Sorcerers Apprentice
Hero
My elves are strictly masculine or feminine. No androgynous pretties in my world!
How Are Your Elves/ Dwarves/ Orcs Different?
- Thread starter Jester David
- Start date
Oofta
Legend
My races are fairly standard, although there are a few variations and niches.
There are a group of dwarves in the frozen north that revere the elements. While they respect the other gods they believe that gods are just a facade placed on the true powers that be. I am guilty of the scottish-accented dwarves for most other clans though. Strict adherence to clan and tradition is important so they don't kill each other over petty disputes that will develop over centuries of living in close quarters.
Most gnomes are tinker gnomes, with flying machines, inventions and incredible luck to not immolate themselves at least five times before breakfast. Fascinated with anything sparkly, whether that's a gem, a spell, or the dwarf's beard catching on fire.
Halflings are generally happy to the extreme, and generally impervious to the woes of the world around them. Eternal optimists, they also have countless gods and seem to make up the gods as they go along. There are only a handful of halfling settlements of their own, they tend to live in human cities.
Elves are fairly typical unless they're nomadic tribes in areas that require it. So for example there's a group of nomadic elves in the desert, another that live primarily at sea. They still come across as distant and snooty simply because by the time you get to know one of the shorter lived races they're dead.
The monstrous races are more typical
There are a group of dwarves in the frozen north that revere the elements. While they respect the other gods they believe that gods are just a facade placed on the true powers that be. I am guilty of the scottish-accented dwarves for most other clans though. Strict adherence to clan and tradition is important so they don't kill each other over petty disputes that will develop over centuries of living in close quarters.
Most gnomes are tinker gnomes, with flying machines, inventions and incredible luck to not immolate themselves at least five times before breakfast. Fascinated with anything sparkly, whether that's a gem, a spell, or the dwarf's beard catching on fire.
Halflings are generally happy to the extreme, and generally impervious to the woes of the world around them. Eternal optimists, they also have countless gods and seem to make up the gods as they go along. There are only a handful of halfling settlements of their own, they tend to live in human cities.
Elves are fairly typical unless they're nomadic tribes in areas that require it. So for example there's a group of nomadic elves in the desert, another that live primarily at sea. They still come across as distant and snooty simply because by the time you get to know one of the shorter lived races they're dead.
The monstrous races are more typical
G
Guest 6801328
Guest
My dwarves speak with a bad Russia accent (think Boris & Natasha) instead of an equally bad Scottish one.
I know, I know...pushing the envelope of roleplaying. I guess I just like to live on the edge.
I know, I know...pushing the envelope of roleplaying. I guess I just like to live on the edge.
Zardnaar
Legend
Elves are kinda like the Phoenicians/East India Company they do not tend to be very nice (depends on the faction), while Dwarves have a bit of steam punk. Elves basically are the naval traders and explorers the nasty ones are the slavers and raiders usually employing non elves as they are outnumbered 100-1 by most other races. The Elven homeland has a population of around 5 million only 50k of them are elves (there are more half elves).
Orcs are usually more AD&D LE vs CE 3E onwards but I use Hobgoblins more than orcs. Orcs are often marauders/vikings role while the Hobgoblins often have an empire or kingdom.
Bad things can also happen if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time and are the wrong race/religion. Slavery, execution, impalement etc more or less read a history book.
Orcs are usually more AD&D LE vs CE 3E onwards but I use Hobgoblins more than orcs. Orcs are often marauders/vikings role while the Hobgoblins often have an empire or kingdom.
Bad things can also happen if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time and are the wrong race/religion. Slavery, execution, impalement etc more or less read a history book.
Last edited:
Jester David
Hero
Okay, putting my flavour where my mouth is.
My world is a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. Basically, I mushed together as many post-apocalypse tropes with fantasy. The world was a magical place that was more Eberron than the Realms, until the world got all effed up by backstory. The globe became tidally locked, so one side always faces the sun and the other side faces away.
Elves
My elves are pretty standard, pale skinned and arrogant, being the former rulers of the known world. But their civilization is in shambles and they're dwelling in the ruins of former monuments to their glory and unable to practice the amazing magical deeds they once performed.
They're still fairly hedonistic and open culture, with public baths and no sexual hangups.
And as a quirk they tend to eat with very elaborate cutlery that's attached to their fingers for that extra level of haunty refinement.
Humans
All humans in my world are dark skinned, making them stand out from the elves. Humans with elven ancestry can be more pale skinned, as those elven traits are persistent.
Halflings
Halflings were the traders. Barge folk and sailors who were found on every river, lake, sea, and ocean, especially to the south. When the southern oceans froze they were forced onto the land and exist as hunter-gatherers on the snowy tundra. They're feral scavengers who will eat anything that can't persuade them not to.
Dwarves
Magically created by the gnomes as a slave race, dwarves were bred to be miners and artisans. And kept placated through alcohol. Dwarves continue to like drink, but view it as a tool of the oppressors and are dismissive of those who indulge.
They've claimed a deep canyon in the desert as their homeland, as that provides shelter from the sun. Mountain dwarves make their home in the walls of the canyon kingdom while hill dwarves are desert traders that travel the dunes and exchange their handiwork for supplies.
Orcs
Fitting with the post-apocalyptic aesthetic, orcs are supermutants. They're mutated by exposure dust from magical crystals that were mined to power ancient golems and magitek devices.
Half-orcs are either half-human and half-orc or simply slightly less mutated humans. Orcs aren't civilized, being short tempered and irrational. They've lost some of their self-control and sentience.
Dragonborn
I originally created my world for 4e during the build-up to that edition. I had a niche for ever race but was unprepared for WotC to add dragonmen to the game. So I stuck them on a region on the far side of the world and based their culture on Japan/ China. And then had a giant great wyrm dragon emerge and destroy their homeland Godzilla style. Because "Kaiju attack" was a type of apocalypse I hadn't done.
Goblins
These match the goblins from Pathfinder. Because they're funny and awesome.
My world is a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. Basically, I mushed together as many post-apocalypse tropes with fantasy. The world was a magical place that was more Eberron than the Realms, until the world got all effed up by backstory. The globe became tidally locked, so one side always faces the sun and the other side faces away.
Elves
My elves are pretty standard, pale skinned and arrogant, being the former rulers of the known world. But their civilization is in shambles and they're dwelling in the ruins of former monuments to their glory and unable to practice the amazing magical deeds they once performed.
They're still fairly hedonistic and open culture, with public baths and no sexual hangups.
And as a quirk they tend to eat with very elaborate cutlery that's attached to their fingers for that extra level of haunty refinement.
Humans
All humans in my world are dark skinned, making them stand out from the elves. Humans with elven ancestry can be more pale skinned, as those elven traits are persistent.
Halflings
Halflings were the traders. Barge folk and sailors who were found on every river, lake, sea, and ocean, especially to the south. When the southern oceans froze they were forced onto the land and exist as hunter-gatherers on the snowy tundra. They're feral scavengers who will eat anything that can't persuade them not to.
Dwarves
Magically created by the gnomes as a slave race, dwarves were bred to be miners and artisans. And kept placated through alcohol. Dwarves continue to like drink, but view it as a tool of the oppressors and are dismissive of those who indulge.
They've claimed a deep canyon in the desert as their homeland, as that provides shelter from the sun. Mountain dwarves make their home in the walls of the canyon kingdom while hill dwarves are desert traders that travel the dunes and exchange their handiwork for supplies.
Orcs
Fitting with the post-apocalyptic aesthetic, orcs are supermutants. They're mutated by exposure dust from magical crystals that were mined to power ancient golems and magitek devices.
Half-orcs are either half-human and half-orc or simply slightly less mutated humans. Orcs aren't civilized, being short tempered and irrational. They've lost some of their self-control and sentience.
Dragonborn
I originally created my world for 4e during the build-up to that edition. I had a niche for ever race but was unprepared for WotC to add dragonmen to the game. So I stuck them on a region on the far side of the world and based their culture on Japan/ China. And then had a giant great wyrm dragon emerge and destroy their homeland Godzilla style. Because "Kaiju attack" was a type of apocalypse I hadn't done.
Goblins
These match the goblins from Pathfinder. Because they're funny and awesome.
cbwjm
Seb-wejem
In my previous setting, dwarves had no king and instead all belonged to a guild, the heads of which made up the senate. Guilds are somewhat standard with at least one guild for each type of artisan's tools but also some services like the porters guild which was a recent addition. I'm not sure if I ever changed it, but dwarf PCs would have been able to choose any artisan tools as their racial ability instead of the 2 or 3 options they are normally allowed.
Elves were split between high elves and wood elves, the latter moving to a new land after growing tired of being treated as second class citizens. This new land was a marsh area which they transformed and enhanced with their magic. Eladrin were similar to angels, being the souls of those elves that died in the Feywild while holding off a malevolent force while the high and wood elves escaped to the prime. Unless powerful magic prevents it, Eladrin were always reborn in the Feywild to continue the defence of the elven people though each time this happened they would be a new being having the same soul as the deceased (generally Eladrin weren't a playable race). Dark elves were elves corrupted by the malevolence.
Apart from making dragonborn a conquering nation, not much was really different about them. I took a page from Dragonstar (I think that is the name of the old d20 RPG) and had each new emperor be a dragonborn chosen from a different colour, the current conquering empire was led by a powerful and bloodthirsty red dragonborn.
Humans were pretty much standard medieval type humans, halflings were integrated into the human kingdom, even having their own small domain.
Elves were split between high elves and wood elves, the latter moving to a new land after growing tired of being treated as second class citizens. This new land was a marsh area which they transformed and enhanced with their magic. Eladrin were similar to angels, being the souls of those elves that died in the Feywild while holding off a malevolent force while the high and wood elves escaped to the prime. Unless powerful magic prevents it, Eladrin were always reborn in the Feywild to continue the defence of the elven people though each time this happened they would be a new being having the same soul as the deceased (generally Eladrin weren't a playable race). Dark elves were elves corrupted by the malevolence.
Apart from making dragonborn a conquering nation, not much was really different about them. I took a page from Dragonstar (I think that is the name of the old d20 RPG) and had each new emperor be a dragonborn chosen from a different colour, the current conquering empire was led by a powerful and bloodthirsty red dragonborn.
Humans were pretty much standard medieval type humans, halflings were integrated into the human kingdom, even having their own small domain.
Monster Town is full of dark elves (drow) and dark dwarves (duergar) so of course I had to invent dark halflings.
DARK HALFLING
As a dark halfling, you're rough and tough and don't take crap from nobody. As a race, dark halflings are rustic, xenophobic and inbred, recognized by their pale veinous skin, webbed toes, and monobrows. They are known to practice blood sacrifice, and many become evil druids, rangers, or barbarians.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Brutish. When you attack using a weapon which has the heavy property, you don't suffer disadvantage on the attack.
DARK HALFLING
As a dark halfling, you're rough and tough and don't take crap from nobody. As a race, dark halflings are rustic, xenophobic and inbred, recognized by their pale veinous skin, webbed toes, and monobrows. They are known to practice blood sacrifice, and many become evil druids, rangers, or barbarians.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Brutish. When you attack using a weapon which has the heavy property, you don't suffer disadvantage on the attack.
oreofox
Explorer
My elves aren't magical, more nature-focused instead of arcane-focused. They also have German accents (and elvish is german). My elves are descendants of my race of plant people who mated with fey beings.
My dwarves are a bit standard, though they have Nordic accents and names. They have a punishment that makes a dwarf's beard fall out and never come back, and their offspring cannot grow a beard. Most kill themselves, but others exiled themselves, are now called "wild dwarves", and live in the forests. Most other dwarves derisively call them "dwelves"
My gnomes are not trickster fey wannabes. They are rigidly militaristic (think the Spartans from the movie 300), and they have begun creating black powder weapons. They also made the warforged.
My halflings became extinct by the actions of the humans. They are replaced by a race of ratfolk (which I call skraeven).
My orcs have skin the color of obsidian, with hair and eyes the color of fire. They live in a volcanic hellscape. They are descended from elves, and an elf born in this hellscape is born an orc, and an orc born outside of the hellscape is born an elf.
Humans tried to conquer the world, feeling themselves superior to all the other races. They lost, were slaughtered, and are near extinction.
My dwarves are a bit standard, though they have Nordic accents and names. They have a punishment that makes a dwarf's beard fall out and never come back, and their offspring cannot grow a beard. Most kill themselves, but others exiled themselves, are now called "wild dwarves", and live in the forests. Most other dwarves derisively call them "dwelves"
My gnomes are not trickster fey wannabes. They are rigidly militaristic (think the Spartans from the movie 300), and they have begun creating black powder weapons. They also made the warforged.
My halflings became extinct by the actions of the humans. They are replaced by a race of ratfolk (which I call skraeven).
My orcs have skin the color of obsidian, with hair and eyes the color of fire. They live in a volcanic hellscape. They are descended from elves, and an elf born in this hellscape is born an orc, and an orc born outside of the hellscape is born an elf.
Humans tried to conquer the world, feeling themselves superior to all the other races. They lost, were slaughtered, and are near extinction.
My orcs are different, they are still chaotic evil but they are Iuz' organized army in the campaign i DM.
Their stats are a bit more like player characters, altough they have no feats. They act like well trained soldiers with different roles: archers, heavy hitters, pike Formation, and officers which are of higher levels and better equipped with higher AC. Higher Level orcs got more than one attack, damage is per weapon type. I had some orc archers flying on manticore mounts in one session.
All of them drop some random silver according to their Level. E.g. a base soldier Drops 1d6 an archer 1d10 a low ranked officer 3d20
(Silver is the Gold in my campaign and the players can buy many things so it is a real incentive)
My players are well warned that if they encounter a real large group of orcs, they are doomed unless they flee or come up with a very good plan. Smaller patrols of course are normal encounters
Their stats are a bit more like player characters, altough they have no feats. They act like well trained soldiers with different roles: archers, heavy hitters, pike Formation, and officers which are of higher levels and better equipped with higher AC. Higher Level orcs got more than one attack, damage is per weapon type. I had some orc archers flying on manticore mounts in one session.
All of them drop some random silver according to their Level. E.g. a base soldier Drops 1d6 an archer 1d10 a low ranked officer 3d20
(Silver is the Gold in my campaign and the players can buy many things so it is a real incentive)
My players are well warned that if they encounter a real large group of orcs, they are doomed unless they flee or come up with a very good plan. Smaller patrols of course are normal encounters
Li Shenron
Legend
Nothing really. In the past I've changed half-orcs to be a separate species from humans and orcs, so that I could feature both Tolkien-style orcs using regular orcs and Warcraft-style orcs using half-orcs. They haven't come up yet in 5e, so I am not sure whether I'd go the same route again or just use the PHB default.
Similar Threads
AD6_gamerati_skyscraper
Recent & Upcoming Releases
-
April 16 2024 -
May 31 2024 -
June 3 2024 -
June 4 2024 -
June 18 2024 -
July 16 2024 -
September 17 2024 -
October 1 2024 -
November 12 2024 -
February 18 2025
