D&D General The Tyranny of Rarity

[Minigiant]

Is the race of a PC the main thing that distinguishes one PC from another the only thing that matters? Combinations of race/class/personality/goals/setting/etc don't mean anything?

It can be.

One of my favorite PCs was a half-elf and his whole personality, outlook, attitude, and class choice was built upon half-elven tropes and subversion of them.

Why is a DM "uncreative" if you can't possibly have more depth to your PC than "it's an elf so it's exactly the same as every other elf I've ever played"?

It's not automatic.

However if your world is a clone of another with the names scratched off... that's the definition of uncreative.

 

[Faolyn]

And yet, warforged is one of these races that have always posed a problem of verisimilitude to me. Are they constructs or not ? How do they heal ? Not to mention things like sleeping, eating, breathing and such. Various editions have had various takes on this, with more or less success, and this is where, for me, 5e's simplicity which works very well in general fails to provide explanations that look both interesting, fun and "realistic" to people at our tables, which is why we don't have any in our groups, including in Eberron campaigns.

The warforged aren't just animated metal. They're metal and stone and and wood. The wood is living wood--the magical process used to bring a warforged to life keeps the wood alive. Therefore, they do heal, because the wood in them heals.

The rules have been very clear on how they don't need to eat, drink, or breathe, and how they "sleep." Keith Baker has written several blog articles on warforged that may inspire you.

 

[Oofta]

It can be.

One of my favorite PCs was a half-elf and his whole personality, outlook, attitude, and class choice was built upon half-elven tropes and subversion of them.



It's not automatic.

However if your world is a clone of another with the names scratched off... that's the definition of uncreative.

Uncreative DMs are uncreative. Just like dictatorial DMs are going to be dictatorial. I don't see curated vs kitchen sink campaigns making a difference. In addition if you're bored with your PCs then maybe the problem isn't the DM. Maybe it's you, maybe you should try a different game or genre altogether.

I've had good DMs and bad. Races allowed would never once have changed my experience in the game.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

However if your world is a clone of another with the names scratched off... that's the definition of uncreative.

Sure. Thus I oppose the idea that one should just uncritically port everything WoTC decides to print in their books to every setting, making them all copy-paste fantasy kitchen sinks.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

No one is being 'bossed around' it's just that campaigns have premises and not every character concept is fit for every premise, nor are GM's obligated to run games, premises of which they do not like.

In summary...the OP says

IF you are a GM who limits a player choice
AND a player wants to bump against your limits
THEN you should put some thought into seeing if their request can be accomodated in some way.

If you already do this, then this thread isnt aimed at you and you have no need to be defensive.

 

[Lyxen]

The warforged aren't just animated metal. They're metal and stone and and wood. The wood is living wood--the magical process used to bring a warforged to life keeps the wood alive. Therefore, they do heal, because the wood in them heals.

Does Cure Wounds work on wood ? And even if it did, how does it heal the other two components of the body of the warforged ? I know, "because it's magic" but sometimes that does not float for one's sentiment of verisimilitude.

The rules have been very clear on how they don't need to eat, drink, or breathe, and how they "sleep." Keith Baker has written several blog articles on warforged that may inspire you.

And it does not mean that we have to like the way it's implemented, as it does not make sense to us. They are perfect as NPCs where you don't have to ask yourself too many questions, but as PCs, we like things to make sense for us.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Sure. Thus I oppose the idea that one should just uncritically port everything WoTC decides to print in their books to every setting, making them all copy-paste fantasy kitchen sinks.

Your critique of the word tyranny also applies to the phrase "kitchen sink".

 

[Lyxen]

In summary...the OP says

IF you are a GM who limits a player choice
AND a player wants to bump against your limits
THEN you should put some thought into seeing if their request can be accomodated in some way.

If you already do this, then this thread isnt aimed at you and you have no need to be defensive.

And what I would have liked, in addition to not using the word "tyranny is":
IF you have a GM who limits a player choice
AND you are a player who wants to bump against the limits
THEN you should FIRST put some thought into understanding why the DM would like it his way.

 

[Minigiant]

Uncreative DMs are uncreative. Just like dictatorial DMs are going to be dictatorial. I don't see curated vs kitchen sink campaigns making a difference. In addition if you're bored with your PCs then maybe the problem isn't the DM. Maybe it's you, maybe you should try a different game or genre altogether.

I've had good DMs and bad. Races allowed would never once have changed my experience in the game.

Of course.

I'm just explaining 2 of the many drives for new races. Repetitive settings and ideas with no depth.

 

[Arilyn]

And what I would have liked, in addition to not using the word "tyranny is":
IF you have a GM who limits a player choice
AND you are a player who wants to bump against the limits
THEN you should FIRST put some thought into understanding why the DM would like it his way.

But that isn't the premise of the original post. It is written as advice for GMs. And it certainly is not written in an adversial tone. Once again the title says "Tyranny of Rarity"

The whole "entitled" player thing was added later by people reading into things that was not even remotely the purpose of the post.