Races of... contrasting views
- Thread starter MerricB
- Start date
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
Well, in looking at the books I use as a GM, I tend to use almost all three a bit but so far, due to the background I've been working on with the Illumians, Races of Destiny, is probably getting the most use from me in terms of campaign preperation. The Initiate Feats for the various Greyhawk deities in Races of Destiny, as well as the city information in the back of the book, have seen some repeated use.
Now me as a player, I can happily do without gnomes, half-orcs, half-elves, and halflings in the core rules. Sorry, they just don't do much for me. Elves and dwarves on the other hand, have already had some great books out so while WoTC was fortunate enough that they can come in after all is said and done, presenting full color hardbacks at good prices, there really wasn't that much I truly needed done for these races.
Goliaths have seen some use in my campaign. If Half-Giants, from the Expanded Psionics handbook, were used more often, I think their might be some type of problem but as they're rarely used, Goliaths seem to be the new "big strong guy" replacing the half-orc, and doing so for the better.
Raptorans... well, there is nothing this race does that another winged race doesn't do, and due to my own history in the game, (been playing since 1st Edition), due better and with more interesting aspects.
The minor races varied for me. The Miniature's Handbook saw some mining in the form of Catfolk and that dreaded Stonechild.
In terms of level progression, I hate monster levels. I think that Arcana Evolved's way of handling things, just as another class level, where you gain hit dice and other level dependent variants, is the way to go. Monsters should be built the same way as characters.
Now me as a player, I can happily do without gnomes, half-orcs, half-elves, and halflings in the core rules. Sorry, they just don't do much for me. Elves and dwarves on the other hand, have already had some great books out so while WoTC was fortunate enough that they can come in after all is said and done, presenting full color hardbacks at good prices, there really wasn't that much I truly needed done for these races.
Goliaths have seen some use in my campaign. If Half-Giants, from the Expanded Psionics handbook, were used more often, I think their might be some type of problem but as they're rarely used, Goliaths seem to be the new "big strong guy" replacing the half-orc, and doing so for the better.
Raptorans... well, there is nothing this race does that another winged race doesn't do, and due to my own history in the game, (been playing since 1st Edition), due better and with more interesting aspects.
The minor races varied for me. The Miniature's Handbook saw some mining in the form of Catfolk and that dreaded Stonechild.
In terms of level progression, I hate monster levels. I think that Arcana Evolved's way of handling things, just as another class level, where you gain hit dice and other level dependent variants, is the way to go. Monsters should be built the same way as characters.
JoeGKushner
Adventurer
diaglo said:
I'm shocked I tell you.
Shocked and appalled!
johnnype
First Post
I am not impressed with the "Race of" series at all. For as much "fluff" as they contain I found the quality of said fluff to be tremendously vacuous. So much so that I see the books as nothing but crunch. In WotC's obsession to not tie any particular setting to the rules, they have managed, IMO, to suck the soul out of the material.
But really, my problem with all of these new races is that they tend to want to define personality as a function of race when everyone knows that personality is better difined as a part of the environment and culture of the individual.
I don't know if they are done with the series but I'm certainly done with it. I'm looking to Green Ronin's Advanced Race Codex as the alternative.
But really, my problem with all of these new races is that they tend to want to define personality as a function of race when everyone knows that personality is better difined as a part of the environment and culture of the individual.
I don't know if they are done with the series but I'm certainly done with it. I'm looking to Green Ronin's Advanced Race Codex as the alternative.
Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
Since they presuppose a single racial culture in a narrow range of environments, I don't know that they don't agree with you. Or did you want to see stuff about plains dwarves and desert elves or something?johnnype said:
I found they made remarkably similar presuppositions in the original Green Ronin softcovers. Dwarves, for instance, tend to live underground and/or in the mountains, like axes and weaponcrafting, etc.
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