Extra Genasi Subraces

by Cthulhu

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DnD Wiki Changes

Much of this content is made as a rebalancing to ideas from Dandwiki. Many were overpowered, or poorly worded, and in need of revision for usage.

The links to the original Dandwiki articles can be found at the end of the document in the credits.

Acid Genasi

As an acid genasi, you are as volatile as the acids of the Material Plane, born of the Demiplane of Acid. You tend to be quick thinking and violent, similar to the chemicals of your home plane.

Acid genasi are strange at the touch: some fiery hot, others glaringly cold, or acidic. Acid genasi are usually more hardy and strong in appearance, with large musculature and an acidic appearance. All acid genasi have a green skin color in common, arced with veins of dark blacks and greens. However, many acid genasi have widely varied hair, some glowing almost caustic, others a simple dark green.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.

Acid Resistance. You are resistant to acid damage.

Dangerous Skin. Any creature that grapples you or otherwise comes into direct contact with your skin must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take acid damage equal to your proficiency modifier.

Caustic Capabilities. You know the Acid Spray cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Acid Arrow spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Water Genasi Similarities

The Acid Genasi shares Acid Resistance and a similar spellcasting leveling to the Water Genasi of the EEPC. This is largely done because of how well it fits the Acid Genasi, but they have some startling similarities ability-wise.

Radiance Genasi

Radiant Genasi hail from a plane where every moment of their existence is surrounded by a never-ending display of the most beautiful colors and lights in the Multiverse. As a consequence, most of the Radiance Genasi that leave the Plane of Radiance are profoundly disappointed by the dull colors found in the rest of the Multiverse, causing few to stay out of their home plane for long. Radiant Genasi's heritage causes many that stay to become absorbed with beauty and art, and how it exists in the Material Plane.

Radiance Genasi are visually striking. They often have extremely bright-colored skin, bright yellows and greens, with a contrasting hair color, which often glows. Many can change their hair color, and some even their skin color, at will, their radiant skin taking on a new sheen.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Born of Light. You cannot be blinded by bright light. Additionally, you have resistance to radiant damage.

Lightbringers. You know the Light cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Color Spray 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.

Lightning Genasi

As a lightning genasi, your mood often shifts with the weather, quickly going violent from otherwise peaceful. Lightning genasi are often evil, though some may be more tame, similar to storms in their temperament.

Lightning genasi differ from typical humans with their blueish skin that ranges from whitish to a midnight blue, and their similarly colored crystalline growths that protrude from their head, back, shoulders, elbows, and knees. Beyond that, the faint smell of ozone eludes from them, often going almost electrical as they get violent moods.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Conductivity. You have resistance to lightning damage. Once per round when you are hit by an attack dealing lightning damage, you may add 1d4 lightning damage to your next melee attack.

Lightning Filled Veins. You have advantage on saving throws against being paralyzed or stunned.

Static Shock. You know the shocking grasp cantrip. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Magicborn Genasi

As a magicborn genasi, you are born from magic's interaction with the Elemental Planes. Often, magicborn genasi are left by their elemental parent, due to their estranged heritage and mythical powers.

Magicborn genasi appear very similar to humans, but often have a slight shade to their skin, based on their ancestry, and have eyes that sparkle with a strange power. Magicborn genasi often have other features that make them stand out, be it a slight glow to their skin, or a strange colored hair, showing their power.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Mystical Prowess. You know one cantrip from the sorcerer spell list. Charisma is your spell-casting mod.

Protection from Magic. Your magical connection protects you from magic's effects. As a reaction to being hit with a spell attack, you may grant yourself advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects until the start of your next turn. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Magical Detections. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Detect Magic spell once. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the Arcanist's Magic Aura spell once. You must finish a long rest to cast these spells again with this trait. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Para Genasi

Some Genasi do not come from any of the main Elemental Planes, instead having a heritage in one of the Para-Elemental Planes. These are seen as the Ice, Ooze, Magma, and Smoke Genasi.

Ice Genasi

The Para-Elemental Plane of Ice, unlike other similar Para-Elemental Planes has a large number of humanoid residents, with a society built on bolder, hardier society. This is often passed down to genasi of the plane, giving a more cutthroat lifestyle. Though often thought of as cold-hearted, they are often fun-loving, if brutal.

In appearance, all ice genasi tend towards sharp, angular features. Their skin and hair is usually either pure white or a bluish-white. Additionally, they usually have extremely cold flesh and sometimes have a thin layer of frost in their hair, even in the heat.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity or Wisdom score increases by 1.

Blades of Ice. As a bonus action, you can create blades of frost over both of your hands. These blades are a melee weapon with which you are proficient, and have the Finesse and Light properties. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Dexterity modifier. While your

hands are this way you cannot manipulate objects as you normally would be able to, such as drink a potion or use a door handle. You can remove the frozen blades from your hands as a bonus action when they are frozen.

Ice Born. You are resistant to cold damage. However, you also have disadvantage against the effects of extreme heat, as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Elemental Legacy. You know the Frostbite cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Create or Destroy Water spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Magma Genasi

Magma genasi act similarly to earth and fire genasi. While slow to act, and deliberate in action, they have a wondering of the world, often becoming philosophers or thinkers. Being lawfully inclined magma genasi are usually drawn towards the organizations, but no matter where they find themselves, magma genasi are usually one of the most profound philosophers in the area due to their constant inquiry into the nature of the multiverse and themselves.

Appearance-wise, magma genasi tend to be thick and bulky, though more rounded than their earth genasi counterparts. Their skin is warm, even hot to the touch, and is usually black or dark brown, taking an igneous form, with large magmatic veins. Their veins often flow with magma, their blood burning to the touch.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength or Intelligence score increases by 1.

Heated. When you make a successful unarmed strike you can deal fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage.

Inner Heat. Your heart is a swirling mass of molten earth. You are resistant to fire damage, but your molten form reduces your base walking speed to 25 feet.

Eruption. When a creature within 5 feet of you deals damage to you, you can cause the spot hit to explode with magma, dealing fire damage to the enemy. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw or take fire damage equal to your level + your Constitution modifier. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. After you use Eruption, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Obsidian Shelled. You can cast the Armor of Agathys 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. When hit while you have temporary hitpoints gained by the ability, you deal fire damage instead of cold damage. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Ooze Genasi

As an ooze genasi, you are looked down upon by other genasi. Unlike the Plane of Ice or the Plane of Fire, dwellers of the Plane of Ooze rarely inspire confidence, living relaxed lives and living it slow.

Ooze genasi have ooze-like skin, often resembling semi-solids such as mud or honey. They often smell similarly to the ooze with which they resemble, most often mud.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength or Wisdom score increases by 1.

Ooze-like Form. As an action, you can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Protective Ooze. You are can adapt your ooze-like body to withstand normally crushing blows. As a reaction to being hit with a melee attack, you may grant yourself resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning damage until the start of your next turn. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Slippery. You have advantage on saving throws against being restrained, and magic can’t unwillingly change your form.

Child of Grease and Ooze. You can cast the grease 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.

Smoke Genasi

As a smoke genasi, you are often quick to change, similar to smoke and vapor. Smoke genasi live quick lives, racing from one thing to the next, trying to find a way to make their own life outside of their elemental ancestors.

Smoke genasi always have a faint odor of charcoal about them, and this odor usually indicates their mood, with a more pleasant burning wood showing a more pleasant attitude and more nasty odors showing a worse attitude. Smoke genasi usually have dark gray hair that moves on its own accord, similar to smoke coming off a fire, and have mottled gray skin which seems to change coloring and pattern from moment to moment.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity or Intelligence score increases by 1.

Ashen Lungs. You can breathe non-magical smoke or gas without difficulty or discomfort, making you immune to non-magical effects that require you to inhale them such as poison gases or toxic fogs.

Body of Cinder. You are resistant to fire damage.

Gaseous Form. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Smokey Escape. As a reaction to taking damage, you can change into a smoky form, heavily obscuring a 15 ft. radius sphere centered on you until the start of your next turn. Until then, you are incapacitated and gain resistance to all damage. At the start of your next turn, you reconstitute at a point within the cloud of smoke. Once you use this trait, you may not use it again until you finish a long rest.

Elemental Legacy. You can cast the Fog Cloud 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.

Feat: Absorbing Form

Prerequisite: Must be a Genasi

You're connection to the Elemental Planes has grown. You learn Absorb Elements. Using this feat, you can cast the spell once at its lowest level as a reaction, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it in this way again. When cast this way, you gain resistance to that type of damage until the start of your next turn.

Feat: Planar Connections

Prerequisite: Must be a Genasi

You have planar relations to a second plane, be it through Para-Elemental Planar connections or ancestry, or another way. You may decide one of the following planes to gain additional power from. You can not choose the option that correlates to the subclass you have picked:

  • Air. You increase your Dexterity by 1, up to a maximum of 20. Additionally, you can hold your breath indefinitely while you’re not incapacitated. You also have resistance to lightning damage. You learn the gust cantrip.
  • Earth. You increase your Strength by 1, up to a maximum of 20. Additionally, you can move across difficult terrain made of earth or stone without expending extra movement. You learn the mold earth cantrip.
  • Fire. You increase your Intelligence by 1, up to a maximum of 20. Additionally, you can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You also have resistance to fire damage. You learn the produce flame cantrip.
  • Water. You increase your Wisdom by 1, up to a maximum of 20. Additionally, you can breathe air and water, and have a swim speed of 30 ft. You also have resistance to acid damage. You learn the shape water cantrip.

Alternative Para Genasi

You can use the feat Planar Connections as an alternative to allowing Para Genasi, if you find you dislike those subraces. Overall, it ends up covering a slightly different niche, and works good as a flavorful half feat, but may lack power in many scenarios.

As you may have realized, some are more powerful than others. This is largely because Air and Earth's original forms have no resistance, and finding one that fit well for Earth and didn't stomp on the feet of another subrace was pretty hard.

Credits

Subraces: Radiance Genasi inspired by 2e subrace, the Lightning Genasi, Magicborn Genasi, and Para Genasi all were made as reworks of old Dandwiki subraces

Art Credits: Air Genasi by captdiablo on DeviantArt

Like what you see?

I'm Cthulhu, and I've been making homebrew for nearly a year now. I'm still getting better, but I'm gonna start releasing new homebrew every few weeks starting soon. If you're interested, check out some of my previous work:

Illithid Rework

Warlord Expansion

(Old Content) Blood Hunter: The Forgotten Orders

Detect Balance

Many people find the detect balance spreadsheet, found here, to be a good way to show the power levels of races. Here is some of this put through it to show power levels. Note that these are rough approximations, I'm not that good at the Detect Balance spreadsheet, and several abilities of these subraces have no equivalent.

Acid. Equals out to 24. Makes sense, it's mechanically similar to a Water Genasi.

Radiance. Equals out to around 20, maybe less. This is largely due to having so few abilities. Might be changed in the future.

Lightning. Around 22 or more. It was hard to exactly get the Conductivity trait explained by points, but I found it rather weak overall, you wont use it much.

Magicborn. Equals out to around 25. Mechanically, this may be more powerful than the numbers suggest, but overall, it's more balanced than many official races.

Ice. Equals out to around 25. Overall, the Blades of Ice ability is great flavor-wise, but holds back the class in how you can't use other things with it.

Magma. Equals out to around 19. Honestly, this is largely because I couldn't find good numbers for it, I have no doubt it's much more powerful than suggested.

Ooze. Equals out to around 27. That one time bludgeon resist is rather balanced, but the other abilities really stack up.

Smoke. About 27. It isn't that powerful in most regards, but it does have a lot of abilities that are rather diverse.

Changelog

v1.0.0
  • Realease.
v1.0.1
  • Added Radiance Genasi.
  • Fixed editing error that caused Ooze Genasi to have obsideon hard skin
  • Made Magicborn slightly more magical, with a new spell list and once per long rest magic resistance
  • Ooze Genasi now has a more logical resistance
  • Fixed tons of minor errors with lore and grammar
  • Fixed several strange interactions with the Blades of Ice ability
  • Made Planar Connections less of a waste of a feat
  • Made Absorbing Form work as a bonus action.
  • Added more info on Detect Balance
  • Revised placement of some subraces and abilities
 

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