Elements within elements

[CrimsonJoker]

Your Story does a good job of establishing the basic five elements of Fire, Air, Earth, Water, and Spirit.

However when I came back I wondered how you would do any other elements. Water also gives you ice and entropy, but would Wood fall under it or Earth?  Is it both like in Naruto? Is Metal Earth or Fire? How does Sound fit in? Is Spirit simply force blasts and nothing more?

[Hick Jr]

*smells discussion about esoteric evocation elements, bursts in*

My favorite topic! I'd put Wood down as either part of Earth or another element entirely, like in Wu Xing. Earth is the obvious over-element for Metal, but Fire has a solid case too as both of them are symbolic of human progress and technology. Sound is definitely a subset of aeromancy (Air magic). Spirit is mental stuff, light, sometimes sound, veils, illusions, and force stuff.

[Haru]

It depends on how the character interprets it, mostly. And therefore, it depends on how your group agrees upon it. If you want wood to be both earth and water, go for it. I'm always of the philosophy that if you can explain to me how what you do relates to the mechanics you want to use, I'm game.

Spirit is often used for veils and other applications of light. Sound could be covered by spirit as well, though it might fit under air as well. There really isn't any one good answer, it all comes down to group consensus.

[CrimsonJoker]

Personally, I like Fire for Metal since it has do be forged or at least milled.

I see what you're saying about interpretation. My group played slightly fast and loose with the rules so we never really ironed out what governs what.

[bobjob]

I always saw elements like Metal and Wood as gestalt of Earth and another element and you gain access to properties of both elements depending on how you want to use Metal or Wood.

[Mr. Ghostbuster]

This sort of thing depends on the person who wields the magic. What do they believe?

[AstronaughtAndy]

I think of metal and earth as being combination elements.

Metal is earth that has been purified by fire.

Wood is earth that has been infused with water. Or water that has been fortified by earth.

In the Avatar-verse, metalbending is a special subset of earthbending, and I think there was a tribe of people who controlled plants via waterbending.

[Taran]

In the avatar-verse, I think metal bending was the purest form of earth bending...or something like that.

blood magic was also water-bending

[PirateJack]

In the avatar-verse, I think metal bending was the purest form of earth bending...or something like that.

(click to show/hide)

The exact opposite, actually. Metalbenders bend the impurities within metals, so it's more accurate to say they're bending the dirt within a metal. It's the reason why Hiroshi Sato coated an entire underground lair in platinum; it's apparently one of the easier metals to purify.

[narphoenix]

…

SPOILER. I mean, I know this, but some people might yell.

[PirateJack]

SPOILER. I mean, I know this, but some people might yell.

Really? That's from the first series of Korra, which came out over 2 years ago. It's like claiming spoilers on Breaking Bad for saying that Walter White turns to cooking meth.

[bobjob]

Really? That's from the first series of Korra, which came out over 2 years ago. It's like claiming spoilers on Breaking Bad for saying that Walter White turns to cooking meth.

Wait... HE COOKS METH? SPOILERS ANYBODY?! Next you'll tell me he doesn't teach chemistry anymore That's what I watched the first episode for. I love chemistry.

[Taran]

Wait... HE COOKS METH? SPOILERS ANYBODY?! Next you'll tell me he doesn't teach chemistry anymore That's what I watched the first episode for. I love chemistry.

Ninja'd

[Haru]

Ninja'd

Ninja-ninja'd.

[PirateJack]

Sometimes I really wish this forum had a thumbs up/like button.