Dungeons and Dragons – Mystara
Sorcerer Origins – Elemental Essence
Elemental Essence
- Source: Game Master modified and based on Deep Magic 14 – Elemental Magic (5e-kob-dm14)
- Origin – Overview
- Origin – Features
- Origin – Build Shortcuts
- Origin – GM Section
- Origin – Design Decisions
- Content Updates

Elemental Essence – Overview
Your innate magic arises from elemental power suffused into your being. You might have an elemental creature, such as genie, in your ancestry. Perhaps you lived most of your life near a portal to one of the Elemental Planes, and the ambient magic of the plane saturated everything you ate and drank. Perhaps a magical conjuring went awry, and the essence of an elemental merged with your own. Whatever the ultimate source, you are a walking conduit to an elemental plane.
Elemental Heritage: There are five types of elemental essence: Air, Darkness, Earth, Fire and Water. At 1st level, choose one element from the Elemental Heritage table. You can speak, read, and write the language associated with your heritage, and its damage type is used by features you gain later.
Sorcerer Origin of Elemental Essence
- Patron of
- Matter – Living (Agriculture (4)) for Earth
- Thought – Science (Agriculture (4)) for Air
- Dual Matter/Thought – Living Science (Agriculture (4))
- Associated Secret Crafts – Airologist (Agriculture, Air), Earthologist (Agriculture), Naturologist (Agriculture),
- Energy Immortals – Ninsun (Agriculture),
- Matter Immortals – Terra (Agriculture),
- Thought Immortals – Air Elemaster (Air), Frey (Agriculture), Odin (Air), Palartarken (Air), Ralon (Agriculture),
- Primary Pantheon/Immortals – Air (Air Elemaster, Odin, Palartarken), Alphatian Empire (Air Elemaster, Odin, Palartarken), Dwarven and Gnome (Frey, Ninsun, Ralon, Terra), Forest (Frey, Ninsun, Ralon, Terra), Halfling (Frey, Ninsun, Ralon, Terra), Land Guilds (Frey, Ninsun, Ralon, Terra), Myoshima (Frey, Ninsun, Ralon, Terra), Sky (Air Elemaster, Odin, Palartarken),
- Secondary Pantheon/Immortals – Dragonkin (Freyja, Terra), Dwarven and Gnome (Palartarken), Earth (Terra), Elven (Frey), Ethengarian (Frey), Forest (Air Elemaster), Giantkin (Frey), Halfling (Odin), Makai (Palartarken), Myoshima (Palartarken), Norse (Frey, Odin), Ocean (Air Elemaster), Radiance (Air Elemaster, Palartarken), Shadowlands (Air Elemaster), Thyatian Empire (Frey, Odin), Traladaran (Palartarken), Ylari (Air Elemaster),
- Councils – Ancient Ones (Air Elemaster, Odin), Assembly (Air Elemaster, Frey, Ninsun, Odin, Palartarken, Ralon, Terra), Celestials (Frey), Elemental Rules (Air Elemaster), Energy (Ninsun), Hierarch (Air Elemaster, Ninsun, Odin, Terra), Matter (Terra), Sphere (Terra), Temporal (Palartarken, Ralon), Thought (Air Elemaster, Frey, Odin, Palartarken, Ralon),
Elemental Heritage Table
Element | Language | Damage Type |
---|---|---|
Air | Auran | Lightning or Thunder |
Darkness | Primordial | Necrotic or Psychic |
Earth | Terran | Acid or Poison |
Fire | Ingnan | Fire or Radiant |
Water | Aquan | Cold or Force |
Elemental Essence – Features
- (1st) Manifest Aura
- (6th) Infuse Elements
- (14th) Elemental Jaunt
- (18th) Elemental Soul
(1st) Manifest Aura
Starting at 1st level, you gain the ability to channel your elemental power into a swirling aura. As a bonus action, you can surround yourself in a magical aura of elemental material or energy appropriate to your heritage for one minute. While the aura persists, you gain the following benefits:
- When you are attacked, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll before the attack hits or misses.
- When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, the aura around you intensifies until the start of your next turn. During this time, any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of you or that enters a space within 5 feet of you takes 1d6 damage of the type associated with your heritage element. This damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 7th level (2d6).
You can use this ability twice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
(6th) Infuse Elements
(6th) Infuse Elements: Starting at 6th level, you gain resistance to the damage type associated with your heritage. Additionally, when you damage a creature with a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to lace it with the power of your heritage element. The spell takes on a visual cast that reflects the elemental infusion (fire and embers dance in the area, wind swirls around a bolt of energy, etc.) and inflicts the following additional effects depending on your heritage:
- Air. The creature is buffeted by strong winds, arcs of lighting, and claps of thunder. It can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn.
- Darkness. The creature is treated as if under 1 additional level of exhaustion until the end of its next turn.
- Earth. The creature is partially petrified and restrained until the start of your next turn.
- Fire. The creature is seared by your fiery magic. It is frightened until the end of its next turn. Creatures that are immune to fire are unaffected.
- Water. The creature is disoriented as the world seems to roll and pitch in waves. It is poisoned until the end of its next turn.
(14th) Elemental Jaunt
At 14th level, you can teleport by skimming the outer boundary of the Elemental Planes. As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. When you appear, you can, depending on your heritage element, create the following effects:
- Air. When you appear within 5 feet of an area of wind (whether natural or magical), you create a cyclonic burst of wind. All creatures within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 slashing damage and be blinded by dust and debris until the start of your next turn.
- Darkness: When you appear with 5 feet of dim light (whether natural or magical), you send out a ripple of darkness around you. Each creature within 10 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw or have all their rolls against you at disadvantage and take 2d6 necrotic damage.
- Earth. When you appear within 5 feet of non-magical, unworked stone filling at least one five-foot square, you create tremors in the earth that ripple outward from you. Each creature within 10 feet of you that is touching the ground must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take 4d6 bludgeoning damage and fall prone.
- Fire. When you appear within 5 feet of a fire at least the size of a campfire, you create a burst of flame around yourself. Each creature within 10 feet must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 fire damage and ignite. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 1d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns.
- Water. When you appear within 5 feet of at least 50 gallons of water, you create a torrent of water that assails the creatures around you. Each creature within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and choke on the water that forces its way into the creature’s throat. A choking creature can’t speak and has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the start of your next turn. Creatures that don’t have to breathe or that can breathe water don’t choke.
Saving throws against these effects are made against your spell save DC. You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
(18th) Elemental Soul
At 18th level, you gain immunity to the damage type associated with your heritage.
Depending on your elemental heritage, you also gain one of the following benefits:
- Air. You gain a magical flying speed equal to your current walking speed. Additionally, during your turn you can spend 1 sorcery point to become insubstantial wind and mist. Until the start of your next turn, you gain a number of benefits: You can enter a hostile creature’s space, you can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing, you are immune to the effects of strong wind, and you are resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical attacks.
- Darkness. You can Fey step while in dim light up to your normal movement. If you choose to you can appear in place of a target creature which has to make a Charisma saving throw or swap places with you ad take 1d10 necrotic damage, if they succeed you appear next to them instead.
- Earth. You gain a burrow speed equal to your current walking speed, and you can burrow through non-magical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, you don’t disturb the material you move through. Additionally, you can spend 1 sorcery point to become stony and unyielding until the start of your next turn. During this time, you are resistant to piercing and slashing damage, immune to poison damage, and you can’t be petrified or poisoned.
- Fire. Your speed increases by 10 feet. Additionally, during your turn you can spend 1 sorcery point to become fiery and insubstantial. Until the start of your next turn, you can move through a hostile creature’s space. The first time you enter a creature’s space on a turn, that creature takes 1d10 fire damage and ignites. Until it takes an action to douse the fire, an ignited creature takes 1d10 fire damage at the start of its turn.
- Water. You gain a swimming speed equal to your current walking speed, and you can breathe both water and air. Additionally, during your turn you can spend 1 sorcery point to take on a watery form. Until the start of your next turn, you can enter a hostile creature’s space and move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. When you enter a hostile creature’s space, the creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or fall prone.
Character Build Shortcuts
Class Build – Sorcerer – Elemental Essence (Water) – Level 01
- Manifest Aura (Cold – Elemental Essence 1st) – You gain the ability to channel your elemental power into a swirling aura. As a bonus action, you can surround yourself in a magical aura of elemental material or energy appropriate to your heritage for one minute. While the aura persists, you gain the following benefits:
- When you are attacked, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll before the attack hits or misses.
- When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, the aura around you intensifies until the start of your next turn. During this time, any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of you or that enters a space within 5 feet of you takes 1d6 damage of the type associated with your heritage element.
- You can use this ability twice. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Class Build – Sorcerer – Elemental Essence (Water) – Level 07
- Manifest Aura Upgrade (Cold – Elemental Essence 1st) – The aura around you increases by 1d6 (2d6).
Origin Elemental Essence – GM Section
- Secret Crafts: Airologist, Darkologist, Earthologist, Fireologist, Waterologist
- Locations: Found all over the setting
- Races: This is the standard sorcerer origin for the setting.
- Character Options – All Air Aspected Sub-Races
- Barbarian – Path of the Storm Herald (Sea)
- Cleric – Domain of Air
- Monk – Way of the Elements (Air)
- Sorcerer – Draconic Bloodline (White), Elemental Essence (Air), Storm Sorcery
- Warlock – Pact of the Genie Lord (Air)
- Wizard – Elementalist (Air)
- Character Options – All Darkness Aspected Sub-Races
- Barbarian – Path of the Storm Herald (Shadowlands)
- Cleric – Domain of Darkness
- Monk – Way of the Elements (Darkness)
- Sorcerer – Draconic Bloodline (Black), Elemental Essence (Darkness)
- Warlock – Pact of the Genie Lord (Darkness)
- Wizard – Elementalist (Darkness)
- Character Options – All Earth Aspected Sub-Races
- Barbarian – Path of the Storm Herald (Mountain)
- Cleric – Domain of Earth
- Monk – Way of the Elements (Earth)
- Sorcerer – Draconic Bloodline (Green), Elemental Essence (Earth)
- Warlock – Pact of the Genie Lord (Earth)
- Wizard – Elementalist (Earth)
Character Options – All Fire Aspected Sub-Races
- Barbarian – Path of the Storm Herald (Desert)
- Cleric – Domain of Fire
- Monk – Way of the Elements (Fire)
- Sorcerer – Draconic Bloodline (Red), Elemental Essence (Fire)
- Warlock – Pact of the Genie Lord (Fire)
- Wizard – Elementalist (Fire)
- Character Options – All Water Aspected Sub-Races
- Barbarian – Path of the Storm Herald (Tundra)
- Cleric – Domain of Water
- Monk – Way of the Elements (Water)
- Sorcerer – Draconic Bloodline (Blue), Elemental Essence (Water)
- Warlock – Pact of the Genie Lord (Water)
- Wizard – Elementalist (Water)
Design Decisions
I had these as a type of generic sorcerer option for the known world region. I had originally given the darkness element the language of Shadowtongue but I have moved it over to Primordial giving them the ability to understand and converse with all the other elements.
Locations: Alphatia, Atruaghin, Darokin, Ethengar, Glantri, Ierendi, Karameikos, Minrothad, Northern Reaches, Norwold Region, Thyatis, Ylaruam
Races: Dwarf (craftbound, Hillbound, Seabound, Shadowbound, Stonebound), Human (Alasiyan, Atruaghin, Ethengar, Hattian, Heldannic, Kerendan, Makai, Makistani, Nithian, Nuari, Thothian, Thyatian and Traladaran)
Content Updates
- 2022-05-15 – Linked into the patron content.
- 2021-08-29 – Update to layout and menu.
Mystara 5E Classes
Overview, Downtime for Gaining Level
Artificer: Alchemist, Armourer, Artillerist, Battle Smith, Bombardier, Engineer, Stitcher
Barbarian: Amber’s Enlightened, Ancestors, Ancestral Guardian, Battlerager, Beast, Beast Slayer, Bearsarker, Berserker, Carcharodon, Dreadnought, Fractured, Fungal Hulk, Harrier, Herculean, Juggernaut, Primal Spirit, Primordial Predator, Rager, Storm Herald, Tempest, Totem Warrior, Ulfhander, Wild Magic, Wizard Slayer, Zealot
Bard: Adventurers, Ancients, Creation, Eloquence, Entropy, Epic Poetry, Fey Magic, Glamour, Grace, Greenleaf, the Jester, Lore, Loremaster, Minstrel, Mirthful Mariarchi, Mountebank, Requiems, Singer of the Deeps, Spirits, Swords, Troubadour, Valour, Virtue, Warchanter, Whispers, Wyrdsingers
Cleric: Aberrance, Alhool Keener, Air, Ambition, Apocalypse, Arcana, Balance, Beauty, Beer, Blood, Cats, Chaos, City, Clockwork, Corruption, Crafts, Creation, Darkness, Death, Dragon, Earth, Eldritch, Enigma, Fire, Force, Forge, Grave, Healer, Hunger, Hunt, Hunting, Inquisition, Justice, Knowledge, Labyrinth, Law, Life, Light, Luck, Lust, Madness, Messiah of Ashes, Moon, Mountain, Mushroom, Naraneus, Nature, Nobility, Oceans, Oracle, Order, Peace, Prophecy, Repose, Sharing, Sickness, Solidarity, Speed, Strength, Sun Priest, Tempest, Time, Travel, Trickery, Twilight, Tyranny, Undeath, Void, War, Warpriest, Water, Winter, Zeal
Druid: Ancestors, Blood, Dreams, Feyfriend, the Forest Kingdom, Guardian, the Land, the Moon, Mushrooms, Mutation, Oaks, Owls, Roses, Sacrifice, the Shapeless and Prime Terror, the Shepherd, Skinchanger, Spirits, Stars, the Stones, the Tree of Life, Treespeaker, Wildfire
Fighter: Arcane Archer, Banneret, Battle Master, Bladebonded, Blind Duelist, Boarder, Brute, Bulwark Warrior, Captain, Cavalier, Champion, Clacking Mercenary, Duelist, Echo Knight, Edjet, Eldritch Knight, Fortune’s Smith, Gholaad’s Translation, Ghost Knight, Gladiator, Griffon Knight, Hoplite Soldier, Hospitaller, Knight, Knight Surgeon, Living Crucible, Living Vampire, Prescient Knight, Psi Warrior, Rune Knight, Samurai, Sapper, Sharpshooter, Shield Bearer, Smithkin, Sword Dancer, Thug, Weapons Master, Woodlands Cavalier
Marshal: Crusader, Gambling General, Guerrilla, Kingpin, Mindbender, Noble, Path (Master, Night, Reaper), Rallier, Reaver, Redeemer, Revolutionary, Strategist, Swift Strategist, Tactician, Talented Tactician, Tyrant, Warbringer
Monk: the Ascendant Dragon, the Astral Self, the Bo’faquan, the Crystal Cannonade, Brawler, the Cobalt Soul, the Drunken Master, the Elements, the Exalted Athlete, Iron, the Kensai, the Leaden Crown, the Long Death, Mercy, the Open Hand, Pain, Pride, Reaving Vortex, Shadow, the Shield, the Sun Soul, the Warrior Monk
Paladin: the Ancients, the Annihilator, the Ascetic, Battle, Conquest, the Crown, Despair, Destruction, Devotion, the Dragonlord, the Eagle, Elimination, the Errant, the Giving Grave, Glory, Green Knight, Holy Champion, Inquisitor, Mercy, Pearl, Pestilence, Perfection, the Radiance, the Raven, Redemption, Spear Maiden, Thunder, Vengeance, the Watchers, Zeal. Special – Oathbreaker
Ranger: Beast Master, Explorer, Fey Hunter, Fey Wanderer, Gloom Stalker, Green Reaper, Hidden Guardian, Horizon Walker, Horse Nomad, Hoyrall Shredder, Hunter, Monster Slayer, Netherworld, Explorer, Privateer, Swarmkeeper, Underminer, Unicorn Charger, Urban Shadow, Vampire Slayer, Vermin Lord, Warden, Wildborn, Zobecker Scout
Rogue: Arcane Trickster, Assassin, Burglar, Cutthroat, Duelist, Fixer, Highway Rider, Hitman, Infernal Talismancer, Inquisitive, Investigator, Mastermind, Misfortune Bringer, Odyssean, Phantom, Poisoner of Minds, Scout, Soulknife, Spy, Svirf Scientist, Swashbuckler, Thief, Trapsmith, Whisper
Scholar: Alchemy, Mind-Delving
Sorcerer: Aberrant Mind, Aristocratic, Ascendant, Bloodlines (Boreal, Draconic, Dryad, Enigma, Lycanthrope, Mazeborn, Nerid, Norn, Nymph, Satyr, Serophage, Shadow, Wretched), Clockwork Soul, Cunning Woman, Divine Inspiration, Divine Soul,, Draconist Elemental Essence, Facets (Flawless Caster, Gemblade), Farseer, Haunted, Psychic Magic, Pyromancer, Runechild, Shadow Magic, Soul Burner, Spore-cerer, Storm Sorcery, Traveler, Wild Magic
Underterror: Hel Savant, Slaver of the Damned, Underworld Monstrocity
Warlock: Alienist, Archfey, Archfiend, Black Woods, Celestial, Colloid, Diabolist, Fates, Fathomless, Fiend, First Vampire, Fragment Channeler of Zagnexis, Frozen One, the Genie, Genie Lord, Grand Void, Great Machine, Great Old One, Hexblade, Light Eater, Oracle, Parasite, Primeval One, Sargasso Siren, Sibyl, Spellbound, Undead, Undying, Voices of the Ancestors
Wizard: Academy Philosopher, Alkemancer, Angelic Scribe, Aquanaught, Arcane Specialist, Arcanist, Bladesinger, Blood Mage, Castellan, Chronury Magic, Demonologist, Disenchanter, Doom Croaker, Dragon Masks, Elementalist, Entropist, Geomancy, Graviturgy Magic, Illuminator, Mage, Master of Fiends, Mystifier, Necrophagy, Order of Scribes, Plague Doctor, Ring Warden, Rune Caller, Sangromancer, Schools (Abjuration, Artifice, Blood Magic, Clockwork, Conjuration, Divination, Elven High Magic, Enchantment, Entropy, Evocation, Illumination, Illusion, Necromancy, Pyromancer, Transmutation, Void Magic), Ship Mage, Timekeeper, Transgnomamist, War Mage, White Necromancer
D&D 5E in Mystara
D&D Menu – Adventures, Artefacts, Backgrounds, Classes, Dominions, Downtime, Feats, Gazetteers, Gods, Magical Items, Monsters, Organisations, Pantheons, Races, Ranks & Titles, Rune Magic, Secret Crafts, Settlements, Spells, Timeline, Weapons Mastery
Game Management – Annotated Stat Block, Character Creation, Choosing a New Campaign, Gaming over Skype, GM’s Luck Roll, Tracking Experience
Class Builds –
Artificer – Bombardier (Tinkerkin),
Barbarian – Totem Warrior (Plamin, Camdu),
Bard – College of Valour (Sunfey),
Druid – Circle of Dreams (Woodfey), Circle of the Tree of Life (Seasonfey),
Fighter – Battlemaster (Seashire), Eldritch Knight (Kerendan), Weapons Master (Lani), Weapons Master (Stonebound),
Monk – Way of the Elements (Tidal),
Paladin – Oath of Radiance (Sunfey), Oath of Vengeance (Firechild),
Sorcerer – Wild Magic (Shadowfey),
Warlock – Celestial (Llewell),
Wizard – Bladesinger (Nerye),
Dragon – White (Calcryx).
Multiclass – Cleric/Wizard (Xhall), Rogue/Cleric (Dracnomir), Rogue/Sorcerer (Yodrey), Wizard/Rogue (Traladaran)
Floorplans – Thyatian
Session Recordings – Campaign Journals
Library of Books
B5, d20 System, Pathfinder, SW

This site is constantly under revision, no blog posts are final as this is a work in progress place for me to develop my game settings and rules. Some posts might be placeholders for future content, so feel free to check back later for updated information.
General Links
Basic Links: Who Am I?, Home, Game Tools, Game Session Videos, My Campaigns, My Library, Site Map, Subscription Information
Game Systems: Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder 1 & 2, Shadowrun, Star Wars. Other Game Systems
Site sponsored by the author AS Hamilton (my wife) with her books available on amazon kindle.