Playing a Plane-Touched
Very rarely, a human is born with a soul that is connected to another plane. Perhaps some of your essence leaked from that plane, or perhaps an extraplanar power had some influence on your parents or your birth. Or perhaps you have a stranger story.
Whatever the cause, your soul is touched by another plane. Most commonly, this is one of the elemental planes: perhaps you were born during an epic storm in which the elemental plane of air leaked into the Material Plane. Less commonly, this is one of the Spiritual Realms: perhaps you were blessed by a divine being, or cursed by a fiend.
Some of the plane-touched can hide their true nature, and live normal lives among the society and culture in which they are born. Others are born, or manifest as they grow, physical attributes linking them to the plane that lingers on their soul. Though usually subtle, these features can make the plane-touched nature of the person who bears them obvious.
Creating Your Plane-touched Character
To create your plane-touched character, consider the nature of the plane that touches your soul. Is it an elemental plane, a divine realm, or something darker, a realm of fiends or other evils? Does your physical appearance reflect your plane-touched nature, or can you hide your features?
Consider also the cause of your plane-touched nature. Do you know what happened to you, or do you still wonder? How does your character view their plane-touched nature? Is it a curse, a blessing, or something more complicated?
Finally, consider where you came from, perhaps referencing the Playing a Human document for ideas. After all, you must have been born into a human family, somewhere in the world. Does your family known your plane-touched nature? Do they accept you, or are you an outcast?
Plane-touched Names
Many plane-touched humans will have names derived from the culture they were born into; see Playing a Human for more ideas here.
Consider whether you might have taken on a different name when you realized your plane-touched nature.
Basic Traits
Creature Type: Humanoid
Size: Your size is Medium.
Speed: 30 feet
Age: You age at the same rate as humans.
Languages: Your connection to another plane grants you knowledge of the language associated with the plane that touches your soul. You may also select four additional Languages during character creation, which likely include Common and the native language of your homeland. Like all characters, you may choose to replace one of these language proficiencies with a tool proficiency.
Plane-touched Traits
The species traits you use are determined by the nature of the plane that touches your soul:
- If you are touched by one of the Divine Realms, use the Aasimar species traits.
- If you are touched by one of the Spiritual Realms, but not divine, use the Plane-Touched traits below. This could be a fiendish plane like the Abyss or the Nine Hells, or it could be something like Arborea or Limbo.
- If you are touched by an elemental plane, such as the Plane of Fire or the Elemental Plane of Air, use the Elemental-Touched traits below.
- You also have the option of using the Human species traits, and reflecting your plane touched nature in your class, e.g. as a sorcerer or warlock with an origin appropriate to your plane-touched nature.
This is basically built on the Tiefling framework, with some small tweaks. But you essentially get:
(1) Darkvision or another similar trait, such as breath holding, water breathing, ignore difficult terrain, etc
(2) A minor magical boon such as Thaumaturgy
(3) A protective trait, usually resistance
(4) A planar legacy trait, that gives you a cantrip at 1st, a 1st level spell at 3rd, and a 2nd level spell at 5th
Plane-Touched
Darkvision
You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Otherworldly Presence
You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. When you cast it with this trait, the spell uses the same spellcasting ability you use for your Planar Legacy Trait.
Planar Legacy
You are the recipient of a legacy that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a legacy from the Planar Legacies table. You gain the level 1 benefit of the chosen legacy.
When you reach character levels 3 and 5, you learn a higher-level spell, as shown on the table. You always have that spell prepared. You can cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the legacy).
| Legacy | Level 1 | Level 3 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssal | You have Resistance to Poison damage. You also know the Poison Spray cantrip. | Ray of Sickness | Hold Person |
| Chthonic | You have Resistance to Necrotic damage. You also know the Chill Touch cantrip. | False Life | Ray of Enfeeblement |
| Infernal | You have Resistance to Fire damage. You also know the Fire Bolt cantrip. | Hellish Rebuke | Darkness |
Elemental-Touched
Elemental Essence
Your plane-touched nature changes you. You gain one of the following benefits that represents this elemental influence.
- Darkvision (Earth, Fire): You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
- (Water, Air): ????
- Unending Breath (Air): You can hold your breath indefinitely as long as you are not Incapacitated.
- Amphibious (Water): You have a Swim Speed equal to your Speed, and you can breath air and water.
- Summon Flame (Fire): As a Magic action, you can summon a flickering flame to your hand. This flame can ignite flammable objects that you touch, and it also sheds Bright Light in a 20 foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 20 feet. The flame disappears when you dismiss it (no action required). You must have a free hand to summon this flame.
- Earth Walk (Earth): You can move across Difficult Terrain caused by earth or stone, including rubble, narrow openings in earth or stone, and earthen or stone slopes, without expending extra movement.
Elemental Presence
You know the Elementalism cantrip. When you cast it with this trait, the spell uses the same spellcasting ability you use for your Elemental Legacy Trait.
Elemental Legacy
You are the recipient of a legacy that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a legacy from the Elemental Legacies table. You gain the level 1 benefit of the chosen legacy.
When you reach character levels 3 and 5, you learn a higher-level spell, as shown on the table. You always have that spell prepared. You can cast it once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the legacy).
| Legacy | Level 1 | Level 3 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire | You have Resistance to Fire damage. You also know the Control Flames cantrip. | Burning Hands | ???? |
| Earth | As a Bonus Action, you can give yourself resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that lasts until the beginning of your next turn. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you complete a Long Rest. You also know the Mold Earth cantrip. | ???? | ???? |
| Water | You have Resistance to Acid damage. You also know the Shape Water cantrip. | Create or Destroy Water | Water Walk |
| Air | You have Resistance to Lightning damage. You also know the Gust cantrip. | Feather Fall | Levitate |