D&D 5E Monster Manual and Races

[Evenglare]

So do we know if there will be any races in the monster manual or will all the extra races be relegated to the DMG? In at least 3e and 4e they atleast gave stats for races (4e gave them acknowledging that they weren't completely fleshed out but still gave us the option which I thought was great). I want my Aasimars damnit.

 

[Evenglare]

Bump. Got pushed off first page.

 

[mach1.9pants]

I guess it got pushed off cos we don't know. Tweeter insta message texting Mike Mearls might get you an answer.

I have two opposing thoughts.

1. It is really easy to throw together something to put into each MM entry to allow PC races
but
2. Maybe they want to wait til they can put more thought and effort into it.

Really using older rule sets and current races to compare, designing PC races is not hard house rules until the real thing.

 

[Thaumaturge]

I don't know, but reading the tea leaves (drawn from a number of twitter posts): I don't think PC stats for Aasimar will be in the MM or DMG. Other races (Warforged and Kender for sure) will be in the DMG. I think "planetouched" will be saved for later.

None of that is definitive. It's my best guess. I'd say I'm about 70% sure.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Evenglare]

I don't know, but reading the tea leaves (drawn from a number of twitter posts): I don't think PC stats for Aasimar will be in the MM or DMG. Other races (Warforged and Kender for sure) will be in the DMG. I think "planetouched" will be saved for later.

None of that is definitive. It's my best guess. I'd say I'm about 70% sure.

Thaumaturge.

If that's true I'll be very disappointed. You would think that a game about heroes vanquishing evil that allows you to BE an evil inclined race (Tiefling) (please read: they aren't evil but they are inclined to be), they would allow the other side of the coin, the race that's inclined towards good, ya know.. because you are usually playing a "good" group. It's quite maddening.

 

[Thaumaturge]

will Planetouched be in the MM or DMG?

don't believe either, but they are on the list for future

There you go.

However, I made up a homebrew 5e Aasimar for my wife's character.

Ability Score Increases:+2 Wis, +1 Chr
Darkvision
Divine Resistance: Resistance to radiant damage
Divine Legacy: Originally I used: once per day you can give yourself advantage to any one roll. This mirrored the Deva ability, I thought. Now, I'll probably go with: you know the thaumaturgy cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast shield of faith 1/day, at 5th level you can cast Beacon of Hope once per day.
Languages: Celestial and Common.

That's my rough go at it. I'm sure it can be tweaked.

Edit log: changed necrotic resistance to radiant. Changed lesser restoration to shield of faith.

Thaumaturge.

 

[steeldragons]

To be honest, though I doubt it would ever happen, they could [perhaps] save any kind of Christian crazy backlash by moving the heavy extra-planar hitters: Demons, Devils...I would include Angels/Devas and other various Planetouched: Assmiar, Genasi, "Shadow-people", what have you to the "Manual of the Planes" [or whatever title that type of book will be for 5e]. Not in the DMG or MM.

I am generally not a fan of the 4e style of "16 different kobolds", but "Races" in the MM, I would expect and hope to see in that there should be listings for various "run of the mill/average/typically encountered" types.

Humans: cultist, bandit, merchant, pilgrim, etc... or to go with a later edition's mode at the very least and offer: Warrior for town guards, typical soliders, maybe bandits or pirates, Adept for spellcasters and/or specialized tradesmen/artisans, and Commoners.
Halflings: "farmer/country folk", scout, sheriff
Dwarves: solider, warpriest, etc...
Elves: enchanter, swordmage, hawk/griffon rider, etc...
Gnomes: trickster, gem miner/merchant, "forest friend"
Orcs: warrior, shaman, champion/chief.
Goblinoids, Gnolls, Centaurs, et. al. "monster races" should be differentiated similarly...with typical cultural types that a party of PCs are likely to run across/interact with (I would endeavor to keep it to 3 or less). I would think "typical commoner/average warrior, shaman/tribal spellcaster, and chief/king/leader" should suffice for most monster races.

As for "Race" in the "can I make a PC with it" sense, those belong in the DMG and I, again can only make a best guess, those will be your Warforged, your Kender, Minotaurs, Thri-Kreen...probably your "5e Planetouched" (though I would not put them there) and other assorted "Setting specific" races that folks will want for "MY campaign is in X setting, I can't play 5e without my Y!!!" I am very much hoping, in this case, "less is more" as I don't want huge page count devoted to this kind of non-DMG material.

 

[jadrax]

However, I made up a homebrew 5e Aasimar for my wife's character.

Ability Score Increases:+2 Wis, +1 Chr
Darkvision
Divine Resistance: Resistance to necrotic damage
Divine Legacy: Originally I used: once per day you can give yourself advantage to any one roll. This mirrored the Deva ability, I thought. Now, I'll probably go with: you know the thaumaturgy cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast lesser restoration 1/day, at 5th level you can cast Beacon of Hope once per day.
Languages: Celestial and Common.

Nice.

I think thematically if I was playing one I would rather have resistance to Radiant Damage rather than Necrotic.

Lesser Restoration I think may also be out of place, Fiery rebuke I think will be a level 1 spell rather than level 2, so maybe replace it with Sanctuary or Shield of Faith?

 

[Thaumaturge]

Nice.

I think thematically if I was playing one I would rather have resistance to Radiant Damage rather than Necrotic.

Lesser Restoration I think may also be out of place, Fiery rebuke I think will be a level 1 spell rather than level 2, so maybe replace it with Sanctuary or Shield of Faith?

These were both weaknesses/issues/things I thought about.

I think you're right, especially for D&D about radiant. I prefer Angels and Fiends both to be resistant to necrotic and radiant. I think their holiness/unholiness protects them from each. But in D&D it tends to be "you are resistant to what you are". So resistance to radiant is the right call.

Cantrip at level one. 2nd level at 5th. 1st level at 3rd is probably right. I like shield of faith. Hellish rebuke appears to be vengance after an attack. Shield of faith is preventing (or trying to) an attack. Beacon of Hope is also too high level. I figure there will be a better fit in the PH(B).

I'll make the edits.

Thaumaturge.

 

[TwoSix]

Bad week for aasimars; they don't even make the 5e DMG and they got pushed out of Pathfinder Organized Play. I would say they should call their lawyer, but where are you going to find one on the Upper Planes?