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Non-stereotypical versions of PHB races
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<blockquote data-quote="Nyeshet" data-source="post: 3361084" data-attributes="member: 18363"><p>The problem with this idea is that without any of their stereotypes you could name anything as the race. Perhaps you want 1 ft tall purple skinned reptilian-scaled humanoid(ish) beings - and call them 'elves'? Or how about 18 ft tall thin as a willow branch 'dwarves'? Or maybe halflings are literally half of a person - maybe the left half of the body, hopping on their one leg to move about? Guess what half-orcs are?</p><p></p><p>I think it more likely that you want a variant of each race that touches upon a less common stereotype rather than what is used by WotC?</p><p></p><p>In some legends elves were half the height of humans, mischievious, and lived underground in hollow hillsides or in small valleys thoroughly hidden by dense foliage. Bard would likely make a good favored class for this rambunctious race. </p><p></p><p>This would be a very different type of elf from what is used by WotC - sort of a cross between halflings and elves but with a bardish cast upon their features. Yet it would still be fully grounded in literally centuries old stereotypes for their race. </p><p></p><p>Dwarves were - in the original norse legends - very strong and stout, not quite normal human height, intensely gifted in magical artisanry, and often lived not underground but instead in cave-like burrows that rarely went all that far into the nearest mountain side. Favored class Wizard might work well for this race, in fact. </p><p></p><p>Gnomes were intially Tiny beings that could move as swift as a man despite their size, were highly resistant to cold weather - sometimes sleeping in the snow, for that matter, said to leave tracks like a bird in the snow or soft ground, and also said to be incredibly wise and knowledgeable about nature and the local geography. Druid would likely work well as a favored class for this race. </p><p></p><p>Orcs have had so many descriptions made of them that almost anything will work - small or large, wily or dumb, clumbsy or graceful, etc. </p><p></p><p>Halflings are based on Hobbits, so there is less to work with / alter there, although you might return to the roots of the race, in a manner of speaking. The hobbits were not known as wanderers, after all, so the fluff about semi-nomadic gypsy-ish bands can be disguarded - and a few other small changes might also be made to re-affirm their non-wandering, practical lifestyle. Rogue, for instance, has to go as their favored class. Expert would work better - and might explain their lack of general adventuring (as they lack a PC class for their favored class).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nyeshet, post: 3361084, member: 18363"] The problem with this idea is that without any of their stereotypes you could name anything as the race. Perhaps you want 1 ft tall purple skinned reptilian-scaled humanoid(ish) beings - and call them 'elves'? Or how about 18 ft tall thin as a willow branch 'dwarves'? Or maybe halflings are literally half of a person - maybe the left half of the body, hopping on their one leg to move about? Guess what half-orcs are? I think it more likely that you want a variant of each race that touches upon a less common stereotype rather than what is used by WotC? In some legends elves were half the height of humans, mischievious, and lived underground in hollow hillsides or in small valleys thoroughly hidden by dense foliage. Bard would likely make a good favored class for this rambunctious race. This would be a very different type of elf from what is used by WotC - sort of a cross between halflings and elves but with a bardish cast upon their features. Yet it would still be fully grounded in literally centuries old stereotypes for their race. Dwarves were - in the original norse legends - very strong and stout, not quite normal human height, intensely gifted in magical artisanry, and often lived not underground but instead in cave-like burrows that rarely went all that far into the nearest mountain side. Favored class Wizard might work well for this race, in fact. Gnomes were intially Tiny beings that could move as swift as a man despite their size, were highly resistant to cold weather - sometimes sleeping in the snow, for that matter, said to leave tracks like a bird in the snow or soft ground, and also said to be incredibly wise and knowledgeable about nature and the local geography. Druid would likely work well as a favored class for this race. Orcs have had so many descriptions made of them that almost anything will work - small or large, wily or dumb, clumbsy or graceful, etc. Halflings are based on Hobbits, so there is less to work with / alter there, although you might return to the roots of the race, in a manner of speaking. The hobbits were not known as wanderers, after all, so the fluff about semi-nomadic gypsy-ish bands can be disguarded - and a few other small changes might also be made to re-affirm their non-wandering, practical lifestyle. Rogue, for instance, has to go as their favored class. Expert would work better - and might explain their lack of general adventuring (as they lack a PC class for their favored class). [/QUOTE]
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