D&D 5E What is the appeal of the weird fantasy races?

[Hussar]

Yep, and chimps are much, much, stronger than humans. A species that is instead just not meaningfully weaker than humans is downright pedestrian.

Compare that to a dragon person? Who is for some reason bipedal? And breaths lightning? And is incredibly dense compared to a human but only decently stronger, and yet has just as much energy to get through the day as a human? That's more believable? lol no.

Why would dragonborn be dense? That's an honest question. A reptilian humanoid isn't exactly a huge stretch of imagination here. They've been posited in fiction since pretty much day 1. After all, since we're talking about pedigree and all that. Yet, somehow, that's less believable than something the size of a six year old being just as strong and fast as a full grown human?

I'll try to remember that small, lightweight creatures can't be dangerous while I go over and pet the wild honey badger.

And, if halflings were proportioned the way a honey badger or a small dog was, I'd be all for it. But, they're not. They're given HUMAN PROPORTIONS. All these arguments pointing to other creatures completely fall flat on that fact. And, note, pretty much anything larger than a honey badger EATS a honey badger - lions, hyenas, leopards - all eat honey badgers.

But hey, that's been my point all along. We're willing to suspend disbelief on some races, but not others because... well.... some people insist on being chained to the corpse of Tolkien (thank you so much for that image) and cannot conceive of how it could be different apparently.

 

[Minigiant]

I think you could reasonably reach the same conclusion reading the descriptions of elves and dwarves.

Dwarves are all about clans and tradition. They don't like boats. What kind of adventurer would avoid a boat? Clearly there can't be a lot of dwarven adventurers.

Elves are often more amused than excited. They retreat rather than fight for their homes. What kind of adventurer would retreat from their homes?

I think you're getting out what you're putting in

Elves maybe.
But D&D portrays dwarves as a bit greedy, a bit grudgey, and a bit grumpy. So a dwarf fighter of a clan of fighters rushing in a dragon's lair at the bottom of a dungeon to steal treasure isn't a stretch. An if he or she dies in the process, the next dwarf in the clan can obfuscate their greed by claiming to seek revenge, honor the clan, and right a wrong.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Wait, is this thread about trying to argue whether or not something in D&D is realistic?

 

[Gammadoodler]

Elves maybe.
But D&D portrays dwarves as a bit greedy, a bit grudgey, and a bit grumpy. So a dwarf fighter of a clan of fighters rushing in a dragon's lair at the bottom of a dungeon to steal treasure isn't a stretch. An if he or she dies in the process, the next dwarf in the clan can obfuscate their greed by claiming to seek revenge, honor the clan, and right a wrong.

And elves and halflings can be wanderlusty. I think you've just chosen traits you find more adventurey. I can't say you're wrong, but I wouldn't say you're right either.

 

[Maxperson]

With my dual degrees in imaginary sociology and fantasy cultural anthropology, I can say with 95% certainty, that halfling adventurers make up on average half the volume of the average human adventurer.

Where's your made up degree in geometry, buddy?

 

[Gammadoodler]

Where's your made up degree in geometry, buddy?

What can I say..it was a (very) liberal arts college.

 

[Maxperson]

Wait, is this thread about trying to argue whether or not something in D&D is realistic?

No, not really. One side is talking about racial appearances, and a few people on the other side are trying to equate a lack of realism with preferences regarding appearance.

 

[Minigiant]

And elves and halflings can be wanderlusty. I think you've just chosen traits you find more adventurey. I can't say you're wrong, but I wouldn't say you're right either.

I think it's more about the tone of your game.

If your setting has a lot of dangerous in the wilds, killers monsters in their dungoens, and conniving nobles in the cities where only the greedy, weird, and crazy would go out there, halflings make less sense in the PHB than angry dwarves or catman with blades on their hands.

But if your world is less deadly and more full of wonder and lighthearted in adventure, and more focus on the obstacles than monsters, then halfling adventurers don't feel so jarring.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Why would dragonborn be dense? That's an honest question. A reptilian humanoid isn't exactly a huge stretch of imagination here. They've been posited in fiction since pretty much day 1. After all, since we're talking about pedigree and all that. Yet, somehow, that's less believable than something the size of a six year old being just as strong and fast as a full grown human?

Who says halflings are just as strong as a full grown human? It's a game that is so abstracted that acrobats don't benefit much from strength, and being healthier or less healthy has no impact on how long you can fight and run and climb and throw heavy rocks at things.

And dragonborn are dense because they average 250 while being human shaped, and are noticeably stronger than humans. So, on average, they're at least as heavy as quite large humans, but they don't need more sleep or food than an average human. Point being, no, they aren't more believable than halflings.

Also, who is talking about pedigree? Please stop bringing crap I'm not talking about into a discussion with me. I do not give the least little sliver of a damn about pedigree.

And, if halflings were proportioned the way a honey badger or a small dog was, I'd be all for it. But, they're not. They're given HUMAN PROPORTIONS. All these arguments pointing to other creatures completely fall flat on that fact. And, note, pretty much anything larger than a honey badger EATS a honey badger - lions, hyenas, leopards - all eat honey badgers.

It's fantasy art. Harping on the proportions of the creatures is entirely nonsensical on every level. It doesn't matter.

And....no. Honey badgers literally drive off most of those attempted predators much more often than they get eaten by them.

More importantly, who cares?

Again, you're trying to have a different argument than the one I'm involved in. Please just stop. I do not care. I care about the line of disussion that I involved myself directly in, not at all in the argument that you're trying to have with me.

I think it's more about the tone of your game.

If your setting has a lot of dangerous in the wilds, killers monsters in their dungoens, and conniving nobles in the cities where only the greedy, weird, and crazy would go out there, halflings make less sense in the PHB than angry dwarves or catman with blades on their hands.

But if your world is less deadly and more full of wonder and lighthearted in adventure, and more focus on the obstacles than monsters, then halfling adventurers don't feel so jarring.

Eh, not so much. Most people who go adventuring die adventuring in real life, and yet happy optimists full of curiosity have always done so anyway. Nothing wierd about halflings there.

 

[Gammadoodler]

I think it's more about the tone of your game.

If your setting has a lot of dangerous in the wilds, killers monsters in their dungoens, and conniving nobles in the cities where only the greedy, weird, and crazy would go out there, halflings make less sense in the PHB than angry dwarves or catman with blades on their hands.

But if your world is less deadly and more full of wonder and lighthearted in adventure, and more focus on the obstacles than monsters, then halfling adventurers don't feel so jarring.

And perhaps in that more whimsical world, your dwarven adventures become the weird ones.

But tbh, in either world, I think it becomes a matter of adjusting the sliders for your races' cultures to match your world.

In whimsyland, your dwarves become traders or something, in darkworld, your halflings/elves go a little crazy, or have to be more militant to protect their homes.