D&D 5E Spotlight Races:Survival Mode

[Zardnaar]

So I'm thinking of a Darksun/Fallout 4 inspired game. Post Apocalyptic 200 odd years later.

Terrain wise I'm thinking North Africa inspired specifically not Tunis area with the ruins of not Carthage. The coastal strip is reasonably fertile (by post Apocalyptic standards) and desert to the south.

Various effects that cause exhaustion are more common. Tainted food, critical hits, energy drain cause exhaustion.

The sea is poisonous along with most surface water. You need access to underground aquifers and water purifiers for clean water. Spells that create or purify food or water are banned or nerfed.

Very few races are banned mostly flyers and ones that xan ignore environmental effects to easily eg warforged. What I'm thinking of doing is 7-12 core races that have their settlements etc anything else is a mutant more or less (or needs to be discovered).

Races will be from MotM and Tashas variants and custom lineage (mutant). Things like Fizbans deagonborn are fine buy the players will need to supply the source material (to minimize carried books).

Poison resistance will be useful not banning races because of that eg Dwarves.

Elves, Dwaves, Humans are core default races. Culturally a bit different I'll redo them.

So 4-9 more races for the important ones. I'm thinking Tabaxi as the desert nomad types, Minotaur on not Crete/Thera.

So any advice/ideas peeps?

 

[jmartkdr2]

How I'd do it: let the players pic whatever they want, but give you their choices early. Just race is needed early, though it might be helpful to know what classes they're considering. Those races then add to the core of "main races" in the area, at least the starting area around not-Carthage. As you go further other stuff might show up. (Unless a player really wants to play an outsider, of course.)

It may be helpful to pick who the dominant race of not-Carthage is ahead of time - if dragonborn used to run the place, that will have effects on how people see them to this day. Also, you should decide if any race is blamed for the apocalypse.

 

[Zardnaar]

How I'd do it: let the players pic whatever they want, but give you their choices early. Just race is needed early, though it might be helpful to know what classes they're considering. Those races then add to the core of "main races" in the area, at least the starting area around not-Carthage. As you go further other stuff might show up. (Unless a player really wants to play an outsider, of course.)

It may be helpful to pick who the dominant race of not-Carthage is ahead of time - if dragonborn used to run the place, that will have effects on how people see them to this day. Also, you should decide if any race is blamed for the apocalypse.

Race responsible is "extinct" bit hidden survivors. Might use custom lineage or refluff Velkaden or something.