D&D General Reincarnate is and has always been, weird.

[Stormonu]

Or an awesome failure option that reinforces that magical reincarnation isnt a convinient reliable crutch that makes death trivial.

Plus some players might consider being undead an upgrade

I'm for keeping beasts and undead in the spell, but in that case I think it should be lower level than (or the same level as) revivify.

(Of course, I'm all for putting some of the negative drawbacks into spells though, so they're not the first arrow in everyone's quiver).

 

[MarkB]

I'm for keeping beasts and undead in the spell, but in that case I think it should be lower level than (or the same level as) revivify.

Put the weird and undesirable things like beasts and undead at the bottom end of the d100 table, and add some weird-but-desirable things like celestials at ranges above 100, then start the spell out at low level and allow players to add a certain amount to their roll for each level you upcast it.

 

[Voadam]

What's wrong with being a Bugbear?

Their characterization is usually one of the more monstrous of the humanoids building off their classic CE alignment and ambush surprise powers. Volo's Guide to Monsters goes into it in some depth for 5e. In pathfinder they are particularly big on relishing the fear of others. In 5.5 they embody fear of the wilds incarnated as dark fey. Generally they are sadistic, cowardly, greedy, bullying cannibals who do not have any respect for others except those who can bully them.

It is one of the few races a PC asked about that I did not allow in my Thundar the Barbarian themed Iron Gods campaign. Given a cool rewrite of their characterization I would have allowed it, but the various default lores makes them both antisocial and with a reputation that generally no one but hobgoblins would want to interact with them, and then it is mostly to want to use them as tolerated but useful shock trooper terrorist units to unleash on enemies.

 

[Chaltab]

Their characterization is usually one of the more monstrous of the humanoids building off their classic CE alignment and ambush surprise powers. Volo's Guide to Monsters goes into it in some depth for 5e. In pathfinder they are particularly big on relishing the fear of others. In 5.5 they embody fear of the wilds incarnated as dark fey. Generally they are sadistic, cowardly, greedy, bullying cannibals who do not have any respect for others except those who can bully them.

It is one of the few races a PC asked about that I did not allow in my Thundar the Barbarian themed Iron Gods campaign. Given a cool rewrite of their characterization I would have allowed it, but the various default lores makes them both antisocial and with a reputation that generally no one but hobgoblins would want to interact with them, and then it is mostly to want to use them as tolerated but useful shock trooper terrorist units to unleash on enemies.

I mean sure, but a reincarnated character retains their original personality so what Bugbear raiders are typically like doesn't really matter.

 

[Mannahnin]

I mean sure, but a reincarnated character retains their original personality so what Bugbear raiders are typically like doesn't really matter.

Except for the social ramifications/ability to walk around towns and cities.

 

[Voadam]

I mean sure, but a reincarnated character retains their original personality so what Bugbear raiders are typically like doesn't really matter.

It might not matter to their fellow party members, but it is likely to matter as to how most everyone the new incarnation interacts with is likely to treat them. Hiding from most every otherwise friendly NPC as a seven foot tall brute is an option but whether hiding or not it tends to direct a significant amount of play to focus on that in a way that a player or group may not like.

 

[Laurefindel]

Their characterization is usually one of the more monstrous of the humanoids building off their classic CE alignment and ambush surprise powers. Volo's Guide to Monsters goes into it in some depth for 5e. In pathfinder they are particularly big on relishing the fear of others. In 5.5 they embody fear of the wilds incarnated as dark fey. Generally they are sadistic, cowardly, greedy, bullying cannibals who do not have any respect for others except those who can bully them.

It is one of the few races a PC asked about that I did not allow in my Thundar the Barbarian themed Iron Gods campaign. Given a cool rewrite of their characterization I would have allowed it, but the various default lores makes them both antisocial and with a reputation that generally no one but hobgoblins would want to interact with them, and then it is mostly to want to use them as tolerated but useful shock trooper terrorist units to unleash on enemies.

She never gave a reason, but I assume it wasn’t more profound than something like « Yuck, they’re so hairy! Gross!».

 

[Alzrius]

Except for the social ramifications/ability to walk around towns and cities.

I agree, but there's a segment of the gaming community who find moral fault with any instance of characters suffering social penalties due to what those characters are.

 

[Stormonu]

It is one of the few races a PC asked about that I did not allow in my Thundar the Barbarian themed Iron Gods campaign. Given a cool rewrite of their characterization I would have allowed it, but the various default lores makes them both antisocial and with a reputation that generally no one but hobgoblins would want to interact with them, and then it is mostly to want to use them as tolerated but useful shock trooper terrorist units to unleash on enemies.

Wouldn't Ookla the Mook essentially be a Bugbear? Couldn't you use that to modify their lore?

 

[Mannahnin]

I agree, but there's a segment of the gaming community who find moral fault with any instance of characters suffering social penalties due to what those characters are.

I think that's more a question of personal preference in whether they want racial/species prejudices to appear in their fantasy elfgame. Plenty of folks are fine with that, others aren't into it. Different strokes for different folks.

From what Voadam wrote, his world definitely does have it.

From what Laurefindel wrote, in the anecdotal instance in question it sounds like it was just player preference but we don't know the exact reason behind it.