D&D 5E Player Races in Upcoming Volo's Guide to Monsters

[doctorbadwolf]

Why. Whats wrong with a species being alien. Lizardfolk are a very neutral race and have a different mindset from most humanoids. Humanoids tend to ether be good people (Most elves and dwarves), people of all types (humans), or jackasses (Goblinoids and Orcs).

They have always been like this in D&D don't get why you would have a problem with it. I would say it makes them more interesting. Why you would want to ignore it is alien to me.

Nothing. But lizard people being alien even to someone that understands reptile behavior, even to other kinds of lizard people, is "they're super different because reasons!" Which bores me. They should be alien. And also familiar. From what I've seen, lizardfolk have family groups, make tools, and cooperate with each other to accomplish common goals. That is a LOT they have in common with us. They could be a really interesting "uncanny valley" race that is in many ways very alien, but in other ways similar to any other social tool user with the same 5 senses, etc.

Contrast that with Wilden, or intelligent cephalopods or something, which make sense to be genuinely extremely alien in mindset.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Nothing. But lizard people being alien even to someone that understands reptile behavior, even to other kinds of lizard people, is "they're super different because reasons!" Which bores me. They should be alien. And also familiar. From what I've seen, lizardfolk have family groups, make tools, and cooperate with each other to accomplish common goals. That is a LOT they have in common with us. They could be a really interesting "uncanny valley" race that is in many ways very alien, but in other ways similar to any other social tool user with the same 5 senses, etc.

Contrast that with Wilden, or intelligent cephalopods or something, which make sense to be genuinely extremely alien in mindset.

I never said they were alien to each other. They would no doubt be understood by other lizardfolk. But other humanoids can't really understand or read them well. From their culture they also have a different sense of morality then most other humanoids.

 

[gantzerteo]

Guys you are totally forgetting about Realms lore.
Yes, despite creature or monsters from other settings we are talking about a Volo's Guide, then it's 100% sure we are talking about Faerunian Lizardfolks and as Race of Faerun and Serpents Kingdom from 3E teached they are one of the older race on Toril, offspring of the Sarrukh, one of the Creator Races.

 

[Parmandur]

Nothing. But lizard people being alien even to someone that understands reptile behavior, even to other kinds of lizard people, is "they're super different because reasons!" Which bores me. They should be alien. And also familiar. From what I've seen, lizardfolk have family groups, make tools, and cooperate with each other to accomplish common goals. That is a LOT they have in common with us. They could be a really interesting "uncanny valley" race that is in many ways very alien, but in other ways similar to any other social tool user with the same 5 senses, etc.

Contrast that with Wilden, or intelligent cephalopods or something, which make sense to be genuinely extremely alien in mindset.

So, clearly, Lizardfolk are rational animals: their reason is similar to a humans, where interaction is possible. Their animal side, however, can be very, very different: and emotions are an animal brain activity. Certainly they have them, but they are not mammalian.

 

[Shades of Eternity]

surprised how many races that are fairly realms specific that didn't make the cut.

Batiri
Gensai
Orog
Saurials (but also kinda glad for obvious reasons)
Siv
Shade
Wemic
Yuan-ti

still very curious on which races should have made the cut.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I never said they were alien to each other. They would no doubt be understood by other lizardfolk. But other humanoids can't really understand or read them well. From their culture they also have a different sense of morality then most other humanoids.

Um...neither did I. That is why I said lizard people instead of Lizardfolk. Ie, other intelligent reptilian species.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

surprised how many races that are fairly realms specific that didn't make the cut.

Batiri
Gensai
Orog
Saurials (but also kinda glad for obvious reasons)
Siv
Shade
Wemic
Yuan-ti

still very curious on which races should have made the cut.

Orogs, Wemics, and Yuan-ti are in no ways Forgotten Realms specific. They are standard D&D races. (Wemics have come out in FR monster manuals since 2e for some odd reason--probably because they second tier monsters and they often use FR monster books for overflow--2e stuck dinosaurs in the Forgotten Realms monster book, for instance). And if you mean Genasi, they are absolutely not Forgotten Realms. They are Planescape creatures (like Tieflings and Aasimar).

Saurials and Shades (assuming you mean the type I'm thinking of) are specifically Forgotten Realms, however, and I'm not sure about Siv and Batiri, but they most likely are.

I know you just said "fairly", but in the case of those first three, I think "in no way" is the more correct statement.

 

[gyor]

surprised how many races that are fairly realms specific that didn't make the cut.

Batiri
Gensai
Orog
Saurials (but also kinda glad for obvious reasons)
Siv
Shade
Wemic
Yuan-ti

still very curious on which races should have made the cut.

How did you know they didn't make the cut?

 

[Shades of Eternity]

Orogs, Wemics, and Yuan-ti are in no ways Forgotten Realms specific. They are standard D&D races. (Wemics have come out in FR monster manuals since 2e for some odd reason--probably because they second tier monsters and they often use FR monster books for overflow--2e stuck dinosaurs in the Forgotten Realms monster book, for instance). And if you mean Genasi, they are absolutely not Forgotten Realms. They are Planescape creatures (like Tieflings and Aasimar).

Saurials and Shades (assuming you mean the type I'm thinking of) are specifically Forgotten Realms, however, and I'm not sure about Siv and Batiri, but they most likely are.

I know you just said "fairly", but in the case of those first three, I think "in no way" is the more correct statement.

Siv are isolationist frog monks from the monsters of faerun in 3rd edition.
The Baitri are jungle goblins from chult and unlike in most environments, these goblins are actually scary.

The wemic have a long tradition in the shaar and their god nobanion has been in the realms since the beginning.

Orog refer to deep orcs in the realms rather then their more dnd counterparts.

I'll give ya gensai as I was looking through races of faerun when I was looking at it and yes, planescape did it.

How did you know they didn't make the cut?

honestly, that's a good point, fingers crossed .

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Gensai are already in the game as a playable race. As are Orogs. Orcs are going to be a playable race and there is no reason to pick Orogs over them.