D&D General What races/species populate your DnD world?

[Jaiken]

Are you referring just to PC-playable species or to all of 'em?

All of them.

 

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

I've come to the decision that only a few criteria matter for my games:

• No inherent morality.
• Humans cannot be the most [anything].
• There must be at least as many species that don't look human as those that do (if they could be played by a human in a live-action movie -- make up prosthetics still count as "could be played" -- they count as "looking human"). Preferably more.
• I don't give a damn if everyone acts like humans.
• Explicitly restricting what can exist is no fun for me: if it fits the world/cosmology I've built, then I'm fine with it.

 

[Tonguez]

In my alt-history earth
Humans
Variant Humans
Human Scions (Scions of Angels, Fey, Hags, Trolls, Oracles, Dragons, Shadows)
Reborn
Automatons

 

[ezo]

What about you?

(In order of population size): Humans, Halflings, Dwarves, Orcs, Goblins, Gnomes, Hobgoblins, Bugbears, Elves, Dragonborn, Tiefling, Half-elves, Half-orcs, and smaller clusters of races like Goliath, Firbolg, Lizardfolk, Tabaxi, Warforger, Leonin, etc.

Generally, the PHB races, "monstrous races", and whatever people want to play although they might be more "unique" or "unheard of" individuals. There are very few races I simply won't allow.

But I warn players if they will likely face issues from the commonfolk if they choose certain races... such as yuan-ti, tiefling, dragonborn, monstrous races (orc, goblin, etc.). While folk of these races can be good and part of the civilized world, certainly, in new areas they might face hostility, mistrust, etc. I am not a fan of "everyone loves everyone kum-ba-yah love-fest games." I don't play in them and certainly won't run one.

 

[mamba]

There must be at least as many species that don't look human as those that do (if they could be played by a human in a live-action movie, they count as "looking human").

how much of that can be makeup & costume? I assume Elf, Dwarf and Halfling all fall into that category, what about Dragonborn, Construct, Tabaxi or Minotaur? Do we have to go all the way to Centaurs?

 

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

how much of that can be makeup & costume? I assume Elf, Dwarf and Halfling all fall into that category, what about Dragonborn, Construct, Tabaxi or Minotaur? Do we have to go all the way to Centaurs?

I don't have a good exact definition, but I think if you could still see parts of the human actor's face then they count as "looking human". (A lot of that criteria has to do with the fact that I don't identify with human faces the same way most people do.)

(Also, I do enjoy non-humanoid sapient species.)

 

[evilbob]

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I just assume everything exists cause I see no reason to restrict myself.

 

[Clint_L]

I don’t start with a list of species, playable or otherwise. If a player has a cool concept for a character, I’ll probably say yes. And if I have cool idea for an encounter, then that species is now part of my campaign world! If I tried to prescribe things in advance, I’d just box myself in. I’m way too shortsighted.

 

[Bohandas]

I like most of the races except for halflings and dragonborn, both of which always struck me as kind of lame. I prefer kobolds or draconians when a dragonish humanoid is needed.

And also, basing everything around humans always struck me as kind of unimaginative.

Also I like the more furry-ish races.

That said, I'm never DMing anyway, so I'm not the one creating the setting. At least the prefabricated halfling character in the latest one-shot was also a were-raccoon