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

[Zardnaar]

I think what's less important than why the DM isn't allowing the race is how the DM handles it if/when someone wants to play it--and to an extent how the player handles the DM's banning it. There are ways that lead to productive conversations, and there are ways that don't.

Pretty much PHB +3 ask for anything else no flyers is my current rule.

I said no to a Triton, yes to a Dragonkin.

 

[prabe]

Pretty much PHB +3 ask for anything else no flyers is my current rule.

I said no to a Triton, yes to a Dragonkin.

That doesn't sound too different than mine:
Aasimar
Fallen
Protector
Scourge
Dragonborn (homebrewed subraces)
Draconite
Drathonite
Dwarf
Hill Dwarf
Mountain Dwarf
Erkoni (homebrewed race)
Speaker
Teacher
Elf
Eladrin
High Elf
Shadar-Kai
Wood Elf
Firbolg
Genasi
Air Genasi
Earth Genasi
Fire Genasi
Water Genasi
Gnome
Forest Gnome
Rock Gnome
Goliath
Half-elf
Half-orc
Halfling
Lightfoot
Stout
Human
Tiefling

 

[Zardnaar]

That doesn't sound too different than mine:
Aasimar
Fallen
Protector
Scourge
Dragonborn (homebrewed subraces)
Draconite
Drathonite
Dwarf
Hill Dwarf
Mountain Dwarf
Erkoni (homebrewed race)
Speaker
Teacher
Elf
Eladrin
High Elf
Shadar-Kai
Wood Elf
Firbolg
Genasi
Air Genasi
Earth Genasi
Fire Genasi
Water Genasi
Gnome
Forest Gnome
Rock Gnome
Goliath
Half-elf
Half-orc
Halfling
Lightfoot
Stout
Human
Tiefling

I usually don't bother listing the sub types so aasimar and Tieflings are allowed including the Volo/Mordenkainens ones.

They're allowed along with h Drow but I'm not running traditional fried they're more like Eberron Drow, nocturnal hunters in the jungles.

 

[prabe]

I usually don't bother listing the sub types so aasimar and Tieflings are allowed including the Volo/Mordenkainens ones.

They're allowed along with h Drow but I'm not running traditional fried they're more like Eberron Drow, nocturnal hunters in the jungles.

I ... have a random chart. Because it comes in handy for NPCs sometimes.

 

[Remathilis]

As I said something might exist you don't get to play it.
Theros for example the only has 6 races iirc, it does say anyone else is a world traveller. That doesn't mean you get to play such a traveller.

The theme is Greek based so something like an elf doesn't fit.

Geo locking something just means the focus is on this area and races.

Race might be banned because it doesn't fit, DM doesn't like it, mechanics, DM doesn't like it's appearance, DM doesn't like the font used, doesn't like the smell of it etc.

Elf seems like it would be the easiest to incorporate into Theros: reskin them as nymphs and away you go.

 

[Chaosmancer]

But no, I won't let someone talk me into a half-dragon half-vampire*. I'll never again allow a seven foot tall albino elf (at the time, elves were limited to 5'6") that frightens everyone when they walk into the room just because they say so. I will continue to set a world stage and include options that make sense to me.

*With a scarf that blows in the non-existent wind.

You know, I know that you actually had that player, and I'm sorry, but could you go with a more realistic example?

Like... A gnome who likes poetry. Or a Tiefling who joined a Paladin order. Or a Shifter who was banished from their clan and had to figure out "modern" society.

Not all of us are seeking to be half-dragon half vampire with a tragic backstory and personal wind. Or to declare that we are so scary that everyone is scared of us because we are scary.

 

[Oofta]

You know, I know that you actually had that player, and I'm sorry, but could you go with a more realistic example?

Like... A gnome who likes poetry. Or a Tiefling who joined a Paladin order. Or a Shifter who was banished from their clan and had to figure out "modern" society.

Not all of us are seeking to be half-dragon half vampire with a tragic backstory and personal wind. Or to declare that we are so scary that everyone is scared of us because we are scary.

Well, I had a guy want to play a deva in 4E. I allowed it because I came up with an interesting back story (that he didn't learn until the end of the campaign) and there was a reason for him to be unique. That and as far as anyone knew he was human.

But another example? I've had a couple of people that wanted to play drow. I didn't allow it because they are the bogeyman in my world. Only ever seen by rare survivors they come at night to burn villages, pillage and take great joy in causing suffering before they go back to Svartleheim (kind-of-sort-of the underdark in my campaign world). Those are really the only ones that have ever come up because I let people know ahead of time what I allow.

 

[prabe]

Or a Tiefling who joined a Paladin order

One of the first characters I worked out when I got 5E (I have a tendency to learn systems by making characters) was a Tiefling Paladin. Either it's less unobvious than either of us think, or we think an awful lot alike.

 

[Dire Bare]

You know, I know that you actually had that player, and I'm sorry, but could you go with a more realistic example?

Like... A gnome who likes poetry. Or a Tiefling who joined a Paladin order. Or a Shifter who was banished from their clan and had to figure out "modern" society.

Not all of us are seeking to be half-dragon half vampire with a tragic backstory and personal wind. Or to declare that we are so scary that everyone is scared of us because we are scary.

A 7' tall albino elf doesn't sound too bad, even if elves normally average out closer to 5'. We have abnormally tall people in the real world, and albinos to boot. I'd allow it. If the player also expected everyone they encountered to feel fear . . . well, I'd tell the player, "Your character believes they exude an aura that causes everyone to fear them, but perception isn't necessarily going to match actuality".

 

[Oofta]

A 7' tall albino elf doesn't sound too bad, even if elves normally average out closer to 5'. We have abnormally tall people in the real world, and albinos to boot. I'd allow it. If the player also expected everyone they encountered to feel fear . . . well, I'd tell the player, "Your character believes they exude an aura that causes everyone to fear them, but perception isn't necessarily going to match actuality".

Did I mention he also had no weapons that he had to borrow a dagger? That his idea of RP was to give an "imperious stare"? Had no offensive capabilities whatsoever?

There were ... well, lets just say for the one session he played there were a lot of issue. But while it may not bother you, a 7 ft tall elf (don't forget the albino part) would be equivalent to what, somewhere around 10-12 ft tall human? In any case, it was a silly character. I don't want silly characters. If that means I'm not the DM for you then so be it.