Aasimars

Aasimars are humans with a significant amount of celestial or other good outsider blood in their ancestry. While not always benevolent, aasimars are more inclined toward acts of kindness rather than evil, and they gravitate toward faiths or organizations associated with celestials. Aasimar heritage can lie dormant for generations, only to appear suddenly in the child of two apparently human parents. Most societies interpret aasimar births as good omens, though it must be acknowledged that some aasimars take advantage of the reputation of their kind, brutally subverting the expectations of others with acts of terrifying cruelty or abject venality. "It's always the one you least suspect" is the axiom these evil aasimars live by, and they often lead double lives as upstanding citizens or false heroes, keeping their corruption well hidden. Thankfully, these few are the exception and not the rule.

Physical Description: Aasimars look mostly human except for some minor physical trait that reveals their unusual heritage. Typical aasimar features include hair that shines like metal, jewel-toned eyes, lustrous skin color, or even glowing, golden halos.

Society: Aasimars cannot truly be said to have an independent society of their own. As an offshoot of humanity, they adopt the societal norms around them, though most find themselves drawn to those elements of society that work for the redress of injustice and the assuagement of suffering. This sometimes puts them on the wrong side of the law in more tyrannical societies, but aasimars can be careful and cunning when necessary, able to put on a dissembling guise to divert the attention of oppressors elsewhere. While corrupt aasimars may be loners or may establish secret societies to conceal their involvement in crime, righteous aasimars are often found congregating in numbers as part of good-aligned organizations, especially (though not always) churches and religious orders.

Relations: Aasimars are most common and most comfortable in human communities. This is especially true of those whose lineage is more distant and who bear only faint marks of their heavenly ancestry. It is unclear why the touch of the celestial is felt so much more strongly in humanity than other races, though it may be that humanity's inherent adaptability and affinity for change is responsible for the evolution of aasimars as a distinct race. Perhaps the endemic racial traits of other races are too deeply bred, too strongly present, and too resistant to change. Whatever dalliances other races may have had with the denizens of the upper planes, the progeny of such couplings are vanishingly rare and have never bred true.

However, even if they generally tend toward human societies, aasimars can become comfortable in virtually any environment. They have an easy social grace and are disarmingly personable. They get on well with half-elves, who share a similar not-quite-human marginal status, though their relations are often less cordial with half-orcs, who have no patience for aasimars' overly pretty words and faces. Elven courtiers sometimes dismiss aasimars as unsophisticated, and criticize them for relying on natural charm to overcome faux pas. Perhaps of all the known races, gnomes find aasimars most fascinating, and have an intense appreciation for their varied appearances as well as the mystique surrounding their celestial heritage.

Alignment and Religion: Aasimars are most often of good alignment, though this isn't necessarily universal, and aasimars that have turned their back on righteousness may fall into an unfathomable abyss of depravity. For the most part, however, aasimars favor deities of honor, valor, protection, healing, and refuge, or simple and prosaic faiths of home, community, and family. Some also follow the paths of art, music, and lore, finding truth and wisdom in beauty and learning.

Adventurers: Aasimars frequently become adventurers, as they often do not quite feel at home in human society and feel the pull of some greater destiny. Clerics, oracles, and paladins are most plentiful in their ranks, though bards, sorcerers, and summoners are not uncommon among those with a fondness for arcane magic. Aasimar barbarians are rare, but when born into such tribes they often rise to leadership and encourage their clans to embrace celestial totems.

Male Names: Aritian, Beltin, Cernan, Cronwier, Eran, Ilamin, Maudril, Okrin, Parant, Tural, Wyran, Zaigan.

Female Names: Arken, Arsinoe, Davina, Drinma, Imesah, Masozi, Nijena, Niramour, Ondrea, Rhialla, Valtyra.

Aasimar Racial Traits

+2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma: Aasimars are insightful, confident, and personable.

Native Outsider: Aasimars are outsiders with the native subtype.

Medium: Aasimars are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Aasimars have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Skilled: Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Perception checks.

Spell-Like Ability: Aasimars can use daylight once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the aasimar's class level).

Celestial Resistance: Aasimars have acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5.

Languages: Aasimars begin play speaking Common and Celestial. Aasimars with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, and Sylvan.

Alternate Racial Traits

The following racial traits may be selected instead of existing aasimar racial traits. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

Celestial Crusader: Some aasimars follow their destiny to war against the powers of ultimate evil. These individuals gain a +1 insight bonus on attack rolls and to AC against evil outsiders and a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (planes) and Spellcraft checks to identify evil outsiders or items or effects created by evil outsiders; they may use these skills untrained for this purpose. This racial trait replaces celestial resistance and skilled.

Deathless Spirit: Particularly strong-willed aasimars possess celestial spirits capable of resisting the powers of death. They gain resistance 5 against negative energy damage. They do not lose hit points when they gain a negative level, and they gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against death effects, energy drain, negative energy, and spells or spell-like abilities of the necromancy school. This racial trait replaces celestial resistance.

Exalted Resistance: An aasimar with this racial trait gains spell resistance equal to 5 + her level against spells and spell-like abilities with the evil descriptor, as well as any spells and spell-like abilities cast by evil outsiders. This racial trait replaces celestial resistance.

Halo: Some aasimars possess the ability to manifest halos. An aasimar with this racial trait can create light centered on her head at will as a spell-like ability. When using her halo, she gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks against evil creatures and on saving throws against becoming blinded or dazzled. This racial trait replaces the darkvision racial trait.

Heavenborn: Born in the celestial realms, aasimars with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks and they cast spells with the good or light descriptor at +1 caster level. This racial trait replaces the skilled and spell-like ability racial traits.

Immortal Spark: Aasimars with this racial trait defy the powers of death. They gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge (history) checks and saving throws against death effects and can use lesser age resistance once per day as a spell-like ability. This racial trait replaces the skilled and spell-like ability racial traits.

Incorruptible: Occasionally, aasimars arise with the ability to further ward away evil. Aasimars with this racial trait can cast corruption resistance against evil once per day as a spell-like ability. If an aasimar uses this ability on herself, the duration increases to 1 hour per level. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.

Scion of Humanity: Some aasimars' heavenly ancestry is extremely distant. An aasimar with this racial trait counts as an outsider (native) and a humanoid (human) for any effect related to race, including feat prerequisites and spells that affect humanoids. She can pass for human without using the Disguise skill. This racial trait replaces the Celestial language and alters the native subtype.

Truespeaker: There are some aasimars whose language transcends all boundaries. They gain a +2 bonus on Linguistics and Sense Motive checks, and they learn two languages each time they gain a rank in Linguistics. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Favored Class Options

The following options are available to all aasimars who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

Bard: Choose one bardic performance; treat the bard as +1/6 level higher when determining the effects of that performance.

Cavalier: Add +1/4 to the cavalier's bonus on damage against targets of his challenge.

Cleric: Add +1/2 to damage when using positive energy against undead or using Alignment Channel to damage evil outsiders.

Inquisitor: Add +1/2 on Intimidate, Knowledge, and Sense Motive checks made against outsiders.

Oracle: Add +1/6 to the oracle's level for the purpose of determining the effects of one revelation.

Paladin: Add +1/6 to the morale bonus on saving throws provided by the paladin's auras.

Sorcerer: Add +1/4 to the sorcerer's caster level when casting spells with the good descriptor.

Summoner: Add DR 1/evil to the summoner's eidolon. Each additional time the summoner selects this benefit, the DR/evil increases by +1/2 (maximum DR 10/evil).

Racial Archetypes

The following racial archetypes are available to aasimars.

Purifier (Oracle)

The purifier seeks out signs of possession or mind control that manifest from unwilling (and often unwitting) servants for fiendish corruptors and their mortal minions. A purifier seeks liberation of mind, body, and spirit from the bondage of sin and the taint of the unholy. A purifier gains the following class features.

Bonus Spells: veil of heaven (2nd), confess (4th), cast out (6th), denounce (8th), dispel evil (10th), banishment (12th), holy word (14th), mind blank (16th), freedom (18th).

Diminished Spellcasting: A purifier can use one fewer spell per day of each level and does not automatically learn cure or inflict spells. Her number of oracle spells known is unchanged.

Revelations: A purifier must take the following revelations at the listed levels.

See Sin (Sp): At 3rd level, a purifier gains a bonus equal to 1/2 her oracle level on Sense Motive checks to sense enchantments, which she can make as a full-round action. She also gains a bonus equal to 1/2 her oracle level on Spellcraft checks to identify enchantment school spells and spells with the curse or emotion descriptor (see page 251 of for spells in the and that have the curse or emotion descriptor).

Celestial Armor (Su): At 7th level, a purifier's armor takes on a golden or silvery sheen and becomes light as a feather. Her armor weighs half as much as long as she wears it, and she also gains armor training as a fighter 4 levels lower than her oracle level. At 11th level, a purifier gains heavy armor proficiency.

Sin Eater (Su): At 11th level, a purifier can consume a curse, enchantment, or emotion effect by touch as a full-round action. She can do this a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier, and must make a Charisma check with a bonus equal to her oracle level against a DC of 11 + the caster level of the effect (or the Hit Dice of the creator for a supernatural effect). If the check succeeds, the effect is negated; however, the purifier is sickened for 1d4 rounds.

If the target is possessed (such as by a magic jar effect or a ghost's malevolence ability), the possessor is forced out on a successful check. Whether the check succeeds or fails, the possessor is sickened for 2d4 rounds.

Sacred Scourge (Su): At 5th level, a purifier may channel holy power to harm evil outsiders as a cleric of her level using the Alignment Channel feat. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier.

Holy Terror (Su): At 9th level, a purifier may use her sacred scourge to panic evil outsiders as if using the Turn Undead feat against undead.

Celestial Master (Su): At 13th level, a purifier may use her sacred scourge to compel good outsiders to serve her, as if using the Command Undead feat against undead.

Tranquil Guardian (Paladin)

A tranquil guardian is a missionary of peace and tranquility, a soothing voice of succor in a violent and dangerous world. A tranquil guardian gains the following class features.

Touch of Serenity (Su): At 1st level, a tranquil guardian gains Touch of Serenity as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. At 6th level, and every six levels thereafter, the duration of a tranquil guardian's Touch of Serenity increases by 1 round. Each round on its turn, the target may attempt a new Will save to end the effect. The duration does not stack; only the longest remaining duration applies. This ability replaces smite evil.

Serene Strike (Su): At 3rd level, when a tranquil guardian confirms a critical hit, she may convert all damage from her attack to nonlethal damage, and when she does, she can activate Touch of Serenity through her weapon or unarmed strike. Using serene strike is a free action. This ability replaces aura of courage.

Divine Bond (Su): A tranquil guardian who chooses a weapon as her divine bond may only increase her weapon's enhancement bonus or add the following properties to her weapon: conductive, defending, disruptive, grayflame , or merciful.

Aura of Calm (Su): At 8th level, a tranquil guardian is immune to all spells and spell-like abilities with the emotion descriptor, as well as all fear effects. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against these effects.

This ability functions only while the tranquil guardian is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead. This ability replaces aura of resolve.

Waves of Peace (Su): At 11th level, a tranquil guardian may expend 2 uses of her Touch of Serenity to affect each opponent within 5 feet of her with that effect. She does not need to touch the creature for the effect to take hold. This ability replaces aura of justice.

Apostle of Peace (Su): At 20th level, a tranquil guardian's DR increases to 10/evil, and whenever she channels positive energy or uses lay on hands to heal, she heals the maximum possible amount. In addition, any creature struck by her Touch of Serenity, even if it saves, must make an additional Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 her tranquil guardian level + her Charisma modifier) the next time it tries to attack. If it fails this save, the attack (including spells or special abilities) automatically fails. This ability replaces holy champion.

New Racial Rules

The following options are available to aasimars. At the GM's discretion, other appropriate races may make use of some of these new rules.

Aasimar Equipment

Aasimars have access to the following equipment.

Ambrosia: Upon consumption, this heavenly elixir, brewed from holy water and blessed herbs, grants a +2 sacred bonus on saving throws against negative energy, energy drain, and death effects for 1 hour, including saves to remove negative levels. Ambrosia affects undead and evil outsiders as holy water.

Anointing Oil: This sacred oil, infused with aromatic spices and distilled holy water, may be applied to a creature while casting a harmless divine spell with a range of touch, increasing the casting time to a full-round action but also increasing the caster's effective caster level by +1 for that spell.

Celestial Censer: This blessed thurible holds up to 10 pieces of incense, and burns at a rate of 1 stick per hour. If a smokestick is added to the incense in the censer while it burns, creatures with the evil subtype are dazzled for as long as they remain within the area of the resulting smoke.

Celestial Lamp: This polished lantern contains a continual flame and sheds light as a common lamp. If its font of consecrated crystal and metalwork is filled with holy water, the lamp's light is sanctified for 24 hours, adding a +1 bonus to the save DC of channeled positive energy or energy channeled to harm evil outsiders within a 30-foot radius.

Incense: This aromatic resin, imbued with fragrant oils, is often formed into sticks, cones, or balls and burned in ceremonies or during meditation. A piece of incense burns for 1 hour.

Aasimar Equipment
ItemCostWeightCraft DC
Ambrosia (vial)100 gp1 lb.25
Anointing oil25 gp1 lb.20
Celestial censer50 gp3 lbs.
Celestial lamp300 gp2 lbs.
Incense (10 sticks)10 gp1 lb.

Aasimar Feats

Aasimars have access to the following feats.

Angel Wings

Feathered wings sprout from your back.

Prerequisites: Angelic Blood, aasimar, character level 10th.

Benefit: You gain a pair of gleaming feathered wings that grant a fly speed of 30 feet (average maneuverability) if wearing light armor or unencumbered, or 20 feet (poor maneuverability) with a medium or heavy load or medium or heavy armor. Fly is a class skill for you.

Angelic Blood

Your blood is infused with holy power.

Prerequisites: Con 13, aasimar.

Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against effects with the evil descriptor and on Constitution checks to stabilize when you are reduced to negative hit points (but not dead). Furthermore, each time you take bleed or blood drain damage, each undead creature or creature with the evil subtype that is currently adjacent to you also takes 1 point of damage.

Angelic Flesh

Your skin shines like burnished metal.

Prerequisites: Angelic Blood, aasimar.

Benefit: You take a –2 penalty on Disguise and Stealth checks but gain one of the following benefits, depending on the metallic affinity of your flesh (choose one).

Brazen: You gain fire resistance 5 and a +2 bonus on saves against fire effects.

Golden: You gain a +2 bonus on saves against blindness, dazzling, patterns, and effects with the light descriptor. When you cast spells or use spell-like abilities that are from the illusion (pattern) subschool or have the light descriptor, you do so at +1 caster level.

Silver: You gain a +2 bonus on saves against paralysis, petrification, and poison, and your unarmed strikes or natural weapons count as silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Steel: You gain a +1 natural armor bonus to AC, and your unarmed strikes or natural weapons count as cold iron for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Celestial Servant

Rather than being a normal animal or beast, your companion or familiar hails from the heavenly realms.

Prerequisites: Aasimar, animal companion, familiar, or mount class feature.

Benefit: Your animal companion, familiar, or mount gains the celestial template and becomes a magical beast, though you may still treat it as an animal when using Handle Animal, wild empathy, or any other spells or class abilities that specifically affect animals.

Channel Force

Your channel is bolstered by your faith, allowing you to move and damage your foes.

Prerequisites: Aasimar, channel energy 2d6.

Benefit: When you channel energy to deal damage, you may choose to affect only a single target within 30 feet. In addition to dealing damage, if that single target fails its saving throw, you may pull or push (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 303) the target up to 5 feet for every 2d6 points of channel energy damage you are capable of dealing.

Greater Channel Force

Your eruptions of divine power move your enemies.

Prerequisites: Channel Force, Improved Channel Force, aasimar, channel energy 6d6.

Benefit: When using Improved Channel Force, you can affect all creatures in a 30-foot-radius burst.

Heavenly Radiance

Your heavenly light can be used in a variety of ways.

Prerequisites: Aasimar, daylight spell-like ability, sufficiently high level (see below).

Benefit: You gain one additional use per day of daylight. Choose one spell from the table below; by expending a use of daylight, you may use this spell as a spell-like ability. To select a spell, you must meet the minimum character level for its listing in the table. The save DC for this spell is Charisma-based.


Spell-Like AbilityMinimum Character Level
Flare burst1st
Wake of light3rd
Searing light5th
Wandering star motes7th
Sunbeam (one beam only)9th

Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time you select it, you gain an additional use of daylight and may select another spell from the table.

Improved Channel Force

You move your enemies within a beam of righteous energy.

Prerequisites: Channel Force, aasimar, channel energy 4d6.

Benefit: When using Channel Force, you can affect all creatures in a 60-foot line or a 30-foot cone-shaped burst. You must choose to either push or pull all creatures within the affected area that fail their saves.

Metallic Wings

Your wing feathers are made of gleaming metal.

Prerequisites: Angelic Blood, Angelic Flesh, Angel Wings, aasimar, character level 11th.

Benefit: You gain two wing attacks. These are secondary natural attacks that deal 1d4 points of slashing damage (or 1d3 if you are Small).

Aasimar Magic Items

Aasimars favor the following magic items.

Celestial Shield

Aura moderate evocation [good]; CL 7th

Slot shield; Price 13,170 gp; Weight 7 lbs.

Description

This bright silver or gold +2 blinding heavy steel shield is impossibly light and handy despite its size. It has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance, and it allows the wielder to use feather fall on himself once per day. A creature wearing celestial armor while wielding a celestial shield may command the armor to provide overland flight rather than fly once per day.

Construction

Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, feather fall, overland flight; Cost 6,670 gp

Elysian Shield

Aura strong conjuration; CL 13th

Slot shield; Price 52,620 gp; Weight 45 lbs.

Description

This +2 ghost touch tower shield is engraved with funerary runes depicting the peaceful rest of the contented dead. The wielder of an elysian shield is immune to the create spawn ability of undead, and once per day as an immediate action can negate a single energy drain, ability drain, or ability damage attack by an undead creature. In addition, once per day as a standard action, the wielder can release a wave of positive energy that panics undead, as the Turn Undead feat (DC 20 Will negates).

Construction

Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Turn Undead, death ward, etherealness; Cost 26,390 gp

Halo of Menace

Aura moderate enchantment; CL 9th

Slot head; Price 84,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

DESCRIPTION

When placed over the head, this halo of shimmering polished steel floats above it, though it still takes up the head slot. The halo constantly radiates a 20-foot-radius aura from its wearer. Any hostile creature within the aura must succeed at a DC 20 Will save or take a –2 penalties on attack rolls, saving throws, and AC for the next 24 hours or until it hits the wearer with an attack or damages it with a spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability. Chaotic creatures take a –2 penalty on this saving throw. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect of the halo of menace cannot be affected by the same wearer's aura for 24 hours. The aura is a mind-affecting effect.

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, order's wrath, creator must be an aasimar or an archon; Cost 42,000 gp

Aasimar Spells

Aasimars have access to the following spells.

Sacred Space

School evocation [good]; Level cleric 2, paladin 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, M (a vial of ambrosia)

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Area 20-ft.-radius emanation

Duration 2 hours/level

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

This spell sanctifies an area with heavenly power. The DC to resist spells or spell-like abilities with the good descriptor or channeled energy that damages evil outsiders (as when using Alignment Channel) increases by +2. In addition, evil outsiders take a –1 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws, and they cannot be called or summoned into a sacred space. If the sacred space contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture dedicated to your deity, pantheon, or good-aligned higher power, the modifiers given above are doubled. You cannot cast sacred space in an area with a permanent fixture dedicated to a deity other than yours.

Truespeak

School divination; Level bard 4, cleric 6, sorcerer/wizard 5, witch 5

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V

Range personal

Target you

Duration 1 minute/level

You can communicate with any creature that is not mindless. As long as you can be heard, your speech is understandable to all creatures, each of which hears you as though you were conversing in its language or other natural mode of communication, and you hear their responses as though in your own native language. You may ask questions and receive answers, though this spell does not make creatures more friendly or cooperative than normal, and non-sentient creatures may give limited responses. While using truespeak, your language-dependent effects can affect any creature that is not mindless.

Veil of Heaven

School abjuration [good]; Level paladin 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, DF

Range personal or 5 ft.; see text

Target you or all creatures within 5 ft.; see text

Duration 10 minutes/level (D)

Saving Throw Will half; Spell Resistance none

You surround yourself with a veil of positive energy, making it harder for evil outsiders to harm you. For the duration of this spell, you gain a +2 sacred bonus to AC and on saves. Both of these bonuses apply only against attacks or effects created by outsiders with the evil subtype. You can dismiss this spell as a swift action to deal 1d8 points of damage + 1 point per paladin level to all such outsiders within 5 feet. A Will save halves this damage.