Oh, the Genasi. What a strange history these elemental beings have had. In their original introduction in Elemenetal Evil (EEPC), the were nothing of note outside of flavor, and certainly not very worth playing, especially since they appeared in the same book as Aarakocra. However, upon Monsters of the Multiverse (MPMM) dropping, Genasi saw some radical shifts. While 3 of its 4 subraces were still just kinda of mediocre, Earth Genasi soared to the top, sitting among the best races to play for a spellcaster. This was due to their ability to cast the incredible pass without trace. While EEPC Earth Genasi could too, it couldn’t do so with spell slots, whereas MPMM Earth Genasi can. As such, I’m here to remedy this gap between Earth Genasi and the rest of the Genasi subraces.

Genasi

Those who think of other planes at all consider them remote, distant realms, but planar influence can be felt throughout the world. It sometimes manifests in beings who, through an accident of birth, carry the power of the planes in their blood. The genasi are one such people, the offspring of genies and mortals.

Genasi Traits

As a genasi, you have the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase. Choose one of: (a) Choose any +2; choose any other +1 (b) Choose three different +1

Age. Genasi mature at about the same rate as humans and reach adulthood in their late teens. They live somewhat longer than humans do, up to 120 years.

Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. You are considered an elemental for the purposes of fulfilling prerequisites or effects that require you to be an elemental.

Size. Genasi are as varied as their mortal parents but are generally built like humans, standing anywhere from 5 feet to over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Elemental Vision. Each subrace of genasi channels a different form of elemental magic, and as such different ways of viewing the world. You gain a special sense based on your subrace.

Elemental Magic. As a genasi, you are more attuned to elemental magic than anyone else. Your subrace of choice grants you a cantrip, and when you reach 5th level, a 1st-level or 2nd-level spell. You may cast this 1st or 2nd-level spell once without expending a spell slot or points, and must finish a long rest before you may do so again. You may also cast said 1st or 2nd-level spell using slots or points as is normal

Your spellcasting ability for cantrips and spells granted to you by your subrace is either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (your choice).

Elemental Resilience. You are much more resistant to your associated element. You gain resistance to a particular damage type, which is described in your subrace of choice.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Primordial. Primordial is a guttural language, filled with harsh syllables and hard consonants. In place of Primordial, you may instead choose a different language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character.

Subrace. A whopping seven subraces of genasi exist: acid, air, earth, fire, frost, lightning, and water genasi. Feel free to choose one of them, or opt for none at all.

Acid

As an acid genasi, you are descended from the bitter and toxic, the poisonous and filthy. Despite this, you know best how to manipulate your toxic and acidic magic, poisoning your foes, and utilizing your knowledge of toxins to cure the innocent.

Elemental Vision. As you have spent so long in toxic clouds, you have developed other ways of sensing other creatures while you would normally be blinded. Creatures do not have advantage on attacks as a result of being unseen by you, and you can see through heavy obscurement as if there were nothing there.

Elemental Magic. You know either the acid splash or poison spray cantrip (your choice when you gain this feature). When you reach 5th level, you learn melf’s acid arrow.

Elemental Resilience. You gain resistance to acid or poison damage (your choice when you gain this feature).

Toxic Constitution. You are immune to poison, and once per turn when you successfully hit with an attack, you can deal an additional 1d6 poison damage.

Air

As an air genasi, you are descended from the djinn. As changeable as the weather, your moods shift from calm to wild and violent with little warning, but these storms rarely last long.

Elemental Vision. You know how to read the tells from the air around you, as the wind carries information to you. You gain blindsight out to 60 feet.

Elemental Magic. You learn the gust cantrip. When you reach 5th level, you learn fog cloud. When you cast fog cloud, you can see through its obscurement as if it wasn’t there, and are unaffected by the heavy obscurement created.

Elemental Resilience. You gain resistance to thunder or lightning damage (your choice when you gain this feature).

Wind Walker. You are permanently under the effects of the feather fall spell. You may enable or disable this feature as a bonus action.

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Earth

As an earth genasi, you are descended from the cruel and greedy dao, though you aren’t necessarily evil. You have inherited some measure of control over earth, reveling in superior strength and solid power. You tend to avoid rash decisions, pausing long enough to consider your options before taking action.

Elemental Vision. You can read the tremors of others within the earth itself. You gain tremorsense out to 60 feet.

Elemental Magic. You learn the mold earth cantrip. When you reach 5th level, you learn spike growth.

Elemental Resilience. You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (your choice when you gain this feature).

Earth Stride. You ignore any effect that would require you to expend extra movement (such as difficult terrain), provided you are using your walking speed on the ground or floor.

Fire

As a fire genasi, you have inherited the volatile mood and keen mind of the efreet. You tend toward impatience and making snap judgments. Rather than hide your distinctive appearance, you exult in it.

Elemental Vision. Your time spent in ash and smoke means you had to find other means of detecting creatures. Creatures do not have advantage on attacks as a result of being unseen by you, and you can see through heavy obscurement as if there were nothing there.

Elemental Magic. You learn the fire bolt cantrip. When you reach 5th level, you learn pyrotechnics.

Elemental Resilience. You gain resistance to fire damage.

Hellfire. Whenever you are hit by an attack, you may use your reaction to force the attacker to make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + the modifier of the ability chosen for your Elemental Magic + your proficiency bonus). On a failure, the attacker takes 2d8 fire damage. This damage treats resistance as if there were no resistance, and immunity as if it were resistance.

Frost

As a frost genasi, you are cold and frigid, a silent wanderer. You are quiet and often unnoticed, yet exude an icy aura. You are proficient in the manipulation of frost and ice, often using it defensively as you make your escape.

Elemental Vision. Your natural environment is often very dark, forcing your eyes to adapt. You gain darkvision out to 60 feet.

Elemental Magic. You learn the ray of frost cantrip. When you reach 5th level, you learn rime’s binding ice.

Elemental Resilience. You gain resistance to cold damage.

Frost Walker. You have advantage on saving throws against being knocked prone, and whenever you have your movement speed reduced, you reduce the amount your speed is reduced by 10 feet.

Lightning

As a lightning genasi, you are incredibly energetic and free-spirited, hopping from place to place with no set destination.

Elemental Vision. You sense the electrical currents present in the air. You gain a blindsight out to 60 feet.

Elemental Magic. You learn lightning lure or shocking grasp cantrip (your choice when you gain this feature). When you reach 5th level, you learn silvery barbs.

Elemental Resilience. You gain resistance to thunder or lightning damage (your choice when you gain this feature).

Stormstep. As a reaction when a creature that isn’t you deals or takes lightning or thunder damage within 60 feet of you, you can teleport to an unoccupied space within 10 feet of that creature.

Water

The lapping of waves, the spray of sea foam on the wind, the ocean depths—all of these things call to your heart. You wander freely and take pride in your independence, though others might consider you selfish.

Elemental Vision. You sense the tremors within water. You have a tremorsense out to 60 feet. When you are fully submerged in a liquid, you do not have to be touching ground to use your tremorsense provided the creatures being sensed are also submerged in that same liquid.

Elemental Magic. You learn the shape water cantrip. When you reach 5th level, you learn grease.

Elemental Resilience. You gain resistance to bludgeoning or cold damage (your choice when you gain this feature).

Aquaflow. Once per round when you are targeted by an attack, you can move up to 5 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. If this takes you out of the range of the provoking attack, you take no damage from that attack.

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Racial Feats

A variety of feats for use with the game as a whole, though mainly tailored for genasi use. :)

Gift of the Elements

Prerequisites: 7th level, genasi

You can cast the 1st or 2nd-level granted to you from your Elemental Magic trait twice per long rest without expending spell points or slots instead of once.

Primordial Flight

Prerequisites: 12th level, genasi

Your walking speed increases by 10 feet and you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can fly to a maximum height of 60 feet.

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