D&D General 5.5 PHB Species Options

What are your top 3 options.

  • Aasimar

    Votes: 17 21.8%
  • Dragonborn

    Votes: 14 17.9%
  • Dwarf

    Votes: 29 37.2%
  • Elf

    Votes: 33 42.3%
  • Gnome

    Votes: 9 11.5%
  • Goliath

    Votes: 19 24.4%
  • Halfling

    Votes: 15 19.2%
  • Human

    Votes: 61 78.2%
  • Orc

    Votes: 11 14.1%
  • Tiefling

    Votes: 17 21.8%

  • Poll closed .
Yeah, it’s not the mechanical efficacy

Gnomes have always-on advantage on all mental saves vs magic, which is most mental saves.

The main things that drive popularity is vibes and aesthetics, which is driven by visual and narrative identity.

Its not always on as such. Its a situational advantage with no player agency to use it.

You might not even encounter those saves or rarely. Same with dragonborn energy resistance. You can go several levels without having to use them.

Halfling luck is essentially always on. Every time you roll a d20.

Dragonborn breath weapon. Player decides when to use it. Same with various spells if you're an elf. Or ability to fly on tap.

Situational benefits will always be weak if they don't fire regularly or at all. Everything a d20 rolled trumps when DM decides to use that ability and targets you and the opponent doesn't get killed first.
 

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Yeah, it’s not the mechanical efficacy

Gnomes have always-on advantage on all mental saves vs magic, which is most mental saves.

The main things that drive popularity is vibes and aesthetics, which is driven by visual and narrative identity.
It's not "versus magic" anymore. It's now simply, "You have Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws." All of them, always-on.

They also now have a 30' speed, 60' Darkvision. And you get Minor Illusion (a great cantrip) and Speak with Animals (Prof Bonus times a day) OR Mending and Prestidigitation and 3 clockwork devices.

I dunno, I think that's a really compelling set of abilities. And I like the gnome aesthetic of inventors and illusionists. I do wish they'd bring back shadow illusion magic.
 

It's not "versus magic" anymore. It's now simply, "You have Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws." All of them, always-on.

They also now have a 30' speed, 60' Darkvision. And you get Minor Illusion (a great cantrip) and Speak with Animals (Prof Bonus times a day) OR Mending and Prestidigitation and 3 clockwork devices.

I dunno, I think that's a really compelling set of abilities. And I like the gnome aesthetic of inventors and illusionists. I do wish they'd bring back shadow illusion magic.

Always on but potentially little used.

I doubt you're getting hit with stuff targeting those saves every encounter.

That's what they're competing against. Situational defensive ability.
 

Always on but potentially little used.

I doubt you're getting hit with stuff targeting those saves every encounter.

That's what they're competing against. Situational defensive ability.
Saves are a critical part of the game that only gets more critical the more levels you have. Wisdom save is arguably the most important save in the game at mid to high levels. A Human with Lucky (a common feat for Humans) is likely at mid to higher levels spending all three re-rolls on saves.
 

Saves are a critical part of the game that only gets more critical the more levels you have. Wisdom save is arguably the most important save in the game at mid to high levels. A Human with Lucky (a common feat for Humans) is likely at mid to higher levels spending all three re-rolls on saves.

Aware we are at level 11. And yes I target those saves. You would have to target them alot though. Its clutch when it fires but its also completely useless when its not.

I doubt you're getting hit thefe 50% of the time in encounters.
 
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re: gnomes:

A small (natch) but persistent minority of players love to play Little Guys, and while halflings are the obvious choice, gnomes hit more of the Little Guy(tm) tropes. Goblins and kolbolds do too, but only if people think of them as ugly-cute and not just ugly. (which type you see more depends on where you get your fantasy art).

They also have a niche for optimizers but I think the appeal of playing a Little Guy is a much bigger factor in their popularity.

Goliaths hit a good balance of powerful, cool-looking, magical, and minimal baggage that really gives them an edge in this edition. I wouldn't be shocked to see them in the top 5 or 6 after a couple of years as they eat some of the dragonborn's market share.
 

Mechanical abilities aside, in the end, I always go for a character with whom I can identify (even if it takes a bit of wishful thinking).

This usually means human, beautiful regal human (aka elf), or suave badass human (aka tiefling*). If I could choose a fourth, it would be aasimar.

*though my perception of tiefling is more of the 2e AD&D planescape hodge-podge tiefling.
 

Gnomes are small regardless of mechanics theyre nit that popular.

Dragonborn sucked in 2014. Better in 2024 but not sure theyre better than say fizbans.
 

Its not always on as such. Its a situational advantage with no player agency to use it.

You might not even encounter those saves or rarely. Same with dragonborn energy resistance. You can go several levels without having to use them.

Halfling luck is essentially always on. Every time you roll a d20.

Dragonborn breath weapon. Player decides when to use it. Same with various spells if you're an elf. Or ability to fly on tap.

Situational benefits will always be weak if they don't fire regularly or at all. Everything a d20 rolled trumps when DM decides to use that ability and targets you and the opponent doesn't get killed first.
“Every mental save” is gonna come up all the time. Like, yeah I’m gonna throw that at the party nearly every encounter, certainly multiple times every story arc, adventure, etc.

Minor Illusion and Prestidigitation are two of the best non-combat cantrips, as well.

Power isn’t even part of why species are popular or not, anyway.
It's not "versus magic" anymore. It's now simply, "You have Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws." All of them, always-on.
I missed that. Even more absurd to call it situational then.
They also now have a 30' speed, 60' Darkvision. And you get Minor Illusion (a great cantrip) and Speak with Animals (Prof Bonus times a day) OR Mending and Prestidigitation and 3 clockwork devices.

I dunno, I think that's a really compelling set of abilities. And I like the gnome aesthetic of inventors and illusionists. I do wish they'd bring back shadow illusion magic.
Yep. They’re quite good.
 

“Every mental save” is gonna come up all the time. Like, yeah I’m gonna throw that at the party nearly every encounter, certainly multiple times every story arc, adventure, etc.

Minor Illusion and Prestidigitation are two of the best non-combat cantrips, as well.

Power isn’t even part of why species are popular or not, anyway.

I missed that. Even more absurd to call it situational then.

Yep. They’re quite good.

That's you throwing them at PCs every encounter.
I highly doubt that's representative.

Published adventures its not every fight or even 2 fights.
 

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