D&D (2024) 5e Aasimar are in the Players Handbook − what should the flavor be?

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

If they move away from the Protector/Scourge/Fallen in the Core book, that does indeed just open up more options, as the older versions will still be valid as well. It doesn't replace them. We already have different versions of Dragonborn, for instance.

To be sure, though keeping them in the '24 PHB might justify adding in a few new tiefling lineages as well (not that I have anything in particular in mind on that front).

Also would help to keep all of the people who will otherwise reflexively complain that "They took away Fallen Aasimar!!!" happy.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I do not hate furries I hate badly implemented celestial furries they feel like they should be the CG option based on organisation alone and really need to be done better both visually and in implementation which I can give suggestions for
most of those are either just planer mortals and thus do not make plane touch or ask deeply uncomfortable questions as is the case for pegasi and unicorns.
rilmani are TN and do not make Aasimar.

The uncomfortable questions for Unicorn and Pegasi are most of thr humourous fun of those. And Celestials are Celestials, Mercane and Bariuars descendants should make Aasimar eventually. And aparently D&D was open to the possiblity of Rilmani making Aasimar in past. And you forgot Empyreans, who seem the most likely to produce half celestials that would produce Aasimar honestly.

And lets not forget that a lot of Aasimar descend from Mulan Gods and their Celestial servants in the Forgotten Realms, the old empires region being one of the few places in FR where planetouched are more common then Elves and Dwarves and Halflings.

 

[CreamCloud0]

we lack a cool iconic thing that tells people what an aasimar is within two seconds of looking at it not just funny coloured humans something that sells people on them, we need a horns and tail equivalent.

but do we really need that though? really? does every single species NEED an in-your-face flashing neon sign feature yelling 'i'm not human!', is subtlety not a thing that's allowed to exist anymore?

 

[Henadic Theologian]

but do we really need that though? really? does every single species NEED an in-your-face flashing neon sign feature yelling 'i'm not human!', is subtlety not a thing that's allowed to exist anymore?

Subtlety has been outlawed throughout the cosmos by the Grand Pooba.

 

[I'm A Banana]

but do we really need that though? really? does every single species NEED an in-your-face flashing neon sign feature yelling 'i'm not human!', is subtlety not a thing that's allowed to exist anymore?

Part of what I like about the lore I favor for aasimar is that they are mostly human. They come from human families, they have normal human upbringings, and most of them, probably, in the right outfit, could mostly pass for human. In fact, making a "human disguise" is probably an important skill for most planetouched, because a key part of their stories is the expectations of others.

Like, if you're an aasimar, sometimes you want to be able to walk into a town and order a beer at the tavern without the first people you meet asking you to solve all their problems for them. You'd maybe like to get a sense of the place before the king asks you to slay the monster, or the local church declares the day to be a holy day because you graced their town's soil. You might want to eat a meal in peace, escape judgement for a while, just be alone. And when people find out you have a halo, that's just tough to do!

we lack a cool iconic thing that tells people what an aasimar is within two seconds of looking at it not just funny coloured humans something that sells people on them, we need a horns and tail equivalent.

Personally, I don't like how a unified look for tieflings (especially in the 4e era) nullified some of the most interesting story potential for them, so I'm not a fan of going in a similar direction for aasimar. The interesting part of these options is that the characters you play with them are still, mostly, human. Just with a dash of something definitely not.

People should look at an image of an aasimar and get curious about the story, and then read the story and get curious about the kinds of characters they'd make. About the physical traits that feel interesting to them. About how they'd, personally, depict "there's a little bit of heaven in this person." It should be a launchpad for inspiration, and through that a tool for interesting gameplay. Not an instruction manual, but a seed of potential.

If you play an aasimar, you should be asking a lot of questions, an the game should be accepting of a huge variety of answers to those questions.

 

[Mind of tempest]

The uncomfortable questions for Unicorn and Pegasi are most of thr humourous fun of those. And Celestials are Celestials, Mercane and Bariuars descendants should make Aasimar eventually. And aparently D&D was open to the possiblity of Rilmani making Aasimar in past. And you forgot Empyreans, who seem the most likely to produce half celestials that would produce Aasimar honestly.

And lets not forget that a lot of Aasimar descend from Mulan Gods and their Celestial servants in the Forgotten Realms, the old empires region being one of the few places in FR where planetouched are more common then Elves and Dwarves and Halflings.

we already deal with it and dragon we do not need more.

empyreans should be a template as god children tend to be very strange.

we are assuming setting neutral for this discussion out of simple practicality.

but do we really need that though? really? does every single species NEED an in-your-face flashing neon sign feature yelling 'i'm not human!', is subtlety not a thing that's allowed to exist anymore?

look humans but with gold freckles does not sell people on things, I do not mind subtlety just when you are trying to sell someone on an idea it helps if it is clear what it is.

 

[Vaalingrade]

but do we really need that though? really? does every single species NEED an in-your-face flashing neon sign feature yelling 'i'm not human!', is subtlety not a thing that's allowed to exist anymore?

But how else will we admonish people who play non-humans for not writing xenofiction?

 

[Mind of tempest]

Part of what I like about the lore I favor for aasimar is that they are mostly human. They come from human families, they have normal human upbringings, and most of them, probably, in the right outfit, could mostly pass for human. In fact, making a "human disguise" is probably an important skill for most planetouched, because a key part of their stories is the expectations of others.

Like, if you're an aasimar, sometimes you want to be able to walk into a town and order a beer at the tavern without the first people you meet asking you to solve all their problems for them. You'd maybe like to get a sense of the place before the king asks you to slay the monster, or the local church declares the day to be a holy day because you graced their town's soil. You might want to eat a meal in peace, escape judgement for a while, just be alone. And when people find out you have a halo, that's just tough to do!



Personally, I don't like how a unified look for tieflings (especially in the 4e era) nullified some of the most interesting story potential for them, so I'm not a fan of going in a similar direction for aasimar. The interesting part of these options is that the characters you play with them are still, mostly, human. Just with a dash of something definitely not.

People should look at an image of an aasimar and get curious about the story, and then read the story and get curious about the kinds of characters they'd make. About the physical traits that feel interesting to them. About how they'd, personally, depict "there's a little bit of heaven in this person." It should be a launchpad for inspiration, and through that a tool for interesting gameplay. Not an instruction manual, but a seed of potential.

If you play an aasimar, you should be asking a lot of questions, an the game should be accepting of a huge variety of answers to those questions.

elves are mostly human and those are not even supposed to be direct relatives of humanity.

pure uniformity is bad but nothing core just makes them humans with different stats which is pointless.
if it has nothing to truly set it apart how would a random person even conclude that there is a story to investigate?

 

[CreamCloud0]

look humans but with gold freckles does not sell people on things, I do not mind subtlety just when you are trying to sell someone on an idea it helps if it is clear what it is.

i don't think a dash of heavenly essence in your blood is really all that complicated an idea to pitch.

 

[Kurotowa]

but do we really need that though? really? does every single species NEED an in-your-face flashing neon sign feature yelling 'i'm not human!', is subtlety not a thing that's allowed to exist anymore?

D&D is not a game of subtlety and realism. The reason non-human species are easily identifiable is narrative clarity. Art needs to be understandable and narration needs to communicate succinctly. It's the same reason every member of GI Joe or the Avengers has a unique and instantly recognizable outfit, instead of wearing any sort of standard issue uniform that might make it hard to keep track of who's who.

Is it possible for an aasimar or tiefling to try to disguise their traits and pass as human? Sometimes yes, but when it happens it's a major story point. The same as the reformed marauder trying to hide the tattoo that signals their former affiliation, for example. It's not something that should happen accidentally or by mistake.