With their heritage from the Elemental Plane of Fire, fire genasi bring the heat. These unique souls carry their innate fire magic with them wherever they go, allowing fire genasi to easily light a campfire or torch entire rooms full of dire rats.
Being descendants of djinn isn’t always easy, though. Fire genasi are easily distinguished thanks to their burnished skin and bright hair–when that hair isn’t actually an open flame. To tame this fire, you’ll need the information contained in this guide. Read on to discover the secrets of the fire genasi and how best to play this fiery spellcaster in your next Dungeons & Dragons campaign.
All info is from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.
The History Of The Fire Genasi
Fire genasi can trace their heritage back to the Elemental Plane of Fire. Immortal beings called djinn (or sometimes efreet) from the Plane of Fire sometimes travel to the Material Plane–usually for business, but sometimes for pleasure. And when a particularly attractive mortal catches a djinn’s eye, the mortal child is called a genasi.
Fire genasi are often distinguished by their reddish hue and fiery hairstyles. They’re also confident, self-assured, and determined. But perhaps their biggest distinguishing feature is their attunement to the element of fire, providing fire genasi with resistance to flames as well as the ability to produce flames on command.
Fire genasi are either medium or small-sized creatures with a walking speed of 30 feet. When you choose Fire Genasi as your character, increase one ability score by two points and a different ability score by one point.
Fire Genasi Features
|
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. |
|---|
Darkvision is never a bad thing to have. Being able to see in the dark can cut down on your torch spending and also free up a cantrip.
However, fire genasi can easily just hold a flame in their hands for vision, making this feature somewhat superfluous.
|
Fire Resistance |
You have resistance to fire damage. |
|---|
Resistance to fire damage is nice as fire can be a fairly common non-physical damage type.
Remember that fire genasi have resistance to fire, not immunity, so fire damage will still hurt a fire genasi, just at a reduced rate.
|
Reach to the Blaze |
You know the Produce Flame cantrip. Starting at third level, you can cast the Burning Hands spell with this trait. Starting at fifth level, you can also cast the Flame Blade spell with this trait, without requiring a material component. Once you cast burning hands or Flame Blade with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells when you cast them with this trait (choose when you select this race). |
|---|
Here’s where fire genasi stand out. As a fire genasi, you get a cantrip and two spells that you can cast with your choice of ability score. This can greatly enhance certain magic-wielding classes that don’t get the sort of damage-dealing spells that fire genasi know innately.
Best Classes For Fire Genasi Characters
As with every character, you can play whatever class you wish as a fire genasi and still be effective. However, fire genasi’s innate spellcasting abilities lend themselves to certain magic-wielding classes better than others.
Here are the classes we’d recommend as a fire genasi player.
|
Bard |
Because Bards don’t get much in the way of damage-dealing cantrips (Vicious Mockery can only do so much), Produce Flame can provide Bards with an excellent damage option. Burning Hands is also a decent crowd-control spell, and Flame Blade can be perfect with the more martial Bard subclasses, either College of Valor or College of Swords. |
|---|---|
|
Druid |
Druids can already learn Produce Flame, but getting it as a fire genasi means freeing up a cantrip slot for something else. Produce Flame is a nice spell to have, although few Druids will get much use out of Flame Blade. |
|
Paladin |
Paladins don’t get many ranged options, so Produce Flame is a real boon here. Flame Blade can also be very helpful for boosting your Paladin’s damage. |
|
Cleric |
Sacred Flame is typically better than Produce Flame for dealing damage, but the more melee-focused Clerics might find Flame Blade a decent use of their bonus actions. |
|
Warlock – Hexblade |
Most Warlocks will get more out of Eldritch Blast than Produce Flame as a cantrip, but Hexblades will really enjoy Flame Blade on top of their already cursed blades. |
|
Wizard – Bladesinging |
Same with Hexblade Warlocks, Bladesinging Wizards can also get a boost from Flame Blade, although they can already learn the spell on their own. Firebolt is a strictly better damage-dealing cantrip than Produce Flame, however. |
|
Ranger |
More spells are always good for a class that typically doesn’t get too many. You’re still probably better off dealing damage with weapons as a Ranger, but Produce Flame is a nice option for when fire damage can be helpful. Flame Blade can be a great spell to know for a sword-wielding Ranger. |
|
Fighter – Eldritch Knight |
As with Rangers, you’re more likely to deal damage with your weapons than spells, but it never hurts to have options. |