D&D General Race Has No Mechanics. What do you play?

[Reynard]

Who's made the lore? Is this 5e where there is no meaningful canon? Is this 3e where there is canon, and actual cultures? Is it something where 'any species can be from any culture' nonsense?

If there is no mechanical reason, and the lore is as shallow as 5e has been, nah, it doesnt matter. Human, LE (because now I'm cranky) Paladin of Conquest.

I mean, I stipulated that everything else was positive to you, so it's up to you what edition and world you are answering from.

 

[Scribe]

I mean, I stipulated that everything else was positive to you, so it's up to you what edition and world you are answering from.

I'd stick with my LE, Human Paladin anyway, as Culture has no bearing on the game mechanically.

Having mechanics tied to species matters, or its all just funny hats.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

There are certainly non mechanical impacts of the choice, no?

I don't think your OP did a very good job of illustrating whether or not there was any richness to the lore that would make the difference.

 

[Mistwell]

Hypothetical sitation: you are joining a new campaign in which all other factors are positive (you know the GM and group, it's in a setting you like, whatever) but there is one hitch: race/heritage/species is cosmetic only.

So, assuming it is a very open setting in which pretty much any reasonable humanoid species is available, but none of them have any mechanical effects (including size, vision and movement types; everyone, including humans, are basically human mechanically). What species do you pick for your character?

Warforged, because I find it provides a huge number of role playing benefits to work with.

Would race being cosmetic only be a turn off for you?

Yes. I prefer the mechanical aspects of all the choices made in making a character.

 

[CreamCloud0]

There are certainly non mechanical impacts of the choice, no?

Cultural impacts of species seems weak and few and far between in the kitchen sink-ness of modern DnD, nobody sticks out no matter what they are, the feuds are buried and anyone can be anything they want to be

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

This wouldn't bother me at all. If, as the OP states, everything is positive (GM, group, etc.), then that is what matters.

Seriously, the group (the table) matters so much more than any other factor. If the group is fun and there is enthusiasm, I am in.

As for the race/species issue? Don't care. As it is, I almost always play humans or "close to humans" (I am playing a Reborn, but human, in a PbP game right now). I generally play humans of some type. When I don't, I choose based on RP reasons, not mechanical bonuses, so that wouldn't bother me.

 

[Reynard]

I don't think your OP did a very good job of illustrating whether or not there was any richness to the lore that would make the difference.

I said the game was what you wanted otherwise. I did not want to limit it since there are so many possible settings.

 

[Parmandur]

Hypothetical sitation: you are joining a new campaign in which all other factors are positive (you know the GM and group, it's in a setting you like, whatever) but there is one hitch: race/heritage/species is cosmetic only.

So, assuming it is a very open setting in which pretty much any reasonable humanoid species is available, but none of them have any mechanical effects (including size, vision and movement types; everyone, including humans, are basically human mechanically). What species do you pick for your character?

Would race being cosmetic only be a turn off for you?

Dwarf, same as of Race had mechanics. Same if playing a Dwarf would be a negative.

Dwarf. Gold, gold, goldy-gold, gold, gold.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I said the game was what you wanted otherwise. I did not want to limit it since there are so many possible settings.

Right, but that's pretty vague. Probably too vague for most people to answer meaningfully. I think we'd all agree that if there was no mechanical distinction, then there would have to be a really good setting lore distinction, or it just wouldn't matter. What's less clear is if you mean for your hypothetical to grant that.

 

[Corinnguard]

Would race being cosmetic only be a turn off for you?

If the RPG had nothing mechanical on its' PC races, then there better be a book that's in addition to the PHB that provides an extensive backstory on each race. Something to help distinguish each race from one another so that the player can say 'this is what I want to be in the adventure.'

If the races were cosmetic only, I would try to role-play one of them. But I think I would enjoy my choice more if I knew it had something mechanically appealing to set it apart from everyone else.