planetouched: should it be a template?

[Baby Gary]

I was thinking about planetouched and how they don't make a lot of sense, they are, well anything, with outsider heritage.

The definition of a planetouched in the Monster Manual is:

Planetouched in a general word to describe someone who can trace his or her bloodline back to an outsider, usually a fiend or celestial.

this got me thinking, a elf with celestial heritage is an aasimar, but so is a dwarf, and a human, and an illumian, and every race. I think that planetouched (and the lesser version) should be a template, it makes logical sense (however logic and D&D don't mix well). And I my DM allowed my to have planetouched be a template what should the LA be (for regular and Lesser versions).

also are there any other races that it would make logical sense to be changed to a template?

Thanks!

[Psyren]

It's more of a heritage thing I'd say. I mean, by that logic you could make a "half-human" template and apply it to orcs, elves, dwarves, lings etc.

If you're really in the market for non-template-templates though, Elan could definitely be one as it's closer to making a Necropolitan than being a unique race. Azurin could be one too.

[Thurbane]

I honestly think a Planetouched template would be a great idea. It would allow a lot more variety.


It's more of a heritage thing I'd say. I mean, by that logic you could make a "half-human" template and apply it to orcs, elves, dwarves, lings etc.

I see what you did there. :smallsmile:

http://www.fisheries.is/media/skjal/drawing/half/5-Blue_ling-(D)-Blue_ling--(copyright-Jon_B_H).jpg http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3krvmgguY1rsjyv2o1_500.jpg


If you're really in the market for non-template-templates though, Elan could definitely be one as it's closer to making a Necropolitan than being a unique race. Azurin could be one too.

I'd possibly throw Hellbred in there as well.

[Mordaedil]

Depends how hardcore you are about Fey'ri, but if you are not at all, I'd say planetouched as a template is probably a way better idea than their implementation.

(Albeit, I'd also balance it a bit more by removing the negatives from the tiefling)

[Crake]

Personally I run them as templates, however, to counteract the extra benefits of essentially having 2 races, I make the template keep the base type and gain the planetouched subtype (as per lesser planetouched, with no option to negate the LA by taking lesser plantouched). I also do the same for other similar races like half giant.

[Florian]

The problem will be overlap. Conceptual, too many templates are too close together right now.
When there´s already a "Elemental, Water" template in the +1 LA range, that can do the job of replacing a "Water Genasi" template out and out.

[Elderand]

It's more of a heritage thing I'd say. I mean, by that logic you could make a "half-human" template and apply it to orcs, elves, dwarves, lings etc.

If you're really in the market for non-template-templates though, Elan could definitely be one as it's closer to making a Necropolitan than being a unique race. Azurin could be one too.

In pathfinder at least, elan doesn't make a lot of sense as a template. They can be any humanoid and end up looking mostly human, the fluff very lightly imply that their body aren't actually real, but made entirely out of solidified psionic energy mimicking a human like body.
And then you have to wonder hwy they even bother picking exceptional people for the change since the ritual mind wipes them almost entirely leaving just a few fleeting glimpses of memory behind.

[Psyren]

The problem will be overlap. Conceptual, too many templates are too close together right now.
When there´s already a "Elemental, Water" template in the +1 LA range, that can do the job of replacing a "Water Genasi" template out and out.

This raises an interesting point. You will have to include quite a bit of legalese to keep people from trying to stack these templates, or apply them to outlandish bases (like "Genasi, Air" on a Goliath.) Whereas simply using a race prevents all that.



And then you have to wonder hwy they even bother picking exceptional people for the change since the ritual mind wipes them almost entirely leaving just a few fleeting glimpses of memory behind.

I can't speak for Elans but I imagine the thought process is that whatever made them exceptional is still there even if the memories are not. (Eugenics, basically.)