Planetouched
"Are the horns throwing you off? That's understandable."
The world of D&D has more than just what the eye can see—there are other places, other planes of existence, where beings have adapted to extreme locations. When these beings procreate with, make deals with, influence, or even just exist near humans, their planar energies can spill over. This can result in Planetouched, whether born that way or transformed.
Diverse Origins
Many Planetouched most often look close to human, though their appearances can vary widely. Sometimes, Planetouched magics get crossed and result in previously unknown combinations of appearance and abilities.
While many Planetouched abilities can be traced to a specific plane, some are less obvious. In fact, this kind of cross-pollination has grown so widespread that some Planetouched can't even be sure what they were influenced by. Thus, Planetouched abilities are vaguely categorized into several Types that may or may not directly correlate with specific planes.
| d12 | Type |
|---|---|
| 1 | Botanical |
| 2 | Animus |
| 3 | Winged (Divine) |
| 4 | Horned (Infernal/Abyssal) |
| 5 | Water |
| 6 | Earth |
| 7 | Fire |
| 8 | Air |
| 9 | Feywild |
| 10 | Shadowfell |
| 11 | Mirror |
| 12 | Ethereal |
Generational Lines
Planetouched bloodlines are suffused with magic, manifesting in each generation just a little differently. Noble families sometimes leverage this, and attempt to make matches that will result in strong lines, or specifically crossed lines. Because Planetouched types are so vague, sometimes crossing the lines results in something unexpected—a descendant of both strong fire and animus lines may end up a winged Planetouched rather than one or the other.
Magical genetics is a hotly-debated topic in urban centers, and only a few scholars have been able to even attempt to predict what a Planetouched's child will be like.
Planetouched Traits
Every Planetouched is different, but all of them share the following traits.
Ability Score Increase. Choose any ability to gain a +2 bonus.
Age. Planetouched mature and age at the same rate as humans and live just as long.
Alignment. Planetouched can be and often are of any alignment.
Size. Planetouched are the size of humans and exist in many heights and builds, ranging from 5 to over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Adaptable. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.
Origin Traits. Most Planetouched consider themselves part of one or more origin. Choose one Inborn, one Manifestation, and one Knack, listed below. They can be from the same or different origins.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one language common on your origin's plane (or one that makes sense otherwise.
Planetouched Origins
Planetouched abilities are widely categorized into twelve origins. Most pull their Inborn, Manifestation, and Knack traits from a single origin, though rare ones manifest two or even three different origins.
Inborn traits represent something you have always been able to do. Manifestation traits represent something that came about as you aged or trained, and are the most powerful of the three. Knack traits represent things you're just naturally good at.
Botanical
Botanical Planetouched often show signs of plant-based magic: barklike skin, floral-colored hair, or the ability to control plants.
Thorns: (Inborn) You gain a natural melee weapon that deals 1d6 piercing damage. This weapon counts as a finesse weapon.
Plant Caller: (Manifestation) Once per long rest, you may cast the Plant Growth spell.
Nature's Defense: (Knack) Choose one of the following cantrips that you are able to cast at will: Primal Savagery, Poison Spray, Thorn Whip.
Animus
Animus Planetouched display traits of various animals, often the predatory kind. They may have visible claws, tails, patches of fur, animalistic ears, even scales or forked tongues.
Savage Attacks: (Inborn) When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
Pack Tactics: (Manifestation) You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Bestial Understanding: (Knack) You gain proficiency with one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Insight, Nature, Perception, Survival.
Winged
Winged Planetouched are often found in the blessed mountains, or in the military where they serve as fantastic scouts. Most have functional feathery or batlike wings, though some are vestigial. Winged Plantouched often have other signs of divine influence, as well, ranging from visible halos to the sound of wind chimes.
Flight: (Inborn) You have wings sprouting from your shoulder blades. You have a flying speed of 30 feet while you aren't wearing heavy armor. If you take this trait, you cannot take a Manifestation or a Knack.
Telepathy: (Manifestation) You can telepathically communicate with creatures within 30 feet of you, as long as you share a language.
Healing Hands: (Knack) As an action, you can touch a creature and cause it to regain a number of hit points equal to your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Horned
Horned Planetouched are perhaps some of the most common and recognizable types, and often share Manifestations or Knacks with other types. They have skin of all different shades, and most sport horns and tails of different shapes.
Naturally Tough: (Inborn) You have tough skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.
Blindsight: (Manifestation) You gain blindsight in a 30-foot radius around you. You do not need to rely on sight within this radius. This means you can perceive invisible creatures and through magical darkness.
Slippery: (Knack) You gain proficiency in the Sleight of Hand skill.
Water
Water-touched sometimes seem made from water or coral, or have traits of sea creatures. Some always seem wet, and some more closely attuned to ice or hot springs have different features. Many make their homes near or in bodies of water.
Watery Home: (Inborn) You can breathe both water and air, and you gain a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Water's Blessing: (Manifestation) You gain resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning damage due to a fluid body or a coating of ice. If you take this trait, you cannot take a Knack.
Deep Vision: (Knack) You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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 can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Earth
Earth-touched tend to be skilled with the type of earth they're attuned to. They can appear with crystalline formations, muddy skin, a gemstone sheen, or even scars of gold.
Earth Walk: (Inborn) You can move across difficult terrain made of earth or stone without expending extra movement.
Stone's Endurance: (Manifestation) You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled, and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Earthen Affinity: (Knack) Choose one of the following cantrips that you are able to cast at will: Mold Earth, Druidcraft, Resistance, Guidance.
Fire
The fire-touched sometimes have flickering shadows, smoking hair, or glowing hands. They feel comfortable in hot environments and aren't overly bothered by the presence of volcanoes.
Darkvision: (Inborn) You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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 can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Fiery Resistance: (Manifestation) You have resistance to both fire and radiant damage.
Flickering Speed: (Knack) Your base speed is 35 feet.
Air
Air-touched are light, often weighing just a fraction of what they appear to. Some smell like rain, look to have fog clouds moving across their skin, or accumulate more static electricity than anybody else.
Lightweight: (Inborn) You are always treated as if the Feather Fall spell is cast on you.
Airy Command: (Manifestation) Once per long rest, you may cast the spell Fog Cloud. Also once per long rest, you may cast the spell Warding Wind.
Storm Born: (Knack) You have resistance to lightning damage.
Feywild
Feywild Planetouched often have chaotic, colorful features. Some have small, vestigial fairylike wings.
Trance: (Inborn) Like elves, you don't need to sleep. Instead, you meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Feywild Cunning: (Manifestation) You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.
Limited Wings: (Knack) You have a flying speed of 30 feet when you aren't wearing heavy armor. However, your wings are weak, and you must land at the end of every turn, or you fall, take fall damage, and become prone.
Shadowfell
The Shadow-touched are hardy people, well-used to dark conditions in a hostile environment. Many have glowing eyes, colorless skin, and hair dyed in deep jewel tones.
Darkvision: (Inborn) You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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 can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Survivor: (Manifestation) Your Constitution score increases by 2.
of the following cantrips to cast at
will: Chill Touch, Ray of Frost,
Message, Thaumaturgy.
Mirror
Mirror-touched tend to be tricky, with a habit of copying others around them. They may have reflective eyes, reversed features, many reflections, or no reflection at all.
Mimicry: (Inborn) You can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.
Nimble Escape: (Manifestation) You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.
Mirror Magic: (Knack) You may choose one of the following cantrips to cast at will: Dancing Lights, Mind Sliver, Minor Illusion, Sword Burst.
Ethereal
Ethereal Planetouched are distinguished by their tendency to keep moving and appear in unexpected places. They often have foggy skin, colorful birthmarks, or an odd weightless quality.
Fleet: (Inborn) Your base speed is 35 feet.
Etherealness: (Manifestation) Once per long rest, you may cast the spell Fog Cloud. Also once per long rest, you may cast the spell Invisibility.
Ethereal Step: (Knack) As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Credits
- Abstract Backdrop of Dynamic Smoke Creating Waves in Air by Olha Ruskykh on Pexels
- Pattern Texture Wall Abstract by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels
- Photo of Shattered Mirror Near Ladder by Lukas Hartmann on Pexels
- Bare Tree on Desert by Mohamed Elshawry on Pexels
- Stain backgrounds by /u/flamableconcrete
- All figure illustrations by /u/letteredviolet, me
- Concept and design by /u/letteredviolet, me :)
Balance and Design Notes
The Planetouched race is a hodgepodge that represents a whole bunch of flavor more than anything mechanically interesting. Virtually every feature is stolen from a different race rather than exclusively designed (or otherwise just a spellcasting ability), and there is some overlap between features.
For example, taking pieces from the Water and Fire origins could potentially get a character Darkvision twice, though these features are meant to be modular and that's definitely not the only choice.
Using the Detect Balance spreadsheet, the base race (no Inborn, Manifestation, or Knack traits) is worth 12 points alone, with a single choice of a +2 ASI and one skill proficiency.
The following table rates each origin trait:
| Origin | Inborn | Manifestation | Knack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botanical | 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Animus | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Winged | 16 (no M or K) | 6 | 2 |
| Horned | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Water | 3 | 12 (no K) | 3 |
| Earth | 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Fire | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| Air | 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Feywild | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Shadowfell | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Mirror | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| Ethereal | 2 | 7 | 4 |
The average combination will net a race worth about 25.25 points. The average published race (PHB+EE) is worth about 24.95 points.
The most powerful build is taking the Winged origin's Inborn trait, which results in 28 points, about the same as a wood elf.
The least powerful build takes Feywild's Inborn, Fire's Manifestation, and Winged's Knack, and results in a 22-point race, just a tad below the published tiefling.
There are over 1,700 potential combinations of Inborn, Manifestation, and Knack traits. Go wild!
Why This Race? Why So Complex?
Because I wanted to. okay, let's go home
I've always loved the idea of planes in an organized cosmology, especially those that are parallel to the Material Plane but not quite there, like Mirror and Ethereal. 5e's lore about extraplanar character races always seemed a little murky to me, anyway. I want more!
I believe in mechanics that back up flavor. It seems that a lot of people agree with me, due to the sheer amount of homebrew reflecting just slightly different concepts from those already published.
With this modular approach, a bunch of popular homebrew and legacy races are now possible with both flavor and mechanical support: fey-touched tieflings, elementals, fetchlings, elemental aasimars, tiefling/aasimar combinations, animalistic archons, bestial tieflings, and far more.
While this Planetouched race doesn't perfectly model everything planar you could think of, far from it, it can result in a very unique race that has some cool flavor. Plus, it groups tieflings, aasimar, and genasi together, which makes sense to me.
Changelog
- 5/23/21 - Creation, some testing
- 5/26/21 - Added Botanical, Animus, Ethereal
- 6/8/21 - Tweak some features and wording, change up some spells
- 6/13/21 - Switch some Inborn and Knack traits around, more wording and other tweaks
- 6/14/21 - Added art, edited some descriptions