I have long advocated for the DMG (and possibly the PHB too) to include, rather than the infuriating "true exotics" blather and insistence that various things are part of basically every fantasy world etc. etc., to instead explain
how playable species affect the tone of a game.
So, for example, you could start with the standard "core four" Tolkien-esque options. "This is an extremely classic fantasy feel, rooted in Tolkien, and through him, Norse and Gaelic mythology, and to a lesser extent the wider body of European myth and folklore." Perhaps give commentary on how one can spice up even this well-worn example.
And then you list
other examples, explaining what can arise from them. For example:
- Humans, dragonborn, tieflings, kenku, halflings, changelings. A seemingly-strange combination--until you realize that these are or correspond to various mythical creatures from Japanese myth, such as ryu in humanoid form, oni, tanuki, and the many shape-changing youkai such as kitsune. The absence of many "traditional" options better reflects the cultural mores of ancient and medieval Japan, especially if paired with the right setting elements and optional rules such as an Honor stat.
- Humans, genasi, loxodons, owlin (modified to have burrowing rather than flight), leonin. This one may be a bit more obvious--an Arabian Nights/Sultans of India setting, where humans with genie blood are hardly rare, and with owlin inspired by burrowing owls rather than flying ones. Loxodons and leonin provide additional options and variety while staying fairly on-theme.
- Humans, satyrs, minotaurs, centaurs, wood elves (no others), dragonborn (rare). If the list hasn't given it away, a sword-and-sandal Ancient Greece setting. The inclusion of dragonborn might seem unusual, but they have precedent in the Spartoi (not to be confused with Spartans), the "sown ones", warriors who sprouted from sown dragons teeth in the myths of both Cadmus and Jason. Elves are restricted to wood elves to represent dryads.
- Humans (rare), changelings, elves, fairies, firbolgs, gnomes, goblins, shifters. A consciously Celtic-leaning setting, including various races inspired by the aes sídhe of Irish myth, with Shifters a reference to the Werewolves of Ossory. Humans being rare emphasizes that this is an innately supernatural land, where humans live only on the fringes; perhaps it is Annwn, or Tir na nOg, or some other mythical otherworld, with the few humans here the only ones who have crossed over in bodily form, or something similar.
Same treatment would be applied to classes, deities, and other elements. Help show the GM (and the players) not just THAT they can shape things with these choices, but HOW they can do so.
