Modified Tiefling, Aasimar, etc (PEACH)

[Dark Knight Renee]

My group agrees that the Tiefling race as presented doesn't work for us (neither does half-fiend, of course - I've already got a template for half-succubus), so I finally got around to tweaking it somewhat.

Firstly, our biggest beef with the original Tiefling was the Charisma penalty, which is stupid, because Charisma usually the third highest ability for fiends, right behind Str and Con (which are usually effected by size and monstrous physique!). It should be a bonus.
Secondly, no set of rigid stats for tieflings can easily acount for the differance between devils and demons. For example, those decended from Demons should have electricity resistance - while those desended from devils should NOT. Aditonally, not all tieflings are decended from either. Some may come from Yugoloths, Night Hags, or other misc evil outsiders. In some Forgotten Realms sources, their bloodlines are sometimes even attributed to evil deities.

Keeping reletively close to the existing Tiefling stats for flavor's sake, what I've come up with is a flexible set of bonuses that are chosen on character creation:

Generic Tiefling Racial Traits:
+2 in two of the following stats: Dexterity, Intelligence, Charisma.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
A tiefling’s base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Spell-Like Ability: Tieflings have either Darkness or Invisibility (self only), usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD.
Skills: Tieflings have a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Intimidate, and Move Silently checks, and on on either Bluff or Listen and Spot checks.
Resistance: Tieflings have resistance 5 to two of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire.
Favored Class: Rogue or Warlock.
Level Adjustment: +1

Example Demonic Tiefling
+2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
A tiefling’s base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Spell-Like Ability: Invisibility (self only), usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD.
Skills: Tieflings have a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks.
Resistance to electricity 5 and acid 5.
Favored Class: Warlock.
Level Adjustment: +1


Dropping one energy resistance doesn't exactly balance the lack of a Cha penalty or the increased number of skill bonuses, but I figure it's still not LA +2... right?

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Now, for Aasimars. The original stats weren't that bad, but like the tiefling they didn't really represent the various celestials that could have spawned the bloodline. In particular, the Daylight SLA and those energy resistances.

The new Aasimar is less powerful than the new Tiefling, and a little weaker than the original as well. Compared with the original, it loses two energy resistances, and gains two skill bonuses and better SLA choices - a net loss.
Now, adding back an energy resistance seems like a good idea balance-wise... but at least two types of celestals (archons and lillends) have only one type of energy resistance/immunity. So unless a Resistance 10 balances against two Resistace 5s, that's not good option.


Generic Aasimar Racial Traits:
+2 in two of the following stats: Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisima.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
An aasimar's base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy, Listen, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.
Spell-Like Ability: Aasimars have a single spell-like ability, usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD. Possible spells include: Daylight, Cure Moderate Wounds, Lesser Restoration, Neutralize Poison, Remove Curse, or Remove Disease.
Resistance: Aasimars have resistance 5 to a single energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic).
Favored Class: Paladin or Favored Soul.
Level adjustment +1.


Example: Typical Archon-Blooded Aasimar
+2 Wisdom, Charisima.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
An aasimar's base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy, Listen, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.
Spell-Like Ability: Daylight, usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD.
Energy Resistance: Resistance to a electricity 5.
Favored Class: Paladin.
Level adjustment +1.

Example: Typical Eladrin-Blooded Aasimar (Bralani)
+2 Dexterity, Wisdom.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
An aasimar's base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy, Listen, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.
Spell-Like Ability: Cure Moderate Wounds, usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD.
Energy Resistance: Resistance to a electricity 5.
Favored Class: Favored Soul.
Level adjustment +1.

Example: Typical Lillend-Blooded Aasimar
+2 Dexterity, Charisima.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
An aasimar's base land speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision: Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy, Listen, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.
Spell-Like Ability: Daylight, usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD.
Energy Resistance: Resistance to fire 5.
Favored Class: Favored Soul.
Level adjustment +1.

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Genasi are decended from elemental-related creatures, such as azer, djinn, efreet, mephits, or rarely from true elementals. Their original stats appear in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, but generally suck.

These new stats are notably stronger than the originals. I have tried to balance them against each other and the Tiefling and Aasimar above, but I'm not sure I've succeeded. The following are simply the latest revisions... because I'm not sure what works.


Air Genasi Racial Traits:
+2 Dexterity, and one of the following stats: Wisdom, Charisma. Alternately, an Air Genasi may have +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
Air Genasi base land speed is 30 ft.
Darkvision out to 60 ft.
Spell-Like Ability: Air Genasi have a single spell-like ability, usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD. Possible spells include: Invisibility (self only), Levitate, Gust of Wind, Whispering Wind.
+2 racial bonus on Balance and Spot checks.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws vs. air and electricity spells and effects.
Energy Resistance: Resistance to cold 5.
Breathless: Air Genasi do not breath, and are immune to drowning, suffocation, and attacks which require inhalation (such as some kinds of poison).
Favored Class: Sorcerer.
Level adjustment +1.

Earth Genasi Racial Traits:
+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, and -2 in either Intelligence or Charisma. Alternately, +2 in either Strength or Constitution, with no penalties.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
Earth Genasi base land speed is 30 ft.
Darkvision out to 60 ft.
Earth Genasi have a single spell-like ability, usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD. Possible spells include: Meld into Stone, Pass without Trace, Plant Growth, Soften Earth and Stone, Spider Climb, Stone Shape.
+2 racial bonus on Climb and Listen checks.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws vs. earth and stone spells and effects (Flesh to Stone, for example).
Energy Resistance: Resistance to acid 5.
+3 natural armor bonus.
Favored Class: Fighter.
Level adjustment +1.

Fire Genasi Racial Traits:
+2 Dexterity and one of the following stats: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma. Alternately, a Fire Genasi may have +2 in two of the above and -2 in the remaining mental stat.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
Fire Genasi base land speed is 30 ft.
Darkvision out to 60 ft.
Spell-Like Ability: Control Flame (see bellow), usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD. Fire Genasi can cause nonmagical fires within 10 feet of them to diminish to the level of the coals or flare to the brightness of daylight and double the normal radius of it's illumination. This ability does not change the heat output or fuel consumption of the fire source, and lasts for 1 minute/level.
+2 racial bonus on Bluff and Tumble checks.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws vs. fire spells and effects.
Energy Resistance: Resistance to fire 5.
Favored Class: Rogue or Sorcerer.
Level adjustment +1.

Water Genasi Racial Traits:
+2 in either Dexterity or Constitution, and +2 in either Intelligence or Wisdom. Alternately, either -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom; or +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom.
Medium size, Native Outsider type.
Water Genasi base land speed is 30 ft.
Water Genasi also have a swim speed of 30 ft. It has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
Darkvision out to 60 ft.
Amphibious (Ex): Water Genasi can breathe both air and water.
Spell-Like Ability: Create Water or Obscuring Mist, usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws vs. acid and water spells and effects.
Energy Resistance: Resistance to electricity 5.
Favored Class: Fighter.
Level adjustment +1.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

I like it, and I'd use it. Takes away some of the weakness of the official tiefling. And this reminds me, does anyone have a scale for random physical features when it comes to making tieflings?

[Rama_Lei]

I like it, and I'd use it. Takes away some of the weakness of the official tiefling. And this reminds me, does anyone have a scale for random physical features when it comes to making tieflings?
Height,weight and whatnot? The table is in Races of Destiny.

[I_Got_This_Name]

I'd consider giving them Warlock as an extra favored class, or an option on it. I'd even consider changing from Rogue to Warlock, except that Warlock is a horrible class.

[Danu]

I think he's referring to the fiendish qualities that make the tieflings so unique.

01 - Tiny stubby horns, similar in appearance to a satyr's.
02 - Cloven feet.
03 - Brilliantly and unusually colored eyes, typically red, although vibrant purple, ice cold, or even pure black. In some cases the white of the eye might be another color, with the pupil that contrasts sharply. (Such as black ‘whites’ of the eye with brilliant crimson pupils.)
04 - You smell faintly of brimstone
05 - Tiny and delicately formed scales, usually a color at odds with your normal skin tone.
06 - A tail, either like that of a rat, or a large cat. Sometimes ended with an inverted sharp triangle.
07 - Sharply exaggerated facial features, including the frame of the face, eyes, canines in the mouth, and ears.
08 - Discrete facial hair growth in females, or obvious lack of body hair in males.
09 - Nails of the hand are unusually thick and tend to curve downward, forming ‘claws’.
10 - Hair is an unusual color or seems to move of its own volition.
11 - Limbs are of an unusual length, either shorter or longer then normal. Hands might have an extra knuckle, giving them an alien appearance.
12 - Roll again on the table, apply both physical appearances.

[Dark Knight Renee]

Funny thing about stereotypical Tiefling traits (horns, etc) is that, interestingly enough, many of them don't match any of the demons or devils that could have spawned the bloodline. *shrug*

I_Got_This_Name: Good suggestion! I think I'll add Warlock as an optional favored class. It's flavorful, and I actually like the class, even though (almost) everyone thinks it sucks.


If I were to treat Tieflings as a template rather than race, adding the above traits to the existing racial traits of, say, an elf, halfling or dwarf, would that balance well at LA +2 without further adjustments?

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

What about little vestigial arms(glabrezu)? Or a very dim aura similar to the color of flame(balor)? Maybe a small horn coming out of the back of your head (babau)?

[Dark Knight Renee]

*nod* Or sharp teeth, elongated fingers, small spikes or spines at the elbows, shoulders, chin, etc. Horns of many types do work, but not goat horns. Or cloven feet, that I can tell.

I've gone about tinkering with the Aasimar and Genasi stats, as well. I'm still tweaking the Genasi, since their stats sucked majorly to begin with and their varried parental choices give poor hints. Personally, I'd do away with Genasi altogether, but since I play in Forgotten Realms largely, where they are esablished to exist, I need the new stats anyway. See the new Aasimars and Genasi above!

[icke]

i'd like to break a lance for the poor earth genasi here, Your version of it seems a little weak in comparison to the other elements. You should consider giving them natural armor(3 ?), damage reduction(1/- ?) or some other goodie to balance the missing versatility. Also, possible spell-like abilities could include Stone Shape, Soften Earth and Stone or Meld into Stone.


Also, You're generally flying at the upper edge of +1 level adjustment with most things You do here, so care is needed.

[Dark Knight Renee]

... IT ATE MY POST. :smallannoyed: Anyway, I am aiming for the very upper limits of LA +1. I'm also considering changing the lot of them to LA +2 templates added on top of existing racial traits (since typical planetouched are human, they'd get a bonus feat and extra skill points most of the time), so every little bit counts for that as well.

Ahm. Looking at the Earth Genasi, I may have overcompensated for the Strength boost, and those SLAs did not occur to me for some reason. *scratches head* Earth and Water have been giving me a headache overall, and haven't gotten much love. Water should have some ability-score options, and even what's on there now is completely arbitrary, since there are remarkably few Water elementals/outsiders to suggest anything.
Edit: Water Genasi now have ability score options. Unsure whether the ability to swim and breath water balances with the other Genasi, particularly assuming a non-aquatic campaign.


For Earth Genasi, how about...

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, and -2 in either Intelligence or Charisma. Alternately, +2 in either Strength or Constitution, with no penalties. (IIRC, Strength is considered a more powerful stat. Personally, I don't see why, but I'm taking it into consideration here. I don't consider Cha any weaker than the other stats, however.)

Earth Genasi have a single spell-like ability, usable 1/day, caster level equal to HD. Possible spells include: Meld into Stone, Pass without Trace, Plant Growth, Soften Earth and Stone, Spider Climb, Stone Shape. (Note that Pass without Trace is weaker, but I left it on there so that the original SLA is available if anyone wants it.)

Not sure about DR or Nat armor, though I suppose I should go with one or the other. For now, I'll slap on Nat Armor +3 like you said, and see how that goes.