Aasimar Fighter Guide (2014 Rules): Traits, Builds & Feats

Rules edition: This guide uses the legacy Protector, Scourge, and Fallen Aasimar from Volo’s Guide to Monsters with 2014 Fighter rules. Tasha’s custom-origin rule is identified as an optional addition. Do not combine these traits with the revised Aasimar in Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse or with 2024 Fighter rules.

Aasimar Fighter Guide (2014 Rules)

A legacy Aasimar Fighter combines martial training with a small set of celestial traits: healing, damage resistance, and a once-per-long-rest transformation. The subrace determines which transformation you get. These traits add options to a Fighter’s turns; they do not replace the Fighter’s weapon attacks, class features, or ability-score needs.

Start with the legacy Aasimar traits

The legacy Aasimar increases Charisma by 2 and Wisdom by 1. Protector and Fallen Aasimar each add 1 to Strength; Scourge adds 1 to Constitution. All three have darkvision, resistance to radiant and necrotic damage, and Healing Hands. Healing Hands lets you touch a creature as an action to restore hit points equal to your character level, once per long rest. Light Bearer also gives you the light cantrip, with Charisma as its spellcasting ability.

At character level 3, each subrace gains a different transformation. You activate it with an action, it lasts up to 1 minute, and you can use it again after a long rest. Each transformation ends early if you become incapacitated.

Protector — Radiant Soul: spectral wings give you a flying speed equal to your walking speed. Once on each of your turns, when you damage a creature with an attack or spell, you can add your character level in radiant damage to one target. For a typical 30-foot walking speed, the flight speed is 30 feet.
Scourge — Radiant Consumption: you shed bright light for 10 feet and dim light for another 10 feet. At the end of each of your turns, you and every other creature within 10 feet take radiant damage equal to half your character level, rounded up. You can end the effect early as a bonus action. Your radiant resistance halves the damage you take from your own feature; Heavy Armor Master does not reduce this radiant damage.
Fallen — Necrotic Shroud: creatures of your choice within 10 feet make a Charisma save against DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier or become frightened until the end of your next turn. Once on each of your turns while the transformation lasts, you can also add your character level in necrotic damage to one creature you damage with an attack or spell.

These abilities use character level for their damage, not Fighter level. The exact legacy Aasimar source is marked as legacy on D&D Beyond’s Volo’s Guide to Monsters page; the revised Aasimar is a separate rules option. The 2014 damage-resistance rules explain how resistance applies to damage from Radiant Consumption.

Set legal ability scores

With the fixed legacy increases, Strength supports weapon attacks, Constitution supports hit points and concentration-free durability, and Charisma supports Healing Hands’ subrace transformation save DC and social skills. Wisdom also rises by 1, which helps a common Fighter saving throw. You can build a Dexterity Fighter, but the legacy Aasimar does not increase Dexterity.

Here is a legal 27-point-buy array before Aasimar increases: Strength 15, Dexterity 10, Constitution 14, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 10, and Charisma 14. A Protector or Fallen has Strength 16, Wisdom 11, and Charisma 16 after its increases. A Scourge has Strength 15, Constitution 15, Wisdom 11, and Charisma 16.

Using the standard array, assign Strength 15, Dexterity 10, Constitution 14, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 12, and Charisma 13 before the Aasimar increases. A Protector or Fallen then has Strength 16, Wisdom 13, and Charisma 15; a Scourge has Constitution 15, Wisdom 13, and Charisma 15. The standard array and point-buy rules are in the official 2014 character-creation rules.

If your DM uses the optional custom-origin rules in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, you can reassign the legacy ability score increases instead. Otherwise, use the increases printed for your chosen Aasimar option. The 2024 rules use a different species and background framework.

Choose a Fighter plan

A Strength-based Fighter uses the legacy Protector or Fallen increase directly. A Scourge adds Constitution, which supports hit points and Constitution saves, but leaves Strength at its starting value. Choose a weapon plan and armor that fit your campaign, then use Fighter Ability Score Improvements to raise the attack ability or take an eligible feat if your table uses the optional feat rules. For a broader overview of Fighter progression, see our D&D 5e Fighter guide.

Battle Master maneuvers can add control or reliability to your weapon attacks. Eldritch Knight uses Intelligence for its spellcasting, so keep its spell choices in line with your Intelligence score; defensive spells that do not call for a save or spell attack can still be useful. Other Fighter archetypes work as well—the Aasimar traits do not require a particular subclass.

Time the transformation for a meaningful encounter. Radiant Soul can reach flying enemies or help you change position, but it does not grant advantage on every attack. Necrotic Shroud can frighten nearby enemies who fail their saves, but it does not force them to move. Radiant Consumption damages everyone still within 10 feet at the end of each turn, including allies, so warn the party and consider when to end it.

Consider feats without changing their rules

Under the optional 2014 feat rules, a Fighter can choose a feat instead of an Ability Score Improvement at Fighter level 4, then again at Fighter levels 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, and 19. A feat replaces that improvement; it is not an extra choice on top of it. Check its prerequisites and ask your DM which source books are allowed.

Inspiring Leader can turn Charisma into party support. After 10 minutes of encouragement, up to six creatures who can hear and understand you gain temporary hit points equal to your character level plus your Charisma modifier. It requires Charisma 13 and does not require a short rest. Polearm Master or Great Weapon Master can support a two-handed weapon plan when their prerequisites and attack conditions fit. Neither feat changes how often your Aasimar transformation damage applies: the Protector and Fallen bonuses apply once on each of your turns.

Heavy Armor Master reduces certain nonmagical weapon damage as its text specifies; it does not reduce the radiant self-damage from Scourge’s Radiant Consumption. Scourge Aasimar already has resistance to radiant damage, which does reduce that self-damage.

Optional multiclassing

Multiclassing is an optional 2014 rule. Paladin requires Strength 13 and Charisma 13 to enter or leave the class; a legacy Aasimar’s Charisma increase can help meet that prerequisite, but you still need the required Strength. Warlock requires Charisma 13. A multiclass level delays Fighter features such as Extra Attack, later subclass abilities, and Ability Score Improvements, so decide which feature you are willing to postpone. See the official 2014 multiclassing and feat rules.

Give the celestial heritage room to vary

Aasimar heritage does not require one alignment or a particular relationship with a celestial guide. A Protector might use flight for rescue, reconnaissance, or escape; a Scourge might struggle with the danger their aura creates for allies; a Fallen character might use a frightening appearance to protect others. Discuss the campaign’s tone with your DM, especially if a transformation’s light, flight, fear, or area damage could affect the group.