I'm an experienced player, first time DM running a campaign with first time players. All of my players so far want to be really out-there races, (Tabaxi, Kenku, Aasimar, Etc.). I've been able to work with it for the most part, but I'm stuck on the Aasimar. I'm running a forgotten realms campaign (lost mines of phandelver). I just can't wrap my head around how an Aasimar would be able to mesh well within the rest of the group, let alone a town full of dwarves and humans. In addition, I'm worried the character might be too overpowered. Does anyone have any tips for running a campaign with an Aasimar PC? I don't want to say the player can't be an Aasimar, but I can't figure out how to insert her well into the world.
I imagine myself as a humble prospector in the town of Phandalin, and one day a group of monster-looking adventurers arrive in town. Among them are a Tabaxi, a Kenku, a Kobold, a Dragonborn, and an Aasimar. Considering that most of these folk look like monsters, I'd take my chances with talking to the angel looking lady first... After learning she's some kind of angelic servant, I'd trust she's here to help... and although her friends appear to be scary, if this angel lady vouches for them, well, I guess I'll trust them too. In a group of all monster-skinned player characters, an Aasimar might exactly be what the party needs to gain the initial trust of the townsfolk.
SO, why is she there? This is a question is a mix of the player's choices and the DM's. Running LmoP, the premise is that Gundren Rockseeker hired her and the others to deliver mining supplies to town; however, there must be more. An Aasimar usually has a spiritual guide, a powerful angel who gives the Aasimar tasks, advice, and sometimes power. Who is this guide, and why did they tell the Aasimar to accept Gundren's job offer? Perhaps this angel has some foresight into the events that are unfolding, the evil that lurks in the lost mine. Defeating the evil undead that dwell there would be a great way for this Aasimar to begin proving her worthiness to the heavens.
Volo's Guide to Monsters has Aasimar listed. I don't see anything that shows that race to get overpowered. That statement is rather unfounded. Mechanically just treat it like any other player. If you think that character is OP then give the others in the party item upgrades, before you give something to the Aasimar. That way the level challenge will off-set itself.
Mechanically a Tabaxxi has more racial abilities that could be "OP" then the Aasimar does.
Thematically that's up to you. Just get creative with the backstory to make it fit.
Aasimar generally aren't distinguishable from humans from visual inspection alone so their race choice shouldn't pose any problems with regard to NPC reactions (unlike, say, playing a kobold.)
I also second the opinion that Aasimar aren't overpowered.
An aasimar, as stated earlier, has an angelic agent that speaks to them and guides them towards greater purpose. However, an aasimar isn't necessarily half angel, merely blessed with celestial blood. Being essentially a different race than your parents and spoken to since birth by voices on high can leave the poor aasimar feeling estranged from every day life among their own people. That, as well as divine guidance leading them to it, is the reason I feel most aasimar take up adventure.
Maybe the aasimar you're DMing for is more comfortable with her current company because they aren't all that different after all; all exotic races somehow estranged from humanity. A tabaxi that doesn't connect with human strife, a kenku that can't communicate with humans on their own terms, et cetera. Why wouldn't an aasimar, a person that had to bare divine burden since childhood that no human could possibly phathom, feel at home among those that humans don't understand?
Talk to your player, figure out some back story. Why does she think the aasimar is with this rare group? Maybe the aasimar doesn't even want to be, but her celestial insists this group will lead her to her destiny or unlock her potential. Figure things out not as "how will I DM this group", but rather, "what is this character's/player's motive".
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I'm an experienced player, first time DM running a campaign with first time players. All of my players so far want to be really out-there races, (Tabaxi, Kenku, Aasimar, Etc.). I've been able to work with it for the most part, but I'm stuck on the Aasimar. I'm running a forgotten realms campaign (lost mines of phandelver). I just can't wrap my head around how an Aasimar would be able to mesh well within the rest of the group, let alone a town full of dwarves and humans. In addition, I'm worried the character might be too overpowered. Does anyone have any tips for running a campaign with an Aasimar PC? I don't want to say the player can't be an Aasimar, but I can't figure out how to insert her well into the world.
I imagine myself as a humble prospector in the town of Phandalin, and one day a group of monster-looking adventurers arrive in town. Among them are a Tabaxi, a Kenku, a Kobold, a Dragonborn, and an Aasimar. Considering that most of these folk look like monsters, I'd take my chances with talking to the angel looking lady first... After learning she's some kind of angelic servant, I'd trust she's here to help... and although her friends appear to be scary, if this angel lady vouches for them, well, I guess I'll trust them too. In a group of all monster-skinned player characters, an Aasimar might exactly be what the party needs to gain the initial trust of the townsfolk.
SO, why is she there? This is a question is a mix of the player's choices and the DM's. Running LmoP, the premise is that Gundren Rockseeker hired her and the others to deliver mining supplies to town; however, there must be more. An Aasimar usually has a spiritual guide, a powerful angel who gives the Aasimar tasks, advice, and sometimes power. Who is this guide, and why did they tell the Aasimar to accept Gundren's job offer? Perhaps this angel has some foresight into the events that are unfolding, the evil that lurks in the lost mine. Defeating the evil undead that dwell there would be a great way for this Aasimar to begin proving her worthiness to the heavens.
Volo's Guide to Monsters has Aasimar listed. I don't see anything that shows that race to get overpowered. That statement is rather unfounded. Mechanically just treat it like any other player. If you think that character is OP then give the others in the party item upgrades, before you give something to the Aasimar. That way the level challenge will off-set itself.
Mechanically a Tabaxxi has more racial abilities that could be "OP" then the Aasimar does.
Thematically that's up to you. Just get creative with the backstory to make it fit.
Aasimar generally aren't distinguishable from humans from visual inspection alone so their race choice shouldn't pose any problems with regard to NPC reactions (unlike, say, playing a kobold.)
I also second the opinion that Aasimar aren't overpowered.
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An aasimar, as stated earlier, has an angelic agent that speaks to them and guides them towards greater purpose. However, an aasimar isn't necessarily half angel, merely blessed with celestial blood. Being essentially a different race than your parents and spoken to since birth by voices on high can leave the poor aasimar feeling estranged from every day life among their own people. That, as well as divine guidance leading them to it, is the reason I feel most aasimar take up adventure.
Maybe the aasimar you're DMing for is more comfortable with her current company because they aren't all that different after all; all exotic races somehow estranged from humanity. A tabaxi that doesn't connect with human strife, a kenku that can't communicate with humans on their own terms, et cetera. Why wouldn't an aasimar, a person that had to bare divine burden since childhood that no human could possibly phathom, feel at home among those that humans don't understand?
Talk to your player, figure out some back story. Why does she think the aasimar is with this rare group? Maybe the aasimar doesn't even want to be, but her celestial insists this group will lead her to her destiny or unlock her potential. Figure things out not as "how will I DM this group", but rather, "what is this character's/player's motive".
#OpenDnD. #DnDBegone