If it is always obvious that you are shapeshifted changeling unless you succeed at a disguise check, it is just a weird character quirk that will end up making the locals looks askance at you.
D&D General Race Has No Mechanics. What do you play?
- Thread starter Reynard
- Start date
Incenjucar
Legend
Fire elemental kaiju with six arms.
Celebrim
Legend
Very few players in my experience are playing a particular race for thespian reasons because they are deeply interested in a non-human world view or exploring the viewpoint of something whose biology is fundamentally different than humanity.
Most players are playing a race primarily for the rules modifiers that race entails and only secondarily are interested in the psychology of that race if at all.
At the same time, I don't consider a race interesting enough to include as an option if they aren't so non-human that their biology makes them distinctive from humanity in some regard. As a GM that alien distinctiveness in something that is also a person, is very much what I'm interested in even if the player isn't.
Most players are playing a race primarily for the rules modifiers that race entails and only secondarily are interested in the psychology of that race if at all.
At the same time, I don't consider a race interesting enough to include as an option if they aren't so non-human that their biology makes them distinctive from humanity in some regard. As a GM that alien distinctiveness in something that is also a person, is very much what I'm interested in even if the player isn't.
Ruin Explorer
Legend
I don't find this to be true, from my 35 years of TT RPG experience.
I've played plenty of games where races has no impact or next to no impact, and whilst some outre and especially dumb-looking races stop being, and humans overall become slightly more common, I'd say it's still below 50% of people who play humans where there are other options.
I don't think it's so much "psychology" or "worldview" or whatever though - I think that's way to advanced. Most players just like the general idea of being an elf or a dragonborn or whatever, like the concept and the aesthetic, not "psychology" or "mindset".
Mind of tempest
(he/him)advocate for 5e psionics
no some people play things because they think the option is cool and given we are a game of rolling dice I do not think complaining about the lack of thespian isum has a place here
Aldarc
Legend
You say, "I look like an elf now" and play continues. Don't view everything as playing to win.
AnotherGuy
Hero
Excellent. This exposes the farce perfectly.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
Which is faster (and thus greatly more efficient) in a non-internet era: a) remembering a piece of information or b) having to go look it up somewhere. Obviously, the answer is a).
Which means long-lived species that can remember things firsthand are generally at an advantage over shorter-lived species who have to rely on written (or oral) history.
And nary a rule in sight, house or otherwise.
First of all, what makes you think long lived species have better memories than short lived ones? Maybe elves can't recall events clearly from hundreds of years ago. Maybe they are constantly shifting in personality over the ages because they only have the memory capacity of one mortal lifespan at a time.
In any case, there are no mechanics associated with this, so it is lore and flavor.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
Like most people, I'd far rather play to win than play to lose.
Being able to look like an Elf, and then later a Human, and then later yet a Dwarf would seem to give immense benefits when trying to:
--- disguise yourself and-or your presence for purposes of spying or infiltration
--- establish and-or maintain good relations with people of that species
--- commit various kinds of crimes
Because remember, the premise here is that one's choice of species gives no in-game benefits or penalties. The very fact that a changeling can change its appearance is itself a significant mechanical benefit in many situations.
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