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

[FrozenNorth]

I've played plenty of RPGs with only humans, and characters are plenty diverse.

Were those RPGs limited to 3 classes with no subclasses?

 

[Minigiant]

Well, the topic is "weird" fantasy races. So ... if you want to talk about bad DMing practices and how to fix them it would make more sense to start a separate thread.

Actually, it's a topic about not understanding weird races which is a issue for both good and bad DMs. For different reasons.

 

[prabe]

Were those RPGs limited to 3 classes with no subclasses?

Serious question: Does a classless system count?

 

[Minigiant]

But you could be a zillion other interesting, but serious characters. The DM really can't prevent you from making an interesting character that will be fun to play. He can make gameplay itself boring, though, but that's outside of the character.

A DM can most certainly limit you form making a specific interesting character. Multiple times.

 

[prabe]

A DM can most certainly limit you form making a specific interesting character. Multiple times.

At least twice, if I understand correctly. By disallowing a PC race, and/or by disallowing a (sub)class. Three times if you break out subclass and class.

I disallow WotC-published things at all three levels, but I have third-party/homebrew options for subclasses, and at least one homebrew PC race.

 

[FrozenNorth]

Serious question: Does a classless system count?

The specific example that is generating pushback had three classes: fighting man, cleric and wizard, so for the purposes of the example, I would say no.

Personally, I have had a lot of fun with classless systems, which by their nature, give you a lot of levers to differentiate characters.

 

[prabe]

The specific example that is generating pushback had three classes: fighting man, cleric and wizard, so for the purposes of the example, I would say no.

Personally, I have had a lot of fun with classless systems, which by their nature, give you a lot of levers to differentiate characters.

Agreed. I guess it comes to whether you see classless systems as having zero, one, or infinity classes. ;-)

 

[cbwjm]

The specific example that is generating pushback had three classes: fighting man, cleric and wizard, so for the purposes of the example, I would say no.

Personally, I have had a lot of fun with classless systems, which by their nature, give you a lot of levers to differentiate characters.

It's what I love about superhero games, they typically have no classes and let you build your character as you like. Mutants and masterminds and Icons are both super cool in that regard.

 

[Maxperson]

A DM can most certainly limit you form making a specific interesting character. Multiple times.

Okay, but that doesn't prevent you from making an interesting character anyway.

 

[Chaosmancer]

So a DM has to justify their opinion? I mean, I think loxodons are dumb. Even if I had a more open world I just ... no. No anthropomorphic elephant people in my campaign.

Maybe when you DM it doesn't matter. It does to some people and, yes "that's dumb" is sufficient justification. No justification other than "because it's not allowed" is all that is really needed IMHO.

Your opinion? Not really.

Your insistence on raining on someone else's fun because you think your opinion should hold more weight than theirs? Yeah, that would be something that needs justified.