Aasimar Variants (SCAG Inspired)

[Levism84]

With the new Tiefling Variants from the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, I figured I would take a shot at creating an equivalent list for Aasimars.

AASIMAR VARIANTS
Since celestial creatures can take many different forms, aasimars may have traits that differ from those in the Dungeon Master's Guide. The Dungeon Master may permit the following variants for your aasimar character, although Angel's Mercy, Change Shape, and Winged are mutually exclusive.

Appearance. Your aasimar might not look like other aasimars. Rather than having the physical characteristics described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, choose 1d4+1 of the following features: a dim halo of light around the head; small ivory tusks; a small spiral horn, like a unicorn; gem-like eyes without pupils; metallic fingernails; lion-like legs; a voice that echoes with divine authority; a fox's tail; soft skin that seems to glow faintly; silver or opalescent green skin; no apparent heartbeat; exudes a smell of frankincense and myrrh.

Righteous. Your Wisdom score increases by 1, and your Strength score increases by 2. This trait replaces the Ability Score Increase trait.

Angel's Mercy. You know the spare the dying cantrip. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the remove curse spell once with this trait as a 3rd-level spell. This trait replaces the light cantrip and daylight spell of the Celestial Legacy trait.

Change Shape. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the alter self spell once per day as a 2nd-level spell. This trait replaces the lesser restoration spell of the Celestial Legacy trait.

Winged. You have feathered wings sprouting from your shoulder blades. You have a fly speed of 30 feet. This trait replaces the Celestial Legacy trait.

Please, let me know if these traits seemed balanced for the aasimar. Also, if you have any other trait variation ideas, I would love to see them.

[Arkhios]

I don't have the SCAG at hand right now, but from what I remember of the Tiefling equivalents, these seem to be quite appropriately balanced.

Nice job, saved me some time from having to do it myself! :)

It would be fun, if for both the Aasimar and the Tiefling those appearance details would be random as well as how many there are.

A random table for both races would be nice addition.

[RazDelacroix]

And here I was...working on homebrew fluff for the Aasimar... Levism84, I applaud your work and peer out the window in suspicion of spies. Happy T-Day!

[Levism84]

And here I was...working on homebrew fluff for the Aasimar... Levism84, I applaud your work and peer out the window in suspicion of spies. Happy T-Day!

*sheepishly recalls the arcane eye*

[Markoff Chainey]

Really nice! :) Will definately suggest that on our table!

[Seruvius]

I like it. I might try and mix this with the Witch hunter Homebrew from Critical Roll. Some sort of Divine Inquisitor sort of build.

[Goober4473]

Consider this stolen. :smallsmile:

[DracoKnight]

Thanks for these, they all look great :D

Could you play around with a more offensively inclined Aasimar? Like the child of a Solar or a Planetar?

[Belac93]

This is going right in the Balanced folder with the Libran (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?430062-The-Libran). Seriously, it's nearly impossible to be certain that a homebrew is balanced. Thank you for this.

[Levism84]

Thanks for these, they all look great :D

Could you play around with a more offensively inclined Aasimar? Like the child of a Solar or a Planetar?

Offensively, you are probably looking to use Righteous for the Strength bonus instead of Charisma. This lends itself better to playing a Cleric of Life/Light/War, but lends itself less to playing a Paladin (if you are going for a Charisma build) or Favored Soul sorcerer. Either way, you are probably going to be picking up some nice offensive spells with a celestial flourish with any of those classes. Looking over both the Solar and Planetar, none of the spell-like abilities they get would be of an appropriate level for the Aasimar to receive as racial spell-like abilities. Additionally, Angelic Weapons (which adds bonus radiant damage to the Angel's attacks) is perfectly mimicked by the Life domain's Divine Strike feature.

I suppose you could have an alternative racial feature that grants the sacred flame cantrip instead of the light cantrip, but granting an attack cantrip through race should be carefully considered. High elves gain a bonus wizard cantrip as a racial feature (which could be used to take a wizard attack cantrip), but that is the only magic they get from their racial feature. Fire Genasi gain produce flame as a racial cantrip, along with a 1st-level fire attack spell at 3rd. However, fire is the most commonly resisted damage type out there, somewhat curbing its usefulness over the life of a campaign. Radiant damage, on the other hand, has fewer creatures that resist it and almost none that are immune to it. Yet, given the Aasimar's inclination towards classes that would grant it access to radiant damage spells, it should be mechanically safe to allow some early radiant damage spells to "bleed" over into a racial feature. Using Fire Genasi as a model, I would suggest the following alternative racial feature for Aasimar:

Purifier. You know the sacred flame cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the guiding bolt spell once with this trait as a 1st-level spell, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. This trait replaces the Celestial Legacy trait.