Shrouded in mystery yet blessed with an alluring allure, the aasimar glide through the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons with an undeniable sense of destiny. But who are these planetouched beings with origins from the celestial planes? This definitive guide shall illuminate the profound virtues and secrets of the aasimar.
As children of the divine
Aasimars are gifted with a touch of supernatural powers, granting them exceptional strength, enchanting beauty and a burning conviction. They are imbued with a sense of duty by the celestials who birthed them, yet still wrestle with free will as mortal beings.
This inner struggle between destiny and purpose on one side and liberty on the other provides rich roleplaying potential. An aasimar may fully devote themselves to their ordained path or defiantly resist the shackles of fatalism. They may devote themselves to defending the innocent against the onslaught of wickedness or become disillusioned cynics, rejecting their divine mandate. This guide shall unveil everything you need to optimally roleplay an aasimar and unlock their narrative potential.
The Origins of the Aasimar
While less storied than ancient races like elves, aasimars emerged in the 2nd edition of Dungeons & Dragons alongside their diabolic counterparts, the tieflings. The seeds of their ancestry were sown in the ancient empire of Jhaamdath where powerful arcanists dabbled in dangerous magical experiments, unleashing catastrophes that echoed through time. One such cataclysm involved opening portals to celestial realms, enabling planetars and devas to cross over, intermingling their radiant bloodlines with mortal beings.
Thus, the aasimars were born. Their lineages may lie dormant for generations before manifesting, often unexpectedly, in children with exceptional beauty, virtue and talent. Similar to demigods, aasimars arise when the divine directly influences the mortal world. Yet while their origins are extraordinary, aasimars remain human at their core, born into the world and subject to the vicissitudes of fate.
Physiology: Beauty Touched by the Divine
The celestial heritage of aasimars is apparent in their distinctive physical features that reflect their otherworldly origins. While individual appearances vary, some common characteristics exist:
- Luminous eyes without pupils in metallic hues of silver, gold or platinum
- Hair of precious metals or unnaturally vibrant colors
- Skin with a subtle radiance as if lit from within
- An unearthly symmetry and perfection in their features
- Ethereal beauty impervious to age
- Vertical pupil-less eyes like their celestial forebears
- Radiant halos or auras surrounding them
These trademarks of their celestial lineage distinguish aasimars from humans and mark them as special. Their allure is magnetic, yet also alien, falling into the uncanny valley between human and divine. Their unnatural flawlessness elicits awe, wonder and perhaps unease in others.
Lifespans: Ageless Grace
While mortal, the celestial blood flowing in their veins greatly extends the aasimar’s lifespan compared to their human brethren. Aasimars mature at the same rate as humans initially but can live for up to 160 years, retaining their youthful vigor and appearance for decades longer than humans.
This expanded lifespan allows aasimars to pursue quests and goals on an epic timescale far beyond a human lifespan. Their agelessness also compounds their sense of isolation as they watch generations of shorter-lived races age and die around them while they endure, ever radiant.
Subraces: Scions of the Heavens
While all aasimars share common traits from their celestial heritage, three main subraces exist, each reflecting distinct aspects of their divine progenitors:
Protector Aasimar
Upholders of righteousness charged with protecting the weak and destroying evil. They have an innate drive towards benevolence and duty. Their guide angels compel them to take up the cause of justice. They gain +1 to Wisdom and the ability to manifest luminous wings, damage foes with radiant energy and even take flight.
Scourge Aasimar
Scourges descend from warrior archons and are consumed by an intense zeal to eradicate evil by any means. Their divine wrath threatens to overflow and immolate everything around them. Many conceal their true natures behind masks until they unmask themselves on the battlefield. They gain +1 to Constitution and the ability to unleash devastating radiant explosions which damage themselves and their surroundings.
Fallen Aasimar
Those corrupted by darkness or who have turned against the dictates of the gods become the fallen. They are severed from the guidance of celestial beings and develop fearsome abilities, gaining +1 to Strength and the power to terrify and drain the life force of others. Yet they are not beyond redemption.
Society: Lonely Wanderers
Given their rarity, there is no unified aasimar culture or society. Instead, they are scattered across the world, born randomly into human societies where they are distinguished by their talents and destined for greatness.
The circ*mstances of an aasimar’s birth and upbringing determine where they fit into society. Some are celebrated as blessed children by humans well-disposed towards celestials while others are feared and shunned as too different. Their isolation leaves many aasimars rootless. Most embark upon lives as wanderers, itinerant adventurers seeking their purpose.
Names and Naming Conventions
Aasimars are usually named according to the culture and region they were born into rather than any innate celestial naming conventions. After discovering their heritage though, some adopt names in Celestial reflecting their destiny and ancestry.
Names meaning “guided”, “blessed” or “radiant” are common. Some incorporate angelic suffixes or prefixes into their names. Those who reject their destiny may opt for names opposing their celestial legacy. Most names tend towards the grandiose rather than the humble, reflecting the weight of expectations upon aasimars.
Classes and Character Builds
Aasimars’ charisma bonuses and diverse magical abilities make them excellently suited for many classes, though some stand out above others:
Paladins
As divine crusaders against evil, paladins are a perfect thematic fit for aasimars, especially protectors devoted to smiting evil. Aasimar bonuses to Charisma boost paladins’ auras and spellcasting, their healing hands ability works in tandem with Lay on Hands and their racial resistances and transformations augment their crusading abilities.
Bards
Bards benefit greatly from bonuses to Charisma for their spellcasting and skills. An aasimar's inspirational abilities as a storyteller or performer are enhanced by their magnetic personalities. Bards also provide versatility in mixing healing, support skills and mobility that complement aasimar abilities.
Sorcerers
Their innate magical gifts combined with the legacy of their celestial ancestor makes aasimars ideal as sorcerers. Metamagic can amplify their racial spells and abilities. Shadow sorcerers also make fantastic fallen aasimars. Divine soul sorcerers can lean into their celestial origins.
Clerics
Aasimars favor religious paths, making clerics an obvious choice. Their celestial guides grant them early access to divination magic and their wisdom boosts work well for cleric spellcasting. Knowledge, light and life clerics work especially well with bonuses to channel divinity and harnessing radiant power.
Warlocks
Celestial warlocks closely parallel the aasimar's relationship with their guides. But dark paths like the Hexblade also tempt, offering fallen aasimars redemption. The choice between light and darkness within every aasimar is mirrored by a warlock's relationship with their patron.
Roleplaying and Character Concepts
The narrative tapestry that can be woven around an aasimar is vast given their celestial heritage. Their character arcs involve navigating fate and destiny intertwined with the struggles of free will. Here are some concepts for roleplaying aasimars:
The Reluctant Messiah
An aasimar rebelling against the expectations thrust upon them by their celestial guide and society, only to finally embrace their destiny when their gifts are truly needed by others.
The Fallen Rebel
A once radiant aasimar now corrupted yet still struggling internally between darkness and redemption. Are old wounds best left to fester or mended? Can one come back from the shadows?
The Vengeful Angel
A fury-filled scourge sworn to destroy those who committed some grave sin that devastated the aasimar before their ascension. Wrath is a poison – how much must be consumed before there is no antidote?
The Selfless Guardian
An aasimar protector whose own needs are secondary to defending others. Yet martyrdom helps no one. Can they learn to accept help from others when needed most? When is sacrifice too much?
These are but a few of the tales that can be told with an aasimar. Their narratives compellingly explore the tension between fate and destiny versus liberty and self-determination. Playing against type is also an exciting avenue for character development. An aasimar need not be confined to paths of light and righteousness at all times. The road to redemption can be paved by one who has touched the darkness before finding their way back to the radiance.
How Do Aasimars Fit Into Your World?
As a Dungeon Master, there are many ways to incorporate aasimars into your world-building that generate compelling narratives. They could be:
- Extremely rare mysteries, each one's birth heralding momentous events.
- Feared and persecuted as harbingers of doom by the ignorant.
- Revered as blessed children by the pious but separated from society.
- Members of an enlightened theocracy guided by celestials.
- A secretive order of divine agents influencing events subtly.
- Rebels fighting against the stifling expectations of their celestial heritage.
Their treatment by society can unveil deeper themes in your world. Prejudice and superstition, destiny and free choice, isolation and community are just some of the ideas aasimars can explore through their place in your setting.
For example, they could be slaves in an evil empire, their celestial gifts exploited for dark ends until a prophesied deliverer awakens. Or perhaps aasimars are integrated openly into society as any other race in a cosmopolitan realm, adding representation as just another thread in a diverse social fabric. The possibilities are endless.
Exploring The Awakening of The Divine Within
The aasimar's journey provides a narrative spine to explore themes of personal growth, moral struggles and awakening power. Their divine gifts set them apart, but learning to integrate the celestial and mundane is the key challenge. Their personal evolution and hardships along the way make for captivating character arcs.
Starting unaware of their heritage allows a satisfying transformation when destiny comes calling. The revelations that come with terrifying new powers and the responsibilities they bring provide avenues to explore the aasimar's personality and motivations. Your relationships, tested under the crucible of turmoil, reveal who you truly are.
Do you embrace your new duties gladly or carry them as a burden? How do old bonds evolve when you are now set apart from your former peers? When your guide's instructions clash with your own moral compass, which do you follow? There are no easy answers, only the path you forge with each choice made.
The Call of Destiny Awaits
From their mysterious origins to their awe-inspiring abilities, aasimars present limitless possibilities for adventure. Will you take up the mantle of the divine or defiantly forge your own path? Savior or destroyer, saint or heretic, right or fallen – character is destiny's true crucible. Heed the call. Adventure awaits.
We hope this guide has illuminated everything you need to know to optimally play an aasimar as well as incorporate them into your own worlds as a DM. Let their divine touch inspire your next character or campaign. Destiny is calling. How will you answer?
