Optimizing Volo PC races

Growing Brains · Nov 6, 2016

I'd like to start the discussion.
Aasimar: Cha + wisdom or con or str. very flavorful, pally lite type powers. I think Fallen and scourge make the best pallies given the stats. Flying protectors seem more like Clerics of Favored Souls. Optimizing 3rd level flight is an idea.

Firblog: Wis & dex, I'm not sure how to optimize powerful build? Disguise self is great for exploration and hidden step is a get out dodge free card but I don't see much to optimize.

Lizardfolk: Wis & Con, a bite unarmed attack, a vampiric bonus action attack, +3 natural armor, and a swim speed. maybe a war cleric, or a druid.

Tabaxi: Dex + Cha, Unarmed strike claws (str based on a dex race), double movement, a climb speed. maybe a monk/rogue.

Tritons: +1 to three stats, two melee ones (str & Con) and cha. A swim speed and some not very optimal spells round out the package. Seems like another pally.

Bugbears: Str & Dex, reach, surprise attack. Probably an awesome new ranger or rogue,

Goblins: Dex and Con, + bonus action disengage/hide, anything Dex build but rogue

Hobgoblins: con+Int, and a save bonus. Seems like a wizard gish/eldritch knight type

Yaunti: Cha and Int, poison immunity, magic resistance. yummy but tough stats unless pure arcane caster.

There are other races but none seemed too optimal to me but what do you think?
-Boomer

slightlyprime · Nov 6, 2016

kobold for moon druid, you won't have sunlight sensitivity in wildshape but will still get pack tactics

Bugbear screams barbarian to me, also goblins would make good rogues.

Yunru · Nov 6, 2016

I think a link to where they've been spoiled would be helpful

slightlyprime · Nov 6, 2016

Yunru said:
I think a link to where they've been spoiled would be helpful

not sure if allowed to post link, if not mods can delete it, also i fpund it on the second page from googling volos guide races lol wasn't difficult.
https://sli.mg/a/EvUWsI

Yunru · Nov 6, 2016

YES! SUCK IT JC! Natural Weapons make Unarmed Strikes confirmed!

Yunru · Nov 6, 2016

slightlyprime said:
Bugbear screams barbarian to me, also goblins would make good rogues.

Ironically Bugbears would love to be assassins. Maybe Assassin Barbarians (A build I personally love). 7 Levels or Barbarian for Advantage on Initiative, plus other goodies, combined with the base Assassin, topped off with an extra 2d6 1/combat against a surprised foe?

They also make good defenders, being able to threaten up to 15 feet away with a reach weapon (for the above build, a whip).

faria · Nov 6, 2016

Yunru said:
YES! SUCK IT JC! Natural Weapons make Unarmed Strikes confirmed!

Minotaur monk confirmed?

Yunru · Nov 6, 2016

faria said:
Minotaur monk confirmed?

I was thinking more Kung-fu Panda.

RCanine · Nov 7, 2016

I generally like non-obvious builds that optimize for 1-10; not perfectly optimal, but interesting:

* Goblin barbarian wielding a lance or rapier + shield when not raging (14/16/16/8/12/8) uses nimble escape to avoid disadvantage from the lance.
* Hobgoblin rogue with level 1 access to Heavy Crossbow & Whip
* Yuan-ti Pureblood's Moon druid has a ton of synergy (magic saves, high mental stats for skills, immune to poison)

Most of the races follow obvious optimization patterns from existing ones — orc: half orc, kenku: wood elf, etc.

Most interesting are possible Aasimar, Triton, Bugbear, Tabaxi and Lizardfolk combos, mostly because they are the most different, design-wise.Of the races, I think Lizardfolk are the most interesting because they like four stats (STR, DEX, CON and WIS), leading to some interesting builds.

Of note too are that if you're playing AL, using Volo's as your PHB+1 adds some interesting monsters for companions/wild shape options; of note are Quetzalcoatlus (CR2 flyer), Stench Kow (Darkvision, Resistances, Charge, poison aura), velociraptor (multiattack) and cranium rats (illumination, scrying prevention). For that reason alone I'm making a Goblin Land druid that (mistakenly) thinks she's a Barghest.

Yunru said:
YES! SUCK IT JC! Natural Weapons make Unarmed Strikes confirmed!

I wouldn't get too excited; all of these abilities explicitly call themselves unarmed strikes, and it's unclear (DM call) whether they synergize or conflict with Martial Arts for monks.

Yunru · Nov 7, 2016

RCanine said:
I generally like non-obvious builds that optimize for 1-10; not perfectly optimal, but interesting:

* Goblin barbarian wielding a lance or rapier + shield when not raging (14/16/16/8/12/8) uses nimble escape to avoid disadvantage from the lance.
* Hobgoblin rogue with level 1 access to Heavy Crossbow & Whip
* Yuan-ti Pureblood's Moon druid has a ton of synergy (magic saves, high mental stats for skills, immune to poison)

Most of the races follow obvious optimization patterns from existing ones — orc: half orc, kenku: wood elf, etc.

Most interesting are possible Aasimar, Triton, Bugbear, Tabaxi and Lizardfolk combos, mostly because they are the most different, design-wise.Of the races, I think Lizardfolk are the most interesting because they like four stats (STR, DEX, CON and WIS), leading to some interesting builds.

Of note too are that if you're playing AL, using Volo's as your PHB+1 adds some interesting monsters for companions/wild shape options; of note are Quetzalcoatlus (CR2 flyer), Stench Kow (Darkvision, Resistances, Charge, poison aura), velociraptor (multiattack) and cranium rats (illumination, scrying prevention). For that reason alone I'm making a Goblin Land druid that (mistakenly) thinks she's a Barghest.

I wouldn't get too excited; all of these abilities explicitly call themselves unarmed strikes, and it's unclear (DM call) whether they synergize or conflict with Martial Arts for monks.

If it's an unarmed strike, it synergizes, and there's no reason for them to be the exception given they could of just gone the route of the Aarakocra.