Suggestions to replace Half-Elves

[Anthtriel]

Inspired by the thread that asks suggestions for replacing Halflings.

Ever since I started playing, I didn't like having Half-Elves as a seperate race. The concept never worked for me, and such characters were rarely played in campaigns I participated in. So for the future, I have decided to ditch them, much like Halflings. But since they use up page count, I'd like to replace them with some other race, that fits into their mechanic niche, much like I chose to replace Halflings with Nezumi.

But whereas it is easy to come up with with a small rogue-ish race, I have problems coming up with a diplomatic, probably somewhat agile race, preferably something recognizeable, with existing, decent artwork and something that doesn't need too much retooling. Does anyone have a good idea?

 

[Aage]

Inspired by the thread that asks suggestions for replacing Halflings.

Ever since I started playing, I didn't like having Half-Elves as a seperate race. The concept never worked for me, and such characters were rarely played in campaigns I participated in. So for the future, I have decided to ditch them, much like Halflings. But since they use up page count, I'd like to replace them with some other race, that fits into their mechanic niche, much like I chose to replace Halflings with Nezumi.

But whereas it is easy to come up with with a small rogue-ish race, I have problems coming up with a diplomatic, probably somewhat agile race, preferably something recognizeable, with existing, decent artwork and something that doesn't need too much retooling. Does anyone have a good idea?

I would make a counterpart for the tiefling (i.e. Aasimar) to fill that role, I think... Makes sense for beings that are somehow related to angels to be charismatic and inspiring...

 

[Wormwood]

Honestly? Humans work just fine in that niche.

Perhaps a feat along the lines of 'elf blood'?

 

[Anthtriel]

Honestly? Humans work just fine in that niche.

Well, then you have two sets of mechanics for the same race. I guess I could give players the choice between the two sets if they play a human, but that might muddy the race a bit. It's a solution if I cannot come up with anything else, but I'd rather have something different.

Perhaps a feat along the lines of 'elf blood'?

I have no particular need for Half-Elf mechanics (which is why I intend to ditch the race in the first place), but if someone wants to play that kind of character, then an "elf blood"-feat is the direction I intended to go, yes.

I would make a counterpart for the tiefling (i.e. Aasimar) to fill that role, I think... Makes sense for beings that are somehow related to angels to be charismatic and inspiring...

Interesting. That could work. I'm pretty fond of celestials after seeing Kaelyn the Dove in Mask of the Betrayer. I cannot think of a proper name for that race though. Perhaps Seraphim or Ophanim.

 

[ferratus]

I'm using Kenku as my half-elf replacement. Good swordsmen and magicians, outsiders, good rogues with inscrutable agendas.

 

[Elphilm]

I'm pretty fond of celestials after seeing Kaelyn the Dove in Mask of the Betrayer. I cannot think of a proper name for that race though. Perhaps Seraphim or Ophanim.

I think it would be better not to use terms which refer to particular types of angels. Nephilim might be a more appropriate name. You could Anglicize the name to an extent if it feels too foreign - I believe the term Nephilite is sometimes used, for example.

 

[Anthtriel]

I think it would be better not to use terms which refer to particular types of angels.

Most of my players do associate the terms Seraphim and Ophanim with angels, but not with particular categories, so I believe it should work, though I agree it is suboptimal.
Nephilim unfortunately doesn't work, because they connect them to the Magic the Gathering monstrosities, that carry the name for no apparent reason.
Aasimar might be fine after all. As a German, Tiefling is fairly awful to begin with.

One other problem with a celestial race is how to distinguish them from normal humans. After revisiting the exisiting artwork, Aasimar look too much like slightly more pale and beautiful humans to me. If they are meant to parallel Tieflings, they need a bit more than that. Other than glowing eyes, I can't think of anything. Unfunctional wings seem a bit lame.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

Most of my players do associate the terms Seraphim and Ophanim with angels, but not with particular categories, so I believe it should work, though I agree it is suboptimal.
Nephilim unfortunately doesn't work, because they connect them to the Magic the Gathering monstrosities, that carry the name for no apparent reason.
Aasimar might be fine after all. As a German, Tiefling is fairly awful to begin with.

One other problem with a celestial race is how to distinguish them from normal humans. After revisiting the exisiting artwork, Aasimar look too much like slightly more pale and beautiful humans to me. If they are meant to parallel Tieflings, they need a bit more than that. Other than glowing eyes, I can't think of anything. Unfunctional wings seem a bit lame.

Approaching an ideal state is always less obvious than approaching a corrupted one. But I suppose it would, in fact, be vaguely unsettling to look at. Those who aren't particularly perceptive should probably just find them a little "odd." They aren't quite right for some reason. Those who are more perceptive might notice some specifics.

Think "otherworldly." Something like the Silver Surfer in body type: a little more slender than is natural in a human. Their skin should be incredibly smooth and unlined. "Alabaster skin" is a cliche, but it works. They should be described as unnaturally still. Human beings are always twitching about and doing things. We're not actually good at doing nothing at all. A partially celestial being would be more centered. When they don't want or need to do anything, they can, in fact, do nothing.

The trick is making them charming at the same time. Perfect people are usually actually sort of irritating. We tend to gravitate towards little flaws in people. Mary Poppins at least had the good grace to be a little conceited about being "Practically Perfect in Every Way." It was a large part of her charm.

 

[Xath]

Approaching an ideal state is always less obvious than approaching a corrupted one. But I suppose it would, in fact, be vaguely unsettling to look at. Those who aren't particularly perceptive should probably just find them a little "odd." They aren't quite right for some reason. Those who are more perceptive might notice some specifics.

Think "otherworldly." Something like the Silver Surfer in body type: a little more slender than is natural in a human. Their skin should be incredibly smooth and unlined. "Alabaster skin" is a cliche, but it works. They should be described as unnaturally still. Human beings are always twitching about and doing things. We're not actually good at doing nothing at all. A partially celestial being would be more centered. When they don't want or need to do anything, they can, in fact, do nothing.

The trick is making them charming at the same time. Perfect people are usually actually sort of irritating. We tend to gravitate towards little flaws in people. Mary Poppins at least had the good grace to be a little conceited about being "Practically Perfect in Every Way." It was a large part of her charm.

In my game, celestial-blooded are perfectly symmetrical. In nature, the human perception defines beauty as being as close to symmetrical as possible. But actually seeing it is slightly off-putting (without being too obvious). Other things tip them off are that their eyes reflect in the dark like cats'. Not as noticable as a tiefling, but celestials generally look more human than demons and devils.

 

[Lord Fyre]

Honestly? Humans work just fine in that niche.

Perhaps a feat along the lines of 'elf blood'?

I think you are on to something here. A human feat for "Elf Blood", "Orc Blood", etc. would handle the idea better.

(Counterwise, "Human Blood" for Elves would also be appropriate along those same lines. )