Airbending

> Airbending, one of the four elemental bending arts, is the aero kinetic ability to control and manipulate air. The peaceful Air Nomads utilized this type of bending in their everyday lives. Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly problems and concerns; finding peace and freedom was the key to solving their difficulties in life. Airbenders continually sought spiritual enlightenment, and, as a result, all children born into the Air Nomads were benders.
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> The key to airbending is flexibility and finding and following the path of least resistance. Airbending is notable for being almost purely defensive, as well as the most dynamic of the four bending arts. Airbenders can overwhelm many opponents at once with large and powerful attacks that could prove fatal; however, due to the pacifist nature of the Air Nomads, such attacks are rarely used. Due to their aforementioned spirituality, they often adapt to the situation surrounding them and employ negative jing, preferring evasive manoeuvres as opposed to direct confrontation.
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## Weaknesses

### Airbender principles regarding fatal moves

Though deemed the most dynamic of the bending arts, the most controversial aspect of airbending is its supposed lack of fatal moves, being a more defense-inclined art. This aspect in itself is a reflection of the principles held by the Air Nomads, which preaches the preciousness of all life and avoidance of violence whenever possible. But on the issue of principles, there are instances where an airbender has resorted to lethal force during a conflict. Nevertheless, when applied correctly, airbending can be as lethal as any other bending art. Airbending moves such as the air blade and air blast could prove particularly fatal against living creatures seeing as they can cut through stone/timber and break entire rock-columns in half respectively.

## Abilities

### Non-master level

#### Air ball

An airbender can create a compressed ball of air by moving their hands together in a circular motion. This technique has many applications such as levitating small objects or trapping opponents.

#### Air blast

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**Range:** Self; 50ft line

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**Chi cost per turn channelled per jet:** 13/8/5/3

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A more offensive manoeuvre involving a direct pulse or jet of strong wind from the hands, feet, or mouth. The force of the attack is generated more from the bender's own power, rather than assisted by momentum. The blast can reach further distances with greater accuracy and is used to inflict greater damage. The blasts can also be upheld for prolonged periods in order to push objects back.

* Choose from which appendage(s) you will fire the jets (i.e. palms; feet; mouth, up to a maximum of three streams). Choose a number of targets equal to or less than the number of jets you have, in a 50ft radius.
* Target(s) must make a constitution saving throw. Should they succeed, pushed back one-fifth of their range. Should they fail, they suffer 1d4 damage.
* Damage increases by 1d4 per rank.

#### Air bomb

A technique that creates a powerful, outward-moving air current in all directions around the bender. Usually performed after landing on the ground from above, this airbending form has great concussive force, and the capacity to completely blow away anything within its radius.

#### Air cushion

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**Range:** 40ft; stretched sphere with a radius of 4ft
**Chi cost per foot of cushion:** 24/15/9/6

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Airbenders can make a cushion out of air to break anyone's fall, including their own.

* Choose a location within a 40ft radius of yourself. The cushion is created in this location. It lasts for one full turn. For anyone who should fall onto it, they do not have to make  a dexterity saving throw when landing, irrespective of the height, or their orientation.
* This can be cast in lieu of rolling a dexterity saving throw when falling as a reaction.

#### Air funnel

Similar to an air vortex but on a smaller scale, this technique acts as a cannon by creating a small air funnel through which small projectiles could be loaded and fired out of the opposite end.

#### Air manipulation

By using circular, evasive movements, airbenders build up a large amount of energy and momentum, which is released through powerful moves. It also allows for wind-based counter-attacks that knock opponents off-balance, mimicking the sudden directional shifts of air currents. Attacks vary from simple gusts of wind to miniature tornadoes and cyclones, maintaining the circular theme. Even a simple movement can create an air gust and airbenders increase the power of their moves by performing larger sweeps and spins, using the momentum of their movement to produce larger gusts. This is also demonstrated with their use of staffs or fans to increase or create precision within the air currents. Similarly, airbenders can also augment the momentum of thrown objects.

#### Air punch/kick

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**Range:** Self; 10ft radius; small projectile
**Chi cost per punch/kick:** 7/4/3/2

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Another more offensive move than is typical of airbending discipline, air punches, or air kicks are small, compressed formations of air that can be fired off the fists or feet of an airbender. This is similar to many firebending abilities and the air blast; in the sense that it involves the firing of compressed or solidified air at an enemy in a disjunct fashion, i.e. the bender does not create a single great stream of air.

* Choose a target within a 15ft radius. The saving throw a target makes is dependent upon how close you are to the target. If the target is within 5ft, the target must make a strength saving throw; if the target is between 10 and 15ft away, they must make a dexterity saving throw. Should they fail, they take 1d6 damage, and you can roll for a second attack, free from their saving throw, giving a total damage of 2d6. Should they succeed, they take no damage.
* Damage increases per rank by 1d4.

#### Air shield

The most common defensive tactic for an airbender involves circling enemies, suddenly changing direction when attacked and evading by physical movement rather than bending. However, an airbender can still deflect attacks as needed by throwing up gusts of air close to their bodies as a shield. This is rarely to stop attacks directly and more often pushes the attack aside and away, conserving energy and allowing them to turn the movement into an attack at the same moment.

#### Air swipe

The air swipe is both a defensive and offensive technique in which an airbender conjures a crescent-shaped wave of compressed air capable of deflecting colossal projectiles.

#### Breath of wind

Similar to the standard air jet, but created from the mouth and lungs. It requires extremely good breath control to employ effectively. Size and focus are easily controlled, from narrow jets that can strike targets as small as insects, to large gale-force gusts capable of cooling magma into solidified rock. By using this technique, the airbender can also magnify the sound waves generated by a whistle or another instrument.

#### Enhanced agility

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**Passive bonus:** Advantage on Dexterity checks

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Air movements can also be used as a levitation aid. Airbenders jump high and far by riding on strong gusts of wind and can slow or deflect falls by creating cushions of air. The constant movement required by this art makes airbenders naturally flexible and agile. Even without bending, they can easily manoeuvre around an opponent by ducking, jumping, and side stepping, appearing to flow around their opponents without expending any energy at all, letting the opponent tire themselves out and thus creating exploitable openings. This conservation of energy combined with high stamina gives them an advantage in prolonged combat.

#### Enhanced speed

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**Passive bonus:** 20ft additional speed

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**Range:** Self

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**Chi cost per 10ft of speed gained:** 4/3/2/1

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Airbenders enhance their movement in battle; they can run swiftly by decreasing air resistance around them and even sprint across or run up vertical surfaces by generating a wind current behind themselves to propel them forward. When used by a skilled airbender, this technique can enable the airbender using it to travel at a speed almost too swift for the naked eye to be able to see properly. A master airbender can use this technique to briefly run across water.

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**Speed required for water running/blurred to the naked eye:** 300ft

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Once an airbender stops, they lose their speed bonuses. Furthermore, at this speed, the airbender cannot attack; to attack, they must stop or slow down to 150ft. Under the influence of enhanced speed, **airbenders suffer a disadvantage to all attack rolls: damage and success**.

#### Heat regulation

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**Passive bonus:** Automatically succeed on extreme cold constitution check.

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Airbenders are able to warm themselves using proper breathing technique, allowing them to thrive in frigid environments with relative ease.

#### Suction

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**Range:** Self; 50ft linear

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**Chi cost per 150lb pulled:** 17/10/6/4

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A technique used to bring people or objects toward the airbender.

### Master level

#### Air blades

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**Range:** Self; 40ft cone

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**Chi cost per blade produced:** 40/25/15/9

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A more offensive move than its typical of airbending principle, this involves a focused, slicing air current that can cut through stone or timber with relative ease. This is frequently conjured with a staff rather than the body, using the narrow profile of the object to create a more focused and precise air movement. This move could prove fatal if used on an individual.

* Choose a target within 40ft. Targets must make a dexterity saving throw. Should they succeed, they use 5ft of their speed to avoid the arc. Should they fail, they take 3d6 damage. If they receive maximum damage, they suffer a lingering injury. Alternatively, if the strike reduces their health to 0 or below, the target is brutally mutilated; roll a d6 to determine their fate.

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* Damage increases by 1d6 per rank.

#### Air cocoon

A master airbender can rotate while jumping to wrap themselves in a cocoon of wind. This technique utilizes an airbender's trademark fluid and dynamic movement style.

#### Air propulsion

A skilled airbender can propel themselves forward at great speed by negating the effect of wind resistance.

#### Air spout

Similar to the water spout, master airbenders are able to rotate and control the direction of an air spout enough to levitate themselves off the ground and remain in the air for as long as they wish to or can maintain it.

#### Air vortex

A spinning funnel of air of varying size, the air vortex can be used to trap or disorient opponents as well as to deflect any objects thrown at it.

#### Air wake

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**Range:** Self; 50ft line

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**Chi cost per turn channeling:** 30/19/11/7

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By running in a circle and instantly building massive momentum, a master airbender can shoot a blast of highly compressed air shaped like the user's body at a target. This move seems to have extremely high concussive force.

* The required momentum takes at least three turns to build up. If the bender is interrupted in the first or second turn, they are knocked out tangential to their initial position, and the swirling air dissipates. If they are successful to the start of the third turn, they cannot be broken out of the swirling air.
	+ The airbender can continue to maintain the swirling air for as long as they wish, but after the sixth turn, there is no benefit to doing so, other than temporary immunity from damage.
* When the airbender should so choose, they can pick a target within 50ft of themselves, and fire a body shaped wake of compressed air at the target. Travelling at very high speed, the target must make a constitution saving throw. Should they succeed, they take 2d4 damage, and are pushed back half their speed. Should they fail, they take the same damage, but are knocked prone, and fired back at twice their speed.
* Damage increases by 1d6 per rank

#### Asphyxiation

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**Range:** 20ft

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**Chi cost per turn asphyxiating:** 25/15/10/6

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A technique where an airbender manipulates the flow of air within a person's respiratory system, extracting it from the lungs via the nostrils and mouth, and prevents any new intake of breath by forming a ball of air around the head, thus eventually killing the victim by suffocation.

* Asphyxiation requires great focus to maintain. It takes one turn to set-up the asphyxiation, for which the target must not move in said turn.
* Once established, the target loses 4d4 per turn, and is incapacitated until they are:
	+ broken free by the airbender losing focus (either by moving, being damaged, or being knocked down/over),
	+ has their health dropped to 0, at which point they act as knocked out, or;
	+ are killed as per regular D&D rules.

#### Levitation

In the same way flying bison can fly and stay aloft for extended periods of time, a master airbender can achieve this same feat by generating and controlling air to form a cloud-like board under their feet and surf through the air, thereby emulating flight.

#### Tornado

This is a smaller scaled version of the air vortex which airbending masters can use as a means of both combat and transport. By encircling themselves in a spiraling air current, masters can travel at high speeds and even ascend near-vertical drops. When several airbenders work together, this technique can also be used to create a much larger and more powerful tornado.

### Special moves

#### Air scooter; 🕑2BG

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**Range:** Self; can be maintained up to 60ft away from bender

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**Chi cost per turn to maintain:** 15/9/6/4

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It is a spherical "ball" of air that can be ridden balancing on it like a top. The air scooter also allowed levitation for short periods, about five to ten seconds in a stationary position. A skilled airbender is also capable of conjuring an air scooter from little balls of air, creating larger scooters and ride standing. Air scooters are not restricted to holding a single rider, as they can be used to transport others as well.

#### Cloud manipulation

Since clouds are made from air and water, a skilled airbender can easily manipulate them into various shapes.

#### Hypersensitivity

Airbenders possess a high level of sensory sensitivity which enables them to detect threats and perceive their surroundings through feeling air currents and the vibrations in the air, similar to how earthbenders use seismic sense to sense their environment using earth. For this reason, the Air Nomads shaved their heads in order to "free themselves" and have a stronger connection with the wind around them, increasing the technique's effectiveness when used.

#### Flight; 🕑174AG

The ability to fly was originally exclusive to the flying bison and air lion turtles; however, Guru Laghima unlocked the ability as well by releasing himself of all his earthly tethers, achieving true and complete freedom. The technique is so rare that he was the only airbender in history to have ever achieved it until Zaheer. Being able to fly without an aid, such as a glider, grants the practitioner more stability and freedom in the sky, while also permitting easier use of bending mid-flight. Although a powerful technique, the ability is hindered by additional weight and the currents of the wind.

* Flight grants speed equal to that of a Sky Bison: 100ft.

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***Flight, hover***

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#### Gliding

*When in possesion of a glider:*

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***Flight***

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Although all airbenders can levitate or extend jumps via airbending, most if not all airbenders possess a glider for mid-range flight. These hand-crafted portable wood and canvas structures can collapse into a staff for storage and as an aid when bending. In glider form, it is used in conjunction with bending to fly as long as the bender has the strength to maintain the air currents. With stronger winds, multiple people can be carried for short distances. As a normal staff, it can be used as a weapon in battle, to aid in bending, and even as a levitation aid when spun above the head like a helicopter propeller. By 🕑174AG, these glider staffs had been replaced by wingsuits.

#### Spiritual projection

Master airbenders who have a strong connection with their spiritual side are capable of projecting their spirits into other locations. Through projection, an airbender is able to explore underground or sealed locations by passing through solid matter. Airbenders can also use this technique to find individuals with whom they have a strong bond.

1. ↑ Due to the rarity of this ability and the advantage it would afford players, the assumption is that only two people prior to the end of Avatar Korra's time have had the ability.