GENASI

GENASI TRAITS

Your genasi character has certain characteristics in common with all other genasi.

SIZE. Genasi are as varied as their mortal parents but are generally built like humans, standing anywhere from 5 feet to over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

SPEED. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

ABILITY SCORE INCREASE. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

LANGUAGES. You can speak, read, and write Common and Primordial. Primordial is a guttural language, filled with harsh syllables and hard consonants.

AGE. Genasi mature at about the same rate as humans and reach adulthood in their late teens. They live somewhat longer than humans do, up to 120 years.

ALIGNMENT. Independent and self-reliant, genasi tend toward a neutral alignment.

Subraces. Four major subraces of genasi are found among the worlds of D&D: air genasi, earth genasi, fire genasi, and water genasi. Choose one of these subraces.

AIR GENASI

ABILITY SCORE INCREASE. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

UNENDING BREATH. You can hold your breath indefinitely while you’re not incapacitated.

MINGLE WITH THE WIND. You can cast the levitate 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.

As an air genasi, you are descended from the djinn. As changeable as the weather, your moods shift from calm to wild and violent with little warning, but these storms rarely last long.

Air genasi typically have light blue skin, hair, and eyes. A faint but constant breeze accompanies them, tousling the hair and stirring the clothing. Some air genasi speak with breathy voices, marked by a faint echo. A few display odd patterns in their flesh or grow crystals from their scalps.

Air genasi are proud of their heritage, sometimes to the point of haughtiness. They can be flamboyant, and are keen to have an audience. They rarely stay in one place for long, always looking for a new sky to see and breathe. Air genasi who don’t live in cities favor open lands such as plains, deserts, and high mountains.

Fitting backgrounds include charlatan, entertainer, and noble.

EARTH GENASI

ABILITY SCORE INCREASE. Your Strength score increases by 1.

EARTH WALK. You can move across difficult terrain made of earth or stone without expending extra movement.

MERGE WITH STONE. You can cast the pass without trace 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.

As an earth genasi, you are descended from the cruel and greedy dao, though you aren’t necessarily evil. You have inherited some measure of control over earth, reveling in superior strength and solid power. You tend to avoid rash decisions, pausing long enough to consider your options before taking action.

Elemental earth manifests differently from one individual to the next. Some earth genasi always have bits of dust falling from their bodies and mud clinging to their clothes, never getting clean no matter how often they bathe. Others are as shiny and polished as gemstones, with skin tones of deep brown or black, eyes sparkling like agates. Earth genasi can also have smooth metallic flesh, dull iron skin spotted with rust, a pebbled and rough hide, or even a coating of tiny embedded crystals. The most arresting have fissures in their flesh, from which faint light shines.

Earth genasi are more withdrawn, and their connection to the earth keeps them from being comfortable in most cities. Their uncommon size and strength makes them natural soldiers, though, and with their stoic demeanor, they can encourage others and become great leaders. Many earth genasi live underground, where they can be in their favored element. When they emerge from their caves, they might roam the hills and mountains or lay claim to old ruins.

Appropriate backgrounds for earth genasi include hermit, outlander, and soldier.

FIRE GENASI

FIRE RESISTANCE. You have resistance to fire damage.

ABILITY SCORE INCREASE. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

DARKVISION. 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. Your ties to the Elemental Plane of Fire make your darkvision unusual: everything you see in darkness is in a shade of red.

REACH TO THE BLAZE. You know the produce flame cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the burning hands 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.

As a fire genasi, you have inherited the volatile mood and keen mind of the efreet. You tend toward impatience and making snap judgments. Rather than hide your distinctive appearance, you exult in it.

Nearly all fire genasi are feverishly hot as if burning inside, an impression reinforced by flaming red, coal- black, or ash-gray skin tones. The more human-looking have fiery red hair that writhes under extreme emotion, while more exotic specimens sport actual flames dancing on their heads. Fire genasi voices might sound like crackling flames, and their eyes flare when angered. Some are accompanied by the faint scent of brimstone.

Fire genasi often get themselves into difficulty with their fiery tempers. Like their air genasi cousins, they sometimes flaunt their perceived superiority over common folk. But they also want others to share their high opinion of themselves, so they constantly seek to enhance their reputations.

Likely backgrounds for a fire genasi include criminal, folk hero, and noble

WATER GENASI

ACID RESISTANCE. You have resistance to acid damage.

SWIM. You have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

ABILITY SCORE INCREASE. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

AMPHIBIOUS. You can breathe air and water.

CALL TO THE WAVE. You know the shape water cantrip (see chapter 2). 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.

The lapping of waves, the spray of sea foam on the wind, the ocean depths—all of these things call to your heart.

You wander freely and take pride in your independence, though others might consider you selfish. Most water genasi look as if they just finished bathing, with beads of moisture collecting on their skin and hair. They smell of fresh rain and clean water. Blue or green skin is common, and most have somewhat overlarge eyes, blue-black in color. A water genasi’s hair might float freely, swaying and waving as if underwater. Some have voices with undertones reminiscent of whale song or trickling streams.

Water genasi almost all have some experience aboard or around sea vessels. They make excellent mariners and fishers. Like earth genasi, though, water genasi prefer quiet and solitude; the wide shores are their natural homes. They go where they want, do what they want, and rarely feel bound to anything.

Good backgrounds for water genasi include hermit and sailor.