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does this mean they should be more divine, or would it be acceptable to give them an arcane focus?
Ideally, any race should be flexible enough to not be railroaded into only one direction, so I'd prefer that an elemental-touched race have abilities that benefit both sorts of caster.
A flat +1 DC to fire spells for a fire 'genasi' for instance would benefit a Wizard (or Sorcerer with the right spells), but have more limited some benefit to a Druid (via produce flame and wall of fire) or Cleric (via flame strike). A bonus to fire spells and spell-like abilities that read instead +1 save DC or, for spells and effects without a save, +1 fire damage, would allow a Cleric with the Fire Domain to get +1 damage with his Fire Bolt attacks or a Druid to get +1 damage with his flame blade spell, making the special ability more useful to the other sorts of caster.
Another option would be to allow a genasi of any spellcasting class to add a couple of spells of that relevant elemental type to their list, or to have a special bonus that applies to relevant spells (fire spells have a change to set someone on fire), or even a chance to not lose a prepared spell (or spell slot) used to cast a spell of their specific element, with the total spell levels being equal to their Cha mod or something. With this last option, a Cha 16 fire genasi sorceress would be able to cast burning hands, and then roll something (a caster level check?) to attempt to not expend that slot. She could save three levels worth of spells this way, so that at 6th level she could get an extra fireball out of it, or an extra scorching ray and burning hands.
On the other hand, none of these abilities are of much use to a non spellcaster. Using the Pyro feat as inspiration, perhaps the genasi is an expert at setting things on fire (and perhaps also at putting out fires, if necessary), getting a +1 to fire damage and DCs, even if he's inflicting that fire damage by throwing alchemist's fire on them, and a +2 to his own chances of extinguishing flames on his person (if someone has thrown alchemist's fire on him!). This would benefit both the spellcasters, and, potentially, the rangers and rogues as well.
Earth, Water and Air Genasi could get benefits related to their elements, such as the Earth Mastery of an earth elemental, or a +10 racial bonus to Acrobatics checks to determine Jump distance, or to mitigate damage from a fall, for an Air Genasi (or something even better, for the falling damage, such as automatically ignoring the first 10 ft. of falling distance, and then getting to roll to ignore even more, subtracting an additional 10 ft. at DC 15, then another 10 ft. for every additional 5 or 10 you make the DC by, allowing the air gen to theoretically leap 30 or more feet down without damage, if he keeps his Acrobatics ranks up and makes a good roll).
Note that Pathfinder already has a kinda/sorta Genasi race, in the Suli, from the Pathfinder Companion to Qadira. They are a pretty strong race, equal to an Aasimar or Tiefling, and, like the Tiefling options presented in Bastards of Erebus, might work better in a party of standard races if toned down a bit. (The Suli is a generalist, having elemental aspects of air, earth, fire and water, being basically a 'half-Janni' of sorts, and not connected to Djinn or Efreet specifically. Tuning them into one of these directions makes them both more like Genasi, focused on one element, and more suitable to play alongside elves, dwarves, etc. of equal level.)
I would probably design them with Charisma bonuses as their mental score boost. That way they can be cool oracles and sorcerers, which neat mysteries and bloodlines. The APG has elementalist rules for wizards, and those would be cool.
I'm assuming one element will get +2 Str, one +2 Dex, another +2 Con, and then the fourth will have to double up on one of the physical boosts.....might I suggest the one that does get +2 to Int instead of Cha so they can be the more wizardly types. Or a boost to Wisdom if you want to go the druid/cleric route. I would probably go +2 Int for the fire type, that way they can also make interesting alchemists.
Probably +2 Str for Earth, +2 Dex for Fire, +2 Dex for Air, and +2 Con for Water. Does that sound OK?
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Probably +2 Str for Earth, +2 Dex for Fire, +2 Dex for Air, and +2 Con for Water. Does that sound OK?
I'd do +2 Con for earth (enduring), +2 Str for water (relentless) and +2 Dex for fire and air. Why +2 Str for water, instead of earth? I see water (and air, and fire) as more active than earth. Earth is more passive, reactive, at best. The tide grinds stones into sand.
Plus, there's the precedent of Aquaman and Namor to consider. :)
Genasi races can be done as feats allowed to certain races. I have differing clans of Dwarves, that are related to off world Dwarves, getting access to feats giving them either the Earth or Fire sub types. Gnomes can take a feat making them Fey, as can Elves. By making these first level/character creation feats, the players seem to recognize that they are important from a RP standpoint.
Basic Human/Genasi races: (after Set's suggestion)
Air: +2 Dex
Earth: +2 Con
Fire: +2 Dex
Water: +2 Str
Add in Brandon Fann's variation on the Fiendish Sorcery Racial ability, treating Charisma as +2 Elemental bloodline sorcerers of their own element. I would add in an elemental subtype as well, er, already do.
Add my vote to those who don't like races being forced to worship certain gods. I might see that a fire genasi would not want the water or cold domains/portfolios, but I can totally see a fire genasi be a priest of something other than the fire god.
Why +2 Str for water, instead of earth? I see water (and air, and fire) as more active than earth. Earth is more passive, reactive, at best.
Agreed. When it comes to elements and assigning attributes to them, I prefer L5R's way, too, with earth getting stamina (con) and water strength.
Cool. +2 Str for water and +2 Con for Earth.
Now that I think about it, water genasi probably don't need to hold their breath while swimming....and Strength helps with Swim skill checks.
For the whole stat mods, I'd go:
Earth: +2 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Int or Cha (Earth is constant and unchanging in body and mind, but also slow and dull)
Water: +2 Str, +2 Cha, -2 Con or Wis (Water is strong and forceful, but also easy to change and shape)
Fire: +2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Str or Cha (Fire is fast and bright, but also insubstantial)
Air: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Con or Int (Air is agile and graceful, but also ephemeral)
For Earth, I would go +2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Wis. The earth is as hard and and bright as diamonds, but um, something else all poetical. Maybe quakable like the earth?
Just because +2 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Cha is the same as dwarf, and they are already pretty earthy.