Planetouched
Encyclopedia
In the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy role-playing game
, the planetouched are mortal creatures whose ancestors were extraplanar creatures such as celestials
, fiends
, or elementals
.
Planetouched are considered native outsiders
.
setting. The tiefling was introduced in the Planescape Campaign Setting
boxed set (1994) as a player character
race, and received statistics in the first Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994). The aasimar first appeared in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995). The Planewalker's Handbook
(1996) introduced genasi
(including the air genasi, the earth genasi, the fire genasi, and the water genasi), and presented options for the aasimar and the tiefling as player character races. The aasimar appeared again as a player character race in Warriors of Heaven (1999).
The aasimar and the tiefling appear in the third edition Monster Manual (2000) under the planetouched entry, and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003). The axani, the cansin, and the para-genasi (the dust para-genasi, the ice para-genasi, the magma para-genasi, the ooze para-genasi, the smoke para-genasi, and the steam para-genasi) appeared in Dragon #297 (July 2002). The chaond and the zenythri appeared in the Monster Manual II (2002). The maeluth, the mechanatrix, the shyft, and the wispling appeared in the Fiend Folio
(2003). The tiefling paragon was introduced in Unearthed Arcana
(2004). The aasimar and the tiefling appear as player character races in the Planar Handbook
(2004), and Races of Destiny
(2004).
The planetouched were used throughout the Forgotten Realms
setting in third edition. The air genasi, the earth genasi, the fire genasi, and the water genasi, and the fey'ri and the tanna'ruk tieflings, appeared in Monsters of Faerûn
(2001), under the "planetouched" entry. The aasimar, the four genasi types, and the tiefling are presented as a player character races for the Forgotten Realms
setting in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
(2001). The four genasi types appear again as player character races in Dragon
#293 (March 2002), and with the aasimar, the fey'ri, the tanarukk, and the tiefling in Races of Faerûn (2003). The gloaming appeared as a player character race in Underdark
(2003), and the lesser planetouched appeared as a player character race in the Player's Guide to Faerûn (2004). The azerblood
, the celadrin
, the d'hin'ni
, and the worghest
appeared as player character races in Dragon
#350 (December 2006).
The tiefling appeared in the fourth edition as a player character race in the Player's Handbook (2008). The genasi appeared in the Monster Manual 2 (2009).
and sun elves
in the Forgotten Realms
Dungeons & Dragons
campaign setting
. They are the elven equivalent to tiefling
s. True daemonfey are the scions of House Dlardrageth. Their bloodlines include those of demon princes
. The fey'ri are those of the Siluvanedan Houses who allied with the Dlardrageths. They also possess demonic blood but not that of demon lords. The fey'ri are sometimes also referred to as daemonfey.
The daemonfey look like elves with demonic
features, or particularly fey
fiends. They are capable of magically altering their features somewhat, but in their natural form they have skin with fine scales, fiery red eyes, demonic pointed tails, and a pair of bat-like wings, in addition to their sun elven beauty.
The Daemonfey are detailed in the Forgotten Realms accessory Lords of Darkness
. Their latest activities are related in the novels of The Last Mythal Trilogy by Richard Baker
.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, the planetouched are mortal creatures whose ancestors were extraplanar creatures such as celestials
Celestial (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestials are a class of creatures and monsters known as outsiders who are of wholly good alignment....
, fiends
Fiend (Dungeons & Dragons)
Fiends is a term used in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game to refer to any malicious otherworldly creatures within the Dungeons & Dragons universe. These include various races of demons and devils that are of an evil alignment and hail from the Lower Planes...
, or elementals
Elemental (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an elemental is a type of creature. Elemental creatures are composed of one of the four classical elementals of air, earth, fire, or water.-Publication history:...
.
Planetouched are considered native outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
.
Publication history
The concept of races descended from extraplanar creatures debuted in second edition with the PlanescapePlanescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
setting. The tiefling was introduced in the Planescape Campaign Setting
Planescape Campaign Setting
The Planescape Campaign Setting was a boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The set was designed by David "Zeb" Cook and published in 1994, and introduced the Planescape setting.-Contents:...
boxed set (1994) as a player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
race, and received statistics in the first Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994). The aasimar first appeared in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995). The Planewalker's Handbook
The Planewalker's Handbook
The Planewalker's Handbook is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1996....
(1996) introduced genasi
Genasi
Genasi are creatures in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:The air genasi, the earth genasi, the fire genasi, and the water genasi first appeared in second edition as player character races for the Planescape setting in the Planewalker's Handbook .The air genasi,...
(including the air genasi, the earth genasi, the fire genasi, and the water genasi), and presented options for the aasimar and the tiefling as player character races. The aasimar appeared again as a player character race in Warriors of Heaven (1999).
The aasimar and the tiefling appear in the third edition Monster Manual (2000) under the planetouched entry, and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003). The axani, the cansin, and the para-genasi (the dust para-genasi, the ice para-genasi, the magma para-genasi, the ooze para-genasi, the smoke para-genasi, and the steam para-genasi) appeared in Dragon #297 (July 2002). The chaond and the zenythri appeared in the Monster Manual II (2002). The maeluth, the mechanatrix, the shyft, and the wispling appeared in the Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio is the title shared by three products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
(2003). The tiefling paragon was introduced in Unearthed Arcana
Unearthed Arcana
Unearthed Arcana is the title shared by two hardback books published for different editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
(2004). The aasimar and the tiefling appear as player character races in the Planar Handbook
Planar Handbook
Planar Handbook is an optional supplemental source book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.-Contents:...
(2004), and Races of Destiny
Races of Destiny
Races of Destiny is a supplement for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.-Contents:This book deals with races that live primarily in urban settings, specifically humans, half-orcs, and a new race called the Illumian, whose most notable features are the sigils that constantly...
(2004).
The planetouched were used throughout the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
setting in third edition. The air genasi, the earth genasi, the fire genasi, and the water genasi, and the fey'ri and the tanna'ruk tieflings, appeared in Monsters of Faerûn
Monsters of Faerûn
Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn is a supplement for the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons.-Contents:It features about 150 pages of monsters unique to the Forgotten Realms campaign setting...
(2001), under the "planetouched" entry. The aasimar, the four genasi types, and the tiefling are presented as a player character races for the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
setting in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting is a role-playing game sourcebook first published in 1987, detailing the Forgotten Realms setting, containing information on characters, locations, and history as well as setting-specific rules for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game...
(2001). The four genasi types appear again as player character races in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#293 (March 2002), and with the aasimar, the fey'ri, the tanarukk, and the tiefling in Races of Faerûn (2003). The gloaming appeared as a player character race in Underdark
Underdark (supplement)
The Underdark sourcebook for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.-Contents:...
(2003), and the lesser planetouched appeared as a player character race in the Player's Guide to Faerûn (2004). The azerblood
Azerblood
A Azerblood is a type of planetouched that is the combination of a fire outsider known as an azer and dwarven blood, based in the campaign setting of the Forgotten Realms for the game of Dungeons and Dragons...
, the celadrin
Celadrin
A celadrin is a type of planetouched in fictional world of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. They are the combination of a celestial ancestor and elven blood...
, the d'hin'ni
D'hin'ni
A d'hin'ni is a type of planetouched that is the combination of a genie ancestor and halfling blood, based in the campaign seeting of the Forgotten Realms for the game of Dungeons & Dragons...
, and the worghest
Worghest
A worghest is a type of fantasy creature from the Forgotten Realms campaign setting in the Dungeons & Dragons game. It is a planetouched creature that is the combination of a Barghest ancestor and goblin blood...
appeared as player character races in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#350 (December 2006).
The tiefling appeared in the fourth edition as a player character race in the Player's Handbook (2008). The genasi appeared in the Monster Manual 2 (2009).
Daemonfey
The daemonfey are a fiendish race of planetouched descended from the interbreeding of demonsDemon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demons are the most widespread race of fiends. The demons are chaotic evil by nature, and are native to the Abyss...
and sun elves
Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elves are a fictional humanoid race that is one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow...
in the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
. They are the elven equivalent to tiefling
Tiefling
Tieflings are a fictional race in the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy tabletop role-playing game.Tieflings were originally introduced as humans with demonic ancestry. A Tiefling is a being whose lineage can be traced back to some degree or another to that of a fiend or demon within the Dungeons &...
s. True daemonfey are the scions of House Dlardrageth. Their bloodlines include those of demon princes
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
. The fey'ri are those of the Siluvanedan Houses who allied with the Dlardrageths. They also possess demonic blood but not that of demon lords. The fey'ri are sometimes also referred to as daemonfey.
The daemonfey look like elves with demonic
Demon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demons are the most widespread race of fiends. The demons are chaotic evil by nature, and are native to the Abyss...
features, or particularly fey
Fey (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Fey is a type of creature, or "creature type". Fey are usually humanoid in form, and are typified as having supernatural abilities and a connection to nature or to some other force or place....
fiends. They are capable of magically altering their features somewhat, but in their natural form they have skin with fine scales, fiery red eyes, demonic pointed tails, and a pair of bat-like wings, in addition to their sun elven beauty.
Other known planetouched races
- AasimarAasimarIn the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, aasimar are a fictional race of humanoid creatures who are descended from celestials, angels and other creatures of good alignment...
(humans descended from celestial beings) - AzerbloodAzerbloodA Azerblood is a type of planetouched that is the combination of a fire outsider known as an azer and dwarven blood, based in the campaign setting of the Forgotten Realms for the game of Dungeons and Dragons...
(Faerunian Planetouched descended from Shield Dwarves and Azers) - Axani (descended from lawful beings)
- Cansin (descended from chaotic beings)
- CeladrinCeladrinA celadrin is a type of planetouched in fictional world of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. They are the combination of a celestial ancestor and elven blood...
(Faerunian Planetouched descended from Elves and Eladrin (usually Firre)) - Chaond (descended from chaotic beings)
- D'hin'niD'hin'niA d'hin'ni is a type of planetouched that is the combination of a genie ancestor and halfling blood, based in the campaign seeting of the Forgotten Realms for the game of Dungeons & Dragons...
(Faerunian Planetouched descended from Lightfoot Halflings and D'jinn) - Fey'ri (elves with fiendish blood)
- GenasiGenasiGenasi are creatures in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:The air genasi, the earth genasi, the fire genasi, and the water genasi first appeared in second edition as player character races for the Planescape setting in the Planewalker's Handbook .The air genasi,...
(descended from elementalsElemental (Dungeons & Dragons)In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an elemental is a type of creature. Elemental creatures are composed of one of the four classical elementals of air, earth, fire, or water.-Publication history:...
) - Glimmerfolk (descended from beings of radiant energy)
- Maeluth (dwarves with devilish blood)
- Mechanatrix (descended from clockwork creatures of MechanusMechanusIn the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Mechanus, also known as The Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus is a purely lawful aligned plane of existence...
) - Mephling (similar to genasi but descended from mephits)
- Para-genasi (dust, ice, magma, ooze, smoke, steam)
- Shadowswyft (descended from creatures from the Plane of Shadow)
- Shyft (descended from one of the native races of the Ethereal Plane)
- Tanarukk (Orcs descended from demons)
- TieflingTieflingTieflings are a fictional race in the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy tabletop role-playing game.Tieflings were originally introduced as humans with demonic ancestry. A Tiefling is a being whose lineage can be traced back to some degree or another to that of a fiend or demon within the Dungeons &...
(humans descended from fiendish beings) - Wispling (halflingHalflingHalfling is another name for J. R. R. Tolkien's Hobbit which can be a fictional race sometimes found in fantasy novels and games. In many settings, they are similar to humans except about half the size. Dungeons & Dragons began using the name halfling as an alternative to hobbit for legal reasons...
s descended from demonsDemon (Dungeons & Dragons)In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demons are the most widespread race of fiends. The demons are chaotic evil by nature, and are native to the Abyss...
) - WorghestWorghestA worghest is a type of fantasy creature from the Forgotten Realms campaign setting in the Dungeons & Dragons game. It is a planetouched creature that is the combination of a Barghest ancestor and goblin blood...
(Faerunian Plantouched descended from Goblins and Barghests) - Zenythri (descended from lawful beings)
Further reading
- Marks, Bennet. Creatures of Brilliance, Dragon #321 (Paizo PublishingPaizo PublishingPaizo Publishing is an American publishing company in Redmond, Washington that specializes in game aids and adventures for "the world's oldest fantasy roleplaying game" and its flagship spin-off game and setting, Pathfinder...
), 2004. - Burlew, RichRich BurlewRich Burlew is an author, game designer, and graphic designer best known for The Order of the Stick webcomic. He has written several works for Wizards of the Coast's game Dungeons and Dragons...
, et al.. Monster Manual III (Wizards of the CoastWizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
, 2004).
The Daemonfey are detailed in the Forgotten Realms accessory Lords of Darkness
Lords of Darkness
Lords of Darkness is the name of two accessories for the fictional Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition:...
. Their latest activities are related in the novels of The Last Mythal Trilogy by Richard Baker
Richard Baker (game designer)
Richard Baker is an American author and a game designer who has worked on many Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings.-Early life, education, and military:...
.
- Reynolds, Sean K.Sean K. ReynoldsSean K Reynolds is a professional game designer who has worked on and co-written a number of D&D supplements for Wizards of the Coast, as well as material for other companies. He does not put a period after his middle initial.-Background:...
and James WyattJames Wyatt (game designer)James Wyatt is a game designer and a former United Methodist minister. He works for Wizards of the Coast, where he has designed several award-winning supplements and adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
. Lords of Darkness (Wizards of the CoastWizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
, 2001).