Does anyone actually like Dragonborn and Tieflings?

[Eric Tolle]

If one were to look at traditional (real world mythological) races, one finds...
...human (duh)
...elf
...dwarf
...and that's about it.

*blink blink* Just what do you mean by "real world" here? Traditional role-playing games surely, not real-world mythology. Because there's a hell of a lot more mythological races than that.

Let's see...

Satyre, Dryad, White Women, Centaurs, Mermaids, Nixies, Selkies, Trolls, Phooka, Folletti, redcaps, Spriggans, boggarts, Clurichaun, Domovoi, Vodyanoy, Rusalka, Vila, Kappa, Kitsune,Tengu, Apsara, Aziza, Tanuki, Mimi, Tjilpa, Caipora, Duende, Chitauli, Rokurokubi....and that's just a start. There's thousands more supernatural races in world mythology.

Even if you do the dodgy thing of combining different mythological creatures by shared characteristics, there's a hell of a lot of diversity in European mythologies, much less the rest of the world.

This sounds to me like a dodgy attempt to support a limited creature selection in rpgs, rather than anything based on actual mythology.

 

[hendelmasad]

Meh!

This is a very minor quibble. While I do not hate the idea of either race, I really hate the name Tiefling. It just doesnt sound EVIL-ESQUE. It just doesnt fit imo: "Ohh this is my hunting Falcon, his name is Fifi!" I know its minor but every time someone says the word "Tiefling" its like nails on blackboard. SO I will include both races in any game I run but, change the name from Teifling to something else...I thought Cambion was cool.



HMasad

 

[Rel]

This is a very minor quibble. While I do not hate the idea of either race, I really hate the name Tiefling. It just doesnt sound EVIL-ESQUE. It just doesnt fit imo: "Ohh this is my hunting Falcon, his name is Fifi!" I know its minor but every time someone says the word "Tiefling" its like nails on blackboard. SO I will include both races in any game I run but, change the name from Teifling to something else...I thought Cambion was cool.



HMasad

Agreed. I prefer the term Satan-Spawn myself. Feel's very 1980's!

 

[Fenes]

This is a very minor quibble. While I do not hate the idea of either race, I really hate the name Tiefling. It just doesnt sound EVIL-ESQUE. It just doesnt fit imo: "Ohh this is my hunting Falcon, his name is Fifi!" I know its minor but every time someone says the word "Tiefling" its like nails on blackboard. SO I will include both races in any game I run but, change the name from Teifling to something else...I thought Cambion was cool.



HMasad

For native german speakers, "Tiefling" sounds close to "Teufel", the german word for "devil", so I never thought it did not sound evil-esque. Literally translated, "tief" means "deep", and that's not that un-evil sounding either.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

See? Proof that we can find middle ground!

Group hug everybody!

We got to work for a better future
We've got to join hands for tomorrow
Take the first step and you will see
The future begins with you and me

We can start to make a difference
If we want it for our children
Recycle that can and plant that tree
Cuz the future begins with you and me

http://media.southparkstudios.com/crap/downloads/download.php?file_id=20852

 

[Choranzanus]

If one were to look at traditional (real world mythological) races, one finds...
...human (duh)
...elf
...dwarf
...and that's about it.

Hey, I'm reaching on elf. Tolkien (via Norse, sort of) and Celtic Myth.

Dwarves have a stronger lineage, although - again - Nordic mythology is the strongest source for Dwarves As We Know Them.

After that, Halflings sort of exist (apart from Tolkien) as the little men of fairy stories: perhaps brownies and others of that sort. They're not really a strong PC race (as oD&D halflings weren't, either! You played a halfling only because you Really Really Liked Halflings).

(Asian Mythology has a bunch more animal and river spirits, of course...)

Cheers!

Since when are half elves not traditionaly mythological?
In fact all 3.x races have pretty solid mythological roots except half orc.
Granted, for someone from central europe gnome=dwarf.

 

[Jhaelen]

Since when are half elves not traditionaly mythological?

Well, I don't remember having heard or read anything about half-elves outside of Tolkien's novels (and even there they've not been called 'half-elves'). What traditional, mythological roots are you thinking about?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Well, I don't remember having heard or read anything about half-elves outside of Tolkien's novels (and even there they've not been called 'half-elves'). What traditional, mythological roots are you thinking about?

Ones like these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-elf

Seriously, he's not wrong.

 

[Rechan]

In all honesty, I've been considering half-elves as 'fey touched'. Those with fey in their blood, not necessarily "My dad was an Elf".

This due to the fact I would enjoy nixing elves completely.

 

[Miyaa]

My problem with Dragonborn is that it feels too much like catfolk. Or dogfolk. If I wanted a part-animal part human, I'd go with lycanthropes.

As for the tiefling, if they only had the asimars with them, then I'd be alright with them. Those two go together, like two peas in a pod.

And that dragling image way back looked way too much like the offspring of Jar Jar Binks and a human.

Also, am I the only one who thinks the Elderin, Elves, and Drow are nothing more than Asian, European, and African elves?