Lesser Aasimar

[goken04]

Where do I find the stats for the +0 LA Lesser Aasimar? There's the excerpt on p. 191 of PGtF that says lesser planetouched are Humanoid (Planetouched), but what else is different from the standard Aasimar?

[arguskos]

Where do I find the stats for the +0 LA Lesser Aasimar? There's the excerpt on p. 191 of PGtF that says lesser planetouched are Humanoid (Planetouched), but what else is different from the standard Aasimar?

Nothing else changes. That's it. Ta-da, Lesser Aasimar are exactly the same as normal ones, just the type changes.

[balistafreak]

Nothing else changes. That's it. Ta-da, Lesser Aasimar are exactly the same as normal ones, just the type changes.

This is often more of a benefit than a problem, because as an Outsider you're immune to many Resurrection spells, which is not a good thing.

Yeah, Lesser Aasimar are pretty bloody good.

[PId6]

This is often more of a benefit than a problem, because as an Outsider you're immune to many Resurrection spells, which is not a good thing.

Not Native Outsiders. Those can be raised just the same.

[Greenish]

This is often more of a benefit than a problem, because as an Outsider you're immune to many Resurrection spells, which is not a good thing.

Except that as Outsider (Native), those spells work just fine on normal aasimar.

[gbprime]

But hey, the good news... your teifling can stop fretting about all those Outsider Bane weapons the holy types are always running around with.

[Eldariel]

This is often more of a benefit than a problem, because as an Outsider you're immune to many Resurrection spells, which is not a good thing.

Yeah, Lesser Aasimar are pretty bloody good.

You lose all the big awesome of being an Aasimar though. Outsider type is pretty awesome and it doesn't hurt that it vastly empowers Polymorph/Alter Self for most of your career (not that they weren't powerful enough already, but extra never hurts).

[Greenish]

But hey, the good news... your teifling can stop fretting about all those Outsider Bane weapons the holy types are always running around with.

Tieflings never had to worry about those in the first place. There isn't a bane keyed to their type.

[hamishspence]

Doesn't "Outsider Bane (evil)" work on any outsider with an evil alignment, as well as any outsider with the Evil subtype?

[Greenish]

Doesn't "Outsider Bane (evil)" work on any outsider with an evil alignment, as well as any outsider with the Evil subtype?

Nope. "A bane weapon excels at attacking one type or subtype of creature." Outsiders can only be picked by specifying the subtype (unlike, say, dragons).

[Saph]

You lose all the big awesome of being an Aasimar though.

Wisdom bonus, Charisma bonus, no ability penalties, Spot and Listen bonus, Darkvision, three separate energy resistances, and Daylight. Fairly overpowered for a +0 LA race.

[Greenish]

Wisdom bonus, Charisma bonus, no ability penalties, Spot and Listen bonus, Darkvision, three separate energy resistances, and Daylight. Fairly overpowered for a +0 LA race.

You retain Darkvision?

[Saph]

I think so, yes.

[arguskos]

You retain Darkvision?

I believe it's called out as a Aasimar racial trait, so, yes.

[Godskook]

Specifically, you lose racial martial weapon proficiency.

Wisdom bonus, Charisma bonus, no ability penalties, Spot and Listen bonus, Darkvision, three separate energy resistances, and Daylight. Fairly overpowered for a +0 LA race.

Overpowered compared to what? Dwarf? A melee race with a con bonus, and penalty to a typical melee dump stat, darkvision, stonecunning, +2 on saving throws against the most dangerous things out there(Spells and spell-likes), Stability(another melee boost), a 20' land speed that doesn't take penalties for wearing heavy armor(not a boost, more like a strong suggestion), plus a laundry list of more situational abilities.

[Saph]

Overpowered compared to what? Dwarf? A melee race with a con bonus, and penalty to a typical melee dump stat, darkvision, stonecunning, +2 on saving throws against the most dangerous things out there(Spells and spell-likes), Stability(another melee boost), a 20' land speed that doesn't take penalties for wearing heavy armor(not a boost, more like a strong suggestion), plus a laundry list of more situational abilities.

Yeah, I'd say the aasimar is significantly better. +2 wis and +2 cha are probably stronger than that list on their own, assuming you're playing a Wis/Cha-based caster (which was why you picked the race, right?)

[Andion Isurand]

You can also increase your stat/resistance options for planetouched races by considering a (chaotic descent) Cansin (+2 int,+2 cha) or (lawful descent) Axani (+2 int, +2 wis ) from (Dragon #297).

You could also try to pass trough your DM a lesser version of DeathTouched (+4 Cha, +2 Wis and -2 Con) from (Dragon #313)...

...through the (PGtF p. 191) lesser planetouched redux.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Then there is also the Magic-Blooded racial varient template from (Dragon #306)

...that can be applied to any base race for (+2 Cha, -2 Wis) and a favored class of sorcerer (among other things)... for no increase in LA.

[Runestar]

Aasimar was too weak to merit a full +1LA anyways.

[Kantolin]

+2 wis and +2 cha are probably stronger than that list on their own, assuming you're playing a Wis/Cha-based caster (which was why you picked the race, right?)

That's not exactly a great specific statement, though, as (many) people will play to their racial strengths. That's like saying a half-orc is a better race than a lesser aasimar because they make better barbarians.

A better argument is, does dwarf help the classes it leans towards better than a lesser aasimar does to its?

Of course, the Lesser Aasimar then stands up (for sorcerors) pretty tall even in that respect compared to (say) a grey elf for wizards, as the elves get a penalty to constitution. It's comparable, though, as dexterity is far more important to a sorceror/wizard than wisdom, and then weapon usage, prestige class options, and substitutions/feats are likely more likely to even things out a touch more. Or humans/StrongheartHalfling for feats, which I personally don't value as much as most but hey.

That still makes them (Lesser Aassimar) pretty strong, though. But they're not like many of the anthropomorphic animals who are such outstandingly good picks for their logical classes that it's practically crazy not to. :P

[Runestar]

Any race that makes paladins that bit more viable is fine by me...

[Akal Saris]

I'm with Saph on this one - lesser aasimar is a strong race for +0 LA. Not as broken as something ridiculous like anthropomorphic baleen whale or phaerimm, obviously, but certainly up there with water orc, whisper gnome, etc.

Nothing else gives +2 Cha/Wis for +0 LA, and with so few other racial features you could also slap Dragonborn on there for +2 Cha/Wis/Con/-2 Dex with a breath weapon or wings.

[Thurbane]

Like it or not, any race with two ability bonuses and no ability penalty is not a standard LA +0 race by WotC standards. Case in point: Hobgoblins.

FR is generally considered a high-powered setting, and lot of the feats, races etc. native to the setting are fairly high on the power curve. Not saying everything in FR is OP by any stretch, but in general, it seems to be designed with a higher power/optimization level in mind than core 3.X.

[Akal Saris]

Holy crap, Dio died last week?? That's horrible...

[PId6]

FR is generally considered a high-powered setting, and lot of the feats, races etc. native to the setting are fairly high on the power curve. Not saying everything in FR is OP by any stretch, but in general, it seems to be designed with a higher power/optimization level in mind than core 3.X.

Or just worse balanced. It's hard to imagine anyone intending a power level like that of Incantatrix/Halruaan Elder/Initiate of Mystra. It has more than its share of crap though. When's the last time you saw e.g. a Purple Dragon Knight overpowering anyone? (Okay, it does require Leadership so that's certainly possible, but still, the class features really suck.)

[PhoenixRivers]

Lesser Aasimar have the planetouched trait that makes them susceptible to humanoid AND outsider effects. They can be banished, and they can be hit with charm person.

That said, a trip to dragonborn fixes most of that.

[Runestar]

FR is generally considered a high-powered setting, and lot of the feats, races etc. native to the setting are fairly high on the power curve. Not saying everything in FR is OP by any stretch, but in general, it seems to be designed with a higher power/optimization level in mind than core 3.X.

Spellcasters have always been breaking the game in core.

FR was just more honest and upfront about it.

[Godskook]

Or just worse balanced. It's hard to imagine anyone intending a power level like that of Incantatrix/Halruaan Elder/Initiate of Mystra. It has more than its share of crap though. When's the last time you saw e.g. a Purple Dragon Knight overpowering anyone? (Okay, it does require Leadership so that's certainly possible, but still, the class features really suck.)

Consider who you're talking about. WotC spent a long time making MtG before they bought D&D. By 7 years. Then consider that in MtG, there's 3 primary deckstyles, Creature(or combat), Control, and Combo. Note how only 2 of these can be translated well into D&D from MtG. Combo decks, which rely on NI resources, don't 'break' the MtG format, and in fact, can be stopped by their non-combo peers(You have infinite green creatures? Mass Calcify!). In D&D, you've got what was originally the same basic group, cutting out rocks from Rock/Scissors/Paper. There's inevitably going to be some issues where they don't realize that combo == bad in D&D.

[Thurbane]

Holy crap, Dio died last week?? That's horrible...

Yeah, it's sad news. He was just about my favorite ever vocalist.