D&D as humanocetric ... or not?

[JeffB]

But no one said they were playing dnd as therapy. That’s a thing that a few of you have invented as a strawman to dismiss a playstyle you don’t like.

Ok. Sure thing.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

Not what they said, but even if we accept that as the intent, it’s a very strange and somewhat ablest (you play different so you have mental issues) response to anything in this thread.

I am totally ableist, and so is everyone else I've ever met. I married the girl who I liked the most, not the one who I could help by marrying. At my company, we pay high performers more than those who need the money. In politics, we vote for those who we think will best represent our positions. I have no problem with any of those realities. Sometimes reality just sucks.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

But no one said they were playing dnd as therapy. That’s a thing that a few of you have invented as a strawman to dismiss a playstyle you don’t like.

I'm pretty sure this guy did advocate for dnd as therapy:

So you don't think people engaging in vicarious escapism against issues they might face in real life - classism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and many other dark, horrid things, that modern society perpetuates - is a worthy pursuit? That D&D should just be hard men making hard decisions, and grave robbers and emrcenaries looking to make a quick buck?

 

[Bohandas]

What if I'm cool with all the ancillary splatbook races but not with dragonborn or halflings?

 

[Zardnaar]

Reality is you're a guest in the DMs game. If a certain races doesn't exist or they don't want you playing it for whatever reason (or even no reason) tough luck.

You can't even demand a reason, DM might have plans for that race or just wants the players to pick a race that they gave developed for the campaign world.

Basically the player isn't entitled to jack. The DM invites people to the game. If the DMs crap or to draconic people will vote with their feet.
"Can I play a Dragonborn (or whatever)".
"No"
Up to you if you want to play or not. Dragonborn are major race in my game atm, no Drow allowed (they technically exist), prefer nothing Elf related except maybe half elf from not Italy. There's only a few thousand elves left and they're thousands of miles away.

They're no banned but there's no major stories for them if you chose to play one. You're to far away from their remnants, and the locals don't care and have their own issues.

There's no elves you can hire, no elves you can recruit, no elven kingdoms you can found. There's a few thousand up in "Germany" and the campaigns down in "Egypt". So why play an Elf?

 

[hawkeyefan]

Escapism doesn’t equal therapy, and yet escapism can be a valid and worthwhile coping mechanism. It can be therapeutic, but isn’t actual therapy in the sense you mean.

Just like talking to a friend can be therapeutic or shooting hoops or cycling.....all manner of leisure activities can be therapeutic.

Including RPGs.

Those of you who are dismissing that side of RPGs and trying to say those who enjoy that part of it should seek actual therapy....you are coming across poorly.

You can prefer to play however you like. And if you choose to play with people who want similar things, that’s perfect.

But don’t insult people who play a bit differently.

I mean....why the need to put others down on a message board? Sounds like you guys may have some issues to work through....maybe some therapy is in order?

 

[jayoungr]

What if I'm cool with all the ancillary splatbook races but not with dragonborn or halflings?

I think that goes under choice #7, as DM approval is required--it's just required for the PHB stuff rather than the third-party stuff.

 

[Wulffolk]

My own preference was not on the list of choices.

I prefer that my players choose a group concept and then create characters that fit that concept.

Typically, this means that the group consists primarily of one specific race, usually with one exceptional outsider included. Two outsiders at most, because once the exceptions outnumber the "normals" then you tend to lose the feel for the original concept.

For example, a group of humans all from the same small town, perhaps with a Half-Orc or a dwarf included. Or members of a group of Elves with one half-elf.

Of course, sometimes the group concept is some sort of random collection of mercenaries or slaves or some such menagerie, in which case much of their trials involve finding a acceptance within the setting. When this is the case I tend to prefer that players pick primarily traditional PH races, with maybe one exotic race.

 

[Zardnaar]

Escapism doesn’t equal therapy, and yet escapism can be a valid and worthwhile coping mechanism. It can be therapeutic, but isn’t actual therapy in the sense you mean.

Just like talking to a friend can be therapeutic or shooting hoops or cycling.....all manner of leisure activities can be therapeutic.

Including RPGs.

Those of you who are dismissing that side of RPGs and trying to say those who enjoy that part of it should seek actual therapy....you are coming across poorly.

You can prefer to play however you like. And if you choose to play with people who want similar things, that’s perfect.

But don’t insult people who play a bit differently.

I mean....why the need to put others down on a message board? Sounds like you guys may have some issues to work through....maybe some therapy is in order?

The post was implicating that you might have issues in real life ergo I get to play what I like.

That's just gonna rub people the wrong way. I'm running a themed game (Egypt) if the players got to play what they liked it would be frustrating big they turned up with 2 elves, a gnome, halfling, bearfolk none of which exist in the area or have any built in ties to the campaign.

I literally had someone ask to play a Samurai. Did they miss the Egypt part of the pitch?

 

[5atbu]

While I checked any option in the official books (as that's true for my current campaigns) I reserve the right to restrict options in future campaigns. For example, if I ever get to run Curse of Strahd I will insist on an all human group of PCs. (And that probably ensures I'll never get to run it ! )

Interesting to note that in our Curse of Strahd campaign, all characters are demi humans or full non humans. Seems to going well.

I like playing non humans, although I realise that most are really alternative human archetypes.

However I come from a strong T&T and Runequest background.

I limit my players to the races in the PHB and Volo's since that's what I own. My players seem very happy to predominantly choose non humans. Whether they play them as actually alien is up to them and the table.