D&D 5E Reflavoring races

[Micah Sweet]

I avoid reflavoring as much as possible. Mechanics should, IME, mirror the fiction, not the other way around. If you can't build what you want with existing appropriate mechanics, then you just need new mechanics.

Of course, that's not a philosophy that emphasizes simplicity, but that's a lower priority for me.

 

[Bupp]

The rules and stat blocks are nothing more than a framework to build whatever flavor you want on to. Races, monsters, spells, classes. Doesn't matter.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The rules and stat blocks are nothing more than a framework to build whatever flavor you want on to. Races, monsters, spells, classes. Doesn't matter.

Yeah, not for me. It makes the whole experience much too gamist.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I've always liked the image of 'organic' Warforged. Especially wooden ones, but stone or gem too.

Yeah the warforged in my settings vary a lot. In Islands World, they are made of living wood, carved driftwood, and coral and are visually defined by the juxtaposition of smooth or carved driftwood, and bright organically shaped coral.

In Space Fantasy! warforged are often lean, smooth, and enameled over metal, or they might have exteriors of highly polished metal, or basically be treants with less branches, just a humanoid shaped tree person.

 

[Charlaquin]

Does anyone else do this?,

Like for example I reflavor Half-Orcs as Three Quarter Orcs, mechanically they're still Half-Orcs but flavorwise they're the byproduct of what you get when Half-Orcs mate with pureblooded Orcs, sure it's really not as groundbreaking as Reflavoring Tieflings as Fey'ri, but it's still a nice personal touch.

In my world some of the races have different lore than what’s presented in the books. Also, if a player wants to play a race that isn’t normally present in the setting, I’ll try to work with them to re-skin it in a way that fits the setting while still honoring whatever it is about the race that made them want to play it.

 

[Charlaquin]

Yeah, not for me. It makes the whole experience much too gamist.

Gamism is good, in my opinion. D&D is, after all, a game.

 

[Delazar]

in my Birthright campaign, I re-flavored races as Bloodlines. So you might be an Anuirean (human), but you use the traits of an Aasimar because you belong to the Bloodline of Anduiras (god of nobility), or you might use the traits of a Triton if you belong to the Bloodline of Masela (goddess of the seas).

 

[Micah Sweet]

Gamism is good, in my opinion. D&D is, after all, a game.

Different strokes. Gamism for me is to used when needed only.

 

[d24454_modern]

Does anyone else do this?,

Like for example I reflavor Half-Orcs as Three Quarter Orcs, mechanically they're still Half-Orcs but flavorwise they're the byproduct of what you get when Half-Orcs mate with pureblooded Orcs, sure it's really not as groundbreaking as Reflavoring Tieflings as Fey'ri, but it's still a nice personal touch.

Nitpick: Book of Erotic Fantasy argues that mechanically, “three-quarters orc” is an “orc”.

 

[Andvari]

The classic half centaur half minotaur. You have inherited the upper body of the centaur and the lower body of the minotaur. And now you're just some guy.