D&D 5E Firbolg charactera

[Tales and Chronicles]

That is what made me avoid Firbolgs initially. It’s why I hate “meeples” in board games too.

the anime cartoony look just takes me right out of it. Even the acquisitions inc. art seems a bit silly for my play style as well (even though it is all make believe at its core!).

And likewise no offense to anyone whose wants to imagine D&D that way...it’s just not for me.

Note though that there's a way to have the 5e Firbolg look a look like a bad-a** character. Just avoid the usual pitfall that makes character feel anime: cutesy or childlike attitude, naiveté bordering stupidity, lol-random concept etc

Just because a race likes animals doest make them a disney princess or a crazy cat person. And for the love of all that is sacred, go easy on the fur...its FIRbolg, not FURbolg: giving them antlers/tails/claws/fangs move them in a whole other category of character

Those look good while using the new 5e aesthetic

 

[jgsugden]

That is what made me avoid Firbolgs initially. It’s why I hate “meeples” in board games too.

the anime cartoony look just takes me right out of it. Even the acquisitions inc. art seems a bit silly for my play style as well (even though it is all make believe at its core!).

And likewise no offense to anyone whose wants to imagine D&D that way...it’s just not for me.

If you look at some of the art in this thread, you'll see that not every version of the imagery is cartoony.

Further there is nothing in their description that says they need to be silly ... in fact, although they as a race tend to be peaceful and seek harmonious responses to difficult situations, they're listed as being capable of being very threatening. I'd put them beneath halflings and dwarves on the scales of silliness.

From their race description:

• When provoked, firbolgs demonstrate formidable skills with weapons and druidic magic.
• If the settlers clearly display evil intentions, however, the firbolgs martial their strength and magic for a single overwhelming attack.

One Firbolg I saw that was clearly not silly and I definitely would not characterize as cartoony.

A Hexblade Warlock (and I think he had at least 1 level of fighter) that made a pact with a dark power of the Shadowfell to gain the power he needed to protect his people. They would not accept the deal he made and banished him into the world until he could sever his pact with this dark force. However, the dark force had him convinced that he could better serve his people by being a creature that stands between the darkness of the Shadowfell and the light of the Feywild (which was attuned to positive energy in the lore of the world - the anti-Shadowfell - and was the home of firbolgs in the setting lore). He wielded a huge sword granted by the dark power and blended warlock powers of darkness (Armor of Agathys, Hex) and light (Summon Fey Spirit, a homebrew summon swarm spell). I only saw him for a few sessions, but he was well roleplayed to be a soldier longing to be able to set down his weapons and return home, knowing that the home he left behind had turned its back on him due to the things he'd done to protect them. He was very effective in combat, as most well built Hexblades are. His charisma was only a 13, so he focused on spells that did not have saves or attack rolls. He was Strength based for his combat abilities.

Regardless, you're not required to use them, but I would argue there is a lot more open space around their description than you're seeing if you consider them inherently silly or cartoony.

 

[Warpiglet]

If you look at some of the art in this thread, you'll see that not every version of the imagery is cartoony.

Further there is nothing in their description that says they need to be silly ... in fact, although they as a race tend to be peaceful and seek harmonious responses to difficult situations, they're listed as being capable of being very threatening. I'd put them beneath halflings and dwarves on the scales of silliness.

From their race description:

• When provoked, firbolgs demonstrate formidable skills with weapons and druidic magic.
• If the settlers clearly display evil intentions, however, the firbolgs martial their strength and magic for a single overwhelming attack.

One Firbolg I saw that was clearly not silly and I definitely would not characterize as cartoony.

A Hexblade Warlock (and I think he had at least 1 level of fighter) that made a pact with a dark power of the Shadowfell to gain the power he needed to protect his people. They would not accept the deal he made and banished him into the world until he could sever his pact with this dark force. However, the dark force had him convinced that he could better serve his people by being a creature that stands between the darkness of the Shadowfell and the light of the Feywild (which was attuned to positive energy in the lore of the world - the anti-Shadowfell - and was the home of firbolgs in the setting lore). He wielded a huge sword granted by the dark power and blended warlock powers of darkness (Armor of Agathys, Hex) and light (Summon Fey Spirit, a homebrew summon swarm spell). I only saw him for a few sessions, but he was well roleplayed to be a soldier longing to be able to set down his weapons and return home, knowing that the home he left behind had turned its back on him due to the things he'd done to protect them. He was very effective in combat, as most well built Hexblades are. His charisma was only a 13, so he focused on spells that did not have saves or attack rolls. He was Strength based for his combat abilities.

Regardless, you're not required to use them, but I would argue there is a lot more open space around their description than you're seeing if you consider them inherently silly or cartoony.

I think it is not the description that gave me pause initially...but the art.

I agree a nature focus does not make a character silly at all nor does compassion or friendliness even.

your point is well taken and on some level I was already there or would not have decided to play one!

 

[prabe]

I think the world can be divided into two groups. Those for whom 'cute' is a factor in TTRPG choices, and those for whom it is not only not a factor, but a rather large, sharp, pointed, and possibly flaming disinclination.

That's not a judgement of either group of course, but I know my personal tastes run more to Ghostrider and and Death Dealer than anime eyes and pastel colours. I do use cute in my games, but mostly as a weapon. If something is cute there's a very real chance that it's going to eat your face if you try to pet it. Anyway, different strokes.

I think there is a third group, of which I am a part. "Cute" basically doesn't register for me as a decision-point. In this case, the firbolgs are as they are, and there are interesting stories that can happen around and to them. Tastes differ, of course, and if "cute" hits your buttons one way or another, that's a perfectly valid reason to include/exclude something.

 

[Todd Roybark]

Firbolg Druid is a quick way to create a Loki style trickster. Charm Person, Animal Friendship, Racial Ability Disguise self and Invisibility, and Wildshape.

Pass w/o Trace is golden.

 

[NaturalZero]

I prefer races that don't just look like humans with a different name. The new firbolg has more aesthetic and mechanical distinction than the old human guy with the red hair with the same name. I wish elves and dwarves had as much visual identity.