New Planetouched Races
The core D&D rules describe two races of planetouched beings--creatures who can trace their bloodlines back to extraplanar beings. These two races, the aasimar and tiefling, are graced (or cursed) with a touch of celestial and fiendish blood, respectively. Other tomes have described creatures touched by elemental or other extraplanar bloodlines.
This column presents two races touched not by the powers of the outer planes or of the elements, but of the primal energies that power the multiverse itself: the planes of positive and negative energy.
Incandent
Joyous and exuberant, the incandent is touched by the power of positive energy. Incandents tend toward optimism (some might say too much so). They are typically good-aligned, and more often chaotic than lawful. They bring good cheer and elation wherever they go.
Except when unconscious or asleep, incandents stand out in a crowd due to their natural ebullience. At rest--a rare state for an incandent--they look much like a human of extraordinary health and beauty. They have wide, inquisitive eyes of sky blue or pale gray, thick, luxurious blond or light brown hair, and pale, almost luminous skin.
The incandent's natural charisma makes her a natural leader, though most depend on wise advisors when making complex plans. Though most commonly fighters, many become bards, paladins, or sorcerers as well.
Incandent Racial Traits
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+2 Con, -2 Wis, +2 Cha: Incandents are naturally robust, but often jump to conclusions and can be prone to suggestion. However, they have a natural ebullience that often wins over allies. |
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Medium: As Medium creatures, incandents have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. |
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+2 racial bonus on Spot checks: Incandents have keen eyes. |
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+2 racial bonus on saves against death effects and negative energy effects. Infused with the positive energy of their heritage, incandents are naturally resistant to effects that would snuff out that life-force. |
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Positive Aura: All living creatures within 10 feet of an incandent gain a +1 morale bonus to saves. This is a mind-affecting effect and does not include the incandent herself. |
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Enhanced Magic: Three times per day, an incandent can empower a Conjuration (Healing) spell as she casts the spell, as if she had applied the Empower Spell feat. This empowering has no effect on the spell's level or casting time. |
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Darkness Fatigue: If an incandent spends at least one full round in an area of total natural darkness (not just shadows), or is within the area of a spell with the Darkness descriptor, he becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity, can't run or charge). This condition lasts until the character leaves the area of darkness, at which point the character immediately returns to normal. |
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Automatic Languages: Common, Celestial. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran. |
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Outsider Traits: The incandent is an Outsider (Native). |
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Favored Class: Fighter. A multiclass incandent's fighter class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty. Physical activity comes naturally to an incandent, and most revel in combat. |
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Level Adjustment: +0. Though robust and hearty, the incandent's vulnerability to darkness is a distinct weakness. |
Voidling
Voidlings seem to observers to be in a perpetual state of mourning, regretting their very existence. This is actually a deep-seated envy for all other living creatures--those lucky beings who have the capability to appreciate their own lives. In many if not most voidlings, this envy manifests eventually as hatred for all things living.
The voidling tends to fade into the background, as he doesn't stand out either physically or personally. Voidlings have gray skin, sparse black hair, and small, deep-set eyes of coal-black color. Most tend toward evil.
The voidling's stealthy, introspective tendencies lend themselves well to the rogue class, though some take a more active role as hunters and become rangers, or turn to magic as necromancers or clerics of death gods. Assassins are common among the race.
Voidling Racial Traits
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-2 Con, +2 Dex, -2 Cha: Voidlings are naturally sneaky, but tend to be unhealthy and have bland personalities that draw little attention to themselves. |
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Medium: As Medium creatures, voidlings have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. |
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+2 racial bonus on Hide checks. A voidling blends naturally with shadows and darkness, making it excellent at concealing itself. |
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Darkvision: Voidlings can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but is otherwise like normal sight, and voidlings can function just fine with no light at all. |
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Negative Aura: Any living creature within 10 feet of a voidling loses 1 hp per round due to the aura of negative energy surrounding the creature. Other voidlings, and all characters immune to negative energy effects, are immune to this aura. The voidling can turn this aura off as a standard action, but suffers 1 point of Strength damage for each full minute that the aura is inactive. |
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Enhanced Magic: Three times per day, a voidling can increase the effective level of a spell with the Death descriptor as he casts the spell, as if he had applied the Heighten Spell feat. This heightening raises the spell's effective level by two (even if that would be higher than his normal maximum spell level), but has no effect on the spell's actual level or casting time. |
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Light Sensitivity: Voidlings are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell (-1 penalty on attack rolls, Spot checks, and Search checks). |
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Automatic Languages: Common, Infernal. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran. |
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Outsider Traits: The voidling is an Outsider (Native). |
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Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass voidling's rogue class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty. Voidlings keep naturally to the shadows. |
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Level Adjustment: +0. Despite some potent abilities, the voidling is no tougher than a typical character race in the PH. |
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