The DnD Aasimar are mortals imbued with divine energy from the Upper Planes. With heavenly wings, celestial resistance, healing hands, and an inner light, they are well suited to the life of an adventurer across the Dungeons and Dragons multiverse. This guide explains the key rules for the 2024 Aasimar species published in the new Player’s Handbook.
Species in One DnD have slightly fewer features compared to the DnD races you might be familiar with from DnD 5e. Notably, they don’t provide any stat bonuses – your character gets those from their choice of DnD background instead.
How has the Aasimar changed from DnD 5e to DnD 2024?
Aasimar player characters exist in DnD 5e, with the most recent version of their rules published in Monsters of the Multiverse. If you’re familiar with that version, the 2024 version has all the same features as its predecessor with a couple of minor tweaks. You can now choose which Celestial Revelation you manifest each time you use that ability, and ending the transformation into a celestial form no longer requires an action.
DnD 2024 Aasimar abilities and traits:
| Creature type | Humanoid |
| Size | Medium or Small |
| Speed | 30 feet |
Aasimar have 60 feet Darkvision and resistance to both Necrotic and Radiant Damage, reflecting their celestial heritage. They also know the Light cantrip.
Healing Hands
Once per Long Rest, Aasimar can take a Magic action to heal another creature with their Healing Hands. They roll a number of D4 equal to their Proficiency Bonus and grant a creature that they touch that many HP.
Celestial Revelation
Once they reach level three, Aasimar can manifest some of their divine heritage in a Celestial Revelation. This is a Bonus Action that allows them to transform into one of three different forms, once per Long Rest. They’ll remain in their altered state for one minute (or until they switch back of their own choice).
An Aasimar can manifest one of these three divine forms each time they transform:
- Heavenly Wings sprout from the Aasimar’s back, granting them a Fly Speed equal to their regular Speed.
- Inner Radiance burns from the Aasimar’s eyes and mouth. This blazing light illuminates a 10-foot radius around them brightly, and dimly out to 20 feet, and at the end of each of their turns all creatures within 10 feet of the Aasimar take their Proficiency bonus as radiant damage.
- Necrotic Shroud gives the Aasimar the terrifying aspect of a fallen angel. Creatures other than the Aasimar’s allies within 10 feet must pass a Charisma saving throw vs DC 8 + the Aasimar’s Charisma modifier and Proficiency bonus, or become Frightened until the end of the Aasimar’s next turn.
While Transformed, the Aasimar can deal additional damage equal to their proficiency bonus to a single target that they hit with an attack or spell, once each turn. If they’ve gained Heavenly Wings or Inner Radiance, this will be Radiant damage: for a Necrotic Shroud, this is Necrotic damage.
Frankly there aren’t many DnD classes that the Aasimar doesn’t suit, though we think they might struggle as a Rogue! Their inherent healing powers synergize well with the Cleric; their ability to fly from just level three is great for a ranged DPS character like the Ranger or DnD Warlock; and their Inner Radiance or Necrotic Shroud auras are both great for front liner bruisers like the Paladin or DnD Fighter.
If you want to learn our thoughts on the new edition of DnD as a whole, make sure you check out Wargamer’s DnD 2024 Player’s Handbook review, based on weeks with the new rulebook and a playtest campaign involving the whole team! We can also tell you exactly how the DnD 2024 backgrounds have changed.
Source: Wargamer
