D&D General No Humans? (Well, the players... but that's it.)

[FitzTheRuke]

Yeah. I mean, I like playing humans. I still prefer humans to be the most common folk in my games. However, if I was playing your game (either actually @ezo anyone else) and the rules were "no humans" then I'd be happy to make something else.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Sure. I've played in quite a few thematic campaigns that didn't have humans.

 

[aco175]

Probably the most "human" race we have is basically a type of "cyclops", but medium-size and not quite as brutish as cyclops are typically portrayed. Some of the others a much more "alien" and probably more suitable to something like Star Wars.

I find it hard to picture or get in the mind of something that should be alien and not relatable to. A halfling or a dwarf is easier to say; "compared to a human, this is a little more like". When there is no human, I have to make that part up.

 

[ezo]

I find it hard to picture or get in the mind of something that should be alien and not relatable to. A halfling or a dwarf is easier to say; "compared to a human, this is a little more like". When there is no human, I have to make that part up.

Totally understandable.

When you say, "I have to make that part up", do you mean a human part, something you feel you can relate to?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Yeah, this is perfectly fine, and potentially quite cool. I have contemplated something like this occasionally as well. As a relatively prominent example of such a setting, think Dark Crystal. It is completely alien world with many weird critters, but no humans.

 

[ezo]

Dark Crystal

Ah... love it, so much!

 

[aco175]

Totally understandable.

When you say, "I have to make that part up", do you mean a human part, something you feel you can relate to?

The "compared to what" part. To go away from the norm or expected, there must first be the norm.

Take the Star Wars example with Mos Eisley and I can play walrus face, shark lamprey face, and bent neck guy. Walrus face has a cool bite attack, resistant to cold, and darkvision (of course). Shark lamprey face gets a vampiric touch bite, can change his shape to fit through small places, and darkvision (of course). Bent neck guy gets all-around vision, proficiency in Perception and cannot wear standard armor. My problem is that I do not know if their abilities are more of less balance to each other or is darkvision is rather normal or what 'standard armor' is.

So, if walrus face people are the most common, then I could see some of the background in making certain abilities and design. I could see what standard is and see why bent neck guy cannot wear walrus face armor.

 

[payn]

Fair point! So, what if you don't mind elaborating is it that leaves you disappointed?

We are very much focusing on making our races much, much more than just "humans in funny masks".

That is the billion dollar question. One of the reasons I usually only go human is I tend to explore characterization within personality. Then, I apply different viewpoints to the politics at large in the setting. Most rule books are written from a blank general slate, which makes sense nobody knows where this thing is going until its going. I think many adventure writers lay off ancestry/species exploration because who knows what an adventure group is going to look like?

So, I guess if you have wood elfs or hill dorfs that ought to mean something. More than steady feet or low light level vision. Those mechanics are fine, but I need a little more than a couple bennies to feel the difference.

I know this isn't a direct answer, but im hoping it leads to a good discussion.

 

[Cadence]

Played in an underdark one where I don't think we ran into any humans until we got to the surface after quite a while.

Ran one with humans in the world, but all of the players were non-humans with rings that allowed the. to disguise as humans for short periods of time.

 

[ezo]

Thanks to all for your feedback so far! Great stuff!

But, time for sleep. I'll reply tomorrow after work or as soon as I can. Thanks again.