Ecology of The Genasai

[D'karr]

I thought the article was quite interesting. It sure made me reconsider playing a Genasi for the LFR Campaign.

 

[Shemeska]

*shrug* Kinda bland.

I don't care for the PoL pseudo-setting, and (despite being tagged as an FR article in either an editorial snafu or a bad bait'n'switch) the flavor text adhere's directly to the 4e PoL core setting, making it not of much use to me as far as I'm concerned.

Beyond that, it's really unfortunate that they've done to the genasi what 4e did to the tiefling (gave them a monolithic appearance without much variation). I much prefer genasi to have a wide variety of traits playing off their linked element, and the RP opportunity that went along with that. The design focus on tieflings in 4e and now genasi rubs me the wrong way. Now it's back to generic'ville.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I do like the fact that Genasi heritage and genetics is a little more fluid, and it's kept the mixed origins of Genasi in mind (unlike the Tieflings). And that 4e genasi powers are a lot more useful and evocative of an elemental nature than many of the previous edition genasi powers (let's see lower water vs. turning into a stream water). The personality descriptions are almost identical to the 4 genasi races of the past. Excluding the joke in one of the Planescape books about the slow and ponderous nature of Earth Genasi.

What I don't like that they've made all Genasi have those elemental lines on their body. It's something I definitely find wrong with how they've handled Genasi. While it's something easy to houserule, going back to the varied appearances based on elemental 'manifestations' from subtle to obvious. It's not something I like, as it seems to be pushing rather bad artistic depictions, like those in this article which I certainly don't like. I'd like the genasi to only have lines if their players want them to have it, otherwise they can have anything from flowing hair to webbed feet, or vestigal tentacles in the hair or brown leathery skin.

If there's another to do with Genasi, it's to come up with new 'manifestations' vaguely based on other 'energy types' and the para and quasi-elemental planes such as Radiantsoul, Frostsoul, Causticsoul, and so on as long as they make sense and don't try too hard on filling the old slots in as many have done before.

 

[Staffan]

As someone not conversant with the minutae of TSR-era worlds, I have to ask: what's a sha'ir? I thought it was some bizarre X-Men reference.

It was a variant wizard class in Al-Qadim. Instead of knowing spells that they prepared from a spellbook, they had a gen (mini-genie) familiar that they could send to the elemental planes to find spells for them, with a chance of success that depended on their level, the spell's level, the spell's type (priest spells got a penalty and took a lot longer), and probably some other stuff I can't recall. The time taken also depended on these factors - finding a spell could take rounds, turns (tens of minutes), or hours. This made them excellent at "downtime" spells and spells you cast ahead of time, but lousy at combat spells.

At later levels, they also had abilities that let them communicate with, summon, and bind genies.

 

[Nail]

Where is the orginal previews article, listing the PC stats of Genesi?

 

[D'karr]

Where is the orginal previews article, listing the PC stats of Genesi?

There isn't one. The original stats appeared in the Living Forgotten Realms Character Creation Guide.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

The article is good. Although I would have preferred it if most of the creation myths didn't link genasi to humans. Also, I was kinda sorta hoping that the genasi would somehow be tied in with the Wind Dukes of Aaqa from D&D lore. While I certainly can create any homebrew version I want, the "official" fluff here pretty much closes the door on any genasi empire.

 

[Nail]

There isn't one. The original stats appeared in the Living Forgotten Realms Character Creation Guide.

Right.

But see....finding that frickin' guid is a P.I.T.A. Big time.

"Check Out the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide Preview!"


Grrrr......


Anyway: I found it, obviously.

 

[Shroomy]

The article is good. Although I would have preferred it if most of the creation myths didn't link genasi to humans. Also, I was kinda sorta hoping that the genasi would somehow be tied in with the Wind Dukes of Aaqa from D&D lore. While I certainly can create any homebrew version I want, the "official" fluff here pretty much closes the door on any genasi empire.

Given how elemental forces are so tied to chaos in the 4e cosmology, does a strongly lawful empire of elemental creatures even make sense anymore?

 

[Nahat Anoj]

Given how elemental forces are so tied to chaos in the 4e cosmology, does a strongly lawful empire of elemental creatures even make sense anymore?

While I wouldn't make Wind Duke genasi as utterly lawful as Modrons, I think it could work. Even if only for practical reasons. While the Wind Dukes were as passionate and energetic as any other genasi, if they built great works they might grow tired of the forces of chaos constantly breaking down them down. The Rod of Law, in fact, may have been an effort to stabilize the chaos in ancient times.

I would write up the Wind Dukes as Bahamut types, honorable and noble but at times prideful and generally unwilling to play on a team. They would be exceptionally powerful genasi lords, much like how ghaeles and bralanis are exceptionally powerful eladrin lords. Individually very strong, but they only band together against truly dangerous adversaries (like the Queen of Chaos and Miska the Wolf-Spider).