D&D General Thoughts On How To Get a New Race Over

[Scott Christian]

Good rationales @Zardnaar . I think Genasi.

Also, to add to your number 5, I think shows like Critical Role do their part to make certain races more popular than others.

 

[Shardstone]

Yuan Ti master race

 

[Zardnaar]

I don't know if BG3's data can be entirely trusted here. I suspect there are a lot of people, myself included, who selected their character's species based on what a game guide said about how it synergized with a particular class.

Mechanics are a reason to make a class popular.

Elves and Half elves are good mechanically in old D&D and BG3.

They've been popular for decades inside and out of D&D. Humans but prettier/better.

 

[Zardnaar]

Good rationales @Zardnaar . I think Genasi.

Also, to add to your number 5, I think shows like Critical Role do their part to make certain races more popular than others.

Think I'm ready for a Genasi push. One good appearance or story and yeah.

Apparently they're somewhat popular on Beyond probably due to being free.

 

[MGibster]

Mechanics are a reason to make a class popular.

They certainly are but I don't know if what makes something mechanically good in BG3 applies to 5E. I mean just look at how much more important jumping is in BG3 than it is in a table top game.

I think the two biggest successes in new species have been the Dragonborn and Tiefling. For a relative value of new I guess. Not at my table though. I don't think I've ever seen someone play a Dragonborn that I can recall. But they seem to be everywhere.

 

[Minigiant]

Want to get over?

Win the King of the Ring.

Worked for Stone Cold Steve Austin.

 

[Zardnaar]

Want to get over?

Win the King of the Ring.

Worked for Stone Cold Steve Austin.

3:16 indeed.

Kinda funny a lot of techniques work in Wrestling and D&D lol.

 

[Argyle King]

I care about plasmoids, but that is because my mind connects them to the Herculoids cartoon.

 

[Kurotowa]

Shifter - I think these exist in 5e, but they had a much higher profile in 4e, IIRC. Werewolf-lite. Probably need to be MORE Werewolf to really catch on.

For the record, Shifters are one of the new races from Eberron. They started in the 3e campaign book and appear again in Eberron: Rising from the Last War in 5e before going to MotM. The other Eberron original races are Changelings, Kalashtar, and Warforged. Of those four, I actually think Changelings are the most successful.

Kalashtar are generically pretty human-alikes, psionic, and deeply rooted in Eberron specific lore. Which is three strikes against them. Warforged are a bit divisive with the "magic robots" thing, and are also somewhat rooted in Eberron lore. Two strikes, and you'll note neither appeared in MotM. Meanwhile Shifters did appear in MotM, but their problem is they're not furry enough for the anthro enthusiasts and too furry for the anthro avoiders. They've never really caught fire.

Changlings, though, have potential. Shapeshifting is fun, and they've got a lot of appeal for players who want a character with a more fluid identity, along any of several axis. Also their lore is flexible enough they're easy to place into most settings. They're still a mid tier pick, not yet ready for the PHB, but I think they're near the top of the MotM batch.

 

[Minigiant]

3:16 indeed.

Kinda funny a lot of techniques work in Wrestling and D&D lol.

The current King of my Goliath Kingdom is Macho King Randal Savagestorm III.

Let's just say he's over like rover with any player I introduced him to. No one trusts Bulk Bogan because he has lust in his eyes and his black heart for the queen.

Make your Goliaths have Wrestler personalities. Works wonders. They are already big and muscular.