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Firstly, I just want to note that I have a Aasimar grandfathered in and awaiting play, so no need to let me know that they are no longer available in pfs, which would otherwise be a welcome criticism and warning. However, it does mean that I absolutely want to get this character right.
So, like any self respecting Aasimar creator I own the Blood of Angels book. The book makes it clear that Aasimars can be the decent of any intelligent species, and if that species is small, then the Aasimar is then therefore small too.
Now, as soon as I read this, I had a great love and desire to play a fun loving Gnome Aasimar. However, as with much in pfs, especially race, I assume this is way out of bounds and very much not legal.
I also read that everyone says that the Aasimar 'must' be of human decent in pfs, but I can't find where it is written?
I understand why I would not be able to change my size, but I don't understand the issues around playing a different decent, as they are identical to the base Aasimar in every way except ascetically, and I don't know why that would be a problem. Either way, I can't find where is says I can't, for either part (being small, or alternate heritage). So if someone could please help me find what I need I would much appreciate it.
Thank you
p.s. When I talk about Aasimar heritage I am talking strictly about race heritage, such as a Halfling or Elven Aasimar, not things such as Angelkin or Musetouched.
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The additional resources didn't have anything specific about Blood of Angels in regards to the race and size.
The link from dragonhunterq says that the Aasimars are considered half-human, so is that taken to mean that they 'have' to be half human, or human for the purposes for qualifying for feats.
I don't mean to be picky, pedantic or come across like I fail to understand, it just feels like the only rules written about whether I can or not is that single line of, are they considered half-human - yes. But the question isn't 'are all' or 'do they have to be'. Secondly, I do fail to see why there would be a restriction on other races, as it would be almost entirely purely aesthetic.
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The link from dragonhunterq says that the Aasimars are considered half-human, so is that taken to mean that they 'have' to be half human, or human for the purposes for qualifying for feats.
They have to be half human and cannot gain mechanical changes from being descended from another race. They only count as humanoid (human) for any other purpose if they have the Scion of Humanity alternate racial trait.
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The additional resources didn't have anything specific about Blood of Angels in regards to the race and size.
You are correct. An addendum to the Additional Resources page would likely clear up future confusion.
The link from dragonhunterq says that the Aasimars are considered half-human, so is that taken to mean that they 'have' to be half human, or human for the purposes for qualifying for feats.
It means that, in Pathfinder Society, Aasimars and Tieflings are descended only from Human stock.
I don't mean to be picky, pedantic or come across like I fail to understand, it just feels like the only rules written about whether I can or not is that single line of, are they considered half-human
This is one of those cases where listening to people who have been doing PFS for a while is worthwhile. We can explain the context of things that were written years ago.
But the question isn't 'are all' or 'do they have to be'. Secondly, I do fail to see why there would be a restriction on other races, as it would be almost entirely purely aesthetic.
The mere fact that we're having this discussion shows that it's not "purely aesthetic". People were, at one time, and still to this day, looking at the mechanical benefits of playing a small-sized Aasimar. So, at the time, Campaign Leadership decided to post an FAQ to solve the issue once and for all.
Unfortunately, now, the FAQ is a bit out of date, and should indeed be updated. At the time of creation, as I said, the frequently asked question was "Can I have a small-sized Aasimar?". The FAQ was created to clarify, that, "No, you cannot have a small-sized Aasimar". That is the "behind the scenes" reason for the creation of that FAQ.
Since its creation, other options have become available, and people now read it to mean that Aasimars can qualify as "Human" for purposes of feats and other prerequisites. To do so would be reading the FAQ out of the context of when it was created.
If you search over in the PFS forums for this type of discussion you will find the same answer repeated by others over the course of the last couple years. Until the FAQ is updated to include these newer options, you're just going to have to listen to what we're telling you.
The conclusion being that 1) Aasimars and Tieflings are descended from Human stock (not Elf, Gnome, Dwarf, Halfling, Orc, what-have-you), and 2) They are still their own race, and do not qualify as Human for purposes of prerequisites (the exception being the Scion of Humanity alternate racial trait available to Aasimars).
I hope that answers your questions.
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But the question isn't 'are all' or 'do they have to be'. Secondly, I do fail to see why there would be a restriction on other races, as it would be almost entirely purely aesthetic.
The mere fact that we're having this discussion shows that it's not "purely aesthetic". People were, at one time, and still to this day, looking at the mechanical benefits of playing a small-sized Aasimar. So, at the time, Campaign Leadership decided to post an FAQ to solve the issue once and for all.
When I was talking about it being purely aesthetic, I mean more for a medium sized ancestry. I appreciate that the ability to be classed as human would then have to be addressed and things, but it would seem nicer to say you could only take that if of human decent.
It just feels mean to release a book that tells you that you can play an angelic, beautiful, and graceful version of any intelligent race, just not in the ever brilliance that is race creation in pathfinder society...
Anyway, I'm not here to moan about rules. So thank you guys all very much, your time really is very much appreciated, cheers guys.
It just feels mean to release a book that tells you that you can play an angelic, beautiful, and graceful version of any intelligent race, just not in the ever brilliance that is race creation in pathfinder society...
The books are not, in fact, released just for Pathfinder Society use.
They are released for the Pathfinder roleplaying game, which anyone can use and decide what to keep or exclude from their campaigns.
Pathfinder Society just happens to also use the books. And have their own specifics on what bits are or are not used for the campaign.
-j
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It just feels mean to release a book that tells you that you can play an angelic, beautiful, and graceful version of any intelligent race, just not in the ever brilliance that is race creation in pathfinder society...The books are not, in fact, released just for Pathfinder Society use.
They are released for the Pathfinder roleplaying game, which anyone can use and decide what to keep or exclude from their campaigns.
Pathfinder Society just happens to also use the books. And have their own specifics on what bits are or are not used for the campaign.
-j
I completely understand that, I really do, and I know why some of the restrictions are there, but some I just don't. The game is so unbalanced, and it's all an honor system, the difference in whether or not I skinned my aasimar to have an tengu heritage or nor, seemed completely insignificant compared to whether he was a rogue/monk or a gunslinger/summoner.
But I do love the game, I've been playing this game system since 3.5 first came out, so I really am a lover, not a fighter of this game.
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So pathfinder society has a fairly strict ruleset. If you're going to take something that you want to play not being allowed as a personal attack, then you might want to reconsider playing pathfinder society. It's not everyone's cup of tea.
I'm certainly not taking it as a personal attack at all, anything I can't play in pathfinder society I'll just play in 3.5 or non society pathfinder. But just because I play something, doesn't mean I have to agree with every decision they make, and some of the choices they make fall flat with me that's all.
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Tiefling Aasimar... That must have been one hell of a courtship.
Hmm
I'm already playing one. Well, mechanically, she is a Peri-kin Aasimar, Abyssal-bloodline* sorceress. A regular table-mate plays a Tiefling cleric who is her twin sister.
*Well, actually cross-blooded abyssal/fire elemental. I still haven't gotten her family-tree completely mapped out. Astral Deva, Peri, Succubus and Fire Elemental. And all supported by mechanics. Yes, she is a bit conflicted.
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Tiefling Aasimar... That must have been one hell of a courtship.
Hmm
I'm already playing one. Well, mechanically, she is a Peri-kin Aasimar, Abyssal-bloodline* sorceress. A regular table-mate plays a Tiefling cleric who is her twin sister.
*Well, actually cross-blooded abyssal/fire elemental. I still haven't gotten her family-tree completely mapped out. Astral Deva, Peri, Succubus and Fire Elemental. And all supported by mechanics. Yes, she is a bit conflicted.
As aasimars and tieflings are humans that expresses their outsider heritage, it is totally possible for an aasimar and a tiefling to be siblings, given enough infusions of both types of heritage in their bloodline. I think James Jacobs mentioned it before in one of his posts. (Its concerning in-game lore, not rules, so it stands. :) )
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But the question isn't 'are all' or 'do they have to be'. Secondly, I do fail to see why there would be a restriction on other races, as it would be almost entirely purely aesthetic.The mere fact that we're having this discussion shows that it's not "purely aesthetic". People were, at one time, and still to this day, looking at the mechanical benefits of playing a small-sized Aasimar. So, at the time, Campaign Leadership decided to post an FAQ to solve the issue once and for all.
When I was talking about it being purely aesthetic, I mean more for a medium sized ancestry. I appreciate that the ability to be classed as human would then have to be addressed and things, but it would seem nicer to say you could only take that if of human decent.
It just feels mean to release a book that tells you that you can play an angelic, beautiful, and graceful version of any intelligent race, just not in the ever brilliance that is race creation in pathfinder society...
Anyway, I'm not here to moan about rules. So thank you guys all very much, your time really is very much appreciated, cheers guys.
Every post you made on this thread was one extended moan. The ruling was made in order to eliminate all of the corner casing rules manipulation that the PFS munchkins were hoping to get by having aasimars open to all critters. Size is NOT a purely aesthetic change as you very well know. There is absolutely nothing preventing you from creating an aasimar that is cosmetically smaller, i.e. on the minimum human size measurements, but it would still be functionally a Medium creature.
The other reason the determination was made was to limit to some degree the number of aasimar characters, the only serious mistake Paizo made in this was to open up the race to non boon characters, a mistake which has been finally corrected.
I know being small is not just purely aesthetic, even in the quote you chose it has me saying 'When I was talking about it being purely aesthetic, I mean more for a medium sized ancestry.'
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I can't really take an accusation of the campaign staff being "mean" for not allowing an option as anything other than taking it as a personal attack.I'm certainly not taking it as a personal attack at all, anything I can't play in pathfinder society I'll just play in 3.5 or non society pathfinder. But just because I play something, doesn't mean I have to agree with every decision they make, and some of the choices they make fall flat with me that's all.So pathfinder society has a fairly strict ruleset. If you're going to take something that you want to play not being allowed as a personal attack, then you might want to reconsider playing pathfinder society. It's not everyone's cup of tea.
Just because I call something 'mean', doesn't mean it's a personal attack.
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When you say something is "mean" you are saying that the campaign staff did that thing on purpose because they got some malicious pleasure from doing it. Sure, you weren't saying it was an attack against you, personally. You were, however, saying that they did it out of spite, and not because of the reasons they actually did it.
That may not be what you meant. That may not be how they took it. But, that's what you said.