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

[Dannyalcatraz]

Would you play in an RPG without human PCs or NPCs?

I would, and my vote reflects that fact.

HOWEVER, in my experience, unless the presence of playable humans makes no logical sense (say, roleplaying in a setting where all characters are regular sized bugs), many players want to have humans as a playable option, even if they have no intention of playing one. Several players I know personally have balked at the thought of not having that option.

I think it’s sort of a comforting touchstone for such players. I sincerely doubt that it’s even conscious for some.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I believe the Humblewood stetting on DDB has no human characters.

But there is an obvious thematic reason for doing that. If your dominant species is human-with-the-numbers-filed-off (e.g. elves) then what is the point? If your dominant species is something physically very alien, like thri-kreen, how is that going to change things like basic equipment lists, the shape of doorways and furniture, etc? Modern dungeon maps often have furniture and stuff drawn on, and that furniture is designed for humans.

I think you probably need a stronger world concept than "medieval, but without humans" to make the payoff worth the effort.

 

[Tonguez]

I think you probably need a stronger world concept than "medieval, but without humans" to make the payoff worth the effort.

Yeah this, depending on just how weird your races are going to be youre going to have to detail their physical traits and how these affect their society, technology, architecture and behaviours. Something humanoid like a elf or halfling might be easier but if you have something with tri-radial symmertry (like a Xorn) its going to be very alien.

Even considering things like Aakorockra(sp) as the dominant race produces a very different world from one based on medieval europe

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I am vastly more likely to play in a game with no humans than I am to play in a game with only humans.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I think you probably need a stronger world concept than "medieval, but without humans" to make the payoff worth the effort.

Why? I should think "medieval world with no humans" would naturally be a selling-point, given the vast swathes of indistinguishable "medieval world with only humans" stuff we have out there. Few are even willing to attempt a world with no humans in it.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Why? I should think "medieval world with no humans" would naturally be a selling-point, given the vast swathes of indistinguishable "medieval world with only humans" stuff we have out there. Few are even willing to attempt a world with no humans in it.

The vast majority of D&D races are some variation on human. Skinny humans with pointy ears, short humans with beards, etc. A difference that makes no difference is no difference.

And if you make your dominant race something other than near human, you can give up on using "medieval" or any other human style as your reference. Why would an aarakocra civilisation build castles when everyone can fly?

 

[Zardnaar]

The vast majority of D&D races are some variation on human. Skinny humans with pointy ears, short humans with beards, etc. A difference that makes no difference is no difference.

And if you make your dominant race something other than near human, you can give up on using "medieval" or any other human style as your reference. Why would an aarakocra civilisation build castles when everyone can fly?

Magical AA guns or Prism flowers.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Magical AA guns or Prism flowers.

Indeed. It's not that you couldn't do it, it's just that it aint going to look medieval, and it's going to require a lot of world building to work out what it does look like. But sure, do it well and it could be great.

You are into hard science fiction territory here. What would a civilisation look like if? Could always lift something from a novel of course.

 

[Shiroiken]

I've already played this game back in 2E. The DM's world had the humans and elves wiped out by an alliance of orcs and drow, who then replaced them.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I think not having humans opens up an RPG to taking things in a really creative direction. You could have all Animal People (like Mouseguard), or all one-inch-tall Bug People, or all Flying People on Airships, or all Undead...

When you don't have to figure out how to tie humans into an RPG setting, you can get really crazy or thematic with it!