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

[Gammadoodler]

Just like there is no "whim," there also is no "arbitrary."

Take a post. 'Respond' to exactly one word of it. Make an assertion, provide no support..

Move along, nothing to see here.

 

[Oofta]

So ... @Gammadoodler, a DM is not allowed to make a judgement call? They have to justify every call they make to you personally?

Because that's not how the game works according to the rules. The DM is the person who makes the final decision. Maybe they have a vote, maybe they send you a personal message to see if you approve, but ultimately the buck stops with the DM.

P.S. I did miss the quote from the book. My bad. Doesn't change my opinion and how I would rule, but that's a DM's prerogative. If that means that I (or @Maxperson) is not the DM for you then so be it.

 

[Gammadoodler]

So ... @Gammadoodler, a DM is not allowed to make a judgement call? They have to justify every call they make to you personally?

Because that's not how the game works according to the rules. The DM is the person who makes the final decision. Maybe they have a vote, maybe they send you a personal message to see if you approve, but ultimately the buck stops with the DM.

P.S. I did miss the quote from the book. My bad. Doesn't change my opinion and how I would rule, but that's a DM's prerogative. If that means that I (or @Maxperson) is not the DM for you then so be it.

I never said you were right or wrong. Only that where you choose to exercise this prerogative, you're responsible for any mess that results.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It’s not the job of the DM to suspend their disbelief for the player’s entitlement.

It’s the job of the DM to suspend their disbelief for the player’s enjoyment.

also

It’s the job of each player to suspend their disbelief for the DM and other player’s enjoyment.

 

[Oofta]

I never said you were right or wrong. Only that where you choose to exercise this prerogative, you're responsible for any mess that results.

Well, I don't think there would be a "mess". As long as I'm clear ahead of time how I would rule (and I would be) it's not my responsibility to make the environments or scenarios fit the PC.

If I make it clear to the players that I'm running an urban campaign and somebody comes to me with a wood elf, they don't have a leg to stand on when most fights don't occur in natural environments. You could say the same about centaurs. As long as I'm clear they don't have a hoof to stand on when everybody else can climb that ladder.

 

[Oofta]

It’s the job of the DM to suspend their disbelief for the player’s enjoyment.

also

It’s the job of each player to suspend their disbelief for the DM and other player’s enjoyment.

For you perhaps. And I do suspend disbelief to a large degree. Dragons shouldn't be able to fly and so on. I just draw a line at things that would look okay in an action movie. Well, if the action movie has flying dragons of course.

 

[Maxperson]

Ah, so first we're doubling down on a nothing response. Cool. It's been a bit, but remember that whole conversation about how a dodge is a dodge, and pots and kettles..

I'm excited to hear how whims have any functional difference from imaginary reasons though.

If you don't know the difference between a whim and a reason, I can't help you.

 

[Maxperson]

Levitate. It’s available starting level 3.

Sure. There are definitely ways around the difficulty with climbing.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

For you perhaps. And I do suspend disbelief to a large degree. Dragons shouldn't be able to fly and so on. I just draw a line at things that would look okay in an action movie. Well, if the action movie has flying dragons of course.

Yep. When I literally cannot even visualise the thing happening 'it's fantasy' stops working as an excuse.

 

[billd91]

I never said you were right or wrong. Only that where you choose to exercise this prerogative, you're responsible for any mess that results.

I would not put the whole blame on the GM. There are some things a player has to be able to expect and shoulder the responsibility for making their choice despite the complications those expectations will reasonably impose.
A classic example in previous editions was a high level Druid with a huge dinosaur as an animal companion. You can’t expect to be able to take them everywhere you might want to go (at least without paying some cost). There really were players out there (arguing on these boards) claiming that was, for some reason, unfair. Sure, a GM could hand wave away complications, but that also just sounds like an argument for a player to not be responsible for and with the character choices they make. And that’s not a game all of us are willing to play, on either side of the GM’s screen (because, as a player, I take a dim view of other players pulling those shenanigans too because it plays havoc with immersion).