Races of Destiny: Anyone got it?

[Mr Gone]

Sharakim? Seen print before?

 

[CronoDekar]

I'm not sure what fluff Races of Destiny gives, but does anyone else think it's odd that half-orcs get paladin as one of their racial substitution options? I mean, playing a half-orc paladin could be cool, but when I think of common themes for orcs I don't think of paladins. Ah well.

And I'd say Races of Stone is worth buying, yeah.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Well, you wouldn't exactly have said "Dwarven sorcerers, how iconic!" either, yet there they are in Races of Stone.

I think that racial substitution levels seem to be written to cater to a) the "iconic" choices of the race - like dwarven fighters - and b) the more unusual choices - goliath rogues, half-orc paladins.

 

[Knight Otu]

I'm not sure what fluff Races of Destiny gives, but does anyone else think it's odd that half-orcs get paladin as one of their racial substitution options? I mean, playing a half-orc paladin could be cool, but when I think of common themes for orcs I don't think of paladins. Ah well.

That's why they are sub levels for half-orcs, and not orcs. That said, while a bit odd, it is not out of line. Half-orc paladins have been around at least since the Hero Builder's Guidebook - and also, what way is better to prove that you are not like your violent father or mother than heeding the call of a lawful good deity? I'm not sure if that is the justification given in Races of Destiny, of course.


Oh, and add me to the list of those who like Races of Stone.

 

[Kvantum]

Races of Stone, err, well, rocks.

Your groan here.

I really like the Goliaths. They fit a role that I had always wanted to bring into my games, that of something in between a human and a half-giant. (The "half-giants" in the XPH are a joke. I'm sorry, just... no. Dark Sun half-gaints are the real ones IMO)

But as far as Races of Destiny goes, other than one or two of the PrCs and the Doppleganger monster class, it's a waste of money. If it ever comes out in a PDF for 10 bucks or less, it's worth it. Otherwise, let it sit on the shelf.

 

[Orius]

I have to say that Races of Destiny gets a big meh from me from what i've read of it. A big racial book on playing humans. Wow, like I really need tips to play a human character, or I need more insight on human society. Ok, so there's stuff on half-elves and half-orcs as well, but I don't know or care if either are done well. The half-races essential fit a sort of cliched half-breed niche already. I really don't know if this book adds to that. I usually don't play either race as a player, and as a DM I don't really do anything with them as a whole, using such NPCs as individuals, rather than actual societies.

Then there's these illumian guys which don't interest me at all. The last thing I need is yet another fantasy race in my campain. I can get plenty of milage out of human, dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes, goblinoids, kobolds, orcs, and gnolls, and even those seem like too much sometimes. The chapter on stuff like planetouched and mongrelfolk seems off the cuff to be really to short to cover them in any detail. Feats, PrCs, domains and other such crunchy bits aren't bad, but there's enough of them now all over the place that this book really isn't screaming "Buy me!" to me.