Dread Genasi (V1.0)

<div class='cover-header'>Dread Genasi</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>Elemental humanoids, corrupted.</div>

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## Dread Genasi

_Where the flames laugh at the dead,_

_Where that sacred red seeps from a wound,_

_Where we become trapped by those awful phantoms,_

_Where the ground waits to envelop us all,_

<br>

_In that dread place, even the ground is corrupted,_

_The four pillars, twisted and spreading death,_

_Their dread spawn forming in turn,_

_Shells filled with vile urges_

<br>

_-unknown poet_

### Dread Elements
Amongst planar scholars, Ravenloft is one of the most feared of the strange locales they study. For summoners who find themselves stuck in one of the Dread Domains, it will quickly become known that the corruption of the plane twists even their own allies against them. While some entities only manifest this darkness through malevolent behavior, others have their very form changed.

Fire and Earth both become infused with the dead, becoming Pyre and Grave. Water takes on the form of a more foul liquid; Blood. And Air becomes one with the Mists that encircle the Demiplane of Dread.

Sometimes, this corruption can even pass onto their humanoid relatives.

___

### A Corrupted Lineage
When the conditions for a genasi to be born occur within the Demiplane of Dread, the same process that corrupts pure elementals can influence their nature. The results in the progeny reflecting these dark elements, rather than the pure ones seen in most genasi. Accordingly, this also often changes their personality to represent the worst of their element’s associations.

While most occurrences of Dread Genasi are associated with Ravenloft, there are fringe rumors of these corrupted elements appearing in other planes. These reports often correlate with catastrophes in their home plane, these tragedies seemingly being able to result in a similar effect upon the planar elements. Whether these are truly related to the Dread elements, or just have similar results, is unknown.

___

### Dread Genasi Traits
___
Your Dread Genasi character has the following racial traits.

**Age.**  Genasi generally have a lifespan slightly longer than their humanoid heritage. For human-derived Genasi, this is around 120 years.

**Alignment.** Due to their corrupted nature, Dread Genasi often have urges towards Evil acts. However, this isn't completely binding, and ones that resist their dark nature aren't unknown.

**Size.** Your size is Medium or  Small.

**Speed.** Your walking speed is 30 feet.

**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.

**Spellcasting.** Your choice of subrace provides the ability to cast spells. Spells gained using this trait do not need material components.
* Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells (choose when you select this race). 1st and 2nd-level spells can each be cast once per long rest.

**Subrace.** There are four types of Dread Genasi, corresponding to each corrupted element. Choose one of the subraces below.

#### Pyre Genasi
_The dread version of fire, representing the burning of corpses. Their bodies are often thin and withered, as if the fat has been burnt off them. Sometimes, they even have skeleton-like markings in a color contrasting their skin tone. Their flame colors also have a wider range than their pure counterparts, with ghostly blues, greens, and purples being recorded in their kind._

_The corruption of their element gives them a consumptive desire, relishing any opportunity to burn something to ashes. This desire can range from obvious delight to simmering satisfaction, but ultimately the main difference between alignments is in what they choose to burn._

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

**Burning Resistance.** You have resistance to fire damage.

**Corpse Fires.** When casting a spell that does fire or necrotic damage, you can make it deal the other damage type instead.

**The Pyre Blooms.** You know the _create bonfire_ cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast _inflict wounds_ with this trait. At 5th level, you can also cast _Aganazzar's scorcher_.

**Languages.** You know Common and Primordial (Ignan).

#### Blood Genasi
_The dread version of water genasi. Their appearance is the most obviously different from their counterparts, nearly their whole body being some shade of red ranging from gummy pinks to clotted blacks. The smell of iron follows them wherever they go, and their touch often leaves a faint red stain._

_Not unexpectedly, blood genasi often have to deal with violent urges. Better-natured ones often go into adventuring, where there are plenty of monsters to slay. Those without a good heart, however, often become monstrous killers._

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.

**The Blood Froths.** You know the _blood bolt_ cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast _blood slash_ with this trait. At 5th level, you can also cast _blood wave_.

**Absorption.** Once per short rest, when dealing piercing or slashing damage, you can heal hit points equal to twice your proficiency bonus.

**Languages.** You know Common and Primordial (Aquan).

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#### Mist Genasi
_The dread version of air genasi. While their regular kin tend to have shades of blue, mist genasi are washed out in tone, with barely any color evident. Often, their body even seems slightly translucent and ethereal, though they are as grounded in space as any other of the genasi._

_Fueled with the dark energies of the Mists themselves, mist genasi often show manipulative traits. Ones that are able to avoid immediate rejection can climb the social ladder very quickly… though whether they use this for good or ill varies between individuals._

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

**Nimble Mists.** Your speed increases by 5 feet.

**Corrupter's Resistance.** You have resistance to psychic damage.

**Cunning Nature.** You have proficiency in either Persuasion or Deception

**The Mist Swirls.** You know the *chill touch* cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast *charm person* with this trait. At 5th level, you can also cast *suggestion*.

**Languages.** You know Common and Primordial (Auran).

#### Grave Genasi
_The dread version of earth genasi. Their bodies often look more like dirt than stone, except for protrusions that resemble crude gravestones or bones. In more exotic regions their appearance can vary from the norm, such as the desert of Har'Akir producing genasi with loose strips of skin not unlike linen covering a mummy._

_It isn’t a surprise that grave genasi tend to feel a kinship with the dead, unliving or not. Some of these end up acting as keepers for graveyards, fueling their nature into a more constructive form. Others, however, dive into the darkest depths of necromancy, believing in the superiority of the dead over the living._

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

**Tomb-Maker.** You have a burrowing speed of 10 feet. This can move through sand and soft dirt, but not stone. In addition, you do not need to breathe if buried in soil.

**Dead-Adjacent.** When surrounded by corpses, you fit right in. You add your proficiency bonus to checks to communicate with undead creatures.

**The Grave Turns.** You know the *mold earth* cantrip. At 5th level, you can cast the *Maximillian's earthen grasp* spell.

**Languages.** You know Common and Primordial (Terran).

___

>##### Optional Rules:
>_These rules are either to fit with more modern race standards, or to add interesting options that are too esoteric to be a part of the core features._
>
>**Tasha’s-style Ability Scores.** Instead of the given Ability Score Improvements, you can increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. You can't raise any of your scores above 20.

>##### Credits
>_All artwork by 416._
>
>_Made with assistance of Detect Balance by somanyrobots._
>
>_"Blood bolt", "blood slash", and "blood wave" spells by Kibblestasty_
>
>_Acknowledgements to Hell_Born for their [first attempt](https://www.fraternityofshadows.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9501) at Dread Genasi in 5th Edition._
>
>_Version 1.0_

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## Appendix: Spell References

_All text below is by Kibblestasty._

### Blood Components

Blood magic spells all have a material component
that reads "a drop [or splash] of blood worth [X] hit
points". If a material component is "up to X" hit
points, you can choose to spend as little as 1 hit point,
or up to the full amount listed.

When you cast a blood magic spell, you take
damage equal to the hit points required for the spell,
which you can draw as part of casting the spell (no
additional action required). These hit points must
come from you, unless you have features or feats that
allow you to use other sources of blood to power your
magic.

If you cast a blood magic spell with a higher-level
spell slot, the minimum hit point cost increases to the
slot level used.

You cannot use blood magic if doing so would
reduce you to 0 hit points.
### Blood Damage
Damage taken from casting blood magic reduces
your current hit points and bypasses any temporary
hit points or damage reduction you have (as you need
blood to power the spell).

### Spells

#### Blood Bolt
*Transmutation cantrip (blood magic)*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** 60 feet
- **Components:** S, M (a drop of your blood worth at
least 1 hit point, which the spell consumes)
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
___

You transmute a drop of blood into a crimson dart
and launch it at creatures within range, making a
ranged spell attack. On hit, the target takes 1d6
piercing damage and 1d6 necrotic damage.

The piercing and necrotic damage both increase by
1d6 at 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level
(4d6). The blood consumed also increases when the
damage increases at 5th (2), 11th (3), and 17th (4).

#### Blood Slash
*1st-level transmutation (blood magic)*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** 60 feet
- **Components:** S, M (a drop of your blood worth at
least 2 hit points, which the spell consumes)
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
___

You create a blade of blood and fling it at a creature
you can see within range. Make a ranged spell attack.
On a hit, the creature takes 2d6 slashing damage and
2d6 necrotic damage.

_**At Higher Levels.**_ When you cast this spell using a
spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the slashing damage
increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

<br>

#### Blood Wave
*2st-level transmutation (blood magic)*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** Self (15-foot cone)
- **Components:** S, M (a drop of your blood worth at
least 4 hit points, which the spell consumes)
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
___

You release a wave of magical blood that spreads out
in a 15-foot cone. Creatures in the area must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes
2d6 bludgeoning damage and 2d6 necrotic damage
and is knocked prone. On a success, it takes half as
much damage and is not knocked prone.

If the wave kills a creature or passes over a corpse
that has died within the last minute, it grows,
increasing its size by 5 feet (e.g. it becomes a 20-foot
cone). It can increase to up to twice its original size.
Creatures without blood don't trigger this effect.

_**At Higher Levels.**_ When you cast this spell using a
spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the spell’s range
increases by 5 feet and the necrotic damage
increases by 1d6 damage for each slot level above
2nd.