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

[Snarf Zagyg]

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It's a beautiful idea but, most D&D games aren't modern progressive worlds.

Well said, but I’d just add that this world is not a modern progressive world.

It’s difficult to imagine a fantasy world of no prejudice given our difficulties here. I certainly agree with it as an aspirational goal!

 

[Umbran]

So In other words...your character concept doesn't fit the campaign, try again?

It is less about the "concept", and more about the desired power level, is the real point.

The concept - you're the last son of a dying world - is fine. The "I can move planets and fly backwards around them to reverse time" is the issue.

 

[FrozenNorth]

Because none of them choose Common as their second language.

Good point. All of these settings are already homogenized: they all speak the same language.

 

[Umbran]

Pretty much. I ran an Egyptian themed game they picked.

"Could I be a Viking"
"Can I be a Samurai"

"Zardnaar, your chosen theme for this game isn't really what we are interested in..."

 

[MGibster]

The other option is, "Well, Kryptonians have a level adjustment somewhere in the high 40s. Come back with that concept when the campaign gets there. Until then, please find something appropriate for a 1st level character. Thanks."

I'm completely with you on this one. I just wanted to work in a Baldur's Gate joke. "Go for the eyes, Boo! Go for the eyes!"

 

[Maxperson]

Inflation

25 years ago your imaginary world was weird with elves. Now if you want something that renew weirdness, you need more races, classes etc. etc. Or refuse this drift and create a world low magic, human-centric.

A high magic world doesn't become low magic just because you've gotten used to elven high magic. You don't need to start including cat people and dragon people.

 

[Umbran]

I'm completely with you on this one. I just wanted to work in a Baldur's Gate joke. "Go for the eyes, Boo! Go for the eyes!"

Yeah. I'm just trying to point out that a lot of concepts can be accomodated.

Viking in Egypt-theme? How about a culture of barbarians living up the "Nile" that do a lot of river-raiding? Samurai? How about a culture of guards for the noble and powerful families with similar belief systems?

 

[MGibster]

No, I guess I just wonder why people insist on using racial prejudice as the 'go-to" prejudice in their oh-so authentic medieval pastiche, when the chief prejudice of the historical middle ages was religious and cultural. If you want to go authentic, it'd be better to have the elven bishop, the dragonborn templar knight, the halfling pilgrim and the gnome nun go on adventures together than a more traditional D&D party consisting of humans who all worship different gods and follow different cultural traditions.

Because D&D characters/worlds tend to have modern liberal sensibilities rather than anything resembling the medieval or early modern mindset.

 

[Umbran]

You don't need to start including cat people and dragon people.

"Need" is a strange word to use for a luxury entertainment pursuit in which we pretend to be elves and stuff.

There is no "need". This is all about desires, and what folks find engaging.

 

[Stefano Rinaldelli]

It's a beautiful idea but, most D&D games aren't modern progressive worlds.

Fantasy world has to be beautiful to enhance the feel of loss if it will be lost.
Fantasy world has to be rich of different races to increase weird sense and crystallize peculiar human aspects in a defined ethnic group.
Fantasy world has to be in conflict to enhance epic and adventure.

this 3 were the basis in fantasy literature for many years.

Now something has changed, many worlds are corrupted and already lost (thanks Vance you were ahead of your time), now epic builds on the save the status quo concept no more. Now epic is built by survival.

Save Status Quo concept is son of post 2° world war conflict. Save a beautiful world from being corrupted by insane ideology.

Survival concept is son of the present problems that humanity faces. No matter your race we are all in for survive to ourselves as population grow, resources are less and less and global warming change our habits and habitat.

Grim fantasy is here to remember us that grim times are ahead. Horror fantasy is here to familiarize ourselves with the idea that enemy cannot be overpowered.

The unusual race attraction in classic status quo saving fantasy can be explained by the nostalgia of times where humans already has a father that drove their step.

The unusual race attraction in survival fantasy can be explained by the subconscious desire to be different. The desire to find a way of being human in a different way. A way that permits us to survive.