterity and Wisdom whenever a Water Bender feature or technique refers to your bending ability. In addition, you use your Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers when setting the saving throw DC for a Water Bender feature or technique you use and when making an attack roll with a feature.

Bending Ability Modifier
Dexterity Modifier divided by 2 (rounded down) + Wisdom modifier divided by 2 (rounded up)

Bending Attack Bonus
Proficiency bonus + Bending ability modifier

Save DC
Bending Attack Bonus + 8

Here are your first three Water Bending features:

Healing Water
You surround your hands with water and cast Healing Water as a bonus action at the cost of 1 chi point. You can cast this spell at higher levels by expending more chi points, one level higher for each chi point expended.

Water Run
You can cause water to solidify just enough for you to run across it as a bonus action. You cannot end a turn while over the water, or you will begin to sink. This effect lasts for 1 hour. You can spend 1 chi point when activating this feature so that you can end your turn while over water and not sink.

Air Hydration
As a bonus action, you can consume 1 chi point to gather water from the air, or from sweat or moisture on other objects. This is enough water to fill a water skin. You can spend extra chi points to gather more water in the same bonus action, one filled water skin for each chi point. If the area is incredibly dry or incredibly moist, it is up to the DM to determine how much water is gathered per chi point.

Ice Sheet - Level 2

Starting at 2nd level, as an action, you can consume 1 chi point to bend water onto the ground and freeze it, using Ice Sheet. The size of the square increases to 15 feet when you reach 8th level, then to 20 feet when you reach 16th level. You can undo this effect as an action. You can do use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier. You regain all uses of this feature once you complete a long rest.

Slipless Grip - Level 2

When you are walking or climbing on a slick surface due to water or ice, you take on no disadvantage or penalty. You can use your bonus action to give any creatures of your choosing that are within 15 feet of you this benefit as they move through the slippery terrain.

Momentous Movement - Level 3

Starting at 3rd level, when an opponent hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to consume 1 chi point to attempt to grasp the attacker with water and carry their momentum to affect them in some way. This does not apply to critical hits. You must make a Dexterity saving throw against their accuracy. A failure results in taking half damage. A success results in no damage and bending water around the attacker’s hands and choosing one of the following effects to occur:

Freeze
You cause the water to freeze around the attacker’s hands. Their hands are considered petrified, so they cannot release their weapon whatsoever. Their attacks now have disadvantage. A creature affected by this ability can also not cast spells that have the "S" component. This lasts for 1 minute or until they smash the ice, which requires the target to make a Strength saving throw that beats your Save DC, or they melt the ice.

Yank
You can use the water to push or pull the target a set number of feet in any direction. If they are one size larger than you, you can push/pull them up to 5 feet. If they are any larger than that, you cannot affect them. If they are of equal size to you, you can push/pull them up to 10 feet. Creatures 1 size smaller than you can be pushed or pulled 20 feet, 2 sizes smaller 30 feet, etc. The target is prone after being thrown.

Disarm
You can use the water to rip the weapon out of the attacker’s hands, if they are using one. You can choose to hold this weapon or toss it up to 30 feet away, not dealing any damage when thrown.

Water Bending Techniques - Level 3

Starting at the 3rd level, you can have up to 2 Advanced Water Bending Techniques of levels less than or equal to 2 and 1 Basic Water Bending Technique from the Water Technique list. To use an Advanced Technique requires you to consume a number of chi points equal to the technique’s level. Basic techniques require no chi points.

As you gain levels in this class, you will be able to learn higher level techniques, as seen on the Technique Level column of the Water Bender table, as well as have more techniques prepared, as seen on the Basic/Advanced column of the Water Bender table.

Additionally, when you take a long rest, you can choose one of the Advanced techniques you know and replace it with another Advanced technique from the Water Technique list that you are capable of doing. You can also instead replace a Basic Technique you know with another Basic Technique from the Water Technique list.

Every technique has the "M" and "S" components, and never the "V" component. The only material you need is enough water that the DM deems necessary to do the technique.

Ability Score Improvement - Level 4, 8, 12, 16, 19

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.

Icy Ramp - Level 4

Staring at 4th level, when falling, you can use your reaction to bend water and create an ice ramp to break your fall and slide down. The DM will determine before you use your reaction whether or not you have enough water on/around you to create a long enough ramp. You can also use this on a creature or object that is falling within 30 feet of you. If any creature that isn't a Water Bender goes down this ramp, they must make a Dexterity saving throw of DC 10. A failure results in them being knocked prone while sliding down and taking half of the fall damage that they would have taken. A creature's movement isn’t used as they go down the ramp. This ramp lasts until the end of your next turn, at which point it will melt.

Extra Attack - Level 5

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

Instant Water Healing - Level 5

Starting at 5th level, whenever you are touching water at least up to your knees, you can use your reaction to restore a number of hit points equal to 3 times your Water Bender Level plus your Wisdom modifier. You must complete a long rest before using this ability again.

Freezing Fist - Level 6

Starting at 6th level, you can use a simple, offensive Water Bending attack for close-combat. As an attack, you bend ice at a target within 5 ft. of you, dealing 1d6 + Bending Modifier points of cold damage. You use your Bending Attack Bonus for this attack. This acts as a normal attack.

At 12th level, the damage increases to 1d8 + Bending Modifier.

Momentous Movement Upgrade - Level 7

Starting at 7th level, Momentous Movement can now apply to critical hits. Also, all of the effects of this ability improve:

Freeze
Lasts for 5 minutes, and can only be melted by extreme heat.

Yank
You can push/pull the target an additional 10 feet. You can use this on a creature 2 sizes larger than you, but never gargantuan. Throwing the target at another enemy forces the enemy to make a Dexterity saving throw against your Save DC. On a failure, both targets take 1d8 bludgeoning damage multiplied by the value next to the size of the creature being thrown. The thrown enemy is knocked prone.

Tiny = 1/4
Small = 1/2
Medium = 1
Large = 2
Huge = 3

For example, if you threw a large creature at another creature, they would both receive 1d8 x 2 bludgeoning damage.

Disarm
As you disarm your opponent, you can attack them with the weapon you’ve taken as a bonus action. You are proficient when wielding a weapon like this. You can continue fighting with this weapon in subsequent turns as part of your Attack action. While you fight with this weapon using this feature, you cannot disarm another creature with this feature.

Watery Limbs - Level 9

Starting at 9th level, you can wrap water around your arms as a bonus action and expending 1 chi point, giving your melee attacks more range and power. Your range for melee attacks and melee waterbending techniques increases by 15 feet and the damage dealt by the attack or technique deals an additional 1d6 points of damage. This increases at level 14 (1d8), level 17 (2d6) and level 20 (2d8). This buff lasts for 1 minute.

Healing Upgrade - Level 10

Starting at 10th level, all of your healing abilities can have the possibility of curing any and all negative physical effects at once. This includes poison, disease, paralysis, blindness, petrification and being deafened. When you use an ability that restores hit points, you can choose to consume 1 extra chi point to make a Medicine check. The DC of curing any one of these effects is 15. For every extra effect, the DC increases by 15. For example, if you used Healing Water on a target who was both blind and paralyzed, the DC to cure both conditions would be 30. If you rolled a 15-29, the DM would randomly choose one of the conditions to be cured, but not the other. If you choose a specific condition that you want to cure before you roll, that condition will be cured rather than the DM randomly choosing. However, if you choose a specific condition(s), you will only be able to cure that condition(s), even if you roll high enough to cure more. A creature can only be affected by this feature once every 24 hours.

Medical Eye - Level 13

Starting at 13th level, you have learned to study people to tell if they’re feeling sick and need care, or just hoping to get some attention. You gain proficiency in Medicine and Insight. If you already have proficiency in one or both of these skills, you gain double proficiency.

Cool Breath - Level 13

Starting at 13th level, you can use an action and consume 2 chi points to freeze a creature or object within 60 feet of you. The target must either be submerged in water or they must have been affected by one of your water-based attacks or effects. You breathe a cold breath as the water on their body/surface freezes up in seconds. The target must make a Strength Saving throw against your Bending Save DC or be considered petrified for a number of rounds equal to your Restrain Time. Unless the target is fully submerged in water, they can still talk, see, and hear. If the target is only partially frozen (ex. the target was standing waist-deep in a river, and they were dry from the waist up), they can attempt to break the ice frozen around their form by making a Strength Saving throw at disadvantage against your Bending Save DC. Another creature can attempt to break out the target by making a Strength Saving Throw.

Critical Heal Upgrade - Level 14

Starting at the 14th level, you have gained more focus when healing at a critical moment. You can now roll your Critical Heal dice whenever you roll a natural 16-20 on an attack or a Medicine check.

Experienced Healer - Level 14

Starting at the 14th level, you can now push yourself to greater heights when healing. Whenever you restore hit points, you can expend chi points and re-roll a number of dice equal to the number of chi points you expend. You can decide whether to take your first roll or the re-roll. This does not apply to Medicine checks, only dice that determine how many hit points are regained.

Plant Bending - Level 15

Starting at 15th level, you have honed your waterbending enough for you to bend the water that exists inside of plants. You can cause one of these effects to happen when bending plants that are within 60 feet of you:

Grasp
If the plant has vines or any sort of long appendages, you can bend them as an action and consuming 2 chi points to attempt to grab an object or opponent. The target must succeed a Dexterity Saving Throw against your Bending Save DC or be grabbed and restrained. If the plants are very short (ex. grass, small flowers), the target will be grappled, but not restrained. The DM determines how far you can reach with any given plant. If you want to throw the target, you can do so in the same action and it follows the same damage and distance rules as Momentous Movement’s Yank effect, with the distance possibly changing depending on the plant. If you just want to continue to restrain the target, they can make a Strength Saving Throw against your Bending Save DC as an action to break out of the grip.

Gather
You can pull vines and plants around you as an action and a varying amount of chi points to create plant armor. Each chi point adds 1 to your current AC, to a maximum of 5 added to your AC. Certain plants may also grant you certain resistances, like plants that can withstand arctic environments granting cold resistance. Almost all plants can be destroyed by fire-based attacks. This is considered a concentration spell for up to 1 minute.

Drain
You rip the water out of the plant as a bonus action, allowing you to use it with your normal water abilities and killing the plant (Unless the plant is a creature, in which case it takes 1d8 necrotic damage that cannot be healed back except over a long rest). Most plants will grant enough water to fill two water-skins, but it’s up to the DM to determine how much water you get if the plant is in a very dry or very moist environment.

If the plant is a creature, it must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Bending Save DC. If it is at night, the plant has disadvantage on the saving throw. If it is during the full moon, it is guaranteed to fail the saving throw. (DM, be fair about when there is or isn’t a full moon. Keep literal track of the days that pass in game and the different moon positions if you have to.) If the creature fails the saving throw, the Water Bender can either cause one of the previously listed effects to occur or can use the creature as a puppet. If the Water Bender is ever hurt while still in control of a plant, the plant can attempt another saving throw to break free of the Water Bender’s control. You can use a bonus action to move the target up to 30 feet, or you can have them attack with any weapon they have on them or is within their reach. You roll for attack and damage, and you are proficient with any weapon.

Octopus Form - Level 18

Starting at 18th level, you have learned the defensive Octopus Form. By consuming your action and 5 chi points, you create a ring of water around you with many tendrils. This acts as a concentration spell. The circle has a radius of 15 feet centered on you. You cannot move this circle once you have created it, and if you step out of it, the form falls apart. our AC increases by 5, and all ranged attacks have disadvantage against you.

When an opponent walks through the ring of water, they must make a Dexterity Saving Throw against your Bending Save DC. Success results in them getting through, while failure results in a tentacle grabbing them and throwing them a maximum of 15 feet in any direction you choose. Throwing the target at another enemy follows the same damage rules as Momentous Movement’s Yank effect. At the end of every enemy’s turn that is in the circle, you can choose to force them to make a Dexterity Saving Throw against your Bending Save DC with advantage or be tossed out.

You can use your action to make an attack on everyone within the ring. Any number of creatures within the ring of your choice must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or take 2d8 cold damage and 2d8 bludgeoning damage. You can also make an attack against any creature within 15 feet of the ring, dealing 2d8 bludgeoning damage and 2d8 cold damage on a hit. Lastly, you could cause the ring to explode outward and have the effect of the last action of Investiture of Water, but affecting all creatures (besides yourself) within the ring and those within 15 feet from the ring in all directions. That last action causes the Octopus Form to fall apart.

Blood Bending - Level 20

At 20th level, you have perfected your waterbending so that you can feel and manipulate the blood that flows through every living (or once living) thing. As an action and consuming 5 chi points, you can attempt to bend the blood in a creature's body who is within 60 feet of you, making them your puppet. The target must make a Constitution saving throw against your Save DC. If they are dead, they automatically fail the saving throw. If it is at night, it is with disadvantage. If it is during the full moon, the ability immediately succeeds. (DM, be fair about when there is or isn’t a full moon. Keep literal track of the days that pass in game and the different moon positions if you have to.) If a Water Bender tries to Blood Bend another Water Bender, the targeted Water Bender has advantage on their saving throw all of the time, even during a full moon. A success results in resisting the Blood Bending, and a failure turns the target into the Water Bender’s puppet. Creatures with no bodily fluids are immune to this feature. This acts as a concentration spell.

The target can still talk, see, hear, and have their own consciousness, but they cannot control the rest of their body at all. You can use an action or bonus action to move the target up to 30 feet, or you can have them attack with any weapon they have on them or that is within their reach. You roll for attack and damage, and you are proficient with any weapon. Any time you are damaged or you do any Water Technique or use any Water Bender ability, the target can make another saving throw, even if it's a full moon, but still with disadvantage if it's at night. 

Water Technique List

Note: All healing techniques require that you are touching the water and the water is touching the creature you are healing.

Basic Techniques

Advanced Techniques

1st Level

2nd Level

3rd Level

4th Level

5th Level

6th Level

7th Level

None

8th Level

9th Level