Rate the Races

[InShambles]

I voted hate: Dwarves, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs; love: Humans.

Dwarves have a couple of bonuses that I feel are too DM/Campaign specific (attack bonus to Orcs, Goblinoids; dodge vs. giants) and should be dropped. Also I think the stone and metal work bonuses are great but a bit narrow in scope. They need a couple of bonuses that are general like the Elf's Spot, Search, Listen bonus. Plus they need a weapons bonus like the Elf. I mean for gods' sakes their favored class is Fighter!

I hate Half-Elves because they are half as good as an elf with a Human's favored class which is only useful (obviously) if you multiclass. And what if you don't multi? Well then play an Elf.

Half-Orcs need an extra bonus as well. I guess with the latter two races were designed that way to make them rare to a campaign. I think the DM should decide that kind of thing.

Humans are great. Their bonuses are generic but allows them to be a ungeneric race.

Elves are okay but let them get some sleep, damnit! Gnomes are okay but drop the racial ties like with the Dwarves. Halflings are okay as well.

 

[Victim]

Thematically, I hate gnomes the most. Are they small fey-like creatures as suggested by the spell-like powers, or mad tinkers, as suggested by the skill bonuses? Either way, I don't like them.

Mechanically, I love humans for the flexibility. 1/2 orcs need an actual racial ability, such as some skill bonuses. A bonus to Fort saves and to intimidate might be in order. Half Elves suck. My inner power gamer rebels at half elves, but will accept wizards with Martial weapon proficiency in a weapon he'll probably never use. The penalty to Con really hurts elves. IMHO, Con is the second most important stat for most characters besides the 2 or more stat classes like Monks and Paladins.

 

[Drawmack]

compiled results thus far:

Race - % Hate - % Love
Dwarves - 6% - 14%
Elves - 13% - 17%
Gnomes - 34% - 11%
Half-Elves - 19% - 5%
Half-Orcs - 17% - 5%
Halflings - 6% - 7%
Humans - 5% - 40%

Most Loved: Humans
Most Hated: Gnomes
Least Loved: Half-Elves & Half-Orcs
Least Hated: Humans
Most Indifferent: Halflings

Interesting findings so far. The Gnomes and Humans in the hated and loved were expected but I did not expect people to be indifferent to any race, expecially halflings since those that hate gnomes tend to proport the halfling.

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Humans are my favorite. I just don't get Halflings.

 

[Lars Frehse]

I don't like dwarves. I think that the real-world-equivalent of a dwarf is a fifty year old biker with a beard who likes working on his motorcycle, drinking beer and listening to Fantasy Metal (like Menowar).
Of the races listed here, I would pick Half-Orc as favorite. They are a bunch of mistreated underdogs with an attitude and the brawns to fight back! What is there that is not to like?

 

[megamania]

Play Darksun

No Gnomes...all dead

 

[Gez]

I voted "love gnome, hate elf", but actually, I should have voted "love gnome, hate elf and human".

Humans suck. I know it, I see them everyday, I see how they are, how most of them are just lazy-minded idiots with gaudy tastes, I see what they do to themselves and the rest of the world, and frankly, they suck.

As for elves. Complete Handbook of Elves. Elves of Evermeet. Cormanthyr Empire of Elves. Boards.Wizards.Com. Enough said. They suck.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Humans are supposed to be the center of a fantasy game world, and I'm glad that they finally allowed them to multi-class and made them playable compared to the various demihumans. I never played a human in either First or Second edition because of the restriction against multiclassing.

Half-Orcs really do need a bonus to keep them balanced. I usually give them the Scent feat for free, though I might change this to Power Attack (as a rough parallel to SW Gamorreans).

I'm starting to get over my mind-numbing hatred of elves (there's a reason behind it), and I've even cautiously gotten back into playing them. One of my coolest Shadowrun characters is an Elf.

Half-Elf could be removed, and Half-Orc replaced with Orc as a standard race, and I think it would work better. I figure a half breed of either sort should either be of that race, or Human. Perhaps Humans could have a new feat (that would have to be purhcased at first level) to represent Elf or Orc lineage.

As for the rest... eh. I don't play any of those races, but they don't bother me, either. If I don't play a Human, I usually reach for the Monster Manual.

edit: fixed spelling

 

[Drawmack]

Perhaps Humans could have a new feat (that would have to be purhcased at first level) to represent Elf or Orc lineage.

That is a really good idea. If you're a halfbread then your human and your bonus feat goes to getting something from the race you are crossed with. This would also go a long way towards explaining why humans dominate the world as well.

 

[Drawmack]

Current Stats compiled
Race - % Hate - % Love
Dwarves - 6% - 12%
Elves - 16% - 15%
Gnomes - 30% - 12%
Half-Elves - 17% - 5%
Half-Orcs - 18% - 6%
Halflings - 9% - 8%
Humans - 4% - 42%

Most Loved: Humans
Most Hated: Gnomes
Least Loved: Half-Elves & Half-Orcs
Least Hated: Humans
Most Indifferent: Halflings & Elves

Interesting all of the races are moving more towards indifferent (% hate = % love) except the humans who are bradening their lead. Let your voice be heard, do not let indifference hunt your favorite or most despised races.