So that's why you like it

[Rechan]

There are quite a few things folks around here are interested in that I just can't understand. Mainly, I don't see the attraction at all. I got to thinking, then, that this would be a nice topic for a thread.

So, post something you don't see the attraction to, and hopefully someone else will try to explain why they like it/what the draw to it is.

In fact, we can make it a game. If you make a post explaining something you like, then I encourage you to end that post with something you don't get.

This is not an excuse to insult/rant about game elements you don't like. This is because you want someone to explain it to you because you're curious. Don't argue with the explanations given - if you still don't get it or don't like it, you likely won't. This is also not a place to express the superiority of your taste (either as a questioner or explainer).

To get the ball rolling, I'll start: Xorn.

I was on a forum, when some designers were asking "What do you want to see in this adventure?" and some of the responses were "Xorn! We never see Xorn in adventures!" "Yeah! Xorn would be awesome!" "Xorn are cool!"

So, to find out what the hubub is about, I looked up Xorn and I was left confused.

Xorn are merely extra-planar entities that eat gems. They can barter for gems. Sometimes they'll attack you for gems.

Aside from their appearance (which is a little intriguing), I don't understand the attraction because they just... don't seem to do that much. They eat gems. That's their sole motivation? Aside from a Xorn asking for gems to eat, or a xorn bandit demanding your jewelry, I don't see much of an opportunity for Xorn interaction. I imagine that they don't pop up in modules/see a lot of use because they're not all that inspiring.

So, why do you like Xorn?

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Neat idea for a thread. I think some good posts can be made in this. I shall begin thinking up some of my own, "why you like this?". Oh Rechan, I hope you saw my reply on the other thread relating to Elan.

 

[Rechan]

Oh Rechan, I hope you saw my reply on the other thread relating to Elan.

That's what inspired the thread.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Heavy metal. I like songs from every other musical genre, but I just don't get the appeal of all that...noise.

...What? Game related? Oh, okay, I've got one of those too. I don't get the appeal of bullywugs, catfalk, lizardfolk and all other "they're like people but superficially animalistic" races.

 

[The Ghost]

This could be a very fun thread.

For me Elan represents what I felt like when I first picked up the game. He has little understanding of everything that is going on and just does what he thinks is cool or emulates movie/story/games tropes. Much like most people do when they first play the game. Needless to say, my first 3.5e character after coming back to D&D was a bard. He reminds me a lot of, well, me!

What I don't get, though, is the love for Drizzt Do'Urden. Can someone explain their love of him for me?

 

[Rechan]

...What? Game related? Oh, okay, I've got one of those too. I don't get the appeal of bullywugs, catfalk, lizardfolk and all other "they're like people but superficially animalistic" races.

There are multiple reasons for the interest. But before I get into it, allow me to ask a rhetorical question:

Why is there interest in any race but Humans? Why bother with elves, dwarves, etc?

The answer is: because they're different than humans. In some fashion, at least, people choose to not play a human either for the mechanical benefits, or for the story benefits.

1) Same idea. It's just that animalmen are further from human than demi-humans. This is one reason why I like them; they're inhuman. A nice distance from the typical elf/dwarf/halfling.

Not only aret they far enough from humans/demi-humans to be interesting, but familiar enough to be rationable. We all understand animals, their behaviors/habits and appearances. So something that is partially animal is a little less alien to us than say, something that's part plant. We don't understand how a sentient plant would behave.

Because we can understand animals and their behavior, it's a great inspiration for characterization. I can tell you right now I can use a cat as inspiration for my catman's behavioral patterns/personality. From Aesop to Redwall, animal = personality traits, so it's a very easy shortcut. Also, taking those animal elements and implementing it into their culture is rather easy and interesting.

2) Variety. Aesthetically, animalmen are so very diverse. There's a lot of different visual forms out there. Way more diverse than the spectrum of humans.

3) Design inevitability. You can only make so many different humanoids that look like a human with long ears or green skin before they start all looking together. This is similar to #2, in that the animal kingdom offers more variety of different humanoids to use.

4) Mythology. There have been animalmen for centuries. Many of various gods have animal heads. The Minotaur. Faeries have animal parts (Satyrs and centaurs, particularly). Not to mention lycanthropes. Besides, it makes sense that a God with a Jackal Head might create Jackalmen in his own image.

5) ) Environmental appropriateness. It just makes sense for lizardmen to live in swamps, and live there comfortably. When you need to have inhabitants int he swamp, or something to encounter in the swamp, you look for what lives there and, like #7, give it weapons and intelligence.

6) Nostalgia. Many of the various animalmen have been around for a long time, and so some may have very fond memories of the first time they fought Bullywugs.

7) Everyone has a favorite animal. Or "If you could be an animal, what would you be?" So, it makes sense that someone who thinks snakes are badass might really like Yaun-ti.

8) Fear. We all have instinctive fears. The thought of a tiger leaping onto us and mauling us. Snakes underfoot. So being able to give those fears swords, and intelligence, allow them to be used to pose a better threat than just a wild animal.

9) Furries.

 

[Rechan]

For me Elan represents what I felt like when I first picked up the game.... He reminds me a lot of, well, me!

You're thinking of Elan from Order of the Stick.

There's also a Psionic race known as the elan, which are humans that undergo a change to become a new life form that looks human, but is psionically active and other stuff.

 

[The Ghost]

You're thinking of Elan from Order of the Stick.

There's also a Psionic race known as the Elan, which are humans that undergo a change to become a new life form that looks human, but is psionically active and other stuff.

Ah! Yes, you are right. I do know of Elan (race). I read Elan (race) and remembered the thread asking why people liked Order of the Stick. I assumed Fallen Seraph was referring to that Elan (OotS) and not Elan (race). Consider this a preemptive strike against anybody not understanding the appreciation of that Elan (OotS).

 

[Rechan]

What I don't get, though, is the love for Drizzt Do'Urden. Can someone explain their love of him for me?

Honestly, I think it is a combination of several elements:

1) Many people are attracted to the idea of two-weapon fighting, so it's the coolness factor. Two scimitar is distinct and flashy. RA Salvatore could write awesome sword fighting scenes.

2) Drow. They are just popular. It was the first series we got to really look into the Drow culture, and it also had a drow main character.

3) The "Good guy of a bad (group) bucking the trend and trying to live right" is a classic trope, as far as fiction is concerned. You see it a lot - the Noble Savage. That has a certain appeal.

4) Angst. Certain people love angst. That's one reason why vampire fiction - with sad vampires bemoaning their fate - is rather popular.

5) More than likely, those who like Drizzt the most were young and impressionable when they read the books. They were teenagers, thus angsty, related to Drizzt being an outcast. Drizzt did badass stuff. He was also counter-culture (going against what his People saw as the thing to do). To someone first starting reading D&D fantasy, it's pretty impressionable. (Sidenote: My first fantasy novel was The Crystal Shard).

Add all these up, and if several of these apply to a person's tastes, they likely would like Drizzt.

 

[Rechan]

Ack, doublepost. Well, I'll take this opportunity to add one more.

Okay, my turn. Gith (both Githyanki and Githezeri). What's up with the Gith? Why the attraction? Is it Planescape Nostalgia, or that they're the first psionic race to really be out there? Or just the built in illithid/gith conflict?