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

[doctorbadwolf]

I think this really touches on a subject that is being debated here.

Some people have argued that more exotic races should be included, pointing to classic mythology that is flexible to include unusual nonstandard characters, like the Minotaur and Medusa.

LotR should be included in the list of “classical” settings that would allow a unique character as a result of a curse or magical experimentation, with the Uruk-hai and Gollum as examples.

I also want to second an idea proposed by someone here that in certain circumstances, it would be entirely appropriate to say that a “unique” character should take the Far Traveller background to reflect the effect their unusual appearance provokes on people.

Agreed.

"Geographical" here is intended to cover the possibility that where the player sees a blank space, the GM has stuff. Sure, in an ideal situation there would be flexibility--that's how the Black Field (a lava flow covering the former site of a city, across the river from the city my first campaign started in) came to house both the Stonestream Cloister (a monastic school inside a series of connected lava tubes) and the Basalt Henge (a druidic place of worship and study); but it's at least possible the GM has Big Plans.

Your comment about the "just trust me hole" is part of why I think these negotiations probably work better between people who know each other, and why I think starting off with a fait accompli is not the best approach for a player to take--asking for something the GM hasn't added is asking to be trusted.

And yes, I think negotiations involve give and take. If you insist on presenting your own write-up for a race the GM hasn't allowed, you should be willing--maybe even eager--for the GM to change that to fit things in the world that aren't immediately player-facing.

I agree with most of this. It should be a conversation.

 

[Maxperson]

Try saying that to your spouse.

Aaaaand he was never heard from again.

 

[Gammadoodler]

Try saying that to your spouse.

I mean their spouse is married to a human too. Very possible that they agree.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I mean their spouse is married to a human too. Very possible that they agree.

I knew I married an actuary for a reason.

 

[Remathilis]

Except there's NPCs who know elves existed, you would stand out and the ancient enemies of said elves are still around as well.

Once you're identified as an elf you're basically dead or kidnapped.

Ergo no elf. You would stick out like a sore thumb.

I'm also not a fan of amnesiac, world travelling or other similar backgrounds people come up with to justify anything.

In my scenario the no Elf thing would be hard and fast.

Drow might exist as well but no you can't play one.

I might not let Tieflings or other monstrous races in either.

Tine of settling my. Elves are a big mystery, nope there's one right rherewalking around in broad daylight.

I always ask then, what are you replacing elves with?

My biggest pet peeve is when a DM takes away an option but doesn't replace it with anything. You want to make elves mysterious and unheard of? Fine. What race are you adding to make up for the loss of an iconic race? Maybe someone who wants to be an ethereal magical being could select aasimar, or someone wanting to be a nature guardian can take firbolg. If you're not allowing drow, maybe another "dark" race can fill that role like tiefling, shadar-kai (human variant) or such. No orcs? How about goliath as the bruiser race?

Unfortunately, time and again in this thread, the alternative to the removed race is nothing. There are no fey races. There are no PC monstrous races. There are no planar races. There are no animal races. There are no aquatic races.

That's what I think is my issue. When whole categories of races are cut off and that limits your types of options. It's less about a specific race, and often more about the archetype being removed that bothers me.

 

[prabe]

My biggest pet peeve is when a DM takes away an option but doesn't replace it with anything.

So, there's a POV that anything other than the PHB is optional, so the DM not allowing something from an expansion book isn't removing anything. I mean, I allow tieflings, but not the variants in Mord's; am I really removing those variants?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

I always ask then, what are you replacing elves with?

My biggest pet peeve is when a DM takes away an option but doesn't replace it with anything. You want to make elves mysterious and unheard of? Fine. What race are you adding to make up for the loss of an iconic race? Maybe someone who wants to be an ethereal magical being could select aasimar, or someone wanting to be a nature guardian can take firbolg. If you're not allowing drow, maybe another "dark" race can fill that role like tiefling, shadar-kai (human variant) or such. No orcs? How about goliath as the bruiser race?

Unfortunately, time and again in this thread, the alternative to the removed race is nothing. There are no fey races. There are no PC monstrous races. There are no planar races. There are no animal races. There are no aquatic races.

That's what I think is my issue. When whole categories of races are cut off and that limits your types of options. It's less about a specific race, and often more about the archetype being removed that bothers me.

On the other hand I get what you mean, I try to keep a decent selection of archetypes, even though I basically merge and rearrange a lot of them. On the other hand not every archetype needs to exist in every setting. For example, in the real world we've somehow managed for a long time without any elves.

 

[Minigiant]

On the other hand I get what you mean, I try to keep a decent selection of archetypes, even though I basically merge and rearrange a lot of them. On the other hand not every archetype needs to exist in every setting. For example, in the real world we've somehow managed for a long time without any elves.

I dunno.

I've see some strange stuff on da subway late at night. I won't take skinny magical folk out as a real world possibility.

 

[Zardnaar]

I always ask then, what are you replacing elves with?

My biggest pet peeve is when a DM takes away an option but doesn't replace it with anything. You want to make elves mysterious and unheard of? Fine. What race are you adding to make up for the loss of an iconic race? Maybe someone who wants to be an ethereal magical being could select aasimar, or someone wanting to be a nature guardian can take firbolg. If you're not allowing drow, maybe another "dark" race can fill that role like tiefling, shadar-kai (human variant) or such. No orcs? How about goliath as the bruiser race?

Unfortunately, time and again in this thread, the alternative to the removed race is nothing. There are no fey races. There are no PC monstrous races. There are no planar races. There are no animal races. There are no aquatic races.

That's what I think is my issue. When whole categories of races are cut off and that limits your types of options. It's less about a specific race, and often more about the archetype being removed that bothers me.

It was just an idea. Usually most of the PHB is fine so I would probably replace with another dex based race.

I probably wouldn't cut elves they're a bit to popular but I might change the fluff.

Gnomes, Dragonborn would be the most likely to be cut. Dragonborn normally get replaced with Dragonkin, no one cares about gnomes.

Generally I have spotlight races so in Nuria Natal (not Egypt) you could be any of the Midgard races but encouraged to take locals, races indigenous to the area and anything anthromorphic.

Locals often got advantages on rolls for history or etiquette type rolls and other rewards but if you really wanted to play something else from elsewhere you could. That game had 30 odd races.

Replacements

Bearfolk
Ratfolk
Dragonkin
Trollkin
Ravenfolk
Minotaurs
Southern Dwarves
Northern Halflings
Tosculi
Werelions
Dhqmphir
Ghouls
Gear forged
Gnolls
Kobolds

Etc.
No Drow and discouraged Tieflings. Dragonborn allowed encouraged Dragonkin.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Try saying that to your spouse.

I'm pretty sure my parents would both agree with this sentiment. Not because they don't love each other but because they are both avid fantasy and sci-fi literature fans.

"I think I'm ready to see other people. In my mind, I mean."

"I think I'm ready to see otter people. And dragon people. Ooh, and maybe unicorn people!"