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Inspired by this question: Can Tieflings derive from stock other than human?
Separated out from this question: Can Genasi derive from stock other than human?

Crudely speaking, tieflings are half-human, half-devil. However, as the answer to the other question (the one about tieflings) points out, non-human half-devils/demons exist, such as the Fey'ri, who are half-elven, half-demon.

Aasimar are half-human, half-angel (again, crudely speaking; it's more like mostly human and a tiny fraction part-angel, as I understand it). Taken from Volo's Guide to Monsters, pg. 104, here are some quotes that explain why I believe them to be so:

They are descended from humans with a touch of the power of Mount Celestia, the divine realm of many lawful good deities. Aasimar are born to serve as champions of the gods, their births hailed as blessed events. They are a people of otherworldly visages, with luminous features that reveal their celestial heritage.

[...]

Conflicted Souls

Despite its celestial origin, an aasimar is mortal and possesses free will.

Hence I conclude that they are part angel, even if it's not necessarily down to genetics (that is not what this question is about anyway). This question is about the human part, and whether that must always be the case.

Are there any non-human half-angels races, such as a half-elven, half-angel race?

I'm not that interested in a specific setting, but if setting matters, let's go with the Forgotten Realms (or at the very least, not Eberron/Ravnica).

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Would you count the Celadrin as one you're looking for? \$\endgroup\$
    – phyrfox
    Dec 3, 2018 at 9:18
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    \$\begingroup\$ @phyrfox that is pre 4e content. my question here attempts to clarify this. \$\endgroup\$
    – rpgstar
    Dec 4, 2018 at 7:47
  • \$\begingroup\$ @rpgstar Thanks, your other question helps clear things up. In that case, @ phyrfox, since I'm mainly interested in 5e, and in 5e Eladrin are fey/elves, then no, Celadrin don't count (but only because the Eladrin changed between editions). \$\endgroup\$
    – NathanS
    Dec 4, 2018 at 8:07
  • \$\begingroup\$ It depends on the setting, I think? As in previous addition they allowed templates \$\endgroup\$
    – Garret Gang
    Dec 4, 2018 at 15:26

3 Answers 3

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I realize that I'm a bit late to this discussion, but in Volo's Guide under the "Aasimar Names" header, it states:

"Most Aasimar are born from human parents..."

Putting emphasis on "most", that leaves room for interpretation, in my opinion. This wouldn't change any of the actual gameplay mechanics, but for purely RP reasons, I don't see an issue with it. I would definitely check with your DM first, though.

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    \$\begingroup\$ That's a good point, I missed that detail the first time around. At the very least, it encourages people to use the Aasimar race as a template for, say, Celadrin or whatever else from other editions... Thanks for your answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – NathanS
    Sep 18, 2020 at 8:08
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No, Aasimar are the only "half-angel" race in 5e (who are always "half-human")

The only other race that has been brought to my attention (thanks @phyrfox) are the Celadrin, a race of half-elf, half-"Celestial Eladrin".

However, as this answer to this question (thanks @rpgstar) points out, Eladrin were only considered celestial pre-4e, and since 4e Eladrin have been considered to be fey elves (an interpretation which 5e has adopted). Therefore, since Eladrin are elves, the Celadrin don't make sense (at least, not as half-celestial beings).

Hence, in the context of 5e, we are only left with the Aasimar as being a half-celestial race, and their description in Volo's Guide to Monsters (pg. 104) explicitly calls them out as human:

They are descended from humans with a touch of the power of Mount Celestia, the divine realm of many lawful good deities.

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DnD implies but never states, unless I'm missing something, that humans are the only race with a flexible enough heritage to successfully interbreed with other beings. Humans often have little hints of the blood of others, like faintly orc-like lower teeth or slightly pointy ears without being mechanically any different. elementals, elves, angels, devils, dragons, etc apparently can all interbreed with humans, but not with each other or other races. I don't think this is specified anywhere, however.

If humans really are the only genetically flexible race, it would explain why half-elves are always half-human and half elven, and half-orcs are always half orcish and half human. You never see half-dragonborn half elves, or half dwarves (at all) or half gnome / half goliaths. I'm not sure why they didn't go with half-races for anything else, or why the books never state outright that only humans can interbreed with other races, but it's at least implied in the available racial options. Even Tieflings and Aasimar are about an infernal or celestial influence in a bloodline, not a result of a direct pairing of angel and human or devil and human.

(Not sure what a 'ling' is but there are plenty of halflings around, too).

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    \$\begingroup\$ Regarding your last line, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halfling#Etymology: "Originally, halfling comes from the Scots word hauflin, meaning an awkward rustic teenager, who is neither man nor boy, and so half of both. Another word for halfling is hobbledehoy or hobby. This usage of the word pre-dates both The Hobbit and Dungeons & Dragons. The German surname Helbling has a similar origin." \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast ♦
    Dec 4, 2018 at 21:48
  • \$\begingroup\$ 2e, I believe, actually did state explicitly that humans are the only race that can interbreed. (And if not 2e, then some other early edition—Gygax was the author I’m pretty sure.) Of course, that wasn’t really true, especially when fiends and celestials are involved. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Sep 18, 2020 at 4:51

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