D&D 5E PC races that a DM has specifically excluded from their campaign and why

[Bitbrain]

Reply to OP.

I excluded dwarves from my current dark sun campaign, as I wanted to emphasize the idea of muls being dwarvenkind’s heirs.

It goes without saying that my interpretation of muls can breed true.

 

[Norton]

In 5E that's Aaracokra and anything else that flies.

Aaracokra and anything else that flies. I might allow it if the entire group took flying races. Flying races exacerbate the 'lone scout' PC who is playing the game while the rest of the party waits patiently for their report.

Both of these. And as I mentioned in another thread (before I saw this one, apologies) they tend to attract a certain kind of player who is damage-shy and power games the map to within an inch (or pixel) of its life. Practically, I can't share a map only for them even if they've flown ahead and seen pretty much everything (rogues and the like will always have a limited view). Also, I've yet to have a player who role plays them as the exotic, winged creature they are. They're usually treated like humanoids with jet packs who can fly away from any trouble.

All that complained, if a player assured me they would role play them as the strange beings they are and fully embraced how they would be regarded in most humanoid communities, I would consider it. BUT...DCs for stealth to fly ahead are going to be super high. And this is going to be a usable range weapon, as well.

 

[Scott Christian]

In D&D - no. It is a fun mess of nonsense, so why bother. Heck, make your own if you want. I have no qualms.

But a game with curated lore, in my humble opinion, must be limited in order for it to make sense.

 

[Tonguez]

No tieflings - demonspawn should be an interesting background with a good story not a race option
No dragonborn - dragonspawn should be a ….

Dwarfs - short viking miners dont fit my world
Halflings - they are ’fey’ who live in the shadow world
Elfs - they are vampiric creatures of the mist who steal mortal souls (Half-elfs do exist however)

 

[Zardnaar]

Both of these. And as I mentioned in another thread (before I saw this one, apologies) they tend to attract a certain kind of player who is damage-shy and power games the map to within an inch (or pixel) of its life. Practically, I can't share a map only for them even if they've flown ahead and seen pretty much everything (rogues and the like will always have a limited view). Also, I've yet to have a player who role plays them as the exotic, winged creature they are. They're usually treated like humanoids with jet packs who can fly away from any trouble.

All that complained, if a player assured me they would role play them as the strange beings they are and fully embraced how they would be regarded in most humanoid communities, I would consider it. BUT...DCs for stealth to fly ahead are going to be super high. And this is going to be a usable range weapon, as well.

Yeah that's kind of been my experience as well. They think they're being tactical avoiding damage. Most if the time they're just to far away to do much.

 

[cbwjm]

In my current campaign, I banned the more monstrous races and kept more or less everything PHB only when it came to races as I wanted there to be a clear delineation between the good guys and the bad guys. Since orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins were going to be largely the bad guys (at least initially) I didn't want anyone choosing one of those races.

 

[Hussar]

I have to admit, I'm just not seeing the problems you guys are. Flying ahead to scout? What you never have players with familiars? It's been so long that we didn't have a flying drone scout that I forget what it's like. So, I show the maps to the players. It lets them then make informed decisions instead of blundering in blindly into encounter after encounter. Fantastic. I love the fact that the players get so engaged in the game rather than, "Oh, look, we blundered into this dangerous monster yet again, roll for initiative". A flyer lets me info dump on the party and that's a good thing.

And, why are flying creatures so different from any other non-human? It's not like Aarocockra are particularly alien in their outlook or anything like that. They really are just humanoids that can fly. It's not like they're virtually immortal - remembering past lives with perfect clarity - gender fluid faeries. Same with the owl folk character in my current game. I wouldn't actually expect it to be terribly different from any other PC. Different yes, and race should matter, I agree. But, "exotic"? How are they any more exotic than any other PC race?

Now, the Lucidling - the flying dream creature created by an Aboleth? Now THAT'S exotic. And it's played as such.

 

[Mad_Jack]

I've just given up to be honest. There's just no fight left in me. It's been this way since I can remember. The second I suggest any sort of limitations, the players immediately want to play that. I could suggest fifteen other things they COULD play, but, no, I'm yucking in their yum for not letting them play what they want.

Like others have said, try banning all the races you want them to play...

I briefly played in a game where the DM didn't want elves in the party because they were supposed to be the huge movers and shakers of the world - rock-star near-gods, essentially.
Two people insisted on playing elves just to be wankers about it (we were all friends, they just wanted to give him grief), so I and another player decided to run with it, and had our characters act like drooling fangirls... Every time we came to a town, we'd blow a horn and loudly announce their presence like heralds. We'd order their dinner for them, taste their food, dress them, and refuse to let anyone who wasn't a noble speak to them directly.

 

[Morley_Dotes]

Kender, from day 1 (Tho I liked Tas's character in the books). I had a couple of players who would have played one but didn't want to "play" a Kender, they just wanted a reason to be obnoxious in the D&D game; and bragged about planning to play that way.

 

[cbwjm]

Kender, from day 1 (Tho I liked Tas's character in the books). I had a couple of players who would have played one but didn't want to "play" a Kender, they just wanted a reason to be obnoxious in the D&D game; and bragged about planning to play that way.

This is the main problem with kender players and largely the reason why people think kender are disruptive to the game.