Why aren't there short, fat PC races?

Emirikol · Mar 21, 2009

I'm glancing through the PHB2 and realize more and more that only tall, skinny people are considered smart and good and all-that. I get the impression that the next race is going to be 9 feet tall because that's evidently where all this is going. Why arent' there short fat races? Even gnomes, with their 'high cheekbones' must have been put on the Atkins diet and now working out with warlords who have the athletic-trainer feat.

If I want to play a short, fat race, (by definition) what are my options?

jh
P.s. I'm not talking about annoying (below)..but instead, short, fat, ugly but still smart, strong, and respected.

Fallen Seraph · Mar 21, 2009

Well you figure that the pictures are showcasing the PCs of the race. They would be more likely physically fit.

Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, Halflings, etc. I am sure have a short and fat members of their race. You wouldn't picture a modern soldier as someone who is overweight, and same view is taken for the average PC.

Remathilis · Mar 21, 2009

Because gamers play RPGs to pretend they're something else?

Quickleaf · Mar 21, 2009

Nelwyn FTW!

Ok, not ugly and fat, but short!

Klaus · Mar 21, 2009

Emirikol said:
I'm glancing through the PHB2 and realize more and more that only tall, skinny people are considered smart and good and all-that. I get the impression that the next race is going to be 9 feet tall because that's evidently where all this is going. Why arent' there short fat races? Even gnomes, with their 'high cheekbones' must have been put on the Atkins diet and now working out with warlords who have the athletic-trainer feat.

If I want to play a short, fat race, (by definition) what are my options?

jh
P.s. I'm not talking about annoying (below)..but instead, short, fat, ugly but still smart, strong, and respected.

If you went on tiresome cross-country treks that involved lots of climbing, running and carrying weight all day long, and lived on a steady diet of dry rations, stonemeal biscuits or elven bread, you'd be fit as well. Face it, adventurers live active lives and don't carry around much food. Hard to put on some pounds that way.

Cadfan · Mar 21, 2009

...dwarves?

Humans who are fat and short?

Emirikol · Mar 21, 2009

Cadfan said:
...dwarves? Humans who are fat and short?

But they're not short, fat or ugly by definition.

jh

JustKim · Mar 22, 2009

Obesity is always an option if you simply give your character a weight above the average range. The same is true for height and attractiveness. If you design a race with all of these qualities innately, say some kind of squat humanoid manatee, then what you have is a race many players will not touch at all- see how D&D and Shadowrun both make dwarves overpowered just to get people to play them.

Tinker Gnome · Mar 22, 2009

JustKim said:
Obesity is always an option if you simply give your character a weight above the average range. The same is true for height and attractiveness. If you design a race with all of these qualities innately, say some kind of squat humanoid manatee, then what you have is a race many players will not touch at all- see how D&D and Shadowrun both make dwarves overpowered just to get people to play them.

I get players who play Dwarves BECAUSE they are short and squat.