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

[Maxperson]

Jay Aye Cee Kay Dee Aye En Eye Ee El.

Jick Diniel?

 

[Remathilis]

Jick Diniel?

Aye like a New Yorker, not a Scotsman

 

[prabe]

Because of how much I like Dragons. They are very rare, powerful and majestic creatures. They are the iconic creature in D&D and one of, if not my favorite creature in the game. To see their blood reduced in majesty and power that badly and made relatively common in the form of Dragonborn, greatly reduces that for me.

Three questions:

Do you explain that to players when asked?

Would you feel strongly enough to be bothered as a player?

Would different lore bother you less?

 

[Maxperson]

That's your choice.

Some people want to eat vanilla ice cream every day. That shouldn't mean Baskin Robbins should stop selling all the other flavors (or their flavor of the month) because you only need vanilla.

There's a reason that they aren't selling Caster Oil flavor, though. If Baskin Robbins has an option, it's not because it's good or bad for you. It's because it's good for them. If enough people stopped liking vanilla(it became a personally bad option), then it would cease being a good option for Baskin Robbins and the flavor would go away, even if you still liked it.

 

[Maxperson]

Three questions:

Do you explain that to players when asked?

Sure. It's not like it's a secret.

Would you feel strongly enough to be bothered as a player?

Yes, but depending on the game, I might still play anyway.

Would different lore bother you less?

At this point probably not. The association through the imagery and current lore has been around too long and is too strong. Trying to change them to breath weapon using lizardmen for example, would be like wearing a really poor disguise when spying.

 

[Remathilis]

There's a reason that they aren't selling Caster Oil flavor, though. If Baskin Robbins has an option, it's not because it's good or bad for you. It's because it's good for them. If enough people stopped liking vanilla(it became a personally bad option), then it would cease being a good option for Baskin Robbins and the flavor would go away.

The analogy fails though because BR in this scenario is WotC, not the DM. Now if WotC put out a setting and it bombed (nobody bought it) I wouldn't expect to see it again in a future edition (cough Birthright cough) but in this case, it would take more than your personal preference to stop WotC from putting in Dragonborn, it would take many many DMs and players refusing the option to remove it from the menu. (Just think about how often we say nobody plays gnomes and then the reaction when WotC removed them from the 4e PHB1).

 

[Maxperson]

The analogy fails though because BR in this scenario is WotC, not the DM. Now if WotC put out a setting and it bombed (nobody bought it) I wouldn't expect to see it again in a future edition (cough Birthright cough) but in this case, it would take more than your personal preference to stop WotC from putting in Dragonborn, it would take many many DMs and players refusing the option to remove it from the menu. (Just think about how often we say nobody plays gnomes and then the reaction when WotC removed them from the 4e PHB1).

No, it doesn't fail. The DM is like Baskin Robbins. Or if you prefer, WotC is Baskin Robbins and the DM is a franchisee with express permission to alter flavors as he sees fit.

 

[prabe]

Those are fair answers; thanks.

At this point probably not. The association through the imagery and current lore has been around too long and is too strong. Trying to change them to breath weapon using lizardmen for example, would be like wearing a really poor disguise when spying.

I was really wondering if rewriting the lore so that, for instance, they were created by the dragons as essentially cannon fodder, during some ancient war (on my world, it was against the giants, but that's mostly to also explain the giants' creating the goliaths ...). It really doesn't matter much, I guess--you don't like what you don't like and I'm not in a position to tell you to change that (and I'm not trying to).

 

[jasper]

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?

HOW DARE YOU. I PAID FULL PRICE FOR THIS OPTIONAL BOOK!.
Spouse, " You got for $29 from Amazon and bundled with my Vacuum Cleaner to save on shipping."
I DEMAND you let me play this official product. Other wise you are an icky nasty dm.
(This basically sums up the trouble I had with some gamers and the social contract during 2E. )

 

[jasper]

@Hussar .. "Here's a pre-approved list. Anything not on the list, ask." is not a problem……

@Hussar…But, "I can't add this race because there's no room for it in my setting" is a lame duck excuse. To me, it raises all sorts of questions because, "there's no room for it in the setting" suggests a degree of inflexibility in the DM that raises warning flags that I will likely not enjoy playing with this DM…..

WE have A WINNER. In 2 Posts Hussar sums up the disconnect. Players don’t want a lame duck excuse. BUT THAT is the PROBLEM. What falls into the LAME DUCK EXCUSE bucket is totally up to each individual player. Then we will have this.

DM, “I do not like Green Eggs and Ham!” Player, “Lame Duck Excuse.” DM give three sentences. Player, “Lame Duck Excuse.” DM gives three paragraphs. Player, “Lame Duck Excuse.” DM gives three pages. Player, “Lame Duck Excuse.” I have done up to three paragraphs and after than just dropped the restriction and one big plot line I had created for the campaign.

Now days, IF I was HOMEBREWING, I will just give one sentence. The player can either accept the reason or move on. One reason I enjoy Adventure League is I can game with limited restrictions. One reason I will not have an “A+” game session in AL, is because I have to allow ALL the options.

@Maxperson… No, it doesn't fail. The DM is like Baskin Robbins. Or if you prefer, WotC is Baskin Robbins and the DM is a franchisee with express permission to alter flavors as he sees fit…. LOVE. MARRY ME. (Looks at wedding ring.) Never mind. Good show, well-reasoned old fellow.