Sylph

Humanoids with ancestry that is tied to the elemental plane of air.

Physical Description

Sylphs tend to be pale and thin to the point of appearing delicate, but their skinny bodies are often more resilient than they look. Many sylphs can easily pass for humans with some effort, though the complex blue markings that swirl across their skin reveal their elemental ancestry. Sylphs also bear more subtle signs of their heritage, such as a slight breeze following them wherever they go. These signs become more pronounced as a sylph experiences intense passion or anger, spontaneous gusts of wind tousling the sylph’s hair or hot blusters knocking small items off of shelves.

In Society

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Relations

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Alignment and Philosophy

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Adventures

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Naming Traditions

Sylphs born into societies typically have names reflective of their societal norms. Many will receive (or adopt) nicknams and honorifics that reference their unique appearance or strange powers.

Racial Traits (8 RP)

Standard Racial Traits

• Ability Score Modifiers: Sylphs are quick and insightful, but slight and delicate. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and –2 Constitution.
• Type: Sylphs are outsiders with the native subtype.
• Size: Sylphs are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Base Speed: Sylphs have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Languages: Sylphs begin play speaking Common and Auran. Nevmas with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aquan, Ignan, Lumin, Necril, Terran, and any two regional languages. See the Languages of Temnia page for more information about these languages.

Defense Racial Traits

• Energy Resistance: Sylphs have electricity resistance 5.

Magical Racial Traits

• Elemental Spirit (2 RP): Sylphs gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells with the air descriptor.
• Spell-Like Ability (Sp): Sylphs can use feather fall 1/day as a spell-like ability (caster level equals the sylph’s level).
• Divine Mark (0 RP): Sylphs who gain access to one or more Cleric domains must choose the air domain (or any air subdomain) as one of their domains.

Senses Racial Traits

• Darkvision: Sylphs can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.

Other Racial Traits

• Air Affinity: Sylph sorcerers with the elemental (air) bloodline treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Sylph spellcasters with the Air domain use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level.

Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

• Air Insight: Sylph spellcasters sometimes find that their elemental heritage makes creatures of air more willing to serve them. Summon monster and summon nature’s ally spells that the Sylph casts last 2 rounds longer than normal when used to summon creatures with the air subtype. This racial trait replaces air affinity.
• Breeze-Kissed: Breezes seem to follow most sylphs wherever they go, but some sylphs are better able to control these winds than others. A Sylph with this racial trait surrounds herself with swirling winds, gaining a +2 racial bonus to AC against non-magical ranged attacks. The Sylph can calm or renew these winds as a swift action. Once per day, the Sylph can channel this wind into a single gust, making a bull rush or trip combat maneuver attempt against one creature within 30 feet. Whether or not the attempt succeeds, the winds are exhausted and no longer provide a bonus to the sylph’s AC for 24 hours. This is a supernatural ability. This racial trait replaces air affinity.
• Hold Breath: Some sylphs are bonded directly to the air, and can sustain themselves for a time without breathing. Sylphs with this trait can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to four times their Constitution score before risking drowning or suffocating. This trait replaces the spell-like ability trait.
• Like the Wind: A sylph with this racial trait gains a +5 foot bonus to her base speed. This racial trait replaces energy resistance.
• Mostly Human: A few sylphs have appearances much closer to those of their human ancestors; in fact, they may not even realize their true race. Such geniekin appear to be human, save perhaps minor features like unusual eye color, and they count as humanoid (human) as well as outsider (native) for all purposes (such as humanoid-affecting spells such as charm person or enlarge person). These geniekin do not automatically gain their associated elemental language (but may select it as a bonus language if their Intelligence is high enough). This ability alters the geniekin’s type, subtype, and languages.
• Sky Speaker: Sylphs with this racial trait feel kinship toward the creatures of the air, and can use speak with animals once per day to speak to birds or other flying animals. Her caster level for these effects is equal to her level. This racial trait replaces the sylph’s spell-like ability racial trait.
• Secretive: Sylphs gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment and divination spells and effects. This racial trait replaces energy resistance and the spell-like ability racial trait.
• Storm in the Blood: A sylph with this racial trait gains fast healing 2 for 1 round anytime she takes electricity damage (whether or not this electricity damage gets through her electricity resistance). The sylph can heal up to 2 hit points per level per day with this ability, after which it ceases to function. This racial trait replaces air affinity.
• Thunderous Resilience: Sylphs with this racial trait gain sonic resistance 5. This racial trait replaces energy resistance.
• Weather Savvy: Some sylphs are so in tune with the air and sky that they can sense the slightest change in atmospheric conditions. Sylphs with this trait can spend a full-round action to predict the weather in an area for the next 24 hours. The sylph’s prediction is always accurate, but cannot account for spells or supernatural effects that might alter the forecast. This racial trait replaces the sylph’s spell-like ability racial trait.
• Whispering Wind: Some sylphs are especially thin and wispy, as though they were made more of air than flesh. Sylphs with this racial trait gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks. This racial trait replaces the sylph’s spell-like ability racial trait.

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Alternate Elemental Heritage

Smokesoul (Fume Sylph)

Ability Modifiers +2 Dex, +2 Cha, –2 Con
Alternate Spell-Like Ability Smokesouls gain blurred movement as a spell-like ability.

Veiled and surreptitious, smokesoul sylphs are natural deceivers, always concealing their true intentions.
Obfuscation, secrecy, and the shape of things not there: all these are the natural realms of smokesouls. They are experts at concealing both their bodies and motivations, and at making the insubstantial seem as real as any physical object. Smokesouls are drawn to areas of dangerous politics and intrigue, and many can be found pursuing whatever machinations amuse them.
With few distinguishing features save ashen skin and dark hair, smokesouls can be mistaken for any number of other races. Smokesouls often change their clothing, cosmetics, or style to keep their appearance in a constant state of flux.
By default, smokesoul sylphs receive the following alternate racials traits:

• Smoke Affinity This racial trait functions as and can be replaced as the base sylph’s air affinity, except it benefits sorcerers with the shadow bloodline and spellcasters with the Smoke subdomain.

Stormsoul (Lightning Sylph)

Ability Modifiers +2 Dex, +2 Cha, –2 Wis
Alternate Spell-Like Ability Stormsouls gain shocking grasp as a spell-like ability.

With an abundance of confidence and a shortage of patience, stormsoul sylphs are personalities who cannot be ignored.
When a stormsoul moves, either in word or in action, the world notices. Unafraid to speak their minds, they are both direct and unsubtle, and they make fierce allies. When friends are in need, stormsouls act without thinking and are always the first to leap to their aid. A stormsoul sylph has hair that always seems to move, even when there is no breeze, and acts with a sudden intensity that can seem out of control. Their eyes are the color of stormy water or lightning-lit skies, and even a casual glance from a stormsoul can seem severe.

• Lightning Affinity This racial trait functions as and can be replaced as the base sylph’s air affinity, except it benefits sorcerers with the stormborn bloodline and spellcasters with the Weather domain.

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Favored Class Options

The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

• Cleric Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks relating to the Plane of Air and creatures with the air subtype.
• Druid Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks relating to weather and flying animals.
• Inquisitor Add a +1/2 bonus on Stealth checks while motionless and on opposed Perception checks.
• Oracle Add +1/6 to the oracle’s level for the purpose of determining the effects of one revelation.
• Rogue Add a +1/2 bonus on Acrobatics checks to jump and a +1/2 bonus on Sense Motive checks.
• Sorcerer Choose a bloodline power from the djinni or elemental (air) bloodline that the sorcerer can use. The sorcerer treats her class level as though it were +1/6 higher (to a maximum of +2) when determining the effects of that power.
• Witch Add a +1/2 bonus on Stealth checks and Perception checks made by the witch’s familiar. If the Sylph ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar gains these bonus skill ranks.
• Wizard Select one arcane school power from the air or wood elemental schools that the wizard can currently use. The wizard treats her class level as though it were +1/6 higher (to a maximum of +2) when determining the effects of that power.

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Other Planetouched Races