Helian

Helians arise on the elemental plane of Fire when the soul of a dead worshipper of the fire elemental gods fuses with the plane's ferocious heat. They are highly intelligent and keep all the knowledge, intellect and wisdom of their mortal lives, but none of the personal memories; a helian would not know its old friends, enemies, spouse or family. Its body is pure living flame clinging to a semi-metallic skeleton. Even so, it has a clear shape and visible features, and its skin of semi-liquid fire looks smooth and elastic, giving it the look of a powerfully muscled humanoid with reddish-yellow skin.

A helian punches for 3d4 per fist, plus 1d4 more against anyone in metal armor, since metal holds heat longer than flesh, cloth or leather. Its deadliest weapon is a jelly-like ball of fire it summons from its home plane and throws. Nicknamed 'a piece of the Sun,' it deals 12d4, as a 12-die fireball but hotter than a normal one. It can also hug a foe to death for 3d6 per round. Grabbing takes a normal attack roll, but once it has hold, only killing the helian frees the victim. Weapons work against it, but healing spells on the victim do not: anyone touching the victim takes 1d6 at once, which breaks a caster's concentration.

Every helian attack needs a normal hit roll, but a miss by 2 or less still deals half damage, and no saving throw applies to any of its attacks, fists or fireball alike.

Helians band together in groups they call tribes and defend one another from any attack. They are not reckless; they know when to retreat so they can fight another day. Despite their power they do not love battle and fight only when they feel threatened. Those living on the sun at the heart of one star system attack any ship that comes near, because they have seen how starfaring humans treat their own kind and others. That cruelty and prejudice appall them, so they strike first to protect their tribes.

These helians are refugees who escaped persecution by the efreet and other fire-dwellers of their native plane. They know what oppression feels like, and that is much of why they hate humans so.