How much do you use subraces?

Li Shenron · Sep 11, 2003

Am I one of the few who uses a lot MM's subraces of the PHB races?

It seems to me that a lot of people jumped directly from core PHB races to monsters as characters with Savage Species (or simply the new 3.5 rules). As a DM I always encouraged my players to first try the core races, then try the subraces and only when expert try to play monsters. As a player, I noticed I always come up with an idea around a subrace, most notably elven. I was really hoping the 3.5 MM would have had stats for half-elven subraces but it doesn't.

The elven subraces have many interesting game implications, from little (Grey Elves = better wizards from the start) to huge (Drow, Wood Elves) without actually changing the game too much, except maybe the Drow because of the level adjustment. But are they any popular?

Hand of Evil · Sep 11, 2003

I seem to keep with the core races but go to subraces and monsters by campaign region and the need. While I have thought about having more diversify in my games I keep away from it, I see it complicating interaction between players and NPCs.

Eternalknight · Sep 11, 2003

We often have wood elves running around, but that is about it.

CRGreathouse · Sep 11, 2003

I use custom subraces. My world has high elves, wood/wild elves (mechanically identical to high elves), grey elves (+4 Int, +2 Cha!), hill dwarves, and mountian dwarves.

My players don't often use SS-type monsters as races; while I allow them (with review), most are just too strange for our tastes.

hong · Sep 11, 2003

CRGreathouse said:
My players don't often use SS-type monsters as races; while I allow them (with review), most are just too strange for our tastes.

Bah. There is nothing wrong with Nazi halfling stormtroopers. Nothing at all.

Plane Sailing · Sep 11, 2003

I've always found the idea of subraces pretty bizarre, especially when everyone except humans have them.

Let me just think about that for a minute - the race with the shortest lifespan of all the "pure" races, and they haven't managed to breed any subraces, while all the long lived races have?

Just doesn't sit well with me unless there is a good, clear reason for it (e.g. in the case of RuneQuest elves, which were clearly tied to their local vegetation).

So I don't even have subraces existing in my game.

Cheers

diaglo · Sep 11, 2003

i have subraces of humans too. but as defined in the MM. the 1edADnD 1977 MM.

Plane Sailing · Sep 11, 2003

I believe the Birthright setting did subraces for humans in 2e. I guess it might be construed by some as a "politically sensitive" topic for some reason.

Cheers

Li Shenron · Sep 11, 2003

Plane Sailing said:
I've always found the idea of subraces pretty bizarre, especially when everyone except humans have them.

Let me just think about that for a minute - the race with the shortest lifespan of all the "pure" races, and they haven't managed to breed any subraces, while all the long lived races have?

WotC doesn't have, but I think other publishers have used it. Or maybe even FRCS?

Anyway I don't understand why they are "bizarre". They are just creatures close to PHB races. Take a look at the Derro, in 3.0 a dwarven subrace, in 3.5 a different creature. It doesn't make much difference to call it a subrace or not, except that if you keep it a subrace, effects (for good or bad) that apply only to that race apply also to all subraces.

From a campaign style point of view, there is nothing I can criticize if a DM doesn't use them, just as I can't criticize if another DM doesn't use vampires, or nymphs, or mind flayers or whatever. But from a playability point of view I think they are very useful, when you start wishing for something less common as your next PC, without going too far.

CRGreathouse · Sep 11, 2003

Plane Sailing said:
I've always found the idea of subraces pretty bizarre, especially when everyone except humans have them.

Let me just think about that for a minute - the race with the shortest lifespan of all the "pure" races, and they haven't managed to breed any subraces, while all the long lived races have?

In my campaign, humans are a 'new' race and have had fewer generations than, say, the dwarves... despite their faster life cycle. That, combiend with the human propensity for moving all over, keeps their genes pretty mixed.

How much do you use subraces?

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