New Genasi Subraces

[Belac93]

I'm trying to convert every genasi type from 4th edition to 5th. Some just require slight alterations, and I will be noting those

Basic
Storm Genasi
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma increases by 1.
Stormsoul. You know the shocking grasp cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the thunderwave spell once with this trait as a 1st-level spell, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Speed of lightning. Your speed increases by 5 feet.

Abyssal
Caustic Genasi
As Water, but replace shape water with acid splash.

Cinder Genasi
As Fire, but replace burning hands with absorb elements.

Plague Genasi
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength increases by 1.
Hand of sickness. You know the poison spray cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the ray of sickness spell once with this trait as a 1st-level spell, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
One with disease. You gain resistance to poison damage, and advantage on saving throws against poison and disease.

Void Genasi
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity increases by 1.
Step through the void. You can cast the misty step spell once with this trait, requiring no material components, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Un-mind. You have resistance to psychic damage.

Athas
Ember Genasi
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence increases by 1.
Body of ash. You can cast the blur spell once with this trait, requiring no material components, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Firewalker. You have resistance to fire damage.

Magma Genasi
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength increases by 1.
Volcanic magic. You know the create bonfire cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the earth tremor spell once with this trait as a 1st-level spell, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Lava step. You have resistance to fire damage.

Sand Genasi
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity increases by 1.
Sand minion. You can cast the dust devil spell once with this trait, requiring no material components, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Sand runner. When you take the dash action, you can pass through enemy spaces.

Sun Genasi
As Fire, but with +1 Wisdom instead of Intelligence.



The only one I'm really worried about being unbalanced is the Sand Runner power. I can't really balance it against anything. Although I suppose an argument could be made for jump allowing you to pass over enemy spaces.

[Markoff Chainey]

The only one I'm really worried about being unbalanced is the Sand Runner power. I can't really balance it against anything. Although I suppose an argument could be made for jump allowing you to pass over enemy spaces.

Wow, thanks!

The Dash action - run through opponents is very useful for monks to do their job even better and get to enemy casters or ranged... especially if they are rogue / monks but then again, those have shadow step anyways.

Honestly, I would not be too concerned. I do not think it is much better than fire resistance. And I like how you gave those with bad resistances a savings throw advantage.

What I am not too happy about is how some get a cantrip and a spell 1/day and others not..

My rating would be (1 for each + and -1 for each - and -2 for no-cantrip)

The Basic ones from the book
(Water Genasi) 0
Cantrip +-
Spell -
Ability +

(Fire Genasi) 4
Cantrip +-
Spell +-
Ability ++++ (darkvision + fire resist!)

(Earth Genasi) -3
Cantrip NONE
Spell +-
Ability -

(AirGenasi) -2
Cantrip NONE
Spell +
Ability -

So IMO Fire is amazing because it gets a great resistance and darkvision, next is water, especially in the right environment, than Air and at last Earth - that one is just plain bad. Those are really badly balanced IMO. I think water would make a good baseline - very strong in its given environment and useful in others.


Storm Genasi 3
Cantrip ++
Spell +-
Ability +

Caustic Genasi 0
Cantrip +- (slightly better than water, but still..)
Spell -
Ability +

Cinder Genasi 5
Cantrip +-
Spell +
Ability ++++

Plaque Genasi 2
Cantrip +-
Spell +
Ability +

Void Genasi 0
Cantrip NONE
Spell ++
Ability +-

Ember Genasi 4
Cantrip NONE
Spell ++
Ability ++

Magma Genasi 3
Cantrip +
Spell +-
Ability ++

Sand Genasi 3
Cantrip NONE
Spell ++
Ability +++

Sun Genasi 4
Cantrip +-
Spell +-
Ability ++++

I think that basically all Fire related Genasi are clearly stronger than the rest of them. Fire resist is the most useful resist of all and darkvision is incredibly useful. I think homebrewing that all Genasi get darkvision would help to close the gap. I personally would do this but not nerf any other, and add a tad to some of the weak Genasi so that they all end up at 2 or 3 (without calculating darkvision as 2)

My 2 cents..

[Lonesomechunk44]

Neat idea! I like the idea of having a larger variety of Genasi's, as they are one of my favorite classes.

[Seek For Truth]

Neat idea! I like the idea of having a larger variety of Genasi's, as they are one of my favorite classes.

......Genasi are a race not a class.

[Sicarius Victis]

These all look interesting, and I'd say pretty well done. Have to admit, though, I'm vaguely disappointed that the Voidsoul can't just stop existing the way they did before.

[JRDS]

Are you familiar with James Musicus' homebrew race balance guide?

In the guide, the base race is given a score, and then the subrace is given a score. The scores are added to create a total. The higher the total, the more powerful the race is. The guide has the most powerful race as the Mountain Dwarf at a total score of 8, with the potential for the Variant Human to overpass them.

Base Genasi have a score of 2.
Water Genasi have a score of 3.5-4. Total = 5.5-6
Air Genasi have a score of 3. Total = 5
Earth Genasi have a score of 3. Total = 5
Fire Genasi have a score of 3. Total = 5

All of yours are 5 or 4.5 except the Plague, which is 5.5.

You express concern about "Sand runner" but you can compare that to the "Nimble" trait on James Musicus' guide (from Hafling Nimbless, so you can find it in the PHB page 28) as a 0.5 feature.

Which would bring your Sand Genasi to 5, in line with the rest of the Genasi. Good job balancing! Hell, you could argue that since they can only cast Dust Devil that they are actually at a 4.5, and are in need of a minor buff.

On less of a business end of things, the Void Genasi brings to mind Enigma from DotA 2.

[Markoff Chainey]

Are you familiar with James Musicus' homebrew race..

Water Genasi have a score of 3.5-4. Total = 5.5-6
Air Genasi have a score of 3. Total = 5
Earth Genasi have a score of 3. Total = 5
Fire Genasi have a score of 3. Total = 5

A guide is neither a law, nor does it reflect reality, just because James Musicus has written it down. It is his opinion on bits and pieces, nothing more.

Please look at the earth and the fire genasi using your own eyes and mind.. do you really feel - besides in maybe a niche scenario - those are equal in usefulness?

[JRDS]

TBH I've never looked at the Genasi race because it simply doesn't interest me as a player and as a GM nobody in my campaigns has decided to roll up a Genasi.

Without getting too into it, yeah.... you're right. The fire and water Genasi are way above the earth and air Genasi. I'm honestly surprised at the vast difference in usefulness.

EDIT: that being said, the Sand Runner feature can be compared to the Hafling Nimbless feature regardless, so that is what OP should compare the Sand Runner feature to.