Asura Descendant
A man stands before a horde of orcs, poised for battle. As the orcs rush upon him, his six arms become a blur as the orcs are struck back with relentless force. But they rush on, thinking that a single man will not be able to hold them all back. He would get exhausted eventually, then they would be upon him.
An hour later, the man stands atop a mound of orc corpses, bloodied and exhausted. But he had won. The orcs would not be harming his village today, nor any day, as long as he stood as its protector.
Asuras are spiritual entities with multiple limbs who are in constant conflict. Some fight for the gods while others fight against the gods. During their conflicts, an Asura may fall from the Outer Planes to the Material Plane, its physical form destroyed. While the Asura's soul will return to the Outer Planes to continue battle with a new body formed from the enrgies of the Outer Planes, the previous body of the Asura is left in the Material Plane in the form of scattered energy. This energy may be absorbed by an unborn human embryo. The child is born changed, different; the child is born as an Asura Descendant.
Spiritual Heritage
The spiritual energy left behind by a fallen Asura usually linger in the area for a few days then dissipate. However, if the Asura fell near or in a human settlement, the energy may be absorbed by an unborn human child. The spiritual energy merges with the child's soul, lying dormant until the child reachs around 10 years of age, when their spiritual energy manifests as an arm that floats behind their back. When the child reaches maturity, another arm appears next to the first.
Already born creatures cannot absorb this energy, for their soul resists the energy, and non-humans cannot absorb the energy, for Asuras are human-like in nature. Only unborn human children, whose immature soul is less guarded, can absorb the spiritual energy of an Asura.
Arms of Asura
An Asura Descendant looks exactly like an average human, except for one defining characteristic: the multiple pairs of arms that float behind their back. These arms, composed of an Asura's spiritual energy, don't manifest until a certain age. Therefore, an Asura Descendant's family---and even the Descendant themselves---don't know that they have a portion of an Asura's power until the Descendant reaches 10 years of age, and an Arm of Asura manifests.
The Descendant's manifestation of their heritage is usually met with fascination, sometimes fear. Anyone can tell that the arms are either spiritual or magical, but can't know much more. Interest in the descendant usually fades slightly when no one can tell what the arms are beyond being magical limbs. Asura Descendants are met neither with the hate a tiefling would receive nor the reverence an aasimar would receive, but mild interest. After all, in a world of magic and wonders, some extra limbs are not that strange.
The arms are mostly metallic (although there are differences in apeearance) of a specific color----according to the Descendant's elemental affinity----and usually stay floating just behind the Descendant's back, unmoving except to follow the Descendant.
When a Descendant reaches adulthood and another arm manifests, a wheel-like disc appears behind their back, around which the arms float. The disc appears to be composed of the same material as the arms and also has the same color as the arms, but serves no purpose other than aesthetics.
It takes a Descendant quite some time spent practicing---anywhere from a few months to a year---before they can reliably control the arms, and even then, they can only use the arms for simple tasks, such as carrying luggage. It takes a few more years of practice before the arms can do more complicated tasks, such as using tools or weapons.
Valiant Warriors
Like the Asuras, Asura Descendants have an affinity for combat. Their short temper, unrelenting determination, and fondness for the thrill of battle makes them the worst enemies and the best allies. Descendants from peaceful cultures usually aren't as volatile as those from other cultures, but even they are considered hot-tempered by their kin. This does not mean that Descendants are dumb brutes, however. They are as talented in strategy as they are in battle, and both Descendants who are strategists and Descendants who are warriors are a force to be reckoned with.
Asura Descandant Names
Asura Descendants have the name of the culture they were born in, for most do not even know that their souls are partially Asura when the Descendant is born.
Asura Descandant Traits
While Asura Descendants are born from humans, their slightly modified soul shifts their traits, granting them different abilities.
Ability Score Increase. One ability score of your choice increases by 2, and another ability score of your choice increases by 1.
Age. Asura Descendants age at the same rate as humans, although they tend to live a few decades longer.
Alignment. Due to the duality of Asuras, Asura Descendants tend towards extremes of good and evil. Most tend to be chaotic, although lawful or neutral Descendants are not unheard of.
Size. Asura Descendants are similar in build to humans. Your size is Medium.
Speed. You have a base walking speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision. Due to your heritage, you have better vision in darkness. You can see within dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. The only color you can discern in darkness is the one related to your Elemental Affinity, which seems pronounced and clear.
Languages. You can speak Common, you choice of Celestial, Abyssal, or Infernal, and one language of your choice.
Arms of Asura. You have a pair of Arms that float behind your back, at about the height of your shoulder blades. Each pair of Arms have the same carrying capacity and ability to push, drag, and lift as you. When you push, drag, or lift, You can use these Arms along with your regular arms, effectively doubling the amount you can push, drag, or lift. When you gain another pair, the amount is effectively tripled, while with the third pair, the amount is effectively quadrupled.
You can use the Arms to use multiple tools or nonmagical items at once. For example, you could be carving a wood figurine with one pair of arms while forging a sword with another. However, the multitasking scatters your attention, and time spent using the tools or items is doubled. The amount of tools or nonmagical items you can use at once equals the number of pairs of arms you have (2 arms make a pair), including your flesh-and-blood arms.
When you use a bonus action to engage in two-weapon fighting, you can do so even if the weapons you are using do not have the light property. If you take the Dual Wielder feat, it now allows you to use weapons with the two-handed property in two-weapon fighting. This includes ranged weapons.
Starting from 9th level, you can make another additional attack with a weapon you have not yet used this turn when engaging in two-weapon fighting, to a total of 3 per turn. You do not add your ability score modifier to the third attack unless it is negative, even if you have the Two-Weapon Fighting Fighting Style.
You gain an extra Arm at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels.
Elemental Affinity. Choose an elemental affinity for your Arms. This determines the appearance and color of your Arms, as well as the elemental damage used in Asura Descendant features.
| Element | Appearance |
|---|---|
| Acid | Black; motes of acid can be seen swirling on surface |
| Cold | Silver-white; appears to be made of opaque ice. Cold to the touch |
| Fire | Red; surface flickers slightly as if on fire. Warm to the touch |
| Force | Clear; glass-like |
| Lightning | Blue; electricity arcs along length. Static electricity may shock those who touch it |
| Necrotic | Ivory/white; skeletal appearance |
| Poison | Green; mist hangs around the Arms |
| Radiant | Gold-yellow; gives off a soothing light |
| Thunder | Gray; slightly translucent. Occasionally, ripples like that of when a pebble is thrown in a pond can be seen on surface |
All-Out Strikes. As an action, you can strike your enemies with your Arms of Asura. Make a number of melee weapon attacks equal to the number of Arms you have. On a hit, each strike deals 1d4 magical bludgeoning + 1d4 Elemental Affinity damage. You can use this feature once, and regain the ability to do so again when you complete a short or long rest.
When you use this feature, you drop all objects that you were holding with your Arms.
Elemental Devastation. As an action, you can unleash the elemental energy of your heritage upon your enemies. All creatures within a cylinder with a radius of 10ft and height of 30ft that is centered on you must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d12 Elemental Affinity damage on a failed save and half as much on a success. The save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier, or your spell save DC if you have one.
For every Arm after the first two that you gain, the damage increases by 1d12, the radius of the cylinder increases by 5ft, and the height of the cylinder increases by 15ft.
You can use this feature once, and regain the ability to do so again at the following dawn.
All artwork in this document is by a webcomic artist known as Handol. Their webcomic, ASURA, can be found here.
Many thanks to /u/SamuraiHealer for providing feedback on how to improve this race!
Asura Descendant v. 2.0: Homebrew race by /u/TreesTurtle