[D&D Campaign Help] Changing Up Stats

[MooCow]

In my campaign, I've determined that all of the characters are latent Genasi. There are plot reasons for this, but I'll not bore you with the details. This latent gene will begin expressing itself one they have acquired the Life-Mate artifact that was created for them. The problem I have is that all Genasi, save Magma, take a -2 to their Charisma and I have several characters of a Sorcerous bent.

Because of this, as well as comments made on the nature of Charisma from the "Sorcerers?" thread, I'm going to change the stat adjustments some. Going with the idea that Charisma represents "force of personality", I need to figure out which Genasi would get the penalty, which would have no penalty, and which would get a bonus (I want to make some get a bonus to be fair to the Sorcerers). I would think that they would tend towards a bonus, as this heritage is the result of meddling by the Gods and Genies. Celestial Essence tends to give one a forceful personality.

Here are my thoughts, please let me know what you think.

Air -- Penalty. Air tends to be rather flighty, and in general isn't good at directed force.
Fire -- Bonus. Fire is good at forceing itself on others.
Earth -- None. While Earth isn't real pro-active, it's damn stubborn when you try to change it.
Water -- Minor Bonus. Water is very malleable, but is also tends to eventually get it's way.
Dust (Earth/Air) -- Penalty. Dust is easily moved by outside forces.
Ice (Air/Water) -- None. While not particularly forceful, it's damned hard to move.
Magma (Earth/Fire) -- Minor Bonus. While it can be directed, not many will try.
Ooze (Earth/Water) -- Minor Penalty. While niether Earth nor Water have a penalty, the combination is damned ugly.
Steam (Fire/Water) -- Bonus. Fire + Water, ummm... no real thought on this.
Smoke (Fire/Air) -- None. Again, the components are opposite so none. Other then that not sure.

As always, thanks for you help.

[Cazmonster]

Moo, what about juicing the penalty to a different attribute? Leave their charismas be and work some other stat that seems appropriate. Earth could lose dexterity, Air - intelligence or wisdom, Fire - constitution, Water - intelligence or wisdom. Failing that, just erase any +2 attribute bonus and the -2 penalty.

This from the man who don't got genasai in any of his books.

[MooCow]

Balancing any change in the stats will come later. If I change the charisma penalty, then I'll balance it out with something else. Although I don't have a problem with them being slightly heavier in the bonus area, as they are The Chosen.

Right now though, I'm trying to determine which ones get what change to Charisma. The biggest problem I have is I just don't get how the writers went with some of the bonues. Example: Earth gets +'s to Strength and Con, and -'s to Wisdom and Charisma. I agree with the bonuses, but I would have gone with Intelligence and Dex for the penalties.

[Cazmonster]

Gotcha. I guess I would look at the stats of the individual elementals. Maybe they are hybridizing them with normal human stats...

[MooCow]

hmmm.... there is an idea. I'll convert the elementals to PC races using the info in the DMG. That might give me some idea as to what their thinking is. You rock Caz.

[Cazmonster]

You rock as well Moo, the engineering advice helps a ton with Steam and Sorcery.

[paladin2019]

On the subject of earth genasi, I think the CHA penalty should stay, but not the WIS. Earth doesn't change, blah blah blah. So earth doesn't has the CHA penalty to reflect its detachment from things around it/not interfering but not the WIS for the same reason it has a CON bonus; it resists change in itself. Or something.

[edit for english]Earth genasi have a CHA penalty because, like earth, they don't try to affect stuff outside themselves. But they shouldn't have a WIS penalty because, in the same way they have a CON bonus, they resist changes to themselves.[/edit]

[MooCow]

ummm.... can you repeat that in english?