Genasi

Those who think of other planes at all consider them remote, distant realms, but planar influence can be felt throughout the world. It sometimes manifests in beings who, through an accident of birth, carry the power of the planes in their blood. The genasi are one such people, the offspring of genies and mortals.

The Elemental Planes are often inhospitable to natives of the Material Plane: crushing earth, searing flames, boundless skies, and endless seas make visiting these places dangerous for even a short time. The powerful genies, however, don’t face such troubles when venturing into the mortal world. They adapt well to the mingled elements of the Material Plane, and they sometimes visit—whether of their own volition or compelled by magic. Some genies can adopt mortal guise and travel incognito.

During these visits, a mortal might catch a genie’s eye. Friendship forms, romance blooms, and sometimes children result. These children are genasi: individuals with ties to two worlds, yet belonging to neither. Some genasi are born of mortal–genie unions, others have two genasi as parents, and a rare few have a genie further up their family tree, manifesting an elemental heritage that’s lain dormant for generations.

Occasionally, genasi result from exposure to a surge of elemental power, through phenomena such as an eruption from the Inner Planes or a planar convergence. Elemental energy saturates any creatures in the area and might alter their nature enough that their offspring with other mortals are born as genasi.

Ability Score Increase. You may increase one ability score by 2, and a different ability score by 1. This bonus cannot allow one of your scores to exceed 20.

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.

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.

Languages. Your character can speak, read, and write Common and Primordial.

Genie Heritage

Genasi are descendants of a genie of one of the four elements, either air, earth, fire, or water. Choose one of the options listed below to determine the extra abilities you are granted.

Air Genasi

Air genasi are descended from djinn, the genies of the Elemental Plane of Air. Embodying many of the airy traits of their otherworldly ancestors, air genasi can draw upon their connection to the winds.

Air genasi’s skin tones include many shades of blue, along with the full range of human skin tones, with bluish or ashen casts. Sometimes their skin is marked by lines that seem like cracks with bluish-white energy spilling out. An air genasi’s hair might blow in a phantom wind or be made entirely of clouds or vapor.

Unending Breath. You can hold your breath indefinitely while you’re not incapacitated.

Lightning Resistance. You have resistance to lightning damage.

Mingle with the Wind. You know the Shocking Grasp cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the Feather Fall spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the Levitate spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast Feather Fall or Levitate with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.

Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait.

Earth Genasi

Tracing their ancestry to dao, the genies of the Elemental Plane of Earth, earth genasi inherit dao’s steadfast strength and control over earth.

An earth genasi’s skin can be the colors of stone and earth or a human skin tone with glittering sparkles like gem dust. Some earth genasi have lines marking their skin like cracks, either showing glimmering gemlike veins or a dim, yellowish glow. Earth genasi hair can appear carved of stone or crystal or resemble strands of spun metal.

Earth Walk. You can move across difficult terrain without expending extra movement if you are using your walking speed on the ground or a floor.

Merge with Stone. You know the Blade Ward cantrip. You can cast it as normal, and you can also cast it as a bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Starting at 5th level, you can cast the Pass Without Trace spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast that spell with this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast it using any spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher.

Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait.

Fire Genasi

Descended from efreet, the genies of the Elemental Plane of Fire, fire genasi channel the flamboyant and often destructive nature of flame. 

They show their heritage in their skin tones, which can range from deep charcoal to shades of red and orange. Some bear skin tones common to humanity but with fiery marks, such as slowly swirling lights under their skin that resemble embers or glowing red lines tracing over their bodies like cracks. Fire genasi hair can resemble threads of fire or sooty smoke.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 40 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. Due to your ties to the elemental plane of fire, you discern colors in that darkness only as shades of red.

Fire Resistance. You have resistance to fire damage.

Reach to the Blaze. You know the Produce Flame cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the Burning Hands spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the Flame Blade spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast Burning Hands or Flame Blade with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.

Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait.

Water Genasi

Water genasi descend from marids, aquatic genies from the Elemental Plane of Water. Water genasi are perfectly suited to life underwater and carry the power of the waves inside themselves.

Their skin is often shades of blue or green, sometimes a blend of the two. If they have a human skin tone, there is a glistening texture that catches the light, like water droplets or nearly invisible fish scales. Their hair can resemble seaweed, waving as if in a current, or it can even be like water itself.

Acid Resistance. You have resistance to acid and cold damage.

Amphibious. You can breathe air and water, and have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

Call to the Wave. You know the Acid Splash cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the Create or Destroy Water spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the Water Walk spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast Create or Destroy Water or Water Walk with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.

Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait.