D&D Race You Hate the Most

[Minigiant]

"Boring" does not equate to a lack of kewl powers in my book. Powers do not equate to interesting either - I'm more interested in exotic cultures being represented and meshed into a believable game world.

These races were interesting when Tolkien wrote about them, evidently, as so many other fantasy worlds have copied them since. They could be said to be overused, arguably, but even second generation fantasy worlds (like WFRP for example), have found ways of making the stereotypes fun to play still. And they are instantly accessible and iconic, to new players at least.

Elves and such are good when they are made interesting.
The problem is the lore is sooooooo overused it is boring.

It's always skinny lofty forest dwelling humans with pointy ears and an insomnia problem. Slight short, round humans with long beards, beer breath, and tradition.

And WotC encourages the same boring player characters over and over with proficiencies and racial ability adjustments.. Does the halfling page HAVE to show a rogue with a blade? Can't halflings be full plate wearing paladins or wizards in flashy red robes?

Dwarf warrior. Dwarf warrior cleric. Elf archer. Elf wizard. Halfling rogue.

And the funny thing is that these races are barely different except in culture. But 95% of all DM use the same cultures so they might as well not be races. They can just be humans from the kingdom of Dwarf and humans from the nation of Elf.


Just like people hate dragonborn and tieflings for being different, I hate human, elves, dwarves, and halflings for not only being similar but for encouraging stereotypes to hide the fact that they are so similar.

 

[Mattachine]

Gah! Forgot Eladrin.

 

[TrippyHippy]

And WotC encourages the same boring player characters over and over with proficiencies and racial ability adjustments.. Does the halfling page HAVE to show a rogue with a blade? Can't halflings be full plate wearing paladins or wizards in flashy red robes?

Dwarf warrior. Dwarf warrior cleric. Elf archer. Elf wizard. Halfling rogue.

And the funny thing is that these races are barely different except in culture. But 95% of all DM use the same cultures so they might as well not be races. They can just be humans from the kingdom of Dwarf and humans from the nation of Elf.

Well, the game does give some avenue towards attacking the stereotypes - you can play a Dwarf Wizard, or an Elf Barbarian, or a Halfling Paladin, if you want. At least, you could since 3rd edition.

Moreover, just because you're jaded with these races doesn't mean that
a) they aren't still iconic within the game, and should remain so, and
b) that there can't be simple mechanisms provided for adapting different playable races for your own settings (from the Monster Manual say).

 

[Lanefan]

On that list, the way it's organized, it was really easy to vote as I dislike as player races everything listed after half-orc - except Kender. Done right, Kender can be great entertainment. Done wrong - well, they don't last long in that case so who cares.

That said, I don't mind the occasional oddball race finding its way in to a party if someone rolls something weird on the random race chart. But that's what they have to be - oddball, unusual. If they were made chooseable the kindred races would get buried under a wave of weirdness; and I don't want that.

Lanefan

 

[steeldragons]

Odd. "Winged folk/raptoran/etc." seems to be leading the pack, in regards to universal dislike (even more than kender?!?), yet no one has chimed into specify why they hate them? .

Was wonderin' about this myself. They are far and away the most "hated" and yet, noone has said...is it the winged/avian folk? The raptorans? Felinoids? Lupines? Dinosaur-people?

What?!

'Splain Lucy!

 

[steeldragons]

Does the halfling page HAVE to show a rogue with a blade? Can't halflings be full plate wearing paladins or wizards in flashy red robes?

Dunno...here's how I see 'em...
steeldragons's deviantART gallery

steeldragons's deviantART gallery

steeldragons's deviantART gallery

steeldragons's deviantART gallery

Just like people hate dragonborn and tieflings for being different,

Emmmm...I don't think anyone "hates" Dragonborn or Tieflings for "being different." I'd, in fact, be SHOCKED to hear anyone say that was the case.

I hate human, elves, dwarves, and halflings for not only being similar but for encouraging stereotypes to hide the fact that they are so similar.

Oooo...KKKKKKkkkkk...moving on.

 

[Stormonu]

Personally, I don't understand the kender hate. Tas is one of my favorite Dragonlance characters.

I don't really have a race I hate, perhaps good drow. Don't mind folks playing neutral or evil drow characters, but someone playing a good drow feels like they're just trying to hard to be different.

Also, half-elves do nothing for me - with the exception of Tanis half-elvin. But then, most of the Dragonlance characters are pretty well-done anyways.

 

[steeldragons]

Personally, I don't understand the kender hate. Tas is one of my favorite Dragonlance characters.

He WAS! GREAT character...to READ about...in a specTACular story of fantasy fiction...To have at the table playing with you? Not so much.

Also, half-elves do nothing for me - with the exception of Tanis half-elvin. But then, most of the Dragonlance characters are pretty well-done anyways.

They were indeed.

 

[Dragonhelm]

How can anything be more disliked than kender?

How can anything be more beloved than kender? With a child-like wonder and a thirst for adventure, you will not find a kender hiding in a hobbit-hole!

Yeah, they have a bad reputation. They steal everything in sight, right? Wrong. A kender doesn't handle someone's purse because they want money. They handle things that look interesting. Like a pretty purple stone, or the tooth of some monster they defeated, or maybe a pair of dice.

Kender aren't disruptive. Players are. The same players who give kender a bad name are the same ones who play rogues and rob everyone blind, or find other ways of using the rules to their benefit in a way that is disruptive to the game.

Get to know them as I have. Base your decisions on the Dragonlance Chronicles stories, not on bad players and certainly not on a bad reputation. If, then, kender do not appeal to you, that's perfectly fine.

 

[Vael]

I picked "Other subraces", but to be honest, what I'd pick is subraces.

One of my problems with Forgotten Realms is the plethora of variant dwarves, elves and halflings. I like that 4e initially brought us down to just 3 elf races and made them distinct.

I like the inclusion of wackier races, I like having the Mos Eisley cantina experience in my DnD. All I ask is that the races are reasonably balanced and interesting.