Race: Angelic
Angelics include angels who have chosen to become mortal and their descendants. Angelics of various celestial orders are known for their brightly-colored eyes and hair or glowing skin, as well as divine aptitudes and magic to resist evil.
A Choice To Be Mortal
Guardian angels are celestial spirits that watch over mortals in the material plane from the border ethereal. They record good and bad deeds and report to superiors in the upper planes. On occasion, they intervene on behalf of the innocent.
As beings of innate love and compassion, angels can manifest partially on the material plane to aid a mortal, when celestial aid is sought or a need is dire. Angels that transition into a more physical form gain some limited ability to interact with the physical world while keeping some of their spiritual powers. The lives of innocent infants and children are often spared by such divine intervention.
However, this meddling in mortal affairs does not come for free. When an angel enters the material world, the way is opened for a fiend to manifest as well. And there is another catch. If an angel chooses to manifest fully in the material world, whether to rescue an abandoned child, or to marry a mortal they have fallen in love with, then they cannot return to angelic form. They have chosen a mortal life. And while they can live out their chosen life, they will forever know that they have allowed a demon or devil into the world.
Such are the choices of guardian angels.
Marked For Good
Angelics often choose to use their gifts to benefit their fellow mortals. However, some resent their heritage and use their abilities for more selfish motives. Others feel compelled to fight the infernal and demonic influences that their very existence allows in the material plane.
Either way, angelic nature is difficult to hide. Just like tieflings with their distinguishable fiendish lineages, a celestial heritage manifests in a variety of noticeable ways, from things as obvious as sigils on the skin to more subtle, but undeniable indications such a radiant glow that emanates when the angelic is feeling joy.
Whether for good or evil is up to each individual, but the sign remains.
Born into Eternal Conflict
Angelics are constantly made aware that their presence is at least partly to blame for fiendish acts and the presence of tieflings. As such, angelics and tieflings have a fated relationship. Neither can exist without the other in significant numbers. For many this coexistence is a mandate to continue to the eternal struggle that rages across all planes—the battle between good and evil. It can be especially hard for angelics to accept that tieflings do not harbor intentions to do them harm. Trust is distant, and suspicion runs deep.
Traits
Creature type
You are humanoid, but spells and abilities to detect or deter celestials have a 50% chance of working on you.
Celestial Restoration
As a bonus action, you can end the charmed, frightened, poisoned, or stunned condition on yourself. You cannot do so again until after you finish a long rest.
Angelic Sacrifice
As an action, you can gift a creature you touch with temporary hit points equal to a roll of your hit die plus your Con modifier, which lasts until you finish a rest. You lose half that many hit points. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.
Angelic Order
You inherit an angelic gift through the authority of an archangel that supervised you or your angel ancestor. Choose an order from the list of below.
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability when you cast spells with this trait (choose when you select this race). Once you cast a leveled spell using this trait you may not cast that spell again using this trait until you finish a long rest. You may also cast Angelic Order spells using available spell slots, or as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.
If your order grants you a bonus to a skill check, you may use it a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You recover spent uses when you finish a long rest.
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Gabriel - Your gift comes through Gabriel, archangel of annunciation. You know the message cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the spell augury. You can add 1d6 to an Intimidation check. You never leave footprints, and at night your eyes are a sea of slowly turning stars.
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Zadkiel - From the order of Zadkiel flows an angelic gift of empathy and comfort. You can add 1d6 to a Persuasion check. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the spell calm emotions. Zadkiel's gift graces you with vibrant blue hair and irises.
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Michael - Your authority falls under the warrior archangel Michael. Sigils of power adorn your arms and torso that glow when your magic is active. You know the cantrip resistance which you can also cast as a bonus action. You can do so again after you roll initiative. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast heroism.
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Raphael - The healing authority of Raphael shines through you. You know the cantrip spare the dying. Starting at 3rd level you can cast the spell lesser restoration. You can add 1d6 to a Medicine check. The mark of Raphael is sparkling skin.
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Ariel - The archangel protector of nature grants your angelic gift. You know the cantrip druidcraft and the spell animal friendship. You can add 1d6 to an Animal Handling, Survival, or Navigation check. Nature gifts you with green hair and eyes. Nearby flowers bloom with your joy, or close when you are sad.
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Uriel - The wisdom of the archangel Uriel graces your lineage. You can add 1d6 to an Insight or Intelligence check. Starting at 3rd level you can cast the spell identify. The mark of Uriel's order is your silver hair and shimmering silvery eyes.
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Chamuel - The archangel of love, peace, and relationships Chamuel bestows your angelic gift. You can cast the spell protection from evil and good. You can also cast ceremony. You can add 1d6 to an Insight check. The sign of Chamuel is your golden hair and irises.
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Jophiel - You are endowed by the archangel giver of beauty and inspiration. You know the cantrip thaumaturgy and the spell silent image, useful to lighten hearts or deter those who would destroy. You can add 1d6 to an artisan's tool check. You literally glow when you are joyful; dark clouds gather when you grieve.
Version History
| Date | Version | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025.02.08 | 1.1 | 1d4->1d6; revised creature type |
| 2025.02.06 | 1.0 | Initial release for playtesting. Art credits: Midjourney tool (v5). Feel free to use for noncommercial purposes. |