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View Full Version : [Pathfinder, PEACH] Genasi are back!



Cedrass
2009-11-03, 11:53 PM
OK, so even in 3.0/3.5 the Genasi were a pretty weak bunch. I mean you lost a character level for what? Some ok stats, Darkvision, and some useless ability like the Fire Genasi's ability to control fire!! One per day!! Hurray!! And they all had Fighter as a favored class, I really wonder why...

Anyways! So yeah my group switched to Pathfinder and those guys are even weaker than they were before, so I decided to try and get them on par. I've only got the Fire Genasi right now, but the other are going to be based on it, only with their respective element. Here goes! (I've only got crunch since the fluff is pretty much already there)

FIRE GENASI

+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom: Fire Genasi are quick and know how to get out of sticky situations, but they tend to lose their temper when things aren't going the way they want them to be.
Medium: Fire Genasi are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Outsider (Native): Fire Genasi are native to the Material Plane and need to sleep, breathe and drink like other creatures. They can be raised, resurected and reincarnated as normal.
Normal Speed: Fire Genasi have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Fire Genasi can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Fire Blood: Fire Genasi gain a +1 bonus on their saves against spell and spell-like abilities with the [fire] descriptor. This bonus increases by +1 for every 5 Hit Die the Fire Genasi possess, to a maximum of +5 at level 20.
Fire Magic: Fire Genasi can cast the spell Light as a spell-like ability usable at will. They also get to choose one first level spell from the following list: Blades of Fire*, Burning Hand, Endure Element. Once that choice is made, it can never be changed. The Fire Genasi can cast this spell 1/day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for both of those spell-like abilities is equal to the Genasi total Hit Die.
SpaceAt 7th level, the 1st level spell is usable 2/day, and at level 13th 3/day.
Elemental Resistance: Fire Genasi have fire resistance 5.

*: Spell from the Spell Compendium.


I'm not really sure about the balance of it. Somehow, I get the feeling it's still too weak, but I may have missed something, which is why I'm posting it here!

This is my first homebrew, even if I did base it on something that existed before, so I probably did something wrong, don't be afraid to say it!

Thank you!

arguskos
2009-11-03, 11:55 PM
Honestly, I like it a lot. :smallamused:

I love the Genasi, and can't wait to see the remaining three.

Cedrass
2009-11-05, 12:54 AM
Well I needed to take a break from al that AJAX/PHP stuff I have to do for school, so I completed the other Genasi. As always, feel free to comment!

EARTH GENASI

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity: Earth Genasi are a solid and strong race, but they are slower and less dexterous than others.
Medium: Earth Genasi are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Outsider (Native):Earth Genasi are native to the Material Plane and need to sleep, breathe and drink like other creatures. They can be raised, resurected and reincarnated as normal.
Normal Speed: Earth Genasi have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Earth Genasi can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Body of Diamond: Earth Genasi gain a +1 bonus on their saves against spell and spell-like abilities with the [acid] descriptor. This bonus increases by +1 for every 5 Hit Die the Earth Genasi possess, to a maximum of +5 at level 20.
Earth Magic: Earth Genasi can cast the spell Resitance as a spell-like ability usable at will. They also get to choose one first level spell from the following list: Corrosive Grasp*, Fist of Stone*, Foundation of Stone*. Once that choice is made, it can never be changed. The Earth Genasi can cast this spell 1/day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for both of those spell-like abilities is equal to the Genasi total Hit Die.
SpaceAt 7th level, the 1st level spell is usable 2/day, and at level 13th 3/day.
Elemental Resistance: Earth Genasi have acid resistance 5.

AIR GENASI

+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Constitution: Air Genasi are a fast bunch, and rarely make hasty decisions, but they are also a frail race due to their tall and light bodies.
Medium: Air Genasi are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Outsider (Native):Air Genasi are native to the Material Plane and need to sleep, breathe and drink like other creatures. They can be raised, resurected and reincarnated as normal.
Normal Speed: Air Genasi have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Air Genasi can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
As Lightning: Air Genasi gain a +1 bonus on their saves against spell and spell-like abilities with the [electricity] descriptor. This bonus increases by +1 for every 5 Hit Die the Air Genasi possess, to a maximum of +5 at level 20.
Air Magic: Air Genasi can cast the spell Ghost Sound as a spell-like ability usable at will. They also get to choose one first level spell from the following list: Deep Breath*, Updraft*, Feather Fall. Once that choice is made, it can never be changed. The Air Genasi can cast this spell 1/day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for both of those spell-like abilities is equal to the Genasi total Hit Die.
SpaceAt 7th level, the 1st level spell is usable 2/day, and at level 13th 3/day.
Elemental Resistance: Air Genasi have electricity resistance 5.

WATER GENASI

+2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength: Water Genasi have a good metabolism and have a great strategic mind, they are however burdened with a weaker muscle structure than most other races.
Medium: Water Genasi are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Outsider (Native):Water Genasi are native to the Material Plane and need to sleep, breathe and drink like other creatures. They can be raised, resurected and reincarnated as normal.
Normal Speed: Water Genasi have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Water Genasi can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
The Sea is a Cold Place: Water Genasi gain a +1 bonus on their saves against spell and spell-like abilities with the [cold] descriptor. This bonus increases by +1 for every 5 Hit Die the Water Genasi possess, to a maximum of +5 at level 20.
Water Magic: Earth Genasi can cast the spell Create Water as a spell-like ability usable at will. They also get to choose one first level spell from the following list: Obscuring Mist, Cure Light Wounds, Ice Gauntlet*. Once that choice is made, it can never be changed. The Water Genasi can cast this spell 1/day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for both of those spell-like abilities is equal to the Genasi total Hit Die.
SpaceAt 7th level, the 1st level spell is usable 2/day, and at level 13th 3/day.
Elemental Resistance: Water Genasi have cold resistance 5.

*: Spell from the Spell Compendium.

Edit: Sorry there's so many spells from the Spell Compendium, but there really arn't that much interesting spells that fit the "theme" in Core...
Edit 2: I'll say it right now, english isn't my primary language, so I'm pretty sure I wrote some wierd stuff, don't hesitate to tell me.

Also, I could have used the [earth], [water] and [air] descriptors for those 3, but I felt they were too rare to really be useful, hence de [acid], [cold] and [electricity] bonuses.

The spells I know, they are not that strong/useful, but they are only there to add flavor to the races. Of course, if someone has an idea of what spell I could give them instead that would be more useful, please do tell! I'd be really happy if I could get to have a flavorful and useful abilities at the same time.

Cedrass
2009-11-05, 06:51 PM
The lack of comments is a good or a bad sign?

The Rose Dragon
2009-11-05, 06:56 PM
Two things:

1) Why are Air Genasi not Breathless?

2) Why can't Water Genasi breathe water?

Cedrass
2009-11-05, 07:38 PM
Hum, well first I didn't think about those things when I did them. And then If I add this, it only seems logical the Earth and Fire have something more to them, but I really can't see what...

Maybe something along the lines of the Dwarves' Stability for Earth?

arguskos
2009-11-05, 07:40 PM
Hum, well first I didn't think about those things when I did them. And then If I add this, it only seems logical the Earth and Fire have something more to them, but I really can't see what...

Maybe something along the lines of the Dwarves' Stability for Earth?
I like Stability for Earth, or a really limited Earth Glide effect.

Fire could have Fire Stride maybe?

Set
2009-11-05, 08:43 PM
I'd be inclined to give the various genasi some sort of movement ability related to their element.

For Water, it's easiest, just a swim speed and, if not able to breath underwater, at least the ability to hold their breath underwater for 4x Con mod, like a whale, or something. I'd also add a single round version of water walk that allows the Water Genasi to run on top of water (must take a double move or Run action) for a single round, but if she doesn't end her turn on a solid surface, she plunges into the water like anyone else. This might allow her to dash across a river, without getting wet, or jump off a dock and run to a ship that has just cast off to catch up.

For Earth, the ability to move through sand or earth at a burrow speed of 5 ft. would be interesting, with the added ability to move through stone, but only through a total of 5 ft. of stone as a full-round action, and requiring the Genasi to end his movement outside of stone, or the attempt fails and inflicts 1d6 damage to him. He can pass through a stone wall, but not tunnel through a mountain. If the 5 ft. stone walk thing is too much, perhaps the Earth Genasi can ignore falling damage so long as he lands on earth or stone, slamming into the earth just as violently as you'd expect, but being unharmed by the impact with his native element.

For Air, the ability to ignore falling damage, or to ignore 10 ft. of height per HD or point of Dex mod, or whatever formula works for you, would make sense. A large racial bonus to Jump checks might also fit, and perhaps the ability to make 5 ft. adjustments while falling, like a limited form of glide, moving up to 5 ft. diagonally for each 5 ft. fallen, or some other number (more or less).

Fire? Nothing special. Just fire resistance, which is plenty useful. (The other genasi, regardless of how D&D associates earth with acid damage, etc. don't necessarily make any sense to have energy resistances.) Include with the fire resistance a bonus to Fort checks to resist nonlethal damage from environmental heat (or just flat-out immunity to that).

A series of race-specific Feats that allow a Genasi to awaken new abilities based on their element would be neat, like one that allows a Fire Genasi to spit a dose of alchemical fire 3 times / day, or to cast produce flame as a full-round action that lasts until he throws it (making a torch or melee weapon that lasts all day, or, if thrown, one that he can replace as a full-round action).

Cedrass
2009-11-05, 10:01 PM
Those ideas Set are pretty much as awesome as it gets, but I'm wondering if that won't bump them to a +1 LA race. Unless I remove something?

Oh and as for the elemental immunities, I know they make little sense, but seeing as those are the "official" elements in D&D, it's those ones I'll use.

Ashtagon
2009-11-06, 04:33 AM
Earth genasi:

If an earth genasi falls onto unworked stone or bare earth, he treats the impact the same as if a normal human had fallen into water, for purposes of damage taken. He can also intentionally "dive" onto such a surface to mitigate the damage from such a fall. This ability does not allow him to swim through rock (unless he has that ability from some other feature); the ground will immediately afterward expel him and leave him standing (or lying prone) on the surface.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Falling#Falling_into_Water

TabletopNuke
2009-11-06, 02:31 PM
Those ideas Set are pretty much as awesome as it gets, but I'm wondering if that won't bump them to a +1 LA race. Unless I remove something?

I'm not terribly certain the relative power of Pathfinder characters. However, in the standard D&D setting, these guys would already be +1 LA. They have fairly powerful ability scores, the Outsider type, energy resistance, and so on.

Oh, and you forgot to include the favored classes.

Otherwise, this is looking pretty good, and I'm glad to see someone is giving the Genasi a little love (I always had a soft spot for them). It's good that you gave them more ability score variation then the Forgotten Realms setting did. Strength is typically a important score, so you might want to balance the Earth Genasi with -2 Dex (which also fits their flavor quite well).

I like the ability names you came up with, but "As a Lightning" should be "As Lightning".

Cedrass
2009-11-06, 09:54 PM
I'm not terribly certain the relative power of Pathfinder characters. However, in the standard D&D setting, these guys would already be +1 LA. They have fairly powerful ability scores, the Outsider type, energy resistance, and so on.

Well in Pathfinder, standard races are now as strong as +1 LA races from 3.5 so, they are now a +0 LA race, which is what I was aiming for.


Oh, and you forgot to include the favored classes.
The system changed in Pathfinder, you choose a base class. It's your favored class.


Otherwise, this is looking pretty good, and I'm glad to see someone is giving the Genasi a little love (I always had a soft spot for them). It's good that you gave them more ability score variation then the Forgotten Realms setting did. Strength is typically a important score, so you might want to balance the Earth Genasi with -2 Dex (which also fits their flavor quite well).

I like the ability names you came up with, but "As a Lightning" should be "As Lightning".

Good point about the Earth Genasi. And thanks for correcting me. I still tend to translate directly from french when writing, which does some wierd things like this one.

Edit: The more I think about it, the more I want to leave them like this. The "mouvement modes" idea is nice, if not awesome, but I also like the abilities I gave them, and I don't want them to become a +1 LA race. Unless someone thinks of something flavorful that would not boost their LA, I'll leave them like this.

urkthegurk
2009-11-10, 09:19 PM
I agree with Set, in that the various Genasi should have more varying abilities. I give fire genasi fire resistance 5, water genasi water breathing, air genasi slow fall 20ft, and earth genasi have a better con modifier.

Obviously, they genasi, being super-awesome, should have access to some other elemental powers, like the earth-sliding powers for the earth genasi, or some fire-based spells for the fire genasi. Give them some racial feats! If you want to take it even further, give them a race-based prestige class, like the ones in unearthed arcana. Make them 3-5 levels. I'd love to give an air genasi flight at the end of the progression. So awesome.

Jokasti
2009-11-10, 10:06 PM
Shouldn't Earth Genasi have a Speed of 25 or even 20 feet?
You even say they are slower.

Cedrass
2009-11-11, 08:24 AM
OK I see what you guys mean when saying they should have more variety and such. I'll admit, I was kind of scared to give them different abilities between each element since I'm new to all this homebrewing stuff and didn't want them to be unbalanced.

I'll try and do something, since I see there are people interested to help and I know I can do it, only it'll take time I think. The only things I really want is them staying with a +0 LA.

I'm at school right now, but tonight I'll see what I can do about all this and start thinking about fun things I could do with them. If you guys have any more ideas, go ahead and post them!

Navigator
2010-06-30, 01:47 PM
I know this was forever ago, but I just took an interest in paying some attention to these horribly written races. I really like what you've done with them, and am borrowing a lot. I have one main concern, and then a couple comments.

My main concern is the ability adjustments for Earth Genasi. It seems to me that most ability adjustments come in the form of: +2 [physical], +2 [mental], -2 [any]. I tend to agree with this because it supports the race being taken for a wide variety of roles. Aside from a pure design perspective, +2 Strength and +2 Constitution is very strong, and possibly deserves another -2 somewhere, or some kind of counter-balance. I'd like to know what you (or others) think of this. Maybe it's not as big of a deal as I'm making it out to be.

Air Genasi and Water Genasi should be breathless and water breathing, respectively. However, I see the problem where the other two lack something. What I did personally was give Fire Genasi effective endure elements (minus equipment protection) for hot environments. Earth Genasi are a little trickier. It's crossed my mind to just give them +1 natural armor, because I can't think of any hazards that involve "earth", other then being crushed or trapped. Would a 5 ft. burrow speed be too much for LA +0?

My second comment is about save bonuses and resistances. Why not ditch the save bonuses altogether and just give them resistance 3 + 3/5 levels? It's much more useful and simple.