This type was designed to substitute the more and more frequent outsider (native) cases. It was the consequence of a discussion in which I participated in a FR forum and I want to submit it to your evaluation. Forgive any grammatic mistakes for I'm not a native english speaker.
The outsider (native) type (and subtype) have a series of problems.
First, the contradiction in terms. The idea of a creature being outsider and native do not go easily together, don't you agree? Our game has enough difficulties to add an unnecessary one.
Second, the fact that extraplanar is a relative subtype as described in MM and native is not. Native is a subtype that goes with the outsider type and never leaves it. So that an Aasimar in the Abyss is an outsider (native, extrplanar). Strange, is it not? Native and extraplanar subtypes should be relative subtypes that describe the relation between the creature and the plane it is.
Third, the fundamental diference between true outsiders and native outsider, or, in other terms, immortal outsiders and mortal outsiders.
For all these reasons, I propose a new creature type - Planetouched - that substitutes all native outsider cases and combines the outsider and humanoid types. Enough talk, here's the type:
Planetouched Type: A planetouched is partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of some plane other than the material plane (usually an inner or an outer plane). Some creatures start out as some other type and become planetouched when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual existence. Every planetouched creature also has a subtype.
Planetouched with 1 Hit Die exchange the features of their planetouched Hit Die for the class features of a PC or NPC class. Planetouched of this sort are presented as 1st-level warriors, which means that they have average combat ability and poor saving throws.
Planetouched with more than 1 Hit Die are the only planetouched who make use of the features of the planetouched type.
Features: A planetouched has the following features.
—8-sided Hit Dice.
—Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Dice (as fighter).
—Good Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves.
—Skill points equal to (8 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first racial Hit Die.
Traits: A planetouched possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Unlike outsiders, to whom they are usually related, planetouched can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be.
—Proficient with all simple and martial weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry or by character class (important adition, because the type itself doesn't provide any proficiencies except when you have racial Hit Die, which was one of the discussion topics of this thread).
—Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types, or by character class. Planetouched not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Planetouched are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
—Planetouched breathe, eat, and sleep.
As a side note on planetouched subtypes, wich are akin to humanoid subtypes, examples are: planetouched (genasi, earth), planetouched (half-celestial), planetouched (tiefling), etc. Each of these subtypes have its own special traits that introduces additional special traits to the planetouched type traits.
I don't know if you are familiar with FR products, but Player's Guide to Faerun introduces a regional feat called "otherworldly", which, basically, makes you a native outsider. This feat is restricted to some elves and human ofshoot race (deep Imaskar). Whith this feat, a humanoid (elf) creature would become a outsider (native), losing the elf subtype. With my proposal he would retain the elf subtype. This may seem a minor detail, but some people would argue that an elf with the otherworldly feat is no longer an elf because he lost the elf subtype.
What do you guys think?
What's even thornier is the question of planetouched born in the Outer or Inner Planes. According to the strict definition of native outsider, these creatures would be considered to be native to the Material Plane by virtue of having mortal blood, even if they've never been there. I'd ignore that part of the definition and have them continue to be native to the plane they were born on. It doesn't make sense for a human born in Elysium to be considered native to that plane while a half-fiend born in Elysium is considered native to the Material.
If you're going to worry about the actual names, "outsider" is every bit as bad as "native" is, since not everything or even most things from places outside the Material Plane belong to the outsider type. Most creatures are simply extraplanar plants and animals. I would change that name (to "planeborn") before I worried about "native," though I would change that one too.
I wouldn't change either one if I were worried about compatibility with other products, though, which is why I was against Planewalker's new "exemplar" and "planar humanoid" types.
My definitions of the terms are as follows:
Outsider: a non-elemental being at least partially composed of the essence of a plane of existence. Despite their name, outsiders can come from any plane, even the Material. Outsiders are spiritual creatures without souls seperate from their bodies, thus they can be neither raised nor resurrected.
Native: A being of a type that normally does not have souls, such as outsiders, but does in this case anyway because of mortal blood or some other reason. Natives can be raised and resurrected as normal.