D&D 4E Blessed (Godborn) - my 4e take on Aasimars

[cdrcjsn]

I was bored with a few hours to spare so I made the following.

It's rather lengthy so I'm only putting a little bit here. Racial feats and a more proper description is in the attached PDF.

[sblock]Blessed

Inheritors of a divine legacy, they shine like beacons in the darkness.

RACIAL TRAITS
Average Height: 5’6” – 6’2”
Average Weight: 135-220

Ability Score: +2 Charisma, +2 Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, Supernal, choice of one other
Skill Bonuses: +2 Insight, +2 Religion
Channel Divinity: Choose one Channel Divinity class feature or feat at 1st level. You can use that power as a daily power. If your class also has the Channel Divinity feature, you may use this racial ability in the same encounter. You may use your racial Channel Divinity to activate Channel Divinity powers gained through your class or feats and vice versa.
Divine Fortitude: You may use the lesser of your Charisma or Wisdom in place of your Strength or Constitution for determining your Fortitude Defense.
Dual Heritage: You can take feats with a human racial prequisite.

Descended from humans and demigods, exarchs or other divine beings, blessed appear human but have a spark of the divine in them. Some mingle indistinguishable with normal humans, while other exult in their divine heritage and emphasize their uniqueness to everyone around them.[/sblock]

 

[cdrcjsn]

36 views and no responses make me a sad panda.

 

[Quickleaf]

Nice formatting! I'd say you've done a fine job of converting the aasimar. On a fluff note, I have two questions. First, why do they turn to stone then sublimate into gas upon death? Second, were you going for a direct conversion or might you considering spicing it up in some way? As it stands, there's nothing mechanical I'd change (though I wonder how appropriate Divine Fortitude is for the children of all gods), and the write-up is solid, but I've got this sense of wanting more from the race's concept. Also, good job on the feats!

 

[cdrcjsn]

Nice formatting! I'd say you've done a fine job of converting the aasimar. On a fluff note, I have two questions. First, why do they turn to stone then sublimate into gas upon death? Second, were you going for a direct conversion or might you considering spicing it up in some way? As it stands, there's nothing mechanical I'd change (though I wonder how appropriate Divine Fortitude is for the children of all gods), and the write-up is solid, but I've got this sense of wanting more from the race's concept. Also, good job on the feats!

Thanks for the comments!

To be honest, the entirety of the work you see is a product of two hours, from concept to online posting of the PDF. I had the PHB turned to the races section on my desk and just based the format according to that.

Someone else here on enworld had compiled a list of PHB races and playable MM races, along with their bonus stats. I noted that there were no race combinations for Str/Int, Int/Wis, and Wis/Cha.

I looked at those combos and decided to build a Wis/Cha race first, and the one from previous D&D editions that jumped out at me that might fit was Aasimar. However, I wanted to give them a slightly different spin so I gave them a different name.

When I got to the section about lifespans, I realized I couldn't recall how long Aasimars lived (still don't). Being too lazy to even look it up online, I glanced down at the 4e phb, saw that Eladrin lived for about 300 years and thought, "sure, why not." Then, I decided to give them youthful vigor until the time of their death (maybe it's just me, but I don't like the image of decrepit old Aasimar). I wanted their death to be dramatic, so I decided to go with the body mysteriously disappearing angle (sublimation). Then later on when I was writing up the Paladin character sample and realized the implications of family, rulership and burial rites, I wanted a way for people to be able to honor someone that they respected before they disappeared.

In hindsight, I think a better way to portray their death is a brilliant globe of light as their spirit visibly leaves their bodies, before flashing out. That still gives a dramatic death, but leaves a body behind for people to honor.

As for the Divine Fortitude, yeah I was sorta flip-flopping on that. I was about to leave it out, but then the class would be worse off than half-elves. I'll probably just change that to a racial feat and give them the human +1 to all defenses racial ability.