D&D 4E 4e Genasi using the four element model

[Verys Arkon]

Here are four Genasi I'm working on, using the 4 element model. I know FR's Genasi is going to be a single race with elemental mix options, but for my homebrew campaign I'd like to keep the 4 classic elements, for various reasons. Let me know what you think.

Air Genasi

Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence. Air genasi are quick of hand and sharp of wit.
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Low-light vision
Languages: Common, +1 other of your choice
Skill Bonuses: +2 Acrobatics, +2 Stealth

Elemental Resistance: Resist 5 + half level Cold
Breathless: Air genasi do not breathe, so they are immune to drowning, suffocation, and attacks that require inhalation (such as some types of poison and gases).

Wisp of Air
Encounter {} Polymorph
Standard Action or Immediate Interrupt Personal
Effect: As an immediate interrupt when you are hit by an enemy but before damage is taken, you may become insubstantial until the end of your next turn. As a standard action, become insubstantial until the end of your next turn. You take 1/2 damage while insubstantial, and you cannot affect, attack, or use powers on creatures or objects. It does not grant different movement types or speeds, nor does it grant phasing.



Fire Genasi

Ability Scores: +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma.
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Low-light vision
Languages: Common, +1 other of your choice
Skill Bonuses: +2 Intimidate, +2 Arcana

Elemental Resistance: Resist fire 5 + one half your level.


Control Flame
Daily {} Fire
Standard Action Close Burst 5
Effect: Fire genasi can cause nonmagical fire to diminish to the level of coals or flare to the brightness of daylight and double the normal radius of its illumination. This doubles or halves the amount of damage the fire causes as well.
Sustain Minor: You can sustain the effect by using a minor action.

Orb of Fire
Encounter {} Fire
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Int +2 vs Reflex
Hit: 1d8 + Int Fire damage, and ongoing Fire damage equal to Int modifier (save ends, maximum number of rounds equal to Int modifier)
Increase to +4 bonus and 2d8 damage at 11th and +6 bonus and 3d8 damage at 21st level.



Stone Genasi

Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom. Stone Genasi are strong, and insightful.
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Low-light vision
Languages: Common, +1 other of your choice
Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 Endurance

Elemental Resistance: Resist 5 + one-half your level Acid

Stomp
Encounter {} Thunder
Standard Action Close burst 2
Prerequisite: must be standing on a solid surface (natural or man-made).
Target: All creatures in the burst
Attack: Wis +2 vs Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Wis Thunder damage, and push targets 4 squares
Increase to +4 bonus and 2d6 damage at 11th and +6 bonus and 3d6 damage at 21st level.


Control the Ground
You lift your arm and the ground cracks and uplifts in a rift, slowing your enemies advance.
Daily {} Conjuration
Minor Action Area wall 5 + half level within 10
Effect: transform stone and earth into difficult terrain. The change is permanent.
Special: At 11th level, the terrain becomes spiky (difficult and challenging). Make an Acrobatics DC 20 check to cross or take 1d6 damage. At 21st level, the terrain becomes an wall (obstacle) 2 squares high. A Stone Genasi can always elect to use a less powerful version of Control the Ground.


Water Genasi

Ability Scores: +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity.
Size: Medium
Speed: 6, Swim 6
Vision: Low-light vision
Languages: Common, +1 other of your choice
Skill Bonuses: +2 Heal, +2 Nature

Elemental Resistance: Resist Lightning 5 + one-half level .
Water Breathing: Water genasi breathe water at-will

Create Water
Daily {} Conjuration
Standard Action Area burst 1 within 10 squares
Effect: Create Wisdom modifier + one-half level cubic feet of clean water.


Thick Mist
Encounter {} Conjuration
Standard Action Ranged Burst 2 within 20
Effect: Create a cloud of thick mist lasting until the end of the encounter. Creatures inside the area of effect cannot see out (no line of sight), and have concealment. Creatures on the opposite sides of the mist don't have line of sight, and superior concealment.
At 11th level, increase to burst 3, and at 21st level, increase to burst 5.

 

[mrrodgers]

Did you get the air and water resistances mixed up?

 

[Verys Arkon]

Did you get the air and water resistances mixed up?

I switched them intentionally, because I want the air genasi to live on floating isles high in the atmosphere. It would be a simple thing to switch the resistances back if you prefer.

 

[BendBars/LiftGates]

Do we know anything else about what the WotC genasi will look like? I know there's a working version of them floating around their office, because Chris Tulach is playing one. So, they're one race. How does that work? Do you pick traits to select your specific element? Are they all just a mix of elements and you get to pick whatever combination of element powers you want?

I'm guessing we don't know.



Back to the O.P. I really like what you've done here. I'll make any suggestions that I can think of, but thanks for posting this.

I would lose the low-light vision. I don't see it as contributing to the genasi flavor, and if you get rid of it you can replace it with something more flavorful.

I always feel bad for water genasi, because it's hard to make their abilities as cool. Mist and concealment are cool (though, you must admit), are sort of peripheral to the element. Here are some ideas for powers that they might get (I think we can all agree that Create Water has always been pretty weak).

Give water genasi an encounter power based on the ochre jelly ability called Flowing Form that lets them shift, plus shift a number of extra squares equal to their Dex modifier as a move action.

I would rather see water genasi get the "turn insubstantial" ability that air genasi currently have. Air genasi can get something else, since they're not hard to write for.

For a regular campaign, of course, I would say the elemental resistances are better as lightning-air and cold-water.

Personally, I prefer for genasi to not have really flashy, attack-based powers. But that's probably just the old edition. It's a personal choice, though. I would rather see fire genasi get an at-will Produce Flame power that makes a torch-equivalent flame in their palm (maybe toss in an application as a minor attack power), instead of Orb of Fire. To make up for the reduction in utility, they could get something else as well.

Fire genasi could have a power similar to the one that I described for water genasi, where they suddenly surge in one direction and get to shift several squares.

Air genasi could have a daily ability where, as a standard action, they can move double their speed, including through occupied spaces. Or they could get an ability that sort of mimics the Jump power for Wizards.

Air genasi could get their Int bonus added to the ranges for weapons.

I don't like air genasi being Breathless. It seems to cut them off from interacting with their native element. I'd rather see them hold their breaths double (do rules for that exist in 4e?) but still need air.