Dungeons & Dragons: Earth Genasi Species Guide

Quick Links

• The History Of The Earth Genasi

• Earth Genasi Features

• Best Classes For Earth Genasi Characters

• Best Feats For An Earth Genasi

The earth genasi adventurer winds over a ledge, face still with concentration as they disappear into the wall, their form merging with the clean side of a cliff. The Earth genasi is one of the four types of genasi in Dungeons & Dragons: humanoids descended from the affairs between humans and genies, or humanoids born to families living close to extraordinary amounts of elemental magic.

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Earth genasi in particular are descended from the Dao, an earth-based elemental known for their industrious natures and pride, though widely considered to be wicked and subject to cruel whims. Earth genasi inherited the Dao's control over the earth and their powerful builds, often leading them into lives of adventure, making them great choices for your next character.

The History Of The Earth Genasi

The earth genasi's heritage is from the Elemental Plane of Earth, a plane of endless, constantly shifting ground. Every type of rock, ore, sand, and soil can be found on this plane, and the Earth Genasi's appearance reflects this.

Earth genasi often have skin that resembles crystalline gemstones, earth, or stone, with glimmering lines of gold or a gem-like glow running over their body in intricate patterns. These lines are called szuldar, aesthetic energy lines that run across the form of the genasi. They can be changed via scarring or modification, but do not change throughout their lives, distinguishing the Genasi from other elemental species.

Due to the genasi's tendency to be born in families outside their species, earth genasi's culture tends to be that of their upbringing, though many earth genasi often feel isolated due to their unique and rare appearance. This could potentially make for a lonely childhood, ushering your character into leaving a family home or making their way into the world.

Though it's rare that genasi is born to other genasi, due to the species' rarity, such a thing is possible and not unheard of.

Earth genasi are often said to be stubborn, strong, and unchangeable, like the element they hail from, though some species might describe them as naive. Though this is said about the earth genasi, this is not entirely the case.

It's possible that your earth genasi may be as changeable as their location can be, perhaps being very worldly due to uncomfortable interactions with people unaccustomed to their appearance or very flexible due to their adaptability to the surrounding earth.

Earth genasi can also have skin tones that mirror human skin tones, though they may have a faint shimmer to them to distinguish them from their human counterparts. Earth genasi are highly varied, and it's entirely possible that no two will look the same. Earth genasi can also come from any species, so feel free to get creative with your appearance.

Earth Genasi Features

• Earth Walk

• • You're able to move across difficult terrain without spending any extra movement.

One of the unique features of the Earth Genasi to its elemental counterparts is its mobility. The earth genasi uses their understanding of the natural world to better keep themselves moving, navigating difficult terrain as if it were moving regularly.

This works especially well for martial classes who don't have access to spellcasting which could potentially alleviate this issue and works well for spellcasters in that they don't have to expend the spell slot to navigate a difficult map.

• Darkvision

• • You see in dim light within 60 feet of you asbright light and can see in darkness as if it were dim light. You see colors in shades of gray.

Darkvision is a common trait among the fantastic species within Dungeons and Dragons, and is always of benefit to a character, letting them traverse the darker areas of their campaign.

• Merge With Stone

• • You know the Blade Ward cantrip. You can cast it as a bonus action, and regainall uses when you finish a long rest. You can cast it using an action as well. This can potentially be used as a defensive cantrip in tandem with attacks.
  • At the fifth level, you can cast Pass Without A Trace. You don't regain this spell until after you finish a long rest.
  • Your spellcasting abilities for these spells are Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.

Merge With Stone is a feature that encourages stealth and defense, setting the earth genasi up for a sturdier build. Pass Without A Trace cannot be overstated in its ability to assist a party, as every party member within 30 feet of you can add +10 to their existing Stealth checks, and they will thank you for it in modules such as Out of the Abyss and Curse of Strahd, which actively encourage lower level characters to flee from high-powered encounters.

Blade Ward works well for martial classes, though note that barbarian gives you these resistances anyway, so using the cantrip in tandem with the class may be redundant.

Best Classes For Earth Genasi Characters

You can play any class as an earth genasi, and the spread of traits makes it easy for the species to be effective in multiple classes and scenarios. Still, some classes may get more benefits out of the earth genasi's traits, and put their innate spellcasting to good use.

Hexblade Warlock

• Blade Ward adds a nice buff to the hexblade's abilities, especially for one that intends to be within melee range. Another interesting benefit to the hexblade earth genasi is the Accursed Specter feature they gain at the sixth level. Pass Without A Trace could help mitigate the semi-corporeal nature of the Specter, allowing it to temporarily act as a Scout, but you should always check with your Dungeon Master and the rules at their table.

Artificer

• Blade Ward is useful at early levels and gives the artificer some breathing room until they start gaining proficiencies.
• Pass Without A Trace is a massive boon to an artificer's build, obscuring some potentially terrible stealth rolls, as Dexterity is often looked over in favor of Intelligence.

Bladesinger Wizard

• Blade Ward as a bonus action makes for a very strong bladesinger. Not only does it improve your resistance, but it frees up your cantrips for other weapon-oriented spells. On top of that, the earth genasi's mobility would keep the bladesinger up and moving in difficult terrain.

Rogue

• Pass Without A Trace on a stealthy rogue build could potentially create the most effective Scout or Thief to ever exist. Furthermore, in the case of the arcane trickster, the casting of such a spell would not take up a spell slot unless you recast it. Seeing as Pass Without A Trace is from the druid and ranger spell list, this could be invaluable in settings in which you need to sneak.

Pass Without A Trace is not Invisibility. It enables you to hide, but you do not become unseen.

Best Feats For An Earth Genasi

Athlete

• Athlete adds to the mobility you already have as an earth genasi, making it so you only use five feet of movement if you're knocked prone. Climbing also won't cost you extra movement. Together with Earth Walk, this feat could make you one of the most undeterred characters in a party.

Mobile

• Mobile allows you to have ten more feet of movement, though it also makes it so that difficult terrain doesn't cost you extra movement at a Dash, which is something Earth Walk already grants you with regular walking speed. However, Mobile enables hit-and-run tactics that can keep you out of harm's way, adding to the Earth Genasi's defensive capabilities.

Skulker

• Pass Without A Trace does not drop when you attack someone, though it is a concentration spell, so it may drop if someone hits you back. If you're able to hide, Skulker ensures that your position is not revealed if you've attacked with a ranged weapon.

Sentinel

• In terms of mobility, Sentinel makes sure that your opponents lack it. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed will become zero for the rest of the turn, and they'll provoke opportunity attacks even if they disengage. Sentinel allows you to become inescapable even while navigating around obstacles with your inherent traits.

NEXT: Dungeons & Dragons: How To Build A Bladesinger Wizard