Genasi

From Adam Katz

Genasi are each distantly related to denizens of the elemental planes. They are mostly comparable to human, but they posses a few traits that evidence this otherworldly ancestry. This page deals with converting the rules presented for Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 (via the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, © 2001 Wizards of the Coast) into those compatible with Pathfinder (a revision to D&D 3.5, often called "3.75"). For the most part, they can be taken as-is (with no level adjustment) with minor tweaks so as to fit into the sorcerous bloodlines as exemplified by the Tiefling in the Pathfinder Bestiary. Aasimar is also present in the same book, presumably lacking an equivalent due to the fact that it already has the requisite ability score boosted. This was taken into advisement in the conversion of the races.

Air Genasi

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
Medium size.
Weight multiplier: Air genasi are lighter than humans. Calculate weight as if a human and then multiply it by 80%.
Movement: 30 ft.
Low-light vision, including the ability to see twice as clearly through obfuscations in the air due to haze, wind, fog, and clouds.
Levitate (Sp): An air genasi can cast Levitate as a spell-like ability once per day as a sorcerer of the air genasi's level.
Skilled: Air genasi get a +4 racial bonus to Fly checks.
Domain focus: An air genasi who chooses two or more divine domains must take the Air domain. This may limit the selection of deities. Add two to the effective Wisdom for all of its abilities.
Bloodline focus: An air genasi sorcerer must take the Elemental bloodline. For all sorcerer class abilities, add two to the effective Charisma.
Elemental affinity: +1 racial bonus to saving throws against all spells and effects with the Air descriptor and any spells whose names contain the words gust, wind, element (pertaining to air), or variants of them. This bonus increases by +1 per five character levels.
Strong lungs: Air genasi get +4 to all saves and checks involving breathing and can hold their breath four times as long.
Human heritage: Air genasi gain a +2 racial bonus to a single skill, chosen at first level, and may forgo one of the +2 bonuses to instead gain a bonus feat at first level. See also Alternate heritages below.
Outsider: Air genasi are outsiders with the Native descriptor.
Automatic Languages: Common, Auran. Air genasi of high intelligence may select from the following as their bonus languages: Celestial, Draconic, Elven, Halfling, and Sylvan.
Favored Class: Like all races in Pathfinder, air genasi are free to choose any favored class. Air genasi whose favored class has the Air domain or the Elemental bloodline add +1 to the difficulty class of any spell noted in the Elemental Affinity ability unless it negatively affects the air element.
(outside of Pathfinder, as per 3.0 rules, inherited unmodified into 3.5, Darkvision 60 ft instead of above sight ability, a favored class of fighter, and Level Adjustment +1.)

Earth Genasi

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
Medium size.
Weight multiplier: Earth genasi are heavier than humans. Calculate weight as if a human and then multiply it by 150%.
Movement: 30 ft.
Low-light vision, including the ability to see twice as clearly through earth-based obfuscations like dust and sandstorms.
Stonecutting: Earth genasi have a +2 bonus to Perception checks to notice unusual stonework such as hidden features like traps and doors, both manufactured and not, within stone and mud. They receive this check when passing within 10 feet regardless of attention.
Skilled: Earth genasi gain a +4 racial bonus to Climb checks on stonelike surfaces.
Soften Earth and Stone (Sp): An earth genasi can cast soften earth and stone as a spell-like ability once per day as a druid of the earth genasi's level.
Domain focus: An earth genasi who chooses two or more divine domains must take the Earth domain. This may limit the selection of deities. Add two to the effective Wisdom for all of its abilities.
Bloodline focus: An earth genasi sorcerer must take the Elemental bloodline. For all sorcerer class abilities, add two to the effective Charisma.
Elemental affinity: +1 racial bonus to saving throws against all spells and effects with the Earth descriptor and any spells whose names contain the words dust, sand, element (pertaining to earth), or variants of them. This bonus increases by +1 per five character levels.
Human heritage: Earth genasi gain a +2 racial bonus to a single skill, chosen at first level, and may forgo one of the +2 bonuses to instead gain a bonus feat at first level. See also Alternate heritages below.
Outsider: Earth genasi are outsiders with the Native descriptor.
Automatic Languages: Common, Terran. Earth genasi of high intelligence may select from the following as their bonus languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Gnome, Orc, and Undercommon.
Favored Class: Like all races in Pathfinder, earth genasi are free to choose any favored class. Earth genasi whose favored class has the Earth domain or the Elemental bloodline add +1 to the difficulty class of any spell noted in the Elemental Affinity ability unless it negatively affects the earth element.
(outside of Pathfinder, as per 3.0 rules, inherited unmodified into 3.5, -2 Charisma instead of Solitary, Darkvision 60 ft instead of above sight and stonecutting abilities, a favored class of fighter, and Level Adjustment +1.)

Fire Genasi

+2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma
Medium size
Movement: 30 ft.
Low-light vision, including the ability to see twice as clearly through smoke, flames, and other heat and fire-based hindrances.
Pyrotechnics (Sp): A fire genasi can cast pyrotechnics as a spell-like ability once per day as a sorcerer of the fire genasi's level. This ability does not deal damage to the caster if the fire genasi is the fire's source nor does it extinguish anything.
Skilled: Fire genasi have a +2 racial bonus to Perception checks.
Domain focus: A fire genasi who chooses two or more divine domains must take the Fire domain. This may limit the selection of deities.
Bloodline focus: A fire genasi sorcerer must take the Elemental bloodline. For all sorcerer class abilities, add two to the effective Charisma.
Elemental affinity: +1 racial bonus to saving throws against all spells and effects with the Fire descriptor and any spells whose names contain the words flame, heat, element (pertaining to fire), or variants of them. This bonus increases by +1 per five character levels.
Human heritage: Fire genasi gain a +2 racial bonus to a single skill, chosen at first level, and may forgo one of the +2 bonuses to instead gain a bonus feat at first level. See also Alternate heritages below.
Outsider: Fire genasi are outsiders with the Native descriptor.
Automatic Languages: Common, Ignan. Fire genasi of high intelligence may select from the following as their bonus languages: Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, and Halfling.
Favored Class: Like all races in Pathfinder, fire genasi are free to choose any favored class. Fire genasi whose favored class has the Fire domain or the Elemental bloodline add +1 to the difficulty class of any spell noted in the Elemental Affinity ability unless it negatively affects the fire element.
(outside of Pathfinder, as per 3.0 rules, inherited unmodified into 3.5, -2 Charisma instead of Solitary, Darkvision 60 ft instead of above sight, a favored class of fighter, and Level Adjustment +1.)

Water Genasi

+2 Constitution, -2 Charisma
Medium size
Movement: 30 ft, swim 30 ft.
Low-light vision, including the ability to see twice as clearly through precipitation and murky liquids.
Water Walk (Sp): A water genasi can cast water walk as a spell-like ability once per day, cast as a cleric of the water genasi's level. Unlike the spell, this ability only lasts one minute per level.
Gills: Water genasi can breathe water as an extraordinary ability.
Natural swimmer: Water genasi get a +8 racial bonus to Swim.
Domain focus: A water genasi who chooses two or more divine domains must take the Water domain. This may limit the selection of deities.
Bloodline focus: A water genasi sorcerer must take the Elemental bloodline. For all sorcerer class abilities, add two to the effective Charisma.
Elemental affinity: +1 racial bonus to saving throws against all spells and effects with the Water descriptor and any spells whose names contain the words water, moisture, rain, element (pertaining to water), or variants of them. This bonus increases by +1 per five character levels.
Human heritage: Water genasi gain a +2 racial bonus to a single skill, chosen at first level, and may forgo one of the +2 bonuses to instead gain a bonus feat at first level. See also Alternate heritages below.
Outsider: Water genasi are outsiders with the Native descriptor.
Automatic Languages: Common, Aquan. Water genasi of high intelligence may select from the following as their bonus languages: Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Sylvan, and Undercommon.
Favored Class: Like all races in Pathfinder, water genasi are free to choose any favored class. Water genasi whose favored class has the Water domain or the Elemental bloodline add +1 to the difficulty class of any spell noted in the Elemental Affinity ability unless it negatively affects the water element.
(outside of Pathfinder, as per 3.0 rules, inherited unmodified into 3.5, Darkvision 60 ft instead of above sight and stonecutting abilities, a favored class of fighter, and Level Adjustment +1. Why did they lack a racial bonus to swim?)

Wood Genasi

+2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
Developer's note: this may be too powerful as a cleric.
Medium size.
Weight multiplier: Wood genasi are lighter than humans. Calculate weight as if a human and then multiply it by 90%.
Movement: 30 ft.
Low-light vision, including the ability to see twice as clearly through brush and foliage.
Tree Stride (Sp): A wood genasi can cast tree stride as a spell-like ability once per day, cast as a ranger of the wood genasi's level. Unlike the spell, this ability only lasts one minute per character level and has a transport range limit equal to four times the caster's movement. Wood genasi may enter a tree of half their girth for both this ability and the Tree Stride spell.
Skilled: Wood genasi gain +2 to Survival checks in forests.
Domain focus: A wood genasi who chooses two or more divine domains must take the Plant domain. This may limit the selection of deities.
Bloodline focus: A wood genasi sorcerer must take the Fey bloodline. For all sorcerer class abilities, add two to the effective Charisma. Developer's note: this is somewhat outside my intent, but it's the best fit given the wood genasi's likely fey heritage.
Elemental affinity: +1 racial bonus to saving throws against all spells and effects with the Plant descriptor and any spells whose names contain the words wood, tree, plant, or variants of them. This bonus increases by +1 per five character levels.
Human heritage: Wood genasi gain a +2 racial bonus to a single skill, chosen at first level, and may forgo one of the +2 bonuses to instead gain a bonus feat at first level. See also Alternate heritages below.
Outsider: Wood genasi are outsiders with the Native descriptor.
Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Wood genasi of high intelligence may select from the following as their bonus languages: Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, and Treant.
Favored Class: Like all races in Pathfinder, wood genasi are free to choose any favored class. Wood genasi whose favored class has the Plant domain or the Fey bloodline add +1 to the difficulty class of any spell noted in the Elemental Affinity ability unless it negatively affects plants or plant-based materials.

Other genasi

the para-elements may be of interest, to be determined

Aasimar

The aasimar are beings of ancient celestial bloodlines. They are not technically genasi.

+2 Charisma, +2 Wisdom.
Medium size.
Movement: 30 ft.
Low-light vision.
Daylight (Sp): An aasimar can cast daylight as a spell-like ability once per day as a cleric of the aasimar's level.
Skilled: Aasimar have a +2 racial bonus to Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks.
Domain focus: An aasimar who chooses two or more divine domains must take the Good domain.
Bloodline focus: An aasimar sorcerer must take the Celestial bloodline.
Celestial resistance: Aasimars have acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5.
Human heritage: Aasimar may choose to forgo one of the +2 ability bonuses to instead gain a bonus feat at first level. See also #Alternate heritages below.
Outsider: Aasimars are outsiders with the Native descriptor.
Automatic Languages: Common, Celestial. Aasimar of high intelligence may select from the following as their bonus languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, and Sylvan.
Favored Class: Like all races in Pathfinder, aasimar are free to choose any favored class. Aasimar whose favored class has the Good domain or the Celestial bloodline add +1 to the difficulty class of any spell with the Good or Celestial descriptors.
(outside of Pathfinder, as per 3.0 rules, inherited unmodified into 3.5, Darkvision 60 ft instead of Low-light vision, a favored class of paladin, and Level Adjustment +1. Skilled was modified to benefit Sense Motive in place of the more versatile Perception.)

Tiefling

Tieflings usually cannot trace their roots back far enough to find evidence of their demonic or infernal heritage, but it's certainly there. They are not technically genasi.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma.
Medium size.
Movement: 30 ft.
Darkvision 60 ft.
Darkness (Sp): A tiefling can cast darkness as a spell-like ability once per day as a cleric of the tiefling's level. This ability can be used to counter the effects of a daylight spell.
Skilled: Tieflings have a +2 racial bonus to Bluff and Stealth checks.
Domain focus: A tiefling who chooses two or more divine domains must take the Evil domain.
Bloodline focus: A tiefling sorcerer must take either the Abyssal or the Infernal bloodline. For all sorcerer class abilities, add two to the effective Charisma.
Fiendish resistance: Tieflings have cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5, fire resistance 5.
Human heritage: Tieflings may choose to forgo one of the +2 ability bonuses to instead gain a bonus feat at first level. See also #Alternate heritages below.
Outsider: Tieflings are outsiders with the Native descriptor.
Automatic Languages: Common and either Abyssal or Infernal. Tieflings of high intelligence may select from the following as their bonus languages: Abyssal, Draconic, Elven, Infernal, Gnome, Goblin, and Orc.
Favored Class: Like all races in Pathfinder, tieflings are free to choose any favored class. Tieflings whose favored class has the Evil domain or the Abyssal or Infernal bloodline add +1 to the difficulty class of any spell with the Evil, Abyssal, or Infernal descriptors.
(outside of Pathfinder, as per 3.0 rules, inherited unmodified into 3.5, tieflings cannot use their darkness ability to counter daylight spells, have a favored class of rogue, and Level Adjustment +1.)

Alternate heritages

Each of the outsider races (aasimar, tieflings, and all genasi) is built to potentially work with any common race. Humans are used by default since they are the most common race on most worlds. For each heritage option, use the race's default automatic languages instead of the ones provided above (except for humans) and add the removed language to the bonus languages list. Use the size and movement rules of the heritage race as well as the age and height/weight (as modified by the weight multiplier) tables. Half-elves and half-orcs choose one of their parental races for heritage rules but use the height, weight, and age tables for their actual heritage race. Aasimar and tieflings do not change their skill bonuses with the human heritage and must lose one of their bonuses when selecting a different heritage.

Human heritage: +2 racial bonus to a single skill, chosen at first level. May forgo one of the +2 bonuses to instead gain a bonus feat at first level.
Dwarven heritage: +2 racial bonus to Appraise checks, movement (of 20 ft) is never modified by armor or encumbrance. May choose to take an additional -2 Charisma to gain Darkvision to 60 feet, a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities, and a +4 racial bonus to Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
Elven heritage: +2 racial bonus to Perception checks. May choose an additional -2 Constitution to gain immunity to magical sleep effects and a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against enchantment spells and effects as well as a +2 racial bonus to caster level checks to overcome spell resistance.
Gnomish heritage: +2 racial bonus to a specific craft or profession skill chosen at first level. If the character has a Charisma of 7+, may choose to take an additional -2 Strength to gain the following spell-like abilities once per day: dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation, and speak with animals, cast as a sorcerer of the character's level and at an effective Charisma four points higher.
Halfling heritage: +2 racial bonus to Acrobatics checks. May choose an additional -2 Strength to gain a +1 racial bonus to all saving throws and an additional +2 racial bonus to saving throws against fear effects.