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

[prabe]

In short you're telling me that every wizard who tries their hand at something approaching robotics is stupid and careless. And that magic only works in very specific ways and ways that shut down player ideas. And they work in those ways because you, the DM, who has absolute control, has decided they do that.

This all tells me that what you're looking for is excuses to say no. Me, when I DM I'm looking for excuses to say yes - and even more than that excuses to say "Yeeeesssssss..." with an evil grin.

I'm telling you that the world works in ways that make sense to me. No doubt some of that comes to my tastes--I don't like steampunk/magicpunk much, and don't want mecha in my D&D game, thanks much, and Warforged in D&D are ... more than little OP, IMO.

I don't have absolute control of the world, once PCs start moving around in it; that was a lesson I was really slow to learn, but I learned it. What I'm looking for is to have fun, too, and there are some things I dislike strongly enough that DMing them doesn't sound like fun to me. This is why I only have 35 choices for PC races on the "default yes" list and ask players to talk with me about anything else.

As I have pointed out I DM more than I play and even when I'm a player there are more other players at the table than there are DMs. I have also in my time only ever once run into a player where the problem was player entitlement*. I can think of a number of bad DMs I've played with
where the problem was DM entitlement and the DM deciding that they should control as much as possible on both sides of the screen to the detriment of the fun of the players.

* This is not the only potential problem of course.

I DM way more than I play, too; I'm probably going to walk away from the one steady 5E campaign I'm playing in, because the DM isn't running the kind of game I want (I've had my fill and more of choose-the-lesser-evil scenarios). I'm fortunate that I have some good friends to play with me, and that I was able to find some other good players running at game stores. I haven't wanted to say no much to the players at my tables.

 

[Alzrius]

For me, it's that when I want to play something unusual, I want to play something absolutely off-the-wall weird. Like, half-fiendish catfolk with golem-grafts (i.e. the fantasy version of cybernetic enhancements) unusual. It's a great palette-cleanser between more down-to-earth characters.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I have no issue with providing a list of races for your campaign, and if were to run a campaign that had a list, I too would allow players to make a pitch and see if we could make it work.

As far as the lore question, I also don't have "attacked on sight" or "always evil" races for anyone that has PC stats (and most that don't). Some specific groups hate other specific groups, but that won't stop players making the PCs they want. If I had a different lore reason why a race was (to my eyes) inappropriate for PCs, I'd probably do what you do.

 

[Minigiant]

Being an old veteran dm, Attention to orders. Minigiant having brought to the attention of the DM council, that current DMS are not serving the expanded player base. Player Minigiant is now promoted to the rank of DM. DM minigiant is now given the rights and responsibilities of DM. Fail at this challenge at your peril. DM Minigiant is further authorize to promote players to DM rank without the need to of DM council input.
Done this day of 08 Dec 2020.
Signed Rotten DM.
Anyone can DM. Anyone can play.

I am already a DM for newcomers. That's why the Saturday campaign has

• Power Rangers
• Paladins that act like 90s Wrestlers
• The Ginyu Force
• Bardic College of Rap
• Way of the Breakdancer
• Griots
• The Plane of Neutrals
• Blue Eyes White Dragons (mixed color dragons)
• Reverse Vampires

 

[prabe]

I am already a DM for newcomers. That's why the Saturday campaign has

• Power Rangers
• Paladins that act like 90s Wrestlers
• The Ginyu Force
• Bardic College of Rap
• Way of the Breakdancer
• Griots
• The Plane of Neutrals
• Blue Eyes White Dragons (mixed color dragons)
• Reverse Vampires

I'm pleased you're getting newcomers into the game, and I genuinely hope y'all are having fun, but that game sounds like the opposite of fun to me.

 

[Jack Daniel]

I'm pleased you're getting newcomers into the game, and I genuinely hope y'all are having fun, but that game sounds like the opposite of fun to me.

There's nothing wrong with a gonzo campaign if that's what everyone is in the mood for. I would personally draw a hard line at shoehorning a gonzo character concept into a campaign that isn't a tonal fit for it, though.

 

[Minigiant]

I'm pleased you're getting newcomers into the game, and I genuinely hope y'all are having fun, but that game sounds like the opposite of fun to me.

But I can't do by myself. I am but one crazy man.

So they'll come to your game and want to be fantasy Vegeta. Some one needs to train them to be their own DMs.

 

[prabe]

But I can't do by myself. I am but one crazy man.

So they'll come to your game and want to be fantasy Vegeta. Some one needs to train them to be their own DMs.

Maybe they'd learn to appreciate gonzo that is less wide but cuts deeply.

 

[Zardnaar]

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

They chose the theme.

 

[Zardnaar]

This. Too many DMs (and I have done it myself) get married to a concept and forget that the players have a say in the concept too. Sometimes what you want isn't what the others want...

They picked the concept. I gave them a list of 5 options (including anything goes).