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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Herr der Qual" data-source="post: 6521294" data-attributes="member: 6789144">The way it comes across to me is there is essentially three camps, playing non-humans for mechanics is fine, the more flavor added to that character the better, playing non-humans for mechanics is unnacceptable, being true to the race is most important, and playing non-humans is a no-go I don't want that crap in my game.I don't mind when people play for the mechanics, I feel like that's the starting point but the players who do that are just as likely if not more likely to play human. The game mechanics are there to be used by players.By not allowing the play of certain races it simply becomes a house rule issue, every table has house rules and players can either accept that's a rule and move on or choose not to play at that table.If you really want to hammer home the non-humans as different and feel that they need to be believable characters that's fine, but I would caution that by doing so you run the risk of enforcing your beliefs onto your players and you can quickly spoil any fun to be had for the non-human by restricting the interpretation of what that alien mind would be and can/could bring to the table.I thoroughly enjoy when my players try a new race for the first time and watch them gradually flesh it out into a fully realized character throughout the life of the campaign. I love to see the different takes people use when they try to bring that alien mind to life, yes it does get irksome when players like "I'm a dwarf" and basically consider him a funny looking human, take no consideration in doing him any justice but that will happen. Earlier in this thread I was asked why my Dwarf would protect (fiercely) people he doesn't yet trust, and it's simple, of the people in his group he is the longest lived, he doesn't want to see them dead before they've reached adulthood (they are far from adults in his dwarven eyes), he watches them rush to action and impulsively decide on paths to take while he is still pondering the merits of each course of action. I know what path I want to take as a player but my Dwarf is yet undecided. He fruitlessly tries to interest them in working metal at a forge with him, he is furiously torn between coming to admire humans and treating them like spoiled children. He is a ranger first and foremost and to him that means that he needs to be the vanguard for all of the goodly races, but in his short but troublesome dealings with them he questions if he is doing right by them and has become more barbaric, being orphaned he has never known a stable life, sees the strength he has gained through hardship and wonders if he protects them too much. Recently some NPC's died while we were escorting them and he sees now that not all are as strong as a dwarf, they are not as resilient to strife and his nurturing side is starting to dominate slowly. He hasn't seen treachery from the half-elf but he will be on vigil for the first signs of it yet, because he knows the only race more patient then his own are the elves and he will not trust him with the most important tasks for years to come.That is three levels of experience with the dwarf, he will continue to flesh out as a character, but I never stop thinking about the way he interprets the world around him. I just encourage everyone to not forget that this is a game meant to be enjoyed and if the mechanics are what you enjoy then play, play away!</blockquote>

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