How do these look for a version of planetouched? I searched everywhere to try and figure out the best way to represent them, and here's what I came up with:
Genasi, Air
• +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma • Air genasi base speed is 30 feet. • Airy (Ex): An air genasi can hold his breath for twice as long as a human, or a number of rounds equal to his Constitution score times 4. Additionally, air genasi are always considered acclimated to extremes of elevation (see the Mountain Travel section on page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Additionally, gravity seems to have a weaker hold on air genasi. An air genasi can treat any fall as if it were 10 feet shorter than it actually is. This stacks with similar abilities, such as a monk’s slow fall ability. • Wind Scion (Ex): Attack rolls made by an air genasi are unaffected by up to windstorm-level winds. Listen checks made by an air genasi are unaffected by up to hurricane-level winds. After these levels, the rolls are affected as normal. • +2 racial bonus on Jump and Listen checks: An air genasi is light and takes to the sky easily, and is sensitive to sounds carried on the winds. • +1 racial bonus on saving throws against all air spells and effects, including the supernatural or spell-like special abilities of creatures with the air subtype. This bonus increases by +1 for every five character levels the genasi attains. • Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as Druidic). • Plane of Origin: Any (often Plane of Air) • Favored Class: Rogue. • Level Adjustment +1.
Genasi, Earth
• +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Dexterity: Earth genasi are physically powerful, but can be oblivious and ponderous. • Earth genasi base speed is 30 feet and they have a climb speed of 15 on stone surfaces, either natural or hewn. • +2 natural armor bonus. • Stability (Ex): Earth genasi gain a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground). • Stone Tell: An earth genasi gains a +5 racial bonus to find or follow tracks on firm or hard ground. • Elemental Heritage (Ex): +1 racial bonus on saving throws against earth spells and effects, including the supernatural or spell-like special abilities of creatures with the earth subtype. This bonus increases by +1 for every two character levels the genasi attains. • Low-Light Vision: An earth genasi can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. It retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. • +2 racial bonus on Appraise, Craft, Knowledge, and Profession checks related to stone or metal items. • +8 racial bonus on Climb checks on stone surfaces, either natural or hewn, due to climb speed. • Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as Druidic). • Plane of Origin: Any (often Plane of Earth) • Favored Class: Fighter. • Level Adjustment +1.
Genasi, Fire
• +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom: Fire genasi tend to be passionate and bright, though often reckless. • Fire genasi base speed is 30 feet. • Elemental Heritage (Ex): +1 racial bonus on saving throws against fire spells and effects, including the supernatural or spell-like special abilities of creatures with the fire subtype. This bonus increases by +1 for every two character levels the genasi attains. • Flame Scion (Sp): Fire genasi can cause a nonmagical fire within 10 feet in them to diminish to the level of coals or flare to the brightness of daylight and double the normal radius of its illumination. This ability does not change the heat output or fuel consumption of the fire source, lasts 5 minutes, and may be done a number of times per day equal to the genasi’s Charisma bonus (minimum 1). They use this ability as a sorcerer of their character level (at least 5th). • A fire genasi applies its Elemental Heritage bonus against smoke-based effects. This includes normal smoke and pyrotechnics, but not gaseous poisons. • +10 racial bonus against non-lethal damage caused by heat. Fire genasi are quite comfortable in extremely hot temperatures. • +2 racial bonus to Intimidate and Tumble checks. Fire genasi are terrible in their anger and can dart forward nimbly. • Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as Druidic). • Plane of Origin: Any (often Plane of Fire) • Favored Class: Sorcerer. • Level Adjustment +1.
Genasi, Water
• +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Water genasi are tireless and insightful, though others cannot easily relate to their mindset. • Water genasi base speed is 30 feet. They have a swim speed of 15 feet. • Water genasi can see through dark water as if they had darkvision to a range of 120 feet. This vision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight. • +10 racial bonus against non-lethal damage caused by cold. Water genasi can survive the numbing cold of the depths. • Elemental Heritage (Ex): +1 racial bonus on saving throws against water spells and effects, including the supernatural or spell-like special abilities of creatures with the water subtype. This bonus increases by +1 for every two character levels the genasi attains. • Amphibious: Water genasi breathe water or air equally well. Spells which would fill the target's lungs with water or otherwise overwhelm the target's breathing with water have no effect on water genasi. • +2 racial bonus on Heal checks. • +8 racial bonus on Swim checks, due to their swim speed. • Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as Druidic). • Plane of Origin: Any (often Plane of Water). • Favored Class: Druid. • Level Adjustment +1.
Aasimar
• +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma. Aasimar have a powerful spirit and presence. • Aasimar base speed is 30 feet. • Low-Light Vision: An aasimar can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. It retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. • Touch of the Planes (Sp): An aasimar may shed light from its body. This functions as the daylight spell, centered on itself (caster level equal to class levels) and is usable a number of times per day equal to the aasimar’s Charisma bonus (minimum 1). • +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Sense Motive. Aasimar have a calming presence about them, causing others to trust them easily. They are perceptive toward the motives of others. • -2 racial penalty on Intimidate checks. Sometimes an aasimar’s aura of serenity works against it, and coercion through threats goes against its instincts on a gut level. • +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves against diseases. Aasimar have a natural purity and their bodies are difficult to corrupt. • Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as Druidic). • Plane of Origin: Any (often Upper Planes). • Favored Class: Paladin. Additionally, a multiclass aasimar may choose one class and ignore the Paladin’s multiclass restriction for that class only.
Tiefling
• +2 Intelligence, +2 Dexterity. Tieflings are quick in mind and body. • Tiefling base speed is 30 feet. • Low-Light Vision: A tiefling can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. It retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. • Touch of the Planes (Sp): A tiefling may cast an area into darkness once per day. This functions as the darkness spell, centered on itself (caster level equal to class levels) and is usable a number of times per day equal to the tiefling’s Charisma bonus (minimum 1). • +2 racial bonus on Hide and Bluff checks. Sneaking and subterfuge come naturally to tieflings, who often must rely these skills to get by. • -2 racial penalty on Handle Animal checks. Tieflings have no great instinct for gentleness, and animals are often disturbed by their presence. • +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves against poison. A fiendish bloodline grants tieflings a resilience against noxious materials. • Automatic Languages: Planar Trade, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as Druidic). • Plane of Origin: Any (often Lower Planes). • Favored Class: Rogue. • Level Adjustment +1
Thanks to A Man in Black at the Wizards forums for coming up with a better version of genasi resistances.
When designing these, I kept a few principles in mind. I thought that the 3rd edition planar races didn't have enough intricacy them. There should be more to being these races. So, wherever possible, I tried to find out where the races could interact with the rules in interesting ways.
You might notice things like prominent energy resistances and immunities don't appear. Sean K. Reynolds's Fewer Absolutes concept for races was part of the original inspiration for that. Plus, I don't like player character abilities that are so static. In my experience, when the game is less fun with absolute abilities. Which brings us to my most important principle:
Why all the darkvision? It's awful. I actually had a campaign experience where I asked my players, all of a sudden, "Wait. You guys have no light sources here in Pandemonium. How are you seeing?"
"Darkvision."
"Darkvision."
"Darkvision."
"Darkvision."
"Oh. Um, I guess the only human forgot to light a torch."
So, in my version, you don't get to see in the dark unless you actually have cause to do so. If all your player characters have darkvision to 60 feet for no other reason than the fact that most of them are Outsiders with the (Native) subtype, then that's bad. That's bad because the Outsider type, even with the (Native) subtype, doesn't do Planescape justice. There are just too many Outsiders running around. And it doesn't help that the Ask Wizards feature of the wizards.com site just confirmed that all Outsiders, even PC races, are proficient in all martial weapons.
I'd actually rather make all these races Humanoids, instead. What business does an aasimar sorcerer have using alter self to become a dretch, but not to become an elf, anyway?
And, of course, tieflings don't get penalized in Charisma. Few things make a mortal more confident than knowing that your grandmother is a marilith.
Looks good, couple of quick questions - why does the earth gensai have climb? wouldn't burrow be more appropriate? is this for balance reasons?
Should the air gensai possibly have a higher movement rate?This would fit the fluff associated with them but I'm not sure what would have to be compromised to balance this. possibly a reverse of the "sturdy body"? feature dwarves have - an air gensai can move faster but responds poorly to being weighed down.
Anyway, just a couple of thoughts.
Nice job.
"We're making a better world. All of them, better worlds." - Anonomous Harmonium Officer