Genasi of Athas

Setting
#1

What are your thoughts of the Genasi as a race for Athas? Have you used them? How do you think common folk would view them? How would uncommon folk view them?

#2

I have never used them and I don’t think I ever will. In my opinion, they just don’t have the Dark Sun feel I’m going for in my game. They’re too fantastical with their innate magical abilities. I like my games to be normalish people struggling against vastly superior foes. That way, every tiny victory feels like a huge win.

#3

No, I haven’t used them, though I’ve played with the idea. I’m with @Rajaat99 on this one, they’re a bit too fantastic for my taste.

Have you seen the article in Dragon 396 called ‘Winning Races: Genasi of Athas’?

It contains most of the information you’re after.

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#4

I’ve seen the article, I just wanted to get people’s opinions and foster some discussion.

#5

I have used them both when I first started in DS and then later after years of experience. The biggest problems I had were how they affect tone and how they fit in a low magic setting. From a tone standpoint you need to dial back the Al Qadim effect to something that fits into Athas. So my recommendations are to

  1. Figure out why genie’s exist in Athas and what are their goals both cosmologically and locally
  2. Figure out what the sorceror-king’s opinion of genasi are and how they would use them. THEY WOULD USE THEM.
  3. Figure out how dreary gritty Athas has changed them from a world view/ character way
  4. Figure out if they are psionically gifted or if you want to limit that.
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#6

For me:

  1. Genie’s are part of the elemental war ongoing for Athas, but are limited by elemental lords in how much they interfere. So a genie works for an elemental lord, but genie kind are not allowed to present an organized approach to Athas.
  2. Genasi are gifted individuals to be used as tools or crushed. Some city states prefer them off the board entirely and would kill on sight. They need to cover up any outward signs of their parentage, and their magic is no better understood than a preservers.
  3. Cross the loneliness and lack of culture that a half elf has with the struggle to stay hidden of a preserver.
  4. Strictly non-psionic which is a hardship in a psionic world.