|
Where's the Aasimar love in Golarion? We've seen Teiflings, which is understandable, and actually quite fitting for Celiax, but what about Aasimars? I've heard on other sites and from friends that they're just boring. And, Honestly... I have to agree. Why are they so boring? they're the descendants of Angels and other Celestials, how can that be Boring? Where do they fit into Golarion?
Just some musings.
|
|
I might just write something up myself... it wouldn't be Golarion specific, but it would be Pathfinder specific. I can see making several "bloodlines" of Aasimar, sort of determining bonus stuff based on what kind of Celestial they are descended from.
IMHO, think Hound Archon descendants should look and play differently than an Astral Deva descended Aasimar, but that's just my opinion.
IMHO, think Hound Archon descendants should look and play differently than an Astral Deva descended Aasimar, but that's just my opinion.
I think that would be interesting myself
|
IMHO, think Hound Archon descendants should look and play differently than an Astral Deva descended Aasimar, but that's just my opinion.
Vestigial wings(useful only for slow falling) and scaly legs for lillend descendants, large canines and claws for lupinal agathion descendants, greenish skin and alopecia for planetar descendants, etc.
Perhaps even a more generalized version with broad types of Outsiders as well. (Angels, Guardinals and Eladrin (The 'new' names haven't stuck in my head yet.))
I think the implication is not so much dalliances with solars, archons, etc (although Eladrins seem like possible sources of half-breeds) but that simply being around powerful celestials can in essence mutate the offspring of mortals in Aasimars.
That way you don't have to come up with Elf/Eladrin hybrids (you know they are out there) or Orc/Demons you can just use the half-celestial/fiend for the true Cambions and Angel-Touched ;)
They weren't really featured as PC classes, but Nualia was an Aasimar in the first AP! They pretty much established it as a race on the rise in response to all the extraplanar stuff going on with the Cheliax... I am surprised that more didn't come out for PC rules...
It was way back in their first AP installment, and even then, she was mostly a single NPC (awesomeone, though).
Tieflings made perfect sense for Council of Thieves.
I'm sure the aasimars will get a similar article, but they will not just be dropped into the next AP instalment or anything.
When the stars are right.....
Did anyone else like them? They don't have quite the sexy badass appeal of Tieflings. Even WOTC dumped them in favor of the far more interesting Devas.
wizards is not exactly the best example to draw from. Their goals with their new game are so different from Pathfinder that they're not even in the same genre any more.
Perhaps even a more generalized version with broad types of Outsiders as well. (Angels, Guardinals and Eladrin (The 'new' names haven't stuck in my head yet.))
It's Agathions for the animal-headed NG celestials, and Azata for the CG ones.
I guess that if they do an aasimar article in the same vein as the tiefling one, we'll get "bloodlines"/ancestries for agathions, archons, azatas, angels, and maybe a number of additional good outsiders (I just can't think of any right now).
|
|
Here's my interpretations, and I'd like feedback if any of you like or hate them, and help on making them better. This is only my first draft, and I didn't include the Agathions because I don't know where to find the info for them... anyway, here's the stuff!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Aasimar Characters
Aasimars are defined by class levels—they do not possess racial Hit Dice. All Aasimars have the following racial traits.
- Normal Speed: Aasimars have a base speed of 30 feet.
- Darkvision: Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
- Skilled: Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Perception checks.
- Celestial Resistance: Aasimars have acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5.
- Truespeech (Su): All Aasimars can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level 14th). This ability is always active.
When creating an Aasimar character, choose one of the following Ancestries. Since each of these three contain several subtypes, you Aasimar character can be descended from any of those subtypes, and the appearance of your character should match. For example, a Lillend descendant could have scales running down her legs, or a Hound Archon descendant could have a slightly elongated face and a hatred for Evil Canine outsiders. How this is done is up to you and your GM.
+2 (STR/DEX/CON), +2 Charisma
Radiance (Su): An Aasimar of Angelic descent can sheath their bodies or their weapon in divine luminescence, causing them to be hard to look directly at. This grants them either a +4 dodge bonus to AC or gives their in hand weapon a +3 divine bonus to hit and damage. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to their charisma modifier. The rounds do not need to be consecutive. At 7th level, the Aasimar may opt to instead grow wings of resplendent light, granting them a fly speed of 60' and good maneuverability.
+2 (STR/DEX/CON), +2 Charisma
Menacing Glare (Su): An Archon descended Aasimar can, once per day, make a gaze attack (DC 10 +1/2 character level + charisma modifier), to inflict the Shaken status on a hostile creature within 20ft that can see the Aasimar when she uses this ability. The effected creature is Shaken for 24 hours, or until it lands a successful hit against the Aasimar. A creature who has resisted or broken the effect of this ability is immune to this particular Aasimar's Menace effect for 24 hours. At 9th level, the DC of this effect increases to 15 + ½ Character level + charisma modifier, and may be used an additional time per day.
+2 (STR/DEX/CON), +2 Charisma
Insubstantial Form (Su): An Azata descended Aasimar can, for a number of rounds equal to their Charisma modifier, shift between their native (humanoid) form and that of something insubstantial, such as light, wind, mist, etc. While in this Insubstantial form, they gain the incorporeal quality. It cannot attack or cast spells, but spell like abilities, and class features that do not require physicality (GM's Discretion) are still usable while in this form. At 7th level, the Aasimar can fly with average maneuverability at their base land speed while Insubstantial. In addition, they can add the Ghost Touch ability to any weapon they use as a swift action that lasts for a number of rounds equal to ½ character level.
|
|
Did anyone else like them? They don't have quite the sexy badass appeal of Tieflings. Even WOTC dumped them in favor of the far more interesting Devas.
*raises hand*
Ever since Planescape, just like Tieflings.
And I wouldn't say the 4E Devas are more interesting. Just different.
Aasimar are only boring if you want them to be. They're just as varied and strange as tieflings, and aren't beholden to their ancestral alignment any more than their fiend-blooded counterparts. One of my all-time favorite villain NPCs was an evil aasimar from Faces of Sigil, who out-sexied and certainly out-badassed the tiefling mascot of Sigil in that same book.
Here are some answers, most of them older than the Internet.
Rebuttal:
Dark Is Not Evil (seriously, some celestials/upper planar beings are freaky
Rebuttal:
Dark Is Not Evil (seriously, some celestials/upper planar beings are freaky
A -2 to Con sounds to be the right choice to me.
Con penalties are just brutal, I advice against it.
Int maybe? Maybe dexterity.
the aasimaar doesn't need an extra penalty, they are fine as is. they are actually less powerful than tieflings, despite what thier attribute boni say.
look at more than just how many boni. look at how often they apply.
tiefling boni apply a lot more
more classes benefit from the tiefling's attribute boni, whether as primary or secondary, including a few exotic builds. thier resistances are to more common types. thier spell like ability sees guaranteed use with cetain classes.
Someone prodded me into getting off my duff. 50 variant traits so far. Far, far fewer comments. I'd like to finish this list, then I can flesh it out and produce a free PDF article much like the ToG article. So hey, click, read, post. Please.
|
the aasimaar doesn't need an extra penalty, they are fine as is. they are actually less powerful than tieflings, despite what thier attribute boni say.look at more than just how many boni. look at how often they apply.
tiefling boni apply a lot more
more classes benefit from the tiefling's attribute boni, whether as primary or secondary, including a few exotic builds. thier resistances are to more common types. thier spell like ability sees guaranteed use with cetain classes.
I could buy this argument. The Aasimar has no physical bump, which all standard +2,+2,-2 races have. Their are few skills or abilities keyed to wisdom or charisma (will save exception) that all characters will share. Even as a cleric, druid, bard, or sorcerer these bonuses aren't incredibly powerful.
However, I would advise a little caution. In a low magic or low point buy game these bonuses are going to be worth a lot more. I would really only advise allowing this race for play in a very high point buy game.
If they really had to take a penalty, I would suggest strength. I've always imagined divine creatures as physically fragile, spiritually strong.
Both of those kind of go against the celestial trope, of elevated mind and celestial grace. Con is an appropriate penalty to balance the power of two boosted mental stats.
You can make a case for and against each ability score, because there's no unified good trope (just as there's no unified evil one). Note, though, that aasimars are the opposite of tieflings, and tieflings get +int/dex -cha, while aasimars get +2cha/wis...
It all comes down to what sort of celestial you're ancestor is/was.
Here's the attribute priorities for all core celestials (strongest to weakest)
Azatas:
Bralani Str->Con->Dex->Cha->Wis->Int
Ghaele Str->Con->Wis->Cha->Int->Dex
Lillend Con->Str->Cha-Dex->Wis->Int
Archon:
Hound Str->Con/Wis->Cha->Dex/Int
Lantern Con->Dex/Wis->Cha->Int->Str
Trumpet Con->Str/Wis->Dex/Cha->Int
Angel:
Astral Deva Str->Cha->Con->Dex->Int/Wis
Planetar Str->Wis->Con/Cha->Int->Dex
Solar Con->Str->Wis->Cha->Int->Dex
The trend is very clear: Dex is always the weakest physical ability (except for lantern archons, which are basically little balls of light, so they don't really count); Int is always the weakest mental ability. That means both would make great penalties for aasimars, as they're supposed to be descended from these creatures primarily.
And con comes in first 4 times, second 3 times, and third 2 times.
Con would be really unfit as a penalty. In fact, I can see changing standard aasimars getting +Con and +Cha (or Wis, but we already have Con/Wis as a bonus)