Question on fantasy races

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

More specifically, I don't think that flavor should be forced by a player's mechanical preferences. If I want to play as a human fighter, but I feel that a dwarf has superior mechanical benefits for my build, I'd rather just reskin my dwarf as a human.

I most totally agree: one of the "fixes" I've thought about for my disappointment with humans always getting the diversity is to divorce the mechanics of race from the flavor text and instead consider them the normal course of genetic expression and cultural molding. (Okay, you're going to have some problems where things like Size are concerned, but I prefer to deal with that at the character phase rather than rigidly lay it down in world creation.)

There are a few instances in which I'm not sure it's feasible to do so - 4e Dragonborn for one. You'd have to have a pretty compelling reason to have a firebreathing human.

Well it depends on the themes of the game world: if there was a heavy focus on association with Classic Greek elements maybe people born in a certain place or certain time would have fire powers.

 

[Aus_Snow]

You'd have to have a pretty compelling reason to have a firebreathing human.

Circus freaks?

Like Carnivale, only 4e.

Or yeah, just crazy good performers with a knack for not killing themselves.

Otherwise, alchemical side-effects? Strange experiments gone awry? Or hey, maybe not so awry.

 

[Dausuul]

Human beings are the player characters of the universe. We're ingenious, violent, unpredictable, reckless, and prone to take on insane challenges and monumental tasks for no very good reason.

And our first solution to any problem is to set something on fire.

 

[jsears2002]

The anti-human sentiment on the last page or two is kinda funny, seeing as we are all human (I hope). I was thinking about what I said earlier, about removing the stereotypical races from my campaign world.

Well I got to thinking about every fantasy realm I have read about - from Forgotten Realms to Dragonlance, Brian Lumley to G. Martin, and I think I found an interesting twist on how to accomplish this. I think I will remove the human race from my fantasy world.

This also removes all of the half-races that I know of, unless there exists a half-elf, half-dwarf.

 

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

This also removes all of the half-races that I know of, unless there exists a half-elf, half-dwarf.

There is actually a product called Races of Consequence which hybridizes all possible combinations of PHB races (as well as adding full orcs to the mix, I think). The results aren't impressive mechanically, but by flavor they actually manage to define each hybrid.

 

[Ariosto]

Arduin has kobbits (kobold-hobbit cross). Also vampusas (guess).

The original D&D set described gnolls as "a cross between Gnomes and Trolls (... perhaps, Lord Dunsany did not really make it all that clear)".

It also (in a late printing) listed thouls in the encounter tables, but I came across no description of those until the Moldvay set.

 

[jsears2002]

I'll have to check out the races of consequence book. I am still pondering whether or not I should make it so that the human race is nonexistant in the world I want to create or not. Humans have such versatility that they kinda create the glue that pull elves from the forest and dwarves from the mountains to work together (in classical fantasy that is).

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Just a word of advice derived from experience: don't eliminate humans.

Every time I've designed a campaign world in which humans were non-existent, at least 50% of the prospective players rebelled, saying they at least wanted the option of choosing to play one.

 

[Aeolius]

Just a word of advice derived from experience: don't eliminate humans.

I allow players to choose humans as PCs... for as long as their character can hold their breath. Then they are required to choose one of two Prestige Classes: Anchor or Bait.

 

[jsears2002]

Just a word of advice derived from experience: don't eliminate humans.

Every time I've designed a campaign world in which humans were non-existent, at least 50% of the prospective players rebelled, saying they at least wanted the option of choosing to play one.

I was talking with my wife last night, who is just learning how to get into character and actually roleplay, and she got upset about the nonhuman idea I had. She doesn't like or understand elves, dwarves, etc. So, I think you have something there. Well, I'll find something interesting to do with them.