Looking for Aasimar Love

[Azreal]

There hasn't been much of anything for Aasimar in 5e. Has anyone seen any interesting homebrews for subraces or any such thing? Horrendously broken need not apply.

[HoarsHalberd]

There hasn't been much of anything for Aasimar in 5e. Has anyone seen any interesting homebrews for subraces or any such thing? Horrendously broken need not apply.

DMG. +2 Cha +1 wis. Resist to radiant and necrotic. Dark vision. A few spells. Pretty neat.

[Belac93]

I believe the OP means homebrew for the Aasimar. Here you go. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?464899-Aasimar-Variants-%28SCAG-Inspired%29)

[Markoff Chainey]

We use the Aasimar homebrew as linked above (because it's great and totally in line with the Tieflings) plus this...

Subrace: Tainted / Blessed (alternative subrace for Gnomes, Halflings and Elves)

Instead of a subrace from your Race, you can choose a different subrace, that set you apart in your community from the others. A Tiefling or Aasimar ancestor is strong in you…


Tainted:
Ability Increase: Charisma + 1
Cantrip: Vicious Mockery or Thaumaturgy (CHA casting stat)
1-2 Appearance Feats: small horns, fangs & sharp teeth, forked tongue, catlike eyes, six fingers on each hand, goatlike legs, hooves, forked tail, leathery or scaly skin, red or blue skin, cast no shadow, smells like brimstone
Additional language: Infernal (you are considered an outsider: infernal additional to your race)

Blessed:
Ability Increase: Wisdom + 1
Cantrip: Spare the Dying or Thaumaturgy (WIS casting stat)
1-2 Appearance Feats: 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
Additional language: celestial (you are considered an outsider: celestial additional to your race)

[Regitnui]

I will admit I read this and immediately thought of Aasimar romance options...

[mgshamster]

I will admit I read this and immediately thought of Aasimar romance options...

You're not alone.

[Regitnui]

You're not alone.

I knew I couldn't be the only one. Who's now inclined to have an aasimar-tiefling couple as NPCs in their next quest/campaign?

[Azreal]

I knew I couldn't be the only one. Who's now inclined to have an aasimar-tiefling couple as NPCs in their next quest/campaign?

Me. I'm now inclined to do this for my next character.

[JumboWheat01]

I knew I couldn't be the only one. Who's now inclined to have an aasimar-tiefling couple as NPCs in their next quest/campaign?

That actually has an interesting ring to it. I'll have to bring it up to my DM-buddy, see what he thinks about it. Might even be something of a side quest to bring the two together.

Though... which way should it be? Male aasimar, female tiefling? Male tiefling, female aasimar? Both the same gender?

Hmm...

[Regitnui]

That actually has an interesting ring to it. I'll have to bring it up to my DM-buddy, see what he thinks about it. Might even be something of a side quest to bring the two together.

Though... which way should it be? Male aasimar, female tiefling? Male tiefling, female aasimar? Both the same gender?

Hmm...

Male tiefling & female aasimar = 'Bad' boy and good girl.

Male aasimar & female tiefling = superhero and femme fatale

Male aasimar & male tiefling = bash brothers/red oni blue oni

Female aasimar & female tiefling = tomboy and girly girl.

You'll forgive me for not going through every gender combination. But those are just the first character tropes that come to mind when thinking of the aasimar-tiefling couple in various configurations. There's some room to play with it, of course. By definition you've almost got as much of an Odd Couple as a dwarf and elf in a romance (ew), except the tiefling and aasimar are at least the same size.

Now there goes my mind down the stream of interracial love in D&D. *shudders*

[Markoff Chainey]

I will admit I read this and immediately thought of Aasimar romance options...

This is the reason why in our homebrew for the subraces "Dwarves" as main race are excluded ;-p (we included all other races that have a subrace)

[Lines]

Looking for Aasimar Love

Check for 'Craigslist' in the PHB index, and remember to stay safe.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I will admit I read this and immediately thought of Aasimar romance options...

I, too, came here looking for love.

Becasue seriously, dating as an aasimar must be a nightmare, and not just because of the endless puns based on the first syllable of your race. For starters, the vanishing rarity of your kind means you'll most likely have to look for non-aasimar partners, who will never truly understand your heritage and culture. Then there's the fact that you're impossibly attractive compared to all the humans you're surrounded with, so the people you want feel intimidated or unworthy, and everyone else is always drooling over/harassing you. And worst of all, there always seems to be some kind of cult trying to set you up with tieflings to fulfill their stupid prophesies!

[Regitnui]

there always seems to be some kind of cult trying to set you up with tieflings to fulfill their stupid prophesies!

Hey! It's a much easier way to sort out a half-celestial, half-fiend than summoning a succubus and a solar and persuading them...

[Ninja_Prawn]

Hey! It's a much easier way to sort out a half-celestial, half-fiend than summoning a succubus and a solar and persuading them...

This is why your evil plans always fail - you're half-assing the ritual sacrifice! The child of an aasimar and a tiefling would be like half-human, quarter-celestial and quarter-fiendish, at absolute best. The devil is in the details!

[Azreal]

Male aasimar & male tiefling = bash brothers/red oni blue oni


I want this. I didn't know I wanted this so much until this moment.

Also this thread the best unexpected turn.

[JoeJ]

This is why your evil plans always fail - you're half-assing the ritual sacrifice! The child of an aasimar and a tiefling would be like half-human, quarter-celestial and quarter-fiendish, at absolute best. The devil is in the details!

So is the angel, apparently.

[Lines]

So is the angel, apparently.

You got it wrong, didn't you read the discussion of coupling before? The devil is not in the details, the devil is in the angel =D

[Regitnui]

This is why your evil plans always fail - you're half-assing the ritual sacrifice! The child of an aasimar and a tiefling would be like half-human, quarter-celestial and quarter-fiendish, at absolute best. The devil is in the details!

Evil plans? I'm doing this For SCIENCE! *thunder*


You got it wrong, didn't you read the discussion of coupling before? The devil is not in the details, the devil is in the angel =D

The succubus is the female one, you half-trained acolyte of a mere dabbler! The angel is in the fiend, and the fiend is in the circle!

[Millstone85]

You got it wrong, didn't you read the discussion of coupling before? The devil is not in the details, the devil is in the angel =DThe succubus is the female one, you half-trained acolyte of a mere dabbler! The angel is in the fiend, and the fiend is in the circle!And the cake is in the oven.

[gullveig]

And the cake is in the oven.

The cake is a lie!

[TheTeaMustFlow]

I think somebody should call Marlowe.

[JumboWheat01]

This is why your evil plans always fail - you're half-assing the ritual sacrifice! The child of an aasimar and a tiefling would be like half-human, quarter-celestial and quarter-fiendish, at absolute best. The devil is in the details!

Technically these days, the child of a tiefling and anything else is always a tiefling. At least that's what it was like in 4e, I dunno if 5e is carrying forward that trait, but that's how it is since Asmodeus did his thing that turned them into looking the same.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Technically these days, the child of a tiefling and anything else is always a tiefling. At least that's what it was like in 4e, I dunno if 5e is carrying forward that trait, but that's how it is since Asmodeus did his thing that turned them into looking the same.

I think the official story is "let's all pretend 4e never happened"... I'm sure I remember seeing somewhere that tiefling traits can crop up out of the blue - i.e. from a coupling of two humans - which implies that it's possible to have some amount of tiefling blood without it manifesting.

[Regitnui]

I think the official story is "let's all pretend 4e never happened"... I'm sure I remember seeing somewhere that tiefling traits can crop up out of the blue - i.e. from a coupling of two humans - which implies that it's possible to have some amount of tiefling blood without it manifesting.

I like Forgotten Realm's handling of 4e; it was a Spellplague, a sickness in the magic of the world. Now the spellplague is over, we're back to (relative) normality with 5e.

The PHB is silent on whether tieflings (and by extension aasimar, their counterparts) can be born from two human parents with lingering ancestry, but it'd make sense to me. The only thing I can find is;


Tieflings born into another culture typically have names reflective of that culture.

Which implies that tieflings could be born in a human family. I wouldn't call it definitive, by any means. The SCAG is similarly silent. Personally, I'd have the aasimar and tiefling be both a separate culture and occasionally born amongst humans, like half-elves or half-orcs can pass down dormant traits to superficially human children, while still being separate lines that run true on their own.

As for the aasimar and tiefling breeding experiment, it's mostly because I want to see what turns up. The human lineage should make things more manageable.

[DizzyWood]

I think the official story is "let's all pretend 4e never happened"... I'm sure I remember seeing somewhere that tiefling traits can crop up out of the blue - i.e. from a coupling of two humans - which implies that it's possible to have some amount of tiefling blood without it manifesting.

Isn't it the same with Aasimar? They just randomelly pop up in a population. I always thought of it as two recessive genes so both parents would have to have it for the traits to show up in you.

The real question is what would a child of an Aasimar and a Tiefling be like? Say the Aasimar was of Elf heritage and the Tiefling was descendant of lets say Orcs. Could they have children? What would the different racial combos do to the child?

I MUST KNOW... er.... Asking for a friend.

[Regitnui]

It's outright stated and very much implied that tieflings and aasimar respectively are human heritage. I think there're versions in the Forgotten Realms which have elf and orc ancestry, but they're her specifically not called tieflings.

[Ninja_Prawn]

It's outright stated and very much implied that tieflings and aasimar respectively are human heritage. I think there're versions in the Forgotten Realms which have elf and orc ancestry, but they're her specifically not called tieflings.

That was my understanding, too. There are also part-fiend Dwarves (known as Maeluth) and part-fiend Duergar (Durzagon). Who knows which pairings are cross-compatible... :smalleek:

[DizzyWood]

I was actually asking for reasons totally unrelated to the original post. Though this post has helped me with a project.

I would put this under a spoiler if i had any idea how to do it. :smallconfused: So read on only if interested.

A not so mad and rather kind and loving but very evil (but in a loving responsible way) rules over a small isolated village. For the last 500 years he has been manipulating the breeding of the villagers in secret. Aasimar, Tieflings, and Genasi all have a few representations each generation. Small time magic users seem common here and a solid Arcanna check will reveal that most of these users are sorcerers of some kind. Recently a family of changelings moved to the village and several shifters were hired as guards for the wizards tower and they seem to be fitting in fine. Traces of elf and orc ancestry can also can be easily spotted among the local population as well. When the party arrive in this they will be immediately approached by the mayor to help save the local dragon from a blood thirsty warloard's daughter. That dragon will clue you into the fact the the wizard has been breeding the villagers to create a strong enough body to allow himself to grow in power and become a god.

Sorry for typos and whatnot I am on phone while on public transportation.

[Azreal]

I was actually asking for reasons totally unrelated to the original post. Though this post has helped me with a project.

I would put this under a spoiler if i had any idea how to do it. :smallconfused: So read on only if interested.

A not so mad and rather kind and loving but very evil (but in a loving responsible way) rules over a small isolated village. For the last 500 years he has been manipulating the breeding of the villagers in secret. Aasimar, Tieflings, and Genasi all have a few representations each generation. Small time magic users seem common here and a solid Arcanna check will reveal that most of these users are sorcerers of some kind. Recently a family of changelings moved to the village and several shifters were hired as guards for the wizards tower and they seem to be fitting in fine. Traces of elf and orc ancestry can also can be easily spotted among the local population as well. When the party arrive in this they will be immediately approached by the mayor to help save the local dragon from a blood thirsty warloard's daughter. That dragon will clue you into the fact the the wizard has been breeding the villagers to create a strong enough body to allow himself to grow in power and become a god.
.

I like the concept I'm just not sure about making a god rather then a perfect body? The distinction is there.

[T.G. Oskar]

I feel bad that Tieflings get to mix their 3e concept (human/oid/s with fiendish genes which manifest spontaneously at birth, but that do not define the character) and 4e concept (true-breeding holders of an ancient empire), but Aasimar only get a side note at most (literally being the anti-Tiefling).

I feel Aasimar should get a similar treatment, to further distinguish them from the ubiquitous Tiefling (and maybe make them more likeable?) The Deva was a pretty interesting take, but it doesn't seem to really fit as-is; however, it could be a superb way to give an Aasimar the distinction it needs.

Picture it as such. A Tiefling has a rich heritage from being descendant of an ancient empire gone power-mad, and despite their infernal traits and powers (and looks), they are no different from any other, capable of great acts of Good if they so desire. The Aasimar, on the other hand, has a different burden - a past-life burden, for which they reincarnate. Aasimar can only be born in families with the tiniest hint of celestial blood in their veins, and their mission is to purge themselves from some horrible sin. That gives them two paths - one, they can still have a thematic link to the Tiefling but a more organic one (Aasimar are those people from the ancient empire who chose to repent rather than accept their fate; celestials support them by allowing them to reincarnate to purge their sins); two, they can be self-standing (once celestials allowed those members of the ancient empire to become Aasimar, they found it was a good idea, and they allowed others to reincarnate as well).

This idea draws from some elements, but it can be refined to turn into its own thing - Tieflings in terms of being opposites, Devas for their reincarnation aspect, Kalashtar in that they need a set of factors to actually be born, and Hellbred in that their actions in their next lives are a way to purge themselves. It also gives them a pretty distinct identity: Aasimar are always reminded of their burden by their celestial looks, and can choose to get rid of their burden by being exemplars of Good; they may fall victim to their burden and be brooding people who believe they cannot escape their fate and thus lean towards being Neutral, or they can reach a realization that their so-called "burden" is not as they believe, and they can embrace their old sins and be even more Evil than fiends. The idea of an eventual reward and punishment can also build character - an Aasimar that purges its sins may eventually rise into the ranks of celestials themselves (as they have proven to rise from corruption, a very different take on 'incorruptible' than being born without corruption, and may end up creating a celestial less likely to fall as they can still remember their mortal lives) or end up as fiends (by embracing their sins and relishing on them).

So, by anchoring the concept of reincarnation upon them, you could end up with a pretty awesome class, one that could build up some traction, while making it distinct from the Tiefling. You could still see the similarities between them, yet at the same time make them distinct so as to provide motivations for their actions. A party between an Aasimar and a Tiefling could easily create a philosophical discussion - the Tiefling wishes to get rid of its corrupted nature and envies the Aasimar for its grace, the Aasimar finds the Tiefling a kindred spirit and end up as a kind of "big brother". It doesn't have to be that different from conceptions of Aasimar in other worlds; in Faerun, the Mulhorandi gods may have been the ones that created the Aasimar, and as they are so keen on reincarnation, it fits the bill.

Is that enough Aasimar love that WotC could provide us?

[Regitnui]

That is... Actually kinda awesome. I'll actually get behind that, though I'm not sure how it would apply in the world of Eberron... I'll have to think on that.

[JackPhoenix]

That is... Actually kinda awesome. I'll actually get behind that, though I'm not sure how it would apply in the world of Eberron... I'll have to think on that.

As someone who used one as an important plot point, how about starting from Radiant Idols? What if allowing themselves to be reborn as Aasimar is a way to repent before they could return as angels again? When an Eberron outsider "dies", it is respawned with full memories and powers after some time. As a mortal, Aasimar would have to start again with each death, until its crimes are forgiven.

The same could be used with tieflings and fiends: perhaps being turned into a tiefling, almost absurdly weak compared to their original form, is a punishment for a fiend that has failed its overlord. But tieflings have an unexpected advantage...being mostly mortal, they are not as unchanging as true fiends, they can grow in power faster, easier...perhaps, with some effort, they can grow even more powerful than before.

[Regitnui]

As someone who used one as an important plot point, how about starting from Radiant Idols? What if allowing themselves to be reborn as Aasimar is a way to repent before they could return as angels again? When an Eberron outsider "dies", it is respawned with full memories and powers after some time. As a mortal, Aasimar would have to start again with each death, until its crimes are forgiven.

The same could be used with tieflings and fiends: perhaps being turned into a tiefling, almost absurdly weak compared to their original form, is a punishment for a fiend that has failed its overlord. But tieflings have an unexpected advantage...being mostly mortal, they are not as unchanging as true fiends, they can grow in power faster, easier...perhaps, with some effort, they can grow even more powerful than before.

I can get behind that. Celestials and fiends from Shavarath that get incarnated into mortal souls. The Ohr Kaluun civilisation tried it first, forming the first tieflings. As the tieflings spread across Eberron, those who channeled celestials found themselves, and their children, changed by exposure to the divine energy...

[JackPhoenix]

I can get behind that. Celestials and fiends from Shavarath that get incarnated into mortal souls. The Ohr Kaluun civilisation tried it first, forming the first tieflings. As the tieflings spread across Eberron, those who channeled celestials found themselves, and their children, changed by exposure to the divine energy...

The boring origin for tiefling is simply being born near Overlord's prison. Its powers bleeds through and can imbue children with otherwordly powers and fiendish looks. It's also canon version, IIRC (and it was also used as posible source of Daelkyr Half-bloods...which are kinda aberrant tieflings)

[Regitnui]

The boring origin for tiefling is simply being born near Overlord's prison. Its powers bleeds through and can imbue children with otherwordly powers and fiendish looks. It's also canon version, IIRC (and it was also used as posible source of Daelkyr Half-bloods...which are kinda aberrant tieflings)

One of the few things I take from 4e into my personal Eberron canon is the existence of the Venomous Demense, a tiefling settlement in Droaam descended from Ohr Kaluun (Sarlonan island nation) refugees and a dragonborn settlement amongst the Q'barran lizardfolk tribes. Of course, most of the dragonborn live in Argonessen as elite servants, and tieflings can be born from any human couple, just like aasimar. While the Overlords' prisons being the ultimate source of the fiendish taint that inspired the initial tiefling experiments, I like the idea of a nation of magical dabblers having a lasting effect on the world after they were exterminated.

[JackPhoenix]

One of the few things I take from 4e into my personal Eberron canon is the existence of the Venomous Demense, a tiefling settlement in Droaam descended from Ohr Kaluun (Sarlonan island nation) refugees and a dragonborn settlement amongst the Q'barran lizardfolk tribes. Of course, most of the dragonborn live in Argonessen as elite servants, and tieflings can be born from any human couple, just like aasimar. While the Overlords' prisons being the ultimate source of the fiendish taint that inspired the initial tiefling experiments, I like the idea of a nation of magical dabblers having a lasting effect on the world after they were exterminated.

Sounds interesting. I've kind of ignored most 4e fluff changes to Eberron after I've learned that WotC forced Baator in the setting because...reasons, even though, ironically, default D&D devils are propably more interesting (and certainly have more fluff) then the eternal LE vs CE vs LG war in Shavarath (it's unbalanced, for one...I would add CG side). Tieflings make sense, though, Heirs of Ohr Kaluun were a thing even in 3.5 Secrets of Sarlona. Demon Wastes would be a great source of tieflings too.
As for dragonborn, I'm not a fan of the race in general (always prefered kobolds as draconic humanoids). I though the default draconic reaction to anything humanoid with dragon's blood is "exterminate with extreme prejudice", though that may have been just Erandis Vol with her OP dragonmark, because Rhashaak is apparently fine with half-dragon lizardfolk...he's a renegade, though, so who knows?

[Regitnui]

Sounds interesting. I've kind of ignored most 4e fluff changes to Eberron after I've learned that WotC forced Baator in the setting because...reasons, even though, ironically, default D&D devils are propably more interesting (and certainly have more fluff) then the eternal LE vs CE vs LG war in Shavarath (it's unbalanced, for one...I would add CG side). Tieflings make sense, though, Heirs of Ohr Kaluun were a thing even in 3.5 Secrets of Sarlona. Demon Wastes would be a great source of tieflings too.
As for dragonborn, I'm not a fan of the race in general (always prefered kobolds as draconic humanoids). I though the default draconic reaction to anything humanoid with dragon's blood is "exterminate with extreme prejudice", though that may have been just Erandis Vol with her OP dragonmark, because Rhashaak is apparently fine with half-dragon lizardfolk...he's a renegade, though, so who knows?

They have something against mixing the blood, which is why Erandis is the only Vol left. Dragonborn aren't a mixing of bloods, but pure humanoid dragons. They could be the result of specially-incubated dragon eggs back during the Fiend Wars, when a coatl took a clutch or two on occasion to take on the rakshasa. I don't recall.any specific lore.

Rhashaak is just crazy. He's been guarding a little too long and gone dragon-tiefling.

The Kobolds were, I recall, drops of progenitor dragon blood; Eberron and Khyber both have their own strains of kobold, and the rare winged kobolds are Siberys's blood. They have their own civilisations and wars, pretty much ignoring the outside world until it blunders in on them.

[krugaan]

You're not alone.

I hear they have websites for that sort of thing.

[Regitnui]

I hear they have websites for that sort of thing.

Fantasylover.com

I make no guarantees of safe passage if you actually try that.

[krugaan]

Fantasylover.com

I make no guarantees of safe passage if you actually try that.

It's disturbing yet unsurprising that Rule 34 is proven true yet again.

[JackPhoenix]

They have something against mixing the blood, which is why Erandis is the only Vol left. Dragonborn aren't a mixing of bloods, but pure humanoid dragons. They could be the result of specially-incubated dragon eggs back during the Fiend Wars, when a coatl took a clutch or two on occasion to take on the rakshasa. I don't recall.any specific lore.

Rhashaak is just crazy. He's been guarding a little too long and gone dragon-tiefling.

The Kobolds were, I recall, drops of progenitor dragon blood; Eberron and Khyber both have their own strains of kobold, and the rare winged kobolds are Siberys's blood. They have their own civilisations and wars, pretty much ignoring the outside world until it blunders in on them.

Hm...I thought dragonborn are true-breeding descendants of half-dragons, like tieflings and aasimars were later generations descendants of fiends and celestials. Being a separate species explains some things, still, I'm not a fan of them. It is true that outside Erandis and Rhashaak's followers, I don't remember any half-dragons in Eberron lore...the half-red dragon lizardfolk in the Dragonshard game doesn't really count, that game had a ton of other problems from lore perspective.

Erandis' problem was not only being half green, but also her dragonmark being even more powerful then Siberys marks...though I wonder how did they knew about that, she hasn't manifested any powers by that point...Prophecy, I guess. (on an unrelated note, I like to think that her phylactery are the collective bloodlines of elven and dragon species, as a final "**** you!" from her mother to her killers. She was a powerful necromancer, and I think this is epic enough results of her magic being channeled through the most powerful mark in history that fits with BoV's belief in the power in the blood. It also explains how Lady Vol is still aliveundead after being enemy of dragons for 2700 years...they can't destroy her unless they kill every single dragon and elf first).

As for the kobolds, I'm somewhat influenced by DDO, where they are comic relief enemies. When my players encountered one more serious group, they had their own culture and religion...I wonder if the characters try to convert them to the CotSF when they get the area around their lair as a reward for stopping the awakening of Ral Tulkhesh and a start of a new war between Thrane and Karrnath. Also, as a plot point, they are immune to lycanthropy thanks to not being mammals.

Aaaaaaanyway, while I love talking about Eberron, I think I've derailed this thread enough, this is my last off topic post on this matter.


It's disturbing yet unsurprising that Rule 34 is proven true yet again.

I've actually tried it out of curiosity, the domain is apparently unclaimed. However, I was able to find some aasimar Rule 34 after a short search anyway, so...yeah.

[Regitnui]

Aaaaaaanyway, while I love talking about Eberron, I think I've derailed this thread enough, this is my last off topic post on this matter.

PM me. I'd love to have someone to bounce my Prophecy and Mourning theories off.


I've actually tried it out of curiosity, the domain is apparently unclaimed. However, I was able to find some aasimar Rule 34 after a short search anyway, so...yeah.

I once found rule 34 of a obscure webcomic I thought only I still read... *shudder*

Back on topic; Aasimar don't get much lore in general. Isn't the DMG just "like tieflings, but the opposite!

[krugaan]

Back on topic; Aasimar don't get much lore in general. Isn't the DMG just "like tieflings, but the opposite!

I keep trying to imagine a half mechanus aasimar and failing.

Like C3PO or R2D2 or something?

[FuryouMiko]

Well, there was the old question as to where Axani and Cansin came from, when the most common lawful and chaotic outsiders were Modrons and Slaad...

[krugaan]

Well, there was the old question as to where Axani and Cansin came from, when the most common lawful and chaotic outsiders were Modrons and Slaad...

Ah, well slaads aasimars are easy:

Frog from Chrono Trigger.

[Talamare]

I included them in my Variant Races collection
Basically, Light Tiefling.

[Azreal]

Back on topic; Aasimar don't get much lore in general. Isn't the DMG just "like tieflings, but the opposite!

Yeah this was my issue. There's no lore or any fluff behind them except. Tieflings but reversed. Which bugs me almost as much as the missing official Dhampir race.

[T.G. Oskar]

Back on topic; Aasimar don't get much lore in general. Isn't the DMG just "like tieflings, but the opposite!

Indeed, therefore, why the best show of Aasimar love would be to give it lore beyond "not-Tiefling" or "anti-Tiefling". Tieflings got a lot of love in 4e, even if the edition itself was...divisive, to say the best. Aasimar didn't exist, and what little existed became, in a way, the Deva - thus, why reclaiming the Deva lore and welding it to the Aasimar should make it work. Being descendants of celestials is one thing - to have a burden beyond "I got an angel as my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandpappy" should make it more interesting, and by introducing the idea that the Aasimar's burden involves purging the sins of past lives makes the race even more interesting. I mentioned it above, but it bears repeating - it has to be both similar and distinct to the Tiefling in order to distinguish it from the latter. While one has the burden of heritage, the other has the burden of sin - curiously, it fits if the "good guy" gets the burden of sin and the "bad guy" gets the burden of heritage, when earlier editions have it backwards.

As for Dhampir...maybe if there's a "Curse of Strahd Player's Guide", we can see a Dhampir race? That would be interesting at most.

[Regitnui]

I like the idea of reincarnating Aasimar, I admit. The question for me is then how far back to I expect aasimar NPCs or PCs' history to go? Two lives? Three lives? I have a major aasimar NPC. He was a ranger in the frontier, murdered an entire tribe to get back a kidnapped girl child, and found himself haunted by that, turning to the path of the paladin and becoming a major force for good in the pirate islands. Now I have to think about his previous lives. Is the 'killing for the greater good' his sin he must repent from? What was his last life? How did he get on the cycle of aasimar as opposed to getting punished in the afterlife?

It needs some thought, is all. I'll even write it up for someone to put on the DMsG, if you like. I'll have to research Devas first.

[Jon D]

Something that bugged me from th3 get go. Why not have both Teiflings and Aasimar in the PHB under Planetouched?

[Regitnui]

OK, researched.

The interesting thing about Devas (interchangeable with aasimar, apparently) from an Eberron view is that they're set up as opposing rahkshasa instead of tieflings. They're semi-immortal spirits of light (Irian natives?) that fought as soldiers alongside the coatls and dragons against the Overlords. Some say they're rakshasa that have found redemption.

*cracks knuckles* Let's make this lore appropriate for everyone and 5e:

Aasimar

Deep in the ancestral memories of most sentient beings is the image of great spirits of light descending from the heavens. These beings are almost always benevolent, wise and great leaders. Though most beings never learn it, these spirits were and still are living amongst them. The aasimar are spirits of light incarnated into humanoid bodies, dedicated to furthering the cause of all that is good in the world. If killed, they reincarnate into new bodies, ready to face the fight anew. Few match aasimar in the fight against darkness, for the aasimar know what lies down that road; aasimar that commit great evil in life will be reincarnated as a fiend.

Eerie Perfection
Aasimar look most like humans, yet not. They possess an uncanny stillness about them, and are rarely given to displays of extreme emotion. Little, in fact, distinguishes an aasimar at rest from an exquisitely carved statue. Only the occasional blink and gentle motion of breathing proves their living nature.

Their colouration is the most obvious way these servants of the light differ from humans. Though their skin shares a similar range to that of humanity, their skin is always patterned, with two distinct tones of light and dark. Either one can be dominant, but the other forms elegant, yet simple patterns over their bodies.

All aasimar share ancestral memories of a life before their reincarnation cycles, and so while they may adopt the culture of those around them, they have a common habits of dress and mannerisms. Most favour flowing clothes of fine silk or polished armour. Almost all aasimar wear hats, helmets or other headdresses, and dislike being in public without some manner of head covering. These are practically always decorated with or made of brightly shining metals, but otherwise vary widely. One may favour a bandana with discs of metal sewn in, another their helmet, and a third a plain gold circlet.

Immortal Souls

Despite these oddities, they make an effort to blend in with their communities. An aasimar is almost always found in a position of service to their chosen settlements, and follow whatever trade the people need. Their endless reincarnations put them in good stead in whatever they put their hands to, and an aasimar can often equal a skilled instructor in a matter of weeks.

Aasimar cannot reproduce. Instead, when an aasimar dies or is killed, their spirit is reincarnated in a new body miles from the site of their death. They often reappear at sacred sites; a temple, mountain peak, grove of trees, monastery or oasis in the desert. The aasimar remembers little of their previous lives, only retaining languages and general morality.

Some aasimar may see this endless cycle as a curse and choose to escape it, either by ascension or other method of physical immortality. These aasimar are often the most driven of their race, and may inadvertently doom themselves in their search for an escape.

Tightrope of Morality
All aasimar have an almost instinctual knowledge of their purpose; to do good. They also have an equally ingrained idea of the steep penalty they face for not doing so. A corrupted aasimar is reborn as a fiend. Most commonly, this is said to be a rakshasa, but any type of fiend is said to be possible. In a y case, the average aasimar finds this possibility deeply unnerving, in a way most mortals consider their death.

Conversely, some say that new aasimar are formed when a fiend finds true redemption. The same people who support this point to the rarity of aasimar as evidence. Surely, they say, a redeemed fiend is something that almost never happens. And from a certain point of view, they may have a point. An individual aasimar would find it noteworthy if they ever meet another of their kind. Many people even in large cities can go their whole lives without meeting one.

Aasimar are to a one, polite and refined. They treat everyone equally, and will offer even the most corrupt mortal a second chance. However, they are just as businesslike when it comes to violence, punishing and eliminating the guilty with the same neat efficiency they bring to anything they do.

Devout And Dedicated

Aasimar can dimly remember a life spent with gods and angels. So while they are religious, few practice their faith as thoroughly as an aasimar. Religion, for an aasimar, is an intensely personal matter, and they are simultaneously casual and obsessive with their chosen faith. Most pray regularly, often over meals. There is almost always a place in an aasimar's home where they will go to meditate or pray on the tenets of their god or religion.

On the other hand, aasimar tend to not get along well with priests and temples. They find the need of having certain places or people for the gods confusing. Surely the gods are always present and in everyone? Why bend the knee at an altar and ask a man when you could speak to the gods personally wherever you may be?

Aasimar Names

As they have no society or cities of their own, aasimar usually adopt a name similar to those of the dominant race around them. They favour names with positive meanings or flowing syllables. Few have any more than one name, but they accept nicknames or titles given to them by those they trust or are fond of.

Male Names: Adiah, Ayab, Bavak, Beriah, Eben, Elyas, Galad, Gamal, Iannes, Kerem, Marach, Mathas, Nathan, Nehem, Oris, Raham, Samel, Sered, Vavar, Zachary

Female Names: Abea, Asha, Chana, Danel, Davi, Elka, Eranah, Hanai, Idria, Isa, Kana, Kayah, Lihi, Mahel, Noma, Navah, Paziah, Riya, Sada, Shara, Tirah

Nicknames: ??? (No seriously, I can't think of any)

Aasimar Traits
(As DMG)

So, what do we think? PEACH.

[RazDelacroix]

For the Deva variant of Aasimar's, I approve of what you got there Regitnui. I will give my players the option of using that bit or the 2nd Edition Planescape sort. I imagine the interactions between the two would range from hilarious misunderstandings to zealous wrestling matches.

[T.G. Oskar]

Mind if I do my own take? I did this at a whim about a year ago, since I felt it was wrong that Aasimar had no lore, but I chose a blend between vanilla Aasimar and the Deva lore. I'll comment on it later.

--

Aasimar

No one understands the burden of heritage but the aasimar: blessed with great beauty and otherwordly purity, easily winning the trust of some, the envy of others, and the awe of all. Communities harboring an aasimar feel this is the gift of the gods; a child blessed by celestial blood in its veins, and destined for greatness. Most, indeed, harbor this burden and become great heroes, but some fall short and become viciously evil, tainting their souls forever. And yet, only an aasimar knows the true weight of their burden; they have experienced the love and scorn of their fellows, time and time again.

Children of the Heavens
No one can truly predict when the blood of a celestial creature will awaken, heralding the birth of an aasimar. Almost all aasimar are born from human families, but status is not an indicator; one may be born a noble, other a peasant; from a line of heroic warriors or from a backwater lot, all that matters is that one of the ancestors of the aasimar is a celestial. Aasimar appear as glorious humans, but are as varied as them. They often have lustrous hair, ranging from pure white to silvery gray to golden blond to fiery red; their hair has vivid colors, and rare is the aasimar born bald, though it does nothing to hide their beauty. Their flawless skin often takes a pearly or metallic hue, with the darkest color strongly hinting of bronze and copper, glimmering in the presence of light; some are born with skin of bluish tone, similar to moonlight. Their piercing eyes have almost invisible pupils, existing as slight markings in pools of gold or silver, though usually pearl. All aasimar are generally comely; even the aasimar born of peasant stock has an air of grace around them, and their bodies are generally fit (though exceptions exist).

Humble and Eager to the Test
Despite their desirable traits, aasimar find themselves unable to fit easily into society. Their unearthly grace makes people feel uncomfortable around them, and while adults find them graceful, aasimar children are often subject of the scorn of children that are unable to understand the difference. Aasimar children are deeply introspective, often carefully observing their peers for minutes before even saying a word, which can unnerve even old people. Even as children, aasimar are strongly empathic, and sense when something feels wrong; they react as children would, but with a surprising amount of maturity. As they grow, aasimar feel the pull of heroism on their hearts and the burden of their celestial heritage in their shoulders.

As many people, aasimar are a reflection of their upbringing, but even those that have turned to darker ways of life share the same traits. Almost all aasimar are quiet, keeping the deep introspection of their youth, turning it into keen insight on people. As well, aasimar tend to have the gift of gab, capable of connecting with others with surprising ease. Noble and heroic aasimar are often humble but strong-willed; they, as their celestial ancestor, cannot withstand evil and injustice, but while they fight against it with passion, they do it out of a sense of greater justice and not out of any personal benefit, other than the need to "do the right thing". Aasimar that embrace evil twist their celestial gifts into sweet temptations: they have a refined insight into the weaknesses of people, and use their natural charm to their advantage; they hide their true intentions in plain sight, often taking advantage of their ancestor's fame as a mask. Aasimar may be drawn into goodness, but their hearts are still mortal, and they are capable of great depravities.

One thing all aasimar, both good and evil, often do is test themselves. A good aasimar doesn't conform with minor acts of kindness; a good aasimar pushes itself onward on the face of darkness, never relenting, never giving a step, and always advancing. Aasimar turned into evil always strive to achieve new lows, and more terrible ways to take advantage of their own gifts and the gullibility of others. Good aasimar do so to prove their worth; evil aasimar do it to drown their inner voice of righteousness until it remains completely silent.

A Fight Over Many Lives
The burden of heritage carried by the aasimar is not merely a metaphor. A family with celestial ancestry is not enough to engender an aasimar. Upon the death of an aasimar, its soul doesn't travel into the Upper Planes, but reincarnates back into the Material Plane, seeking the faint traces of celestial blood and awakening their potential. This singular event defines the aasimar: they have reincarnated countless times, and each time they must place themselves to the test. No scholar is capable of determining the reason, but the wealth of lives an aasimar carries makes them deeply introspective from birth, and infused with an overwhelming sense of righteousness tainted by the memories of their former lives. This is the true burden of an aasimar; not the burden of the celestial blood in their veins, but the burden of countless lives and an unknown purpose.

Scholars believe that the soul of an aasimar is that of a formerly virtuous mortal purging the taint of sin by reincarnating in countless lives, all in the hopes of joining the ranks of the celestial hosts. When an aasimar takes up the sword and faces the darkness, it fights the taint of sin its soul still holds within, until it has experienced a degree of purity where it binds into the Upper Planes and becomes one with the celestials. The same scholars also claim that the existence of rakshasa are related to this belief: an aasimar that taints its soul with sin becomes anchored to the world, until it becomes a fiend forevermore. This concept is yet debated, contrasting with the common belief that rakshasa are the essence of fiends that escaped the Lower Planes, but it explains why some of the most evil aasimar are almost indistinguishable from rakshasa by those who know their traits.

Aasimars and Tieflings
If any two races can understand each other despite being so distant, chances are that aasimar and tiefling end up being those. Tieflings, tainted by the sins of their ancestors, contrast greatly with the blessing of the aasimar's own. Tieflings are often drawn to evil in the same way aasimars are drawn towards good, and both races often seek to transcend this call and forge their own lives as individuals; a tiefling seeks to free itself from its burden to prove their worth to others, while aasimar cast away their burdens to oppose their own heritage. Tieflings trust no one, but once their trust has been won, they are fiercely loyal; conversely, the trust of an aasimar can be easily won, but even while trusted, the aasimar is always observant, as if always judging their allies. Despite being opposite sides of the coin, these two "planetouched" races (so called due to their ties to the Outer Planes) complement each other. The tiefling resents the grace that makes the aasimar trustworthy, while the aasimar resents the liberty of a tiefling in choosing its own path despite the pull of its heritage. Bonds between aasimar and tieflings are extremely volatile; they can end up adhering to their respective heritages and become the fiercest of enemies, share a bond from their experiences of live, or serve as the ultimate contrasts by eschewing their respective heritages and embracing the opposite ones. A saying goes that "aasimar and tiefling are the two sides of the same coin; one cannot exist without the other". While not exactly right, anyone who met members of both races would certainly think so.

Aasimar Names
Born on human cultures, Aasimar are often born with human names. Faerunian aasimar are almost always of Mulan descendence, where they are known as children of the Mulhorandi deities, but some are born from other cultures. In occasions, as a sort of surname, aasimar adopt a second name belonging to one of their past lives that they strongly identify with.

--

While most of the lore is pretty much textbook Aasimar, the third theme is where the lore of the Deva is stronger. Regitnui's Aasimar is pretty much full Deva, while my write-up is roughly 80/20 (since I wish that the reincarnation aspect becomes a full part of the race), and it keeps the association between Deva and Rakshasa, while still acknowledging the 5e Monster Manual lore about them. I forgot I had settled for "virtuous mortal" rather than going more towards Hellbred, but it could be an interesting take - both a virtuous mortal and a last-minute atoner could be Aasimar, and both have equally strong reasons.

Hmm...seeing that Deva will most likely not appear, how about doing a variant Aasimar that reflects some of the Deva racial traits? Advantage on one Knowledge skill would be pretty spot-on, since one of their racial traits worked similarly in terms of Knowledge skills.

Also, Regitnui - really going to place this on the DMsG? This could be a collaborative effort that might be given a mention in May's UA - the sky's the limit.

[Regitnui]

I'd be happy to merge the two descriptions. There are a few details about the deva I'd like to bring across into your (frankly better) cultural description. The multitoned skin, where 'Caucasian' light tones and 'African' dark contrast makes them visually distinct. The fondness/obsession for metal head coverings I included because a) every deva in 4e wears something and b) it's a subtle nod to an angel's halo. You also left out the possibility of a fiend 'ascending' into an aasimar. I think that could also be a fair origin for the race, even if the DM doesn't like it, it's a good option to keep open.

Hmm... What else? The statue-like stillness we can keep. It'll go nicely with your section on their grace and gravitas. I'll accept the more traditional form of reincarnation as well to make them more distinct from the deva. The 'planetouched' thing doesn't work so well in worlds without the Great Wheel. Eberron in particular attaches (most of) its fiends to the Underdark as opposed to outside planes. I think we should leave that off, though the contrast between tieflings and aasimar stands. I'd prefer that the comparison be drawn by people in universe, not by lore making them mirror the other because reasons.

2ND EDIT: What I think is most worth taking over is the uncanny valley effect of the deva for the aasimar. I mean, two-tone skin, statue perfection and stillness as well as a all-seeing gaze sort of underline a Good Is Not Nice aspect to them. While tieflings might be more inhuman in appearance, they're more human in behaviour. Aasimar are beautiful and good, but they aren't quite right by behaviour. Let's not make them 'humans but better'. Celestials in D&D are weird as all of the seven hells and abyss. Let's keep that weirdness.

We could, however, parallel the tiefling variants with assimar variants. Winged aasimar, for one.

I can't think of any other things I'd add/change.

As for the DMsG, I think it's a distinct possibility. I'm not sure how I would go about uploading it, but I'll be glad to contribute to the effort.

[Markoff Chainey]

We could, however, parallel the tiefling variants with assimar variants. Winged aasimar, for one.


Take a look on the first page of this thread... it's all there :)

[Azreal]

As far as Tiefling/Aasimar interactions I'm a huge fan of them actually getting along very well because they are both outcasts for opposite reasons.
Ex.) A child dies suddenly in the night.
The Tiefling would be immediately accused of cursing it.
The Aasimar would draw anger because it didn't stop such a horrible thing from happening.

[Regitnui]

As far as Tiefling/Aasimar interactions I'm a huge fan of them actually getting along very well because they are both outcasts for opposite reasons.
Ex.) A child dies suddenly in the night.
The Tiefling would be immediately accused of cursing it.
The Aasimar would draw anger because it didn't stop such a horrible thing from happening.

That's pretty good. Let's include that in the writeup.

[DizzyWood]

I like the concept I'm just not sure about making a god rather then a perfect body? The distinction is there.

Actually it is a body that is physically strong enough and that has enough inborn magical talent to survive the ascension ritual. Basically breeding a powerful sorcerer body that can also hold an 18 lvl wizard's mind and power with the bonus of holding together long enough to survive the 48 hour ritual that will make him a god.

The players can actually choose to assist him if they would like. In this setting all of the gods are some shade of neutral and very distant from the moral races. The wizard (whom I have not named yet) seeks to become lesser god who will assist the mortal races and be an intermediary to the other gods. If they choose to help him they can alter the ritual to strongly influence the gods portfolio.

[Azreal]

Actually it is a body that is physically strong enough and that has enough inborn magical talent to survive the ascension ritual. Basically breeding a powerful sorcerer body that can also hold an 18 lvl wizard's mind and power with the bonus of holding together long enough to survive the 48 hour ritual that will make him a god.

The players can actually choose to assist him if they would like. In this setting all of the gods are some shade of neutral and very distant from the moral races. The wizard (whom I have not named yet) seeks to become lesser god who will assist the mortal races and be an intermediary to the other gods. If they choose to help him they can alter the ritual to strongly influence the gods portfolio.

That's actually super fun and cool.

[Regitnui]

I cast resurrection!

OK, aasimar lovers. I have a nice lore writeup all ready for the DMsG, but there's one last thing I'd like to take a look at. Racial variants. Now winged aasimar are a thing, and fairly quickly adapted from the tieflings. But what other strange appearance or unusual traits could we see from Aasimar?

There's the Shulassakar from Eberron who are coatl-influenced people who resemble Yuan-ti... But what other celestials could have had a 'hand' in the divine half of aasimar heritage?

[Azreal]

Within the Pathfinder universe Aasimars could be the distant descendants of Gods generally Good/Neutral aligned.

Other celestials in 5e are rather scare with the Unicorn being the only other one I can think of.

[JackPhoenix]

Within the Pathfinder universe Aasimars could be the distant descendants of Gods generally Good/Neutral aligned.

Other celestials in 5e are rather scare with the Unicorn being the only other one I can think of.

Thanks for that mental image. Ugh!

5e doesn't have different "races" of celestials yet, there are angels, and that's it. Eladrin are now fey and related to elves. I guess it's kinda setting specific...if you want to go with Eberron, you have war-like archons in Shavarath and angels in Syrania. With default DMG aasimars being about light and healing (and the winged version fitting with Syrania), I think some more martial version would be nice... after all, various sorts of angelic warriors are very much a thing in D&D.

Then there are more beastlike guardinals...I don't think there was anything special ever done with them.

Pathfinder have lot of Aasimar (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-aasimar) "subraces" based on their progenitor. Perhaps some inspiration could be taken from them?

[Regitnui]

I was tossing around the concept of nonhuman aasimar earlier. Perhaps that's a good way to go, that aasimar born from halflings or gnomes are Small, but otherwise mechanically identical, and other non-human aasimar share only a few visual traits from their heritage. Dwarves, gnomes, halflings, humans, maybe orcs and goblinoids could produce aasimar within their races. I'm not sure about elves, given them now basically being depowered fey descended from eladrin, and dragonborn half-celestials are probably extremely different mechanically...

That's a great link. Thanks.

[Lawful Good]

I was tossing around the concept of nonhuman aasimar earlier. Perhaps that's a good way to go, that aasimar born from halflings or gnomes are Small, but otherwise mechanically identical, and other non-human aasimar share only a few visual traits from their heritage.

It would be awesome to play a non human aasimar.

That does bring up the question of non human half-orcs/elves, though.

[RazDelacroix]

More celestially-inclined dragonborn could probably trace their ancestry to appropriate planar dragons that were presented in 3rd edition. Great, now I want to play a jolly Elysian dragonborn. Thunder breath weapon that comes out like a belch and always looking for the next party.

[Azreal]

It would be awesome to play a non human aasimar.

That does bring up the question of non human half-orcs/elves, though.

1.) I figure that most of the non-humans can be covered with fluff over crunch.

2.) I don't wanna open that can of worms ;A;

[Regitnui]

It would be awesome to play a non human aasimar.

That does bring up the question of non human half-orcs/elves, though.

Well, I'm adding a section on that to my little document.

What's the other half besides orc/elf? Aren't ogrillons half-orcs by way of ogre instead of pink-fleshed farm girl? Alternatively, what is a half-orc by way of elf? An orc-elf?

[Azreal]

Also why are there no half-dwarves, half-Halflings, etc?

[JumboWheat01]

Also why are there no half-dwarves, half-Halflings, etc?

Because you can't dilute badassery like that. It's simply against the rules of the multi-verse.

[Regitnui]

Also why are there no half-dwarves, half-Halflings, etc?

There are muls, Half-human half-dwarf, in the Dark Sun setting. They're one of the few accurate examples of hybridisation in fantasy games.

There's a damn good reason for no half-halfings though. Can anyone here figure out what it is before I reveal how far I've gone down this road?

[T.G. Oskar]

What's the other half besides orc/elf? Aren't ogrillons half-orcs by way of ogre instead of pink-fleshed farm girl? Alternatively, what is a half-orc by way of elf? An orc-elf?

Isn't the blend between Orc, Elf and Man an Uruk-hai? In fact, since Orcs in Tolkien lore, as far as I can recall, are corruptions of Elves, technically half-orcs are Uruk-hai - however, since in traditional D&D lore, Orcs are their own race, and opposed by Elves (and viceversa), the union between Orc and Elf would implode on itself upon conception.

So, genetically, you end up at a dead end - nothing results. Same for Gnomes and Kobolds, except the BOOM! is twice as devastating (Gnome Alchemy + Kobold Trapmaking = messy)

...Anyways, to stay on topic: PF non-human Aasimar seem to essentially override the racial features of the parents, and are mostly on a sidebar, so the same approach has to be made: perhaps the non-human Aasimar has the features of its parent race(s) but its abilities and traits still resemble the Aasimar racial ones, which define them as a distinct race rather than a genetic manifestation (or whatever fits a fantasy world, so as to not say "template"). There's also a chance that non-human Aasimar emerge from elf and orc communities, due to half-elves and half-orcs existing, therefore suggesting a modicum of human blood carrying that celestial blood.

Now, lore-wise, things can differ. Elven-born Aasimar may notice they mature somewhat faster, and may feel welcome in their home community as they seem like a better Elf. Orc-born Aasimar are even more ostracized than before, as their innate inclination towards Good highly clashes with their racial perspectives on life; an Orc-born Aasimar not only stands out like a sore thumb, it has such a challenge in life that it either falls instantly due to racial pressure, dies early because of racial pressure, or undoubtedly survives and becomes a strange adventurer.

Hmm...wild guessing: what if a High Elf with celestial heritage (which may very well create an Elf-born Aasimar) birthed an Eladrin instead, and thus most of the Elf-born Aasimar happen to be descended from Eladrin? It'd be a nice nod to their original incarnation, while allowing to explain why Elf-born Aasimar can exist, and also lead towards understanding how Eladrin came to be.

P.S.: Now that I recall - an Eladrin-born Aasimar that becomes a Paladin defending the Oath of the Ancients is basically a Ghaele. That'd be cool as a monster write-up, granting most Aasimar powers except they also nudged Misty Step, and perhaps a slight quirk of always being surrounded by a gale.

[Regitnui]

That's the angle I'm taking, especially with the elf's Fey Ancestry trait. Celestial elves don't create aasimar, but eladrin, so there aren't any elven eladrin. As for crossbreeds, it really only creates another aasimar. A half-elven aasimar is a human aasimar, as is a half-orc aasimar. The aasimar overrides both the human and non-human traits, basically making a cosmetic alteration.

[T.G. Oskar]

That's the angle I'm taking, especially with the elf's Fey Ancestry trait. Celestial elves don't create aasimar, but eladrin, so there aren't any elven eladrin. As for crossbreeds, it really only creates another aasimar. A half-elven aasimar is a human aasimar, as is a half-orc aasimar. The aasimar overrides both the human and non-human traits, basically making a cosmetic alteration.

Well, what little fluff the 5e Eladrin has makes them the proto-elf, hailing from the Feywild rather than the Material Plane and only barely crossing into the Material Plane when both are...let's say coterminous. Now, Noble Eladrin could have celestial traits, and resemble their former versions in 3.5.

That gave me the inspiration to work a creature stat block for the Ghaele, which draws from both 3.5 (as a celestial) and 4e (using the concept of Noble Eladrin but keeping them grounded in a more mundane world). In essence, it takes the ability scores of the NPC Knight (from the Monster Manual), adds Eladrin racial traits (Fey Step, proficiency in Perception, etc.), downgrades their Dexterity a bit while boosting their Charisma (therefore +1 Dex, +2 Cha), and gives them abilities of an Oath of Ancients Paladin (the spells, Divine Smite, Aura of Warding) and some suitably altered powers (immunity to frightened condition, Turn the Faithless turned into a version of 3.5's Gaze). I was thinking about adding limited flight, but that felt like too much. Since the Ghaele are essentially the 3.5's (Celestial) Eladrin knights-errant, it fits the bill that 5e "Ghaele" Eladrin fit the bill.

In that case, the "Noble Eladrin" is basically an Aasimar-Eladrin merge, where some of the Eladrin traits are overriden by Aasimar traits. That's as far as you can stretch the other heritage before the Aasimar genetics completely overrides it. You'd have to find something similar in order to make such a difference.

[Azreal]

Aren't there celestial Fey?
Or are they now totally removed from any celestial position?

[Regitnui]

Well, what little fluff the 5e Eladrin has makes them the proto-elf, hailing from the Feywild rather than the Material Plane and only barely crossing into the Material Plane when both are...let's say coterminous. Now, Noble Eladrin could have celestial traits, and resemble their former versions in 3.5.

*Stats snip*

In that case, the "Noble Eladrin" is basically an Aasimar-Eladrin merge, where some of the Eladrin traits are overriden by Aasimar traits. That's as far as you can stretch the other heritage before the Aasimar genetics completely overrides it. You'd have to find something similar in order to make such a difference.

It's an interesting addition,,, Perhaps a good reason to include the Eladrin subrace in my Celestials' Companion.

[T.G. Oskar]

Aren't there celestial Fey?
Or are they now totally removed from any celestial position?

Since 4e, Eladrin were downgraded from "celestial fey" to "even snottier elves than High Elves", in fact, they were that edition's High Elves, whereas the "common" Elf was closer to the Wood Elf. 5e returned the High/Wood Elf dichotomy, but had Eladrin remain as the even-higher Elf. So yeah, they're no longer Celestial by any means.

That said - 4e also had the concept of "Noble" Eladrin, which had the names and the traits (to an extent) of the original celestial Eladrin - amongst them were the Bralani and the Ghaele, but they were more titles that reflected their power and dominion. They were meant to be superior than the "Base" Eladrin, by any means.

The thing is that 4e broke with the 9 alignments tradition, and since there was no Chaotic Good anymore, there was no need for the Chaotic Good celestial race. With 5e returning alignments to what they were, they kept Eladrin as their 4e incarnation - if you want Celestial Fey, most likely they'll be actual fey, perhaps even part of the Seelie Court. The Seelie/Unseelie Courts haven't appeared as part of the 5e mythos yet, but it's most likely that Morwel and her court will be the new Seelie Court, and that their powers might resemble celestial powers in some way - but they'll be more fey than anything else. Then again, the Oath of Ancients is a thing, and it's pretty bare in terms of lore.

This is one of the things that 4e did that pretty much altered the D&D lore forever. Since Planescape is not yet a thing, trying to bring back the Eladrin and the Guardinals (and maybe the Rilmani?) might be a problem. Even Archons can be troubling - right now, Angels are covering for all good alignments, but they're no longer entirely tied to gods as in 4e, so it's a matter of seeing how they translate.

If everything else fails, then at least consider that "Azata" is part of the OGL, so you could refluff the former Eladrin as "Azatas" and have the current Eladrin exist amongst them, with Noble Eladrins having ties to the Azatas.

[Azreal]

Alright so where does that leave us for what we want to do with Aasimar fluff?

Seems like we have a bunch of ideas but how do we want to blend them in together?

[Regitnui]

Alright so where does that leave us for what we want to do with Aasimar fluff?

Seems like we have a bunch of ideas but how do we want to blend them in together?

I've got a small document written up with aasimar fluff, notes on non-human aasimar and a section on Shulassakar. I might add a bit on eladrin as the 'elven celestial' or ancestors of elves and drow like they were in Eberron. It might go up on the DMsG as a 'Celestial's Companion', but I'd be willing to take advice on board.

[Azreal]

What's the DMsG?
Sorry if that's covered somewhere.

Related to the thread. That all sounds good to me.

[Regitnui]

What's the DMsG?
Sorry if that's covered somewhere.

Related to the thread. That all sounds good to me.

Dungeon Master's Guild. Basically WotC's official Homebrew Distribution System. I've found some good stuff there.