Race: Gaian Revision

[jackhaydock]

Gaian revision to make gaians a bit less crowded but also expand options with more subraces and some feats

Revise Gaian Base gaian gets:

• no need to eat, drink or breathe
• immunity to aging
• 1 min immunity

Each subrace gets:

• resistance
• Environment feature (these can be slightly stronger now)
• Choice of; unarmed strike, cantrip, other feature

Maybe a feat to add poison and necrotic resistance?

I could also make statblocks for Gaian Warriors, maybe even stronger one with each feat (e.g. Gaian Defender and Gaian Shifter) and even make some form of Summon Gaians spell

Subrace ideas:

• Magma (fire)
• Ice (cold)
• Gem (psychic)
• Unstable (radiant)
• Sand (piercing/slashing)
• Clay (bludgeoning/acid)
• Metal (slashing/lightning)
  • or various types of metal with different bonuses
  • Silver = radiant and bonuses against undead
  • Iron = ? and bonuses against fey
  • Adamantine = ?
  • Already got unstable
  • Copper/Gold/Electrum = lightning and when they take/deal lightning dmg they can deal some to a creature in 5ft too
• Stone (?)
• Meteorite (?)
• Earth (combining sand/clay/stone and allowing choice of physical resistance)
• Tombstone (necrotic), maybe gets memories of those buried near them (like reborn). Also could be cryptstone, underworld stone, shadow stone or the stone from an executioner's block
• acid, poison, lightning, thunder, force
• Maybe a custom Make Your Own gaian, or at least guides for it

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Base Race

Gaian (Base)

Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Mineral Body. You do not need to breathe, eat or drink.

Mineral Hide. As a bonus action, you can coat yourself in a hardened layer of minerals for 1 minute, or until you are incapacitated. For this duration, you gain temporary hit points equal to three times your proficiency bonus. While you have these temporary hit points, you are also immune to damage type associated with your Earthen Flesh trait. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Once you use this trait, you can not do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.

Subraces

Gaian (Ice)

Earthen Flesh. Your flesh is made mostly or entirely of magical ice or snow. You have resistance to cold damage.

Glacial Walker. Slippery ice and deep snow do not count as difficult terrain for you, and you automatically pass saving throws to avoid failing prone on slippery ice.

Arctic Skin. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in icy or snowy terrain.

Gaian Manifestation. Your connection to your source can manifest in different ways in an individual gaian. Choose one of the following manifestation options for your gaian.

• Fingers of Frost. When you make an unarmed strike, you can transform your fingers or hands into icicles. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier cold damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
• Heart of Ice. You know the frostbite cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this race).
• Ice Skater. By briefly freezing the liquid at your feet, you can stand on and move across any liquid surface as if it were solid ground.

Gaian (Magma)

Earthen Flesh. Your flesh is made mostly or entirely of magma, lava or smoldering coal. You have resistance to fire damage.

Mantle Swimmer. Lava and magma pose no threat to you. You take no damage from it, and have a swim speed equal to your walking speed while submerged in it.

Scorched Skin. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in magma, lava, ashy terrain or burned buildings.

Gaian Manifestation. Your connection to your source can manifest in different ways in an individual gaian. Choose one of the following manifestation options for your gaian.

• Fingers of Flame. When you make an unarmed strike, you can transform your fingers or hands into tendrils of lava and flame. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier fire damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
• Heart of Fire. You know the Produce Flame cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this race).
• Burning Blood. At the end of a long rest, you can produce a number of flasks of alchemist's fire equal to your proficiency bonus. These flasks last until they are used or until the end of your next long rest.

Gaian (Gem)

Earthen Flesh. Your flesh is made mostly or entirely of crystals and gemstones. You have resistance to psychic damage.

Diamond Will. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid or remove the charmed and frightened conditions.

Gemstone Skin. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in crystalline terrain or among other gemstones and treasures.

Gaian Manifestation. Your connection to your source can manifest in different ways in an individual gaian. Choose one of the following manifestation options for your gaian.

• Fingers of Quartz. When you make an unarmed strike, you can transform your fingers or hands into shards of crystal. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier psychic damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
• Heart of Ruby. You know the mind sliver cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this race).
• Jewel Affinity. You have proficiency with jeweler's tools and advantage on checks made using them.

Gaian (Sand)

Earthen Flesh. Your flesh is made mostly or entirely of sand, silt, salt or fine gravel. You have resistance to piercing damage.

Soft Landing. By spreading your weight upon landing, you take half damage from falling, provided you are not incapacitated.

Granular Skin. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in sand, gravel or salty terrain.

Gaian Manifestation. Your connection to your source can manifest in different ways in an individual gaian. Choose one of the following manifestation options for your gaian.

• Fingers of Glass. When you make an unarmed strike, you can transform your fingers or hands into shards of glass. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
• Heart of Silt. You know the Sandblast cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this race).
• Sharp Surface, As an action, you can spray sharp crystals on the ground in a 5/10-foot square. Any creature that enters the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or take piercing damage equal to your proficiency bonus and have its walking speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn. These sharp crystals disintegrate after 1 minute. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Gaian (Unstable)

Earthen Flesh. Your flesh is made mostly or entirely of unstable metal, stone or stardust. Your body is constantly undergoing small scale reactions, producing faint flashes and tingles. You have resistance to radiant damage.

Warming Glow. As an action, you can begin to emit dim light out to 10 feet. This light lasts until you dismiss it with another action, or you die. Creatures within this light feel a comforting warmth, have advantage on saving throws against extreme cold and regain 1 additional hit point for each Hit Die they roll during a short rest.

Twinkling Skin. You have advantage on Charisma (Performance) checks where your sparkly appearance may aid you.

Gaian Manifestation. Your connection to your source can manifest in different ways in an individual gaian. Choose one of the following manifestation options for your gaian.

• Fingers of Light. When you make an unarmed strike, you can transform your fingers or hands and emit a mysterious and destructive glow. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier radiant damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
• Heart of Energy. You know the word of radiance cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this race).
• Extreme Glow. While your Warming Glow is active, you can use a bonus action to amplify its effects to potentially dangerous levels for 1 minute, or until you dismiss it with another bonus action. For the duration, any creature other than you that takes radiant or necrotic damage while inside the light's area takes additional damage of the same type. The additional damage is equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use this bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Gaian (Clay)

Earthen Flesh. Your flesh is made mostly or entirely of mud or clay. You have resistance to bludgeoning damage.

TBD.

Mud Wader. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in mud and dirt.

Gaian Manifestation. Your connection to your source can manifest in different ways in an individual gaian. Choose one of the following manifestation options for your gaian.

• Fingers of TBD. When you make an unarmed strike, you can transform your fingers or hands into clumps of hard clay. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
• Heart of Mud. You know the mold earth cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this race).
• TBD.

Gaian (Metal)

Earthen Flesh. Your flesh is made mostly or entirely of metal or metallic ores. You have resistance to slashing damage.

TBD.

TBD.

Gaian Manifestation. Your connection to your source can manifest in different ways in an individual gaian. Choose one of the following manifestation options for your gaian.

• Fingers of Steel. When you make an unarmed strike, you can transform your fingers or hands into shards or blades of metal. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier slashing damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
• Heart of Iron. You know the mending, blade ward cantrip. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this race).
• TBD.

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Feats

Hardy Flesh

Prerequisite: Gaian

Your mineral flesh becomes even more resilient and defensive. The raw energy flowing through you often reacts violently to unwanted contact. You gain the following benefits:

• Increase either your Dexterity or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• While you have temporary hit points from your Mineral Hide trait, you have a +1 bonus to your Armor Class. Also, if a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have these temporary hit points, the creature takes 1d6 damage of the damage type associated with your Earthen Flesh trait.

Shifting Mass WIP

Prerequisite: Gaian

You relearn some of the malleability of your first few days of life, allowing you to subtly shift the mass in your body into different shapes. You gain the following benefits:

• IncreaseeitheryourStrength orDexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You count as one size smaller for the purposes of squeezing through gaps and the spaces of other creatures. In addition, you have advantage Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to avoid or escape being grappled.
• While you are wearing and carrying nothing, you can use an action to take on an amorphous, fluid-like form for up to 10 minutes. This form ends early if you use an action or bonus action to end it, or if you are incapacitated. While in this form, you can squeeze through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide, you can enter and occupy the space of another creature, and you are immune to the grappled condition. You cannot talk, manipulate objects or cast spells with verbal, somatic or material components. If you take the Attack action whilst in this form, you can only use it to make unarmed strikes or take the Grapple or Shove action. You can enter this state twice, you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Renaissance Gaian

Prerequisite: Gaian

You broaden your talents ans skills, becoming a master of several fields, you gain the following benefits:

• Increase one ability score of your choice, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain all of the manifestations options from your Gaian Manifestation.

Sizes Great and Small

Prerequisite: Gaian

You have learned to greatly alter your mass and size. With a handful of minerals, you can use an action to alter your size and gain one of the effects listed below. The effects last for 10 minutes, or until you lose concentration (as if concentrating on a spell). Once you use this action, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Grow. If you are smaller than Large, you become Large, provided there is enough room for you to do so. If you are already Large, you can instead become Huge, provided there is enough room for you to do so. You also have advantage on Strength checks and saving throws. Once per turn, when you hit a target with a melee attack, you can deal an additional 1d6 damage of the type associated with your Earthen Flesh trait.

Shrink. If you are larger than Tiny, you become Tiny. You also have advantage on Dexterity checks and saving throws. Once per turn, when you make a melee attack, you can add a 1d4 bonus to the attack roll.

TBD

Prerequisite: Gaian

Something about expulsion of destructive energy. i.e. aoe damage similar to dragon breath

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Fluff

Gaians are beings awakened from the natural minerals of the world itself. Despite being composed of typically nonliving matter, these people are very much conscious, living beings in their own right. No one is quite sure how they are awakened, though many suspect the whims of gods or nature spirits are often involved.

Gaians are usually awakened fully mature and alone with no families of their own, save the bonds they make with other creatures. They tend to be more malleable within the first few weeks, able to subtly alter their form and learn rapidly. As such, they usually adopt the forms, languages and cultures of those they interact with shortly after being awakened. Most will typically settle into a more unchanging body and mind after a short while, finding it harder to change thereafter, as if they had been that way for many years.

Gaians seem to come from almost any source of unliving minerals. From hot magma, freezing permafrost, precious gemstones or even mysterious metal ores found deep below the surface or in meteorites. Combined with their malleability in early days, this leads to a wide variety of appearances within gaians.

No lifespan limit is known for gaians and they show no physical signs of aging. However they can still be wearied by time and those who do not fall to injury or disease will sometimes willingly return their source when they feel their time is up. These lifespans are greatly varied though unstable gaians always seem to expire sooner than other variants.

In Alvergia, gaians are rare. However, they can be more common in regions with extreme climates and usual magics. Magma gaians may sometimes be found on volcanic islands. Ice gaians have been rumored to be spotted in the far north or atop snow covered peaks. Gem and Unstable gaians might awaken deep underground or from meteorites. The sands of Xheros and the woods of Xia have been known to spit out unusual phenomenon, perhaps gaians can be counted among them. Due to their rarity, knowledge of these people and the nature of their creation is limited. A few mages who are aware of them have become fascinated by them, and obsessed with trying to replicate their creation.

In Caligos, gaians are extremely rare. Though it has been rumored that Ice gaians exist in the freezing wastes between cities or even that magma gaians help to operate the underground rails systems, heating engines without being impaired by the heat or toxic atmosphere.

In Delamir...

[TeraMika]

In Delamir, extreme conditions brought about by the wild magics of the rifts give rise to wondrous and terrible creatures alike. While some creatures with this origin seek to end life that they find, some simply look to make their own way in the world. Gaians are another manifestation of magic: otherworldly lightning turning a rock to magma, powerful magic reversing the usual process and bringing life to a collection of sunshards, or ancient titanic spirits murmuring and bringing the world around them to life.
While Gaians are not common, they hold a similar role to the Genasi of the world: elements given life, as opposed to life given elements. As such, they will find themselves accepted in any society. What is walking magma compared to dragons in the clouds, or eyes and whispers in the darkness?

[jackhaydock]

Moving to Done, unfinished bits have been moved here