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JonathonWilder
2019-11-15, 09:43 AM
New Aasimar Subraces and Racial Variants (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/SkWNC-UoqH)

I put this together in part because of how it has frustrated me for a while in how often it seemed Aasimar were passed up for other races, especially in how much more popular Tieflings were in comparison. With this, because of being a fan of the Variant Aasimar Heritages from Pathfinder I approached a user on Amino who does D&D 5e homebrews in helping me convert the Variant Aasimar Heritages.

Involving the Racial Variants, which I found made by SubjectiveSloth on Reddit, I felt it made sense because why should Aasimar of elven or halfling parentage have the same racial abilities as human Aasimar? Especially since their non-celestial blood was technically stronger then the celestial ancestry. Especially since they did not conflict with Aasimar subraces, allowing the new subraces and racial variants to be used together.

P.E.A.C.H. much appreciated and requested. I will update based on suggestions and advice to help improve balance if needed. Also, I do plan on doing this for Tieflings later on, at least in coming up with racial variants since I haven't found anyone who has done such yet. Not even SubjectiveSloth who did the Racial Variants for Aasimars... but that will come later. Especially since the race is already so popular.

Credit to Mathsya on the Dungeons & Dragons Amino in helping me to convert the Variant Aasimar Heritages from Pathfinder to D&D 5e.
Credit to /u/SubjectiveSloth for the Racial Variants for Aasimar, which I added to this homebrew to farther give Aasimar more choices but take no credit for.

MReav
2019-11-15, 11:21 AM
I like the idea of racial variants for different aasimar, though I wouldn't mind if there was a way to allow more than just humans to have the healing ability.

Also there's a formatting error with Darkvision on the species differences, it's not bold and it's mixed in with speed.

JonathonWilder
2019-11-15, 11:32 AM
Glad you liked the idea, and thank you for letting me know about the formatting error! I'll make sure to get that fixed now.

MReav
2019-11-15, 04:32 PM
I would be heavily amused if there was a Tiefling Aasimar variant, either the descendent of a Fallen Aasimar and a Tiefling or possibly a Tiefling who isn't into the whole Fiendish ancestry thing.

JonathonWilder
2019-11-15, 05:28 PM
That might be a hard sell at most tables, far more than DM even allowing homebrew material in general or racial variants of the Aasimar and Tiefling races.

Especially since I already have people on me about how Aasimar and Tiefling can only have human parentage. That in D&D 5e it has been offically established in lore that non-human Aasimar and Tiefling isn't "possible". Where I felt that was too limiting, especially since at least an earlier editions it was established that celestials and infernals have children with just about any other race or living creature. So I felt such limitations in DND 5e were nonsense.

One way I could possibly see it work, is by way of a Sorcerous Origin. Even though there isn't officially in Infernal bloodline, though there is the Divine Soul bloodline.

Sariel Vailo
2019-11-21, 03:42 PM
No goblin aasimar eh?

JonathonWilder
2019-11-21, 05:32 PM
No goblin aasimar eh?
Hmm, I guess it is true enough if I'm allowing Aasimar variants for other races I should consider it for Goblins as well.
Which Goblin racial abilities might you suggest that could be swapped in that could work in this case?

Sariel Vailo
2019-11-21, 06:15 PM
The goblins uncanny Dodge ability is kind of unescarry. But I mean I was thinking of allowing these racial features to be changed out. Like having healing hands on a half goblin aasimar paladin sounds fun and interesting.

theVoidWatches
2019-11-21, 07:37 PM
I generally like this, but I would note that having free flight forever (even starting at level 3) is pretty strong. I would suggest striking the temporary transformation bit from Plumekith.

T.G. Oskar
2019-11-21, 09:38 PM
Seems pretty fair, but I feel it doesn't fit the new conception of celestials. It'd play fine if you do a 5e game on Golarion, but given the new rules...

That said, I could see the Angelkin and the Plumekith existing, and possibly the Lawbringer. The Angelkin are essentially based off angels, which already exist, and the Plumekith could be tied to the couatls. If you consider the Archon of the Triumvirate from Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica, you could also justify the Lawbringer, but for the most part, Archons were nixed from 3.5 onwards because they instead became Elementals. (Curiously, the 4e Archons still exist, but as Elemental "Myrmidons", which is a good compromise that could allow Archons to reappear). However, comparing them to their PF counterparts, they seem...not identical, for the most part.

For example: the Protector Aasimar is pretty much aligned to protecting angels, so for the most part, the Protector Aasimar is the "Angelkin" Aasimar. If you want to draw another aspect of the Aasimar that's intrinsic to Angels, you'll most likely need to figure out what else do all Angels share. The Angelic Weapons aspect is essentially given with the "Core" Aasimar's ability to add their level worth of Radiant damage on a single attack or spell on each of their turns; the other aspects they share are the wings (which the Protector Aasimar also has), their innate spellcasting and resistance to magic spells and effects. Other than the ability to Detect Evil and Good, and to Commune, there are no other innate spells they share. That said, you could have the "Angelkin" create a Circle of Power effect earlier on, requiring no concentration and lasting for 1 minute, which falls in line with the shared aspects of angels. While it may seem a tad powerful, you could choose to add to the Angelkin the ability to grant all allies within 10 ft. the ability to make all saving throws against spells and magical effects at one level of advantage, while otherwise retaining everything the same way.

As for the Plumekith, if we're to equate them with the Couatls (remember; 5e has no creature called a Garuda; hence, the closest would be a Couatl, which counts as a Celestial in this version), one thing you could exploit is their Truesight ability. Namely, you could keep their Dexterity bonus (Couatls have high DEX and WIS), and have their "transformation" ability grant them Truesight up to...let's say 60 ft., for 1 minute. Then, you could allow them to deal extra damage equal to their level to any creature within their range of Truesight. It's somewhat weaker than your version (at 3rd level, they permanently grow wings, unlike the Protector who can only grow them as part of their transformation), but it works great for archers, which allows you to replicate the feel of the Garuda as master archers.

Finally, for the Lawbringer, you could choose to use the aspects from the Archon of the Triumvirate as inspiration. In that regard, the Lawbringer could allow a +1 to either Strength or Wisdom (as it allows to express the dual nature as a peacekeeper and executioner), and their 3rd level ability could allow them to manifest a Sanctuary effect; if you have to attack the creature, you deal damage equal to your level, but the Sanctuary effect ends for that creature specifically. That way, if you're coming in peace, you aren't attacked, and if you must face someone, you can single them out.

LAWBRINGER AASIMAR
Lawbringers are champions of justice and of doling out punishment to the wicked, and often believe chaos is the cause of all mortal suffering. They reflect the patience of their celestial ancestors in their daily lives; they understand the need for rules and routines, and use their inherent discipline to train in their chosen field. They develop their talents faster than most of their peers and show exceptional skill at whatever they focus their attention on. While most of them are guided to be champions of law and good, some take their calling a bit too far, showing little leniency when they feel the offense is too grave.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength or Wisdom score increases by 1.
Shroud of Law. Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing your eyes to glow bright red, and your skin to take on a shimmering metallic hue.
Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, any creature that attempts to attack you or cast a harmful spell on you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell. This transformation doesn't protect you from area effects, such as the explosion of a fireball. Once on each of your turns, you can deal extra force damage to a target when you deal damage to it with a weapon or spell, but the creature can then attack and target you with spells normally. The extra force damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Archons of the Triumvirate are Lawful Neutral, and their attacks deal force damage. Thus, the extra damage becomes force damage, and their description mentions that they can go a bit too far.

PLUMEKITH AASIMAR
Plumekith aasimar are blessed from a young age with the gift of divination. Claiming the rare ancestry of the couatl, they perceive signs and omens in their dreams. Almost all are instantly recognizable by their serpentine eyes, but as they grow, their skin becomes scaly and their hair as soft and feathery as a plume, which reflects light in all the colors of the rainbow. Most of them cover their eyes with blindfolds, some to symbolically attune to their mind's eye, others to hide themselves from a world unveiled.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Sight of the Rainbow. Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to unleash the divine energy within yourself, causing your eyes to shine in all the colors of the rainbow, your skin to develop small iridescent scales, and your arms to sprout large multicolored feathers as if they were wings.
Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, you gain truesight up to 60 ft, and once on each of your turns, you can deal extra psychic damage to a target when you deal damage to it with a weapon or spell. The extra psychic damage equals your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

As mentioned above, this allows the plumekith to resemble the couatl more than they do the garuda. Truesight is less powerful than permanent flight, but still a brutal tool nonetheless.

JonathonWilder
2019-11-28, 10:05 AM
What about the Guardinals? They were at least a thing in AD&D 2e and D&D 3.5, broken up into the Avoral, Cervidal, Equinal, Leonal, Lupinal, and Ursinal Guardinals. Maybe they aren't technically still a thing in D&D 5e, but they can always be brought back and used in campaigns if the DM allows. Plus, the idea was that the celestials Agathion, Angels, Archon, Azata, Garuda, and Peri would exist in some form in D&D when used. Though the planes they are from adjusted based on the different cosmology.

Avoral - Winged guardinal with unmatched visual acuity.
Cervidal - Satyr-like guardinals that form the bulk of any guardinal army.
Equinal - Horse-like guardinal; strong, boisterous, and generally good-natured champions of good.
Leonal - Lion-headed guardinal with martial prowess.
Lupinal - Wolf-like guardinals constantly on the prowl for evil intrusions.
Musteval - Ferret-like guardinal that serve greater celestials as spies, and messengers to humanoid heroes.
Ursinal - Bear-like guardinal; the scholars and philosophers, advisors to the leonals and record-keepers of Elysium.
------------------------------

Plus, at least in older editions, Agathinon (though admittedly, they are more elvish looking good-aligned celestial shapeshifters), Angels, and Archon (perhaps you remember the Trumpet and Hound Archon?) have very much existed in D&D. With the Avoral Guardinal working for Garuda, with the rest of the Aasimar with Agathion parentage could take from the other Guardinals. Celestial Eladrin could work at least partly for Azata, since both treat Bralani, Ghaele, and Lillend as among their number. All of which are creatures who exist in D&D. Even Peri could work as simply more fiery celestials. Really, you just need to be creative, and not allow yourself to be limited by what is "official" for D&D 5e. Especially for content what will never be allowed for Adventure League.

Still, what you have suggested for the Plumekith could still work for a Couatls subrace of some sort. Since technically I don't have that celestial covered.

Thank you for the advice and suggestions though T.G. Oskar, much appreciated.

MReav
2019-11-28, 10:53 AM
I thought the Idyllkin were the Guardinal Aasimar, or are we looking for sub-subraces now?

JonathonWilder
2019-11-28, 11:14 AM
I thought the Idyllkin were the Guardinal Aasimar, or are we looking for sub-subraces now?
They are basically, the celestial is just called Agathion in Pathfinder.