D&D 5E Player Races in Upcoming Volo's Guide to Monsters

[gyor]

Seems fairly straightforward, see the NPC Race features table in the DMG, page 282. It gives the details for 25 races, from the PHB and MM, giving the ability mods and features to add to the NPC Templette. So, if Gnolls are on the table, all it would need is the ability mods and a reference to the MM stats (or a monster stat block from Chapter One, maybe) for the racial traits: no details on Gnollish names or culture, just bare numbers for somebody to use in a tabular format. You can really already do that for Gnolls from that DMG table, frankly, so I think it is a solid model of what we can expect (much longer, maybe, but probably not more info; notably, the NPC PHB races have different NPC mods, so who knows).

You can't just list features without an explaination of what they do, how could anyone use that? Plus you need stuff like known lauguages, size, speed, age, weight, ect...

At the very least you'd need a table explaining what particular features do!

 

[Parmandur]

You can't just list features without an explaination of what they do, how could anyone use that? Plus you need stuff like known lauguages, size, speed, age, weight, ect...



At the very least you'd need a table explaining what particular features do!

The DMG table in question refers the DM to the MM and PHB wtiteups for explanations of the abilities: the races getting "quick rules" don't need much more than that, if anything. If, say, Hobgoblins are on the table, it could list "Martial Advantage" and just leave it to the MM statblock to explain.

At any rate, very doable, and easy to see how they can do it for the "different hat/funny forehead" rave options.

 

[gyor]

The DMG table in question refers the DM to the MM and PHB wtiteups for explanations of the abilities: the races getting "quick rules" don't need much more than that, if anything. If, say, Hobgoblins are on the table, it could list "Martial Advantage" and just leave it to the MM statblock to explain.

At any rate, very doable, and easy to see how they can do it for the "different hat/funny forehead" rave options.

I hope they do better then that, even the quick play races should be a playable right out of the box, without need the MM. Just add a few more details. Plus some of the races may not BE in the MM. An expanded table with all the practice details at least. I mean the Races Chapter is likely to be a third to one fouth of the book, they should have room for that.

 

[Parmandur]

I hope they do better then that, even the quick play races should be a playable right out of the box, without need the MM. Just add a few more details. Plus some of the races may not BE in the MM. An expanded table with all the practice details at least. I mean the Races Chapter is likely to be a third to one fouth of the book, they should have room for that.

They don't need to do more than that, though they might. Not much info is really needed for a Race in 5E.

 

[gyor]

They don't need to do more than that, though they might. Not much info is really needed for a Race in 5E.

It has to be at least enough that they are completely functional without refering to the MM, these are intended to still be PC races, not NPCs taking class levels. I don't it will be as light on info as the DMG NPC races table.

 

[Demetrios1453]

I hope they do better then that, even the quick play races should be a playable right out of the box, without need the MM. Just add a few more details. Plus some of the races may not BE in the MM. An expanded table with all the practice details at least. I mean the Races Chapter is likely to be a third to one fouth of the book, they should have room for that.

I wouldn't be surprised to see it just one-tenth of the book, actually, especially as we now know that the book will only be on giants in the featured creatures chapter at page 23. I'm thinking we'll see something close to a 100-20-100 page breakdown of the three chapters. I expect we'll see about 10 or so in-depth playable races, and then a page or two for the "quick and dirty" racial charts.

 

[Parmandur]

I wouldn't be surprised to see it just one-tenth of the book, actually, especially as we now know that the book will only be on giants in the featured creatures chapter at page 23. I'm thinking we'll see something close to a 100-20-100 page breakdown of the three chapters. I expect we'll see about 10 or so in-depth playable races, and then a page or two for the "quick and dirty" racial charts.

I reckon Giants are second in chapter one, alphabetically, after Beholders.

 

[Demetrios1453]

I reckon Giants are second in chapter one, alphabetically, after Beholders.

I think we'll at least see Dragons in between. Sadly, not enough room to fit full gem dragon stat blocks, but I bet we'll see at least one dragon variant such as the deep dragon, as well as general dragon lore. After all, "Dragons" is half of the game's name.

Beyond that, I agree, there most likely won't be anything else, unless they decide to give us a couple of pages on bullywugs or some other creature. I assume devils and demons will be reserved for when we get something on the Planes...

 

[IgnatiusJ.Reilly]

I really have a hard time getting all worked up for player races and especially backgrounds.

It is simply so little crunch, with so little impact. That you could so easily do it yourself.

Compared to classes, subclasses and spells I mean.

Okay so I realize the desire to play something official, but that's about it.

Yes, it's hard to get excited, I've little use for a bunch of oddball races.

 

[CapnZapp]

You can't just list features without an explaination of what they do, how could anyone use that? Plus you need stuff like known lauguages, size, speed, age, weight, ect...

At the very least you'd need a table explaining what particular features do!

Have you looked at the DMG table referenced here.

There is nothing unclear about it.

To create an Aaracocra Commoner (or Spy, or Bandit Captain...) you modify that NPC statblock by adding +2 Dex, +2 Wis, you give it Dive Attack, talon attack action, reduce speed to 20 ft but give it Fly 50 ft, and let it speak Auran.

To learn the actual details (for instance, "what is dive attack") you simply go to the Aaracocra monster stat block and read

Dive Attack. If the aarakocra is flying and dives at least 30 feet
straight toward a target and then hits it with a melee weapon
attack, the attack deals an extra 3 (1d6) damage to the target.​

Obviously this involves a fair bit off cross-referencing, but since you only need to do it once (per character you create) it does provide a LOT of player character race options in a very small space indeed.